Creating, collecting, and sharing thoughts and ideas. And learning along the way.
There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!
Updated August 4, 2012, 2:28 pm
On August 5, 1963 the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union signed a treaty in Moscow banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space and underwater.
On Aug. 5, 1906, John Huston, the American motion-picture director, was born. Following his death on Aug. 28, 1987, his obituary appeared in The Times.
Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »
On This Date
By The Associated Press
1861 The federal government levied an income tax for the first time. 1884 The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty was laid on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor. 1924 The comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” by Harold Gray made its debut. 1957 “American Bandstand,” hosted by Dick Clark, made its network TV debut on ABC. 1963 The United States, Britain and the Soviet Union signed a treaty in Moscow banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space and underwater. 1966 The album “Revolver” by the Beatles was released. 1969 The U.S. space probe Mariner 7 flew by Mars, sending back photographs and scientific data. 1981 The federal government began firing striking air traffic controllers. 2001 Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban jailed eight foreign aid workers, including two Americans, for allegedly preaching Christianity. 2009 Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sworn in for a second term as Iran’s president. 2010 The Senate confirmed Elena Kagan as the Supreme Court’s 112th justice and the fourth woman in its history. The vote was 63-37. 2010 Thirty-three workers were trapped in a copper mine in northern Chile after a tunnel caved in. (They were rescued after being entombed for 69 days). 2011 Standard & Poor’s lowered the United States’ AAA credit rating by one notch to AA-plus. Current Birthdays
By The Associated Press
Boston Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford turns 31 years old today.
AP Photo/Steven Senne
Actress Janet McTeer turns 51 years old today.
AP Photo/Vince Bucci
1930 Neil Armstrong, Astronaut, turns 82 1945 Loni Anderson, Actress (“WKRP in Cincinnati”), turns 67 1947 Rick Derringer, Rock singer, turns 65 1956 Maureen McCormick, Actress (“The Brady Bunch”), turns 56 1961 Tawney Kitaen, Actress, turns 51 1962 Patrick Ewing, Basketball Hall of Famer, turns 50 1966 Jonathan Silverman, Actor, turns 46 1968 Terri Clark, Country singer, turns 44
Historic Birthdays
John Huston 8/5/1906 – 8/28/1987 American film director.Go to obituary »
68 Joseph Justus Scaliger 8/5/1540 – 1/21/1609
Dutch philologist and historian46 Pietro Antonio Cesti 8/5/1623 – 10/14/1669
Italian composer99 Antonio Franconi 8/5/1737 – 12/6/1836
Italian impresario84 Ambrose Thomas 8/5/1811 – 2/12/1896
French composer42 Guy de Maupassant 8/5/1850 – 7/6/1893
French novelist and short-story writer84 Conrad Aiken 8/5/1889 – 8/17/1973
American poet, novelist and critic65 Erich Kleiber 8/5/1890 – 1/27/1956
Austrian conductor and composer92 Wassily Leontief 8/5/1906 – 2/5/1999
Russian-born Nobel Prize-winning American economist (1973)59 Harold Holdt 8/5/1908 – 12/17/1967
Australian prime minister (1966-67)
Updated August 3, 2012, 2:28 pm
On Aug. 4, 1914, Britain declared war on Germany while the United States proclaimed its neutrality.
On Aug. 4, 1901, Louis Armstrong, the influential American jazz trumpeter, was born. Following his death on July 6, 1971, his obituary appeared in The Times.
Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »
On This Date
By The Associated Press
1790 The Coast Guard had its beginnings as the Revenue Cutter Service. 1792 Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was born in Field Place, England. 1830 Plans for the city of Chicago were laid out. 1892 Andrew and Abby Borden were axed to death in their home in Fall River, Mass. (Lizzie Borden, Andrew Borden’s daughter from a previous marriage, was accused of the killings, though she was later acquitted.) 1914 Britain declared war on Germany while the United States proclaimed its neutrality in World War I. 1964 The bodies of three missing civil rights workers were found buried in an earthen dam in Mississippi. 1977 President Jimmy Carter signed a measure establishing the Department of Energy. 1987 The Federal Communications Commission voted to rescind the Fairness Doctrine, which required radio and TV stations to present balanced coverage of controversial issues. 1994 Serb-dominated Yugoslavia withdrew its support for Bosnian Serbs, sealing the 300-mile border between Yugoslavia and Serb-held Bosnia. 2002 A Palestinian suicide bomber blew up a bus in northern Israel during rush hour, killing nine passengers. 2005 A mini-submarine carrying seven Russians became caught on an underwater antenna 600 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean; the men were rescued three days later with help from a British vessel. 2007 Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants tied Hank Aaron’s 755 career home runs. Current Birthdays
By The Associated Press
President Barack Obama turns 51 years old today.
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Actor Daniel Dae Kim (“Lost,” “Hawaii Five-O”) turns 44 years old today.
AP Photo/Dan Steinberg
1920 Helen Thomas, Journalist, turns 92 1944 Richard Belzer, Actor, comedian (“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”), turns 68 1949 John Riggins, Football Hall of Famer, turns 63 1955 Alberto Gonzales, Former attorney general, turns 57 1955 Billy Bob Thornton, Actor, turns 57 1958 Kym Karath, Actress (“The Sound of Music”), turns 54 1962 Roger Clemens, Baseball player, turns 50 1965 Dennis Lehane, Author, turns 47 1969 Michael DeLuise, Actor, turns 43 1971 Jeff Gordon, Race car driver, turns 41 1985 Crystal Bowersox, Country singer (“American Idol”), turns 27 1992 Dylan Sprouse, Actor, turns 20 1992 Cole Sprouse, Actor, turns 20
Historic Birthdays
Louis Armstrong 8/4/1901 – 7/6/1971 American jazz trumpeter.Go to obituary »
40 Richard de Clare Gloucester 8/4/1222 – 7/15/1262
English nobleman30 Percy Bysshe Shelley 8/4/1792 – 7/8/1822
English Romantic poet90 Russell Sage 8/4/1816 – 7/22/1906
American financier55 Walter Pater 8/4/1839 – 7/30/1894
British critic, essayist and humanist70 Sir Pherozeshah Mehta 8/4/1845 – 11/5/1915
Indian politician and newspaper publisher78 Sir Osbert Lancaster 8/4/1908 – 7/27/1986
English cartoonist, stage designer and writer79 Glenn Cunningham 8/4/1909 – 3/10/1988
American champion middle-distance runner82 William Schuman 8/4/1910 – 2/15/1992
American composer and educator35 Raoul Wallenberg 8/4/1912 – 7/17/1947
Swedish businessman and diplomat; rescued thousands of Hungarian Jews during World War II
