The Almanac

Today is Wednesday, July 23, the 204th day of 2003 with 161 to follow.

The moon is waning, in its last quarter. The morning stars are Venus, Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The evening stars are Mercury Jupiter and Pluto.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Leo. They include detective novelist Raymond Chandler in 1888; Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie in 1892; Karl Menninger in 1893; actor Michael Wilding in 1912; Broadway restaurateur Vincent Sardi Jr. in 1915 (age 88); actress Gloria DeHaven in 1925 (age 78); baseball pitcher Don Drysdale and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy (age 66), both in 1936; actor Ronny Cox in 1938 (age 65); radio talk show host Don Imus in 1948 (age 55); and actors Edie McClurg in 1951 (age 52), Woody Harrelson in 1961 (age 42) and Eriq La Salle in 1962 (age 41); Monica Lewinski in 1973 (age 30).

On this date in history:

In 1829, William Burt of Mount Vernon, Mich., patented the "typographer," believed to be the first typewriter.

In 1948, legendary pioneer movie director D.W. Griffith, maker of several silent classics including the controversial "Birth of a Nation," died at the age of 73.

In 1967, one of the worst riots in U.S. history broke out on 12th Street in the heart of Detroit's predominantly African American inner city. By the time it was quelled four days later by 7,000 National Guard and U.S. Army troops, 43 people were dead, 342 injured.

In 1973, Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox served subpoenas on the White House after President Nixon refused to turn over tapes and documents.

In 1982, TV star Vic Morrow and two child actors were killed when a helicopter disabled by special effects explosives crashed on the set of "The Twilight Zone" movie.

In 1987, President Reagan named a 13-member national commission on AIDS.

In 1990, President Bush nominated federal appeals Judge David Souter of New Hampshire to replace retiring U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan.

In 1991, the Soviet government applied for full membership to the IMF and World Bank after the Group of Seven recommended a limited "special association" for the USSR.

In 1997, suspected serial murderer Andrew Cunanan was found dead--apparently by his own hand--on a houseboat in Miami.

In 1998, a second grand jury impaneled by independent counsel Kenneth Starr began hearing testimony about President Clinton's alleged affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

In 1999, Air Force Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman to command a space shuttle flight with the launch of Columbia on a four-day mission.

Also in 1999, Minn. Gov. Jesse Ventura declared he would not be a Reform party candidate for president in 2000.

And in 1999, Morocco's King Hassan II, an influential leader in the Arab world, died at age 70.

In 2002, A laser-guided bomb fired from an Israeli warplane hit the Gaza City home of Shiek Salah Schehada, founder of the military wing of Hamas, killing him and 14 others and wounding more than 140. Nine of the victims were children.

Also in 2002, Pope John Paul II, though weakened by Parkinson's disease, began an 11-day trip in Toronto where he attended World Youth Day, a weeklong Roman Catholic festival.

A thought for the day: author Stendhal (Henri Beyle) said, "Wit lasts no more than two centuries."