The Almanac

Today is Wednesday, July 26, the 207th day of 2006 with 158 to follow.

The moon is waxing. The morning stars are Mars, Uranus, Saturn and Neptune. The evening stars are Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Pluto.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Leo. They include artist George Catlin, painter of American Indian scenes, in 1796; playwright George Bernard Shaw in 1856; Carl Jung, founder of analytic psychology, in 1875; novelist Aldous Huxley in 1894; poet/author Robert Graves in 1895; U.S. Sen. Estes Kefauver, D-Tenn., who led the 1950-51 Senate investigation of organized crime, in 1903; comedian Gracie Allen in 1906; actress Vivian Vance in 1912; Erskine Hawkins, trumpet, band leader, in 1914; actor Jason Robards in 1922 and movie producer Blake Edwards in 1922 (age 84); filmmaker Stanley Kubrick in 1928; storyteller Jean Shepherd in 1921; rock star Mick Jagger in 1943 (age 63); actress Helen Mirren in 1945 (age 61); tennis player Vitas Gerulaitis in 1954; and actors Kevin Spacey in 1959 (age 47) and Sandra Bullock in 1964 (age 42).

On this date in history:

In 1847, Liberia became a republic, and Africa's first sovereign, black-ruled democratic nation.

In 1908, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was born when a group of newly hired investigators were ordered to report to the Justice Department. It didn't become the FBI officially until 1935.

In 1941, U.S. Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur was named commander of U.S. forces in the Philippines.

In 1956, Egypt created a crisis by nationalizing the British and French-owned Suez Canal.

In 1984, "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" became the first network television show to be broadcast in stereo.

In 1990, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 408-18 to reprimand Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., for actions he took on behalf of a male prostitute.

In 1991, U.S. Secretary of State James Baker became the first Western diplomat to address the Mongolian parliament.

In 1992, under pressure, Iraq backed down and agreed to allow a U.N. inspection team to look for documentation on weapons of mass destruction.

Also in 1992, Motown singer/songwriter Mary Wells died of cancer at age 49.

In 1994, Congress opened hearings into the Whitewater affair, an Arkansas land deal involving U.S. President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton.

In 1995, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that would end U.S participation in the arms embargo against the Bosnian government.

In 2000, in a major victory for the recording industry, a federal judge ordered Napster to stop allowing the digital trading of copyrighted music over its Web site.

In 2003, a body found near Waco, Texas, was identified as Patrick Dennehy, a missing Baylor University basketball player. A teammate was charged with murder, opening the door to other troubles at the school.

Also in 2003, about 100 heavily armed gunmen believed to be rogue soldiers seized a large mall complex in Manila's financial district.

In 2004, an Egyptian diplomat held hostage by militants in Iraq for three days was released after successful negotiations.

In 2005, the United States roared back into space as the shuttle Discovery lifted off from Cape Canaveral in the first launch since the 2003 Columbia tragedy.

A thought for the day: Matthew Arnold wrote, "The free thinking of one age is the common sense of the next."