The almanac

Today is Monday, July 13, the 194th day of 2009 with 171 to follow.

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

Those born on this date are under the sign of Cancer. They include the Rev. Edward Flanagan, founder of Boys Town, in 1886; Dave Garroway, former host of TV's "Today Show," in 1913; former HUD Secretary, congressman and pro football star Jack Kemp in 1935; actors Bob Crane in 1928, Patrick Stewart in 1940 (age 69) and Harrison Ford in 1942 (age 67); Rubik's Cube inventor Erno Rubik in 1944 (age 65); comedian Cheech Marin in 1946 (age 63); and country singer Louise Mandrell in 1954 (age 55).

On this date in history:

In 1859, Mexican revolutionary President Benito Juarez ordered property of the Roman Catholic Church confiscated throughout Mexico.

In 1863, opposition to the Federal Conscription Act led to riots in New York City. More than 1,000 people were killed.

In 1898, Guglielmo Marconi was awarded a patent for wireless telegraphy, the radio.

In 1960, Democrats nominated Sen. John F. Kennedy for president against GOP Vice President Richard Nixon.

In 1977, a state of emergency was declared in New York City when the entire area suffered a 25-hour power blackout.

In 1985, more than 50 rock stars performed a total of 17 hours at televised "Live Aid" concerts in Philadelphia and London to raise money for African famine relief.

In 1990, the U.S. Senate gave final legislative approval to a bill that would forbid discrimination based on disability, including that caused by AIDS or alcoholism. President George H.W. Bush signed the measure into law July 26.

In 1992, Yitzhak Rabin became Israel's new prime minister, ending the hard-line Likud Party's 15-year reign.

In 1998, Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto resigned, a victim of the country's economic woes.

In 2000, the leader of Fiji's successful coup freed the former prime minister and 17 other hostages, ending a 2-month-old crisis.

In 2002, The Bush administration said that fiscal 2002 would see a deficit of $165 billion despite the $127 billion surplus recorded for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2001.

In 2003, the new 25-member Iraqi council, representing all major religious and ethnic groups in the country, had its first meeting in a major step toward self-government.

Also in 2003, a senior U.S. official said North Korea apparently had begun reprocessing spent nuclear fuel rods, suggesting the country planned to produce nuclear weapons.

In 2005, a judge in New York sentenced former WorldCom Chief Executive Officer Bernard Ebbers to 25 years in prison for his part in what was described as the largest fraud in U.S. corporate history.

Also in 2005, a U.S. soldier and 24 Iraqis, including seven children, were killed by a suicide car bomber at a Baghdad checkpoint.

In 2006, the long-simmering tensions between Israel and the militant Muslim organization Hezbollah in Lebanon erupted into violence with each bombarding the other.

In 2007, a draft National Intelligence Estimate report, compiled from the work of all 16 U.S. intelligence agencies, suggested that al-Qaida was preparing for another attack on the United States.

In 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced a plan to save two major government-backed mortgage companies known normally as Fannie Mac and Freddie Mac with billions of dollars in investments and loans.

A thought for the day: poet John Gay said,

"Life is a jest; and all things show it.

"I thought so once; and now I know it."