The almanac

Today is Monday, Sept. 19, the 262nd day of 2011 with 103 to follow.

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

Those born on this date are under the sign of Virgo. They include Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski in 1905; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell in 1907; author William Golding ("Lord of the Flies") in 1911; writer Roger Angell in 1920; James Lipton, actor and writer and host of "Inside the Actors Studio," in 1926 (age 85) baseball Hall of Fame member Duke Snider, also 1926; singer Brook Benton in 1931; actors Adam West (TV's Batman) in 1928 (age 83) and David McCallum in 1933 (age 78); four-time Olympic gold medal discus thrower Al Oerter in 1936; singer/songwriter Paul Williams and singer Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers, both in 1940 (age 71); singers Mama Cass Elliot in 1941 and Freda Payne in 1942 (age 69); baseball Hall of Fame member Joe Morgan in 1943 (age 68); actors Randolph Mantooth in 1945 (age 66) and Jeremy Irons in 1948 (age 63); model and actor Twiggy, whose real name is Lesley Hornby, in 1949 (age 62); television personality Joan Lunden in 1950 (age 61); actor/director Kevin Hooks in 1958 (age 53); country singer Trisha Yearwood in 1964 (age 47); and comedian Jimmy Fallon in 1974 (age 37).

On this date in history:

In 1777, American soldiers won the first Battle of Saratoga in the Revolutionary War.

In 1881, U.S. President James Garfield died in Elberon, N.J., of gunshot wounds inflicted by a disgruntled office-seeker. Vice President Chester Arthur was sworn in as his successor.

In 1893, with the signing of the Electoral Bill by Gov. Lord Glasgow, New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant national voting rights to women.

In 1955, after a decade of rule, Argentine President Juan Domingo Peron was deposed in a military coup.

In 1985, an earthquake collapsed hundreds of buildings and killed 7,000 people in Mexico City.

In 1988, U.S. swimmer Greg Louganis took the gold medal in 3-meter springboard diving at the Seoul Olympics after hitting his head on the board during preliminary competition.

In 1991, the U.N. Security Council authorized Iraq to sell $1.6 billion in oil to buy food and essential supplies.

In 1994, the first 3,000 U.S. troops entered Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on a mission to ensure democracy, returned to the Caribbean nation.

In 1995, The Washington Post published the 35,000-word manifesto written by the Unabomber, who had said he wouldn't try to kill again if it was published. The Post and The New York Times shared the costs of publication.

In 2001, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. Defense Department ordered deployment of combat aircraft to the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The following day, the U.S. Army said ground troops were being sent to the region.

In 2004, Iran refused a plea by the International Atomic Energy Agency to end its enrichment of uranium, usually a first step toward producing fuel for nuclear reactors or bombs. Iran says it had only peaceful purposes in mind.

In 2005, in New Orleans, residents returning after Hurricane Katrina and the flood were told by Mayor Ray Nagin to stay away as Hurricane Rita headed toward the Texas-Louisiana coast.

Also in 2005, North Korea agreed in principle to abandon nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs in exchange for oil and energy in a deal signed in Beijing. However, the deal fell through.

In 2006, Thailand Premier Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown in a bloodless military coup.

Also in 2006, in an address before the U.N. General Assembly, the president of Sudan again refused to allow peacekeepers in Sudan's devastated Darfur region where 200,000 are reported to have died in civil strife.

In 2008, North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the country is restoring its nuclear reactor and is no longer concerned whether the United States lists it as a supporter of terrorism.

In 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama called for a new federal watchdog agency to protect U.S. consumers, regulating credit cards, mortgages and other financial transactions and ensure financial institutions comply with laws.

In 2010, the U.S. government declared the massive BP underwater oil well spill in the Gulf of Mexico to be considered officially closed and no longer a threat to its surroundings. The well exploded April 20, killing 11 workers and dumping an estimated 4.9 million barrels of crude into the gulf.

Also in 2010, a 42-year-old Frenchman with no arms or legs swam across the English Channel in 13 1/2 hours. Philippe Croizon, a quadruple amputee, covered the 21 miles with flippers attached to the stumps of his legs and special steering attachments in the arm areas.

A thought for the day: U.S. Army Gen. Omar Bradley said: "The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants."