The Almanac

Today is Saturday, July 10, the 192nd day of 2004 with 174 to follow.

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

Those born on this date are under the sign of Cancer. They include Protestant theologian John Calvin in 1509; American painter James Whistler in 1834; brewer Adolphus Busch in 1842; French novelist Marcel Proust in 1871; black educator Mary McLeod Bethune in 1875; novelist Saul Bellow in 1915 (age 89); TV news anchor/commentator David Brinkley in 1920; boxer Jake LaMotta in 1921 (age 83); author Jean Kerr in 1923 (age 81); actor Fred Gwynne in 1926; former New York City Mayor David Dinkins in 1927 (age 77); tennis star Arthur Ashe in 1943; actors Ron Glass in 1945 (age 59) and Sue Lyon in 1946 (age 58); and folksinger Arlo Guthrie in 1947 (age 57).

On this date in history:

In 1890, Wyoming was admitted to the Union as the 44th state.

In 1925. the so-called "Monkey Trial," in which John Scopes was accused of teaching evolution in school, a violation of state law, began in Dayton, Tenn., featuring a classic confrontation between William Jennings Bryan, the three-time presidential candidate and fundamentalist hero, and legendary defense attorney Clarence Darrow.

In 1938, industrialist Howard Hughes and a crew of four flew around the world in 91 hours, setting a speed record.

In 1962, the pioneer telecommunications satellite Telstar began relaying TV pictures between the United States and Europe.

In 1985, Coca-Cola, besieged by consumers dissatisfied with the new Coke introduced in April, dusted off the old formula and dubbed it "Coke Classic."

In 1987, Greenpeace's "Rainbow Warrior" was sunk in the Aukland, N.Z., harbor by French agents in diving gear who planted a bomb. One person died in the blast.

In 1989, Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and countless other Warner Bros. cartoon characters, died from complications of heart disease.

In 1991, President Bush lifted U.S. trade sanctions against South Africa, making it possible for the two nations to engage in trade.

Also in 1991, in Moscow, Boris Yeltsin was inaugurated as the first freely elected president of the Russian republic.

In 1992, former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was sentenced to 40 years in prison for cocaine racketeering.

And in 1992, an Alaskan appeals court overturned the conviction of former Exxon Valdez Capt. Joseph Hazelwood in connection with the massive oil spill in Prince William Sound.

In 1993, President Clinton addressed the South Korean parliament.

In 1994, Russian President Boris Yeltsin took part in the G7 leaders' annual political discussion for the first time.

Also in 1994, challenger Leonid Kuchma was elected president of Ukraine.

In 1995, Burmese pro-democracy dissident Daw Aung San Sun Kyi was freed from house arrest after six years.

Also in 1995, the defense in the O.J. Simpson murder trial opened its case.

In 1997, the Senate approved George Tenet as director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

In 1999, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and five other African nations -- all of which had troops in Congo -- signed a cease-fire agreement in a bid to end that country's civil war.

Also in 1999, the U.S. team won the Women's World Cup in soccer, defeating China in the final on penalty kicks.

In 2000, Gov. George W. Bush became the first Republican presidential candidate in many years to address the N.A.A.C.P.

In 2002, the blue-chip Dow Jones industrials declined 282.59 points and the hard-hit Nasdaq index and Standard & Poor 500 stock index fell to their lowest levels since 1997. The Nasdaq, where technology companies are heavily represented, had lost almost 75 percent of its value since 2000.

In 2003, as the two countries opened high-level talks to discuss their reconciliation process. North Korea's chief delegate called on South Korea to forge a united front against the United States, which he said is "seeking to start a war of aggression against the Korean nation."

A thought for the day: French novelist Maurice Proust said, "Happiness is beneficial for the body but it is grief that develops the powers of the mind."