The almanac

Today is Saturday, Aug. 10, the 222nd day of 2013 with 143 to follow.

The moon is waxing. Morning stars are Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune and Uranus. Evening stars are Saturn and Venus.

Those born on this day are under the sign of Leo. They include Edmund Jennings Randolph, the first U.S. attorney general, in 1753; Herbert Hoover, 31st president of the United States, in 1874; actors Jack Haley (the tinman in "The Wizard of Oz") in 1898, Norma Shearer in 1902, Noah Beery Jr. in 1913 and Rhonda Fleming in 1923 (age 90); guitar maker Leo Fender in 1909; singer/businessman Jimmy Dean in 1928; singer Eddie Fisher, also in 1928; pop singers Bobby Hatfield (the Righteous Brothers) in 1940 and Ronnie Spector in 1943 (age 70); rock musician Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull in 1947 (age 66); actors Rosanna Arquette in 1959 (age 54), Antonio Banderas in 1960 (age 53) and Angie Harmon in 1972 (age 41); writer Suzanne Collins in 1962 (age 51); and political commentator Andrew Sullivan in 1963 (age 50).

On this date in history:

In 1776, a committee of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson suggested the United States adopt "E pluribus unum" -- "Out of many, one" -- as the motto for its Great Seal.

In 1821, Missouri entered the United States as the 24th state and the first entirely west of the Mississippi River.

In 1977, 24-year-old postal employee David Berkowitz was arrested and charged with being the "Son of Sam," the serial killer who terrorized New York City for more than a year, killing six young people and wounding seven others.

In 1984, Nevada's chief U.S. district judge, Harry Claiborne, was convicted on tax evasion charges. It was the first conviction of a sitting federal judge.

In 1990, District of Columbia Mayor Marion Barry was convicted on one misdemeanor cocaine possession charge and acquitted on another. The jury deadlocked on the 12 other counts and a mistrial was declared.

In 1991, China agreed in principle to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.

In 1993, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was sworn in as the U.S. Supreme Court's 107th justice and second female member.

In 1996, Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole selected former congressman, Cabinet secretary and NFL quarterback Jack Kemp as his running mate.

In 2001, about 250 people were killed in a train wreck in Albania caused by a mine set on the tracks by rebels.

In 2003, more than 80 prisoners tunneled their way out of Brazil's Joao Pessoa prison, one of the nation's top security facilities.

In 2006, Britain and the United States strengthened security after foiling an alleged plot to use liquid explosives to blow up airplanes flying between the two countries. Police said as many as 10 aircraft had been targeted. U.S. officials banned the transportation of liquids and gel in carry-on luggage.

In 2007, the U.S. Federal Reserve put a reported $72 billion into the American financial system over two days to steady the volatile markets that fell in response to losses in the U.S. mortgage market.

In 2008, soul music icon Isaac Hayes, an Oscar- and Grammy-winning singer, composer and producer, died at his home in Shelby County, Tenn. He was 65.

In 2010, former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, a six-term Republican from Alaska, was killed with four others in the crash of a small plane in a remote area of his home state. He was 86.

In 2011, in the most volatile week in the history of the Dow Jones industrial average, U.S. stocks took a second big fall in three days. The Dow lost nearly 520 points, more than wiping out the 429 points regained the previous day. It had started the week with a 634-point dive after downgrading of the nation's credit rating.

In 2012, Army Pfc. Naser Jason Abdo was sentenced to two life-in-prison terms for plotting to blow up a Fort Hood, Texas, restaurant crowded with soldiers.

A thought for the day: Leonard Nimoy, as Mr. Spock in the space drama "Star Trek," said to a captured enemy commander, "Military secrets are the most fleeting of all."