On This Day in History - May 16th - Almanac

Today is Wednesday, May 16, the 136th day of 2018 with 229 to follow.

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

Those born on this date are under the sign of Taurus. They include William Seward, U.S. secretary of state whose purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million was called "Seward's Folly," in 1801; banker Levi Morton, U.S. vice president under Benjamin Harrison, in 1824; actor Henry Fonda in 1905; author Louis "Studs" Terkel in 1912; entertainer Liberace, born Władziu Valentino Liberace, in 1919; New York Yankees player/Manager Billy Martin in 1928; actor Danny Trejo in 1944 (age 74); actor Pierce Brosnan in 1953 (age 65); Olympic gold medal gymnast Olga Korbut in 1955 (age 63); actor Debra Winger in 1955 (age 63); actor Mare Winningham in 1959 (age 59); singer Janet Jackson in 1966 (age 52); singer Ralph Edward Tresvant Jr. (New Edition) in 1968 (age 50); actor Tracey Gold in 1969 (age 49); political commentator Tucker Carlson in 1969 (age 49); actor David Boreanaz in 1969 (age 49); former Argentine tennis player Gabriela Sabatini in 1970 (age 48); actor/stunt performer Jason "Wee Man"Acuna (Jackass) in 1973 (age 45); actor Tori Spelling in 1973 (age 45); actor Joseph Morgan in 1981 (age 37); actor/model Megan Fox in 1986 (age 32); model Behati Prinsloo in 1989 (age 29); actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster in 1990 (age 28); figure skater Ashley Wagner in 1991 (age 27); actor Miles Heizer in 1994 (age 24).

On this date in history:

In 1804, the French Senate declared Napoleon Bonaparte emperor.

In 1871, U.S. Marines landed in Korea in an attempt to open the country to foreign trade.

In 1920, Joan of Arc was canonized as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1929, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had its first Academy Awards ceremony. Wings was named Best Picture in the event at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

In 1932, following the assassination of Premier Tsuyoshi Inukai, fears began to spread that a militarist "super-party" was beginning to take shape in Japan.

In 1969, the unmanned Soviet spacecraft Venera 5 landed on Venus.

In 1985, the NBA named the Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan rookie of the year after he led all players in points.

In 1988, U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop said nicotine was as addictive as heroin or cocaine and called for the licensing of tobacco product vendors.

In 1991, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to address a joint session of Congress.

In 1995, the leader of a Japanese religious cult was charged with murder and attempted murder in nerve-gas attacks in a Tokyo subway that killed 12 people and injured more than 5,000.

In 1997, Mobutu Sese Seko -- who ruled Zaire for more than 30 years, allegedly looting it of billions of dollars -- fled the capital as rebel forces advanced. He died in exile less than four months later.

In 2006, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano appointed Romano Prodi premier amid charges of election fraud from outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

In 2009, a bus collided with stationary truck loaded with diesel fuel in south Nigeria, igniting an explosion and fire that killed at least 50 people.

In 2012, Vermont became the first state to ban hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract gas from underground deposits.

In 2013, Britain's David Beckham announced he would retire from soccer.

In 2014, election results in India gave Narenda Modi and his opposition Bharatiya Janata Party a major victory elevating him to prime minister.

A thought for the day: "It's the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter." -- Marlene Dietrich