What you see is news, what you know is background, what you feel is opinion." - Lester Markel, American editor (1894-1977).


Today's Highlight in History:

On May 8, 1945, President Truman announced in a radio address that World War II had ended in Europe.

On this date:

In 1541, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi River.

In 1846, the first major battle of the Mexican War was fought at Palo Alto, Texas, resulting in victory for Gen. Zachary Taylor's forces.

In 1884, the 33rd president of the United States, Harry S. Truman, was born near Lamar, Mo.

In 1886, Atlanta pharmacist John Styth Pemberton invented the flavor syrup for Coca-Cola.

In 1958, Vice President Nixon was shoved, stoned, booed and spat upon by anti-American protesters in Lima, Peru.

In 1962, the musical comedy "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" opened on Broadway.

In 1970, construction workers broke up an anti-war protest on New York's Wall Street.

In 1973, militant American Indians who'd held the South Dakota hamlet of Wounded Knee for 10 weeks surrendered.

In 1978, David R. Berkowitz pleaded guilty in a Brooklyn courtroom to the "Son of Sam" killings that had terrified New Yorkers.

In 1987, Gary Hart, dogged by questions about his personal life, including his relationship with Miami model Donna Rice, withdrew from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Years ago...

Ten years ago: President Clinton announced a shift in U.S. policy toward Haitian refugees, saying there would be offshore screening of boat people seeking political asylum. Actor George Peppard died at age 65.

Five years ago: NATO expressed regret for a mistaken attack on the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, but pledged to pursue the bombing campaign. Demonstrators in Beijing retaliated by throwing rocks and smashing cars at the U.S. Embassy. The Citadel, South Carolina's formerly all-male military school, graduated its first female cadet, Nancy Ruth Mace. British actor Sir Dirk Bogarde died in London at age 78.

One year ago: The Senate unanimously endorsed adding to NATO seven former communist nations: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. A federal grand jury indicted Katrina Leung on charges that she'd illegally taken, copied and kept secret documents obtained from an FBI agent. A Russian-built cargo plane lost a door over Congo, hurling more than 100 Congolese soldiers and their families to their deaths. The Michigan Wolverines were barred from the next postseason and put on three and a-half years' probation by the NCAA for a booster's payments to players dating to the Fab Five era.

Today's Birthdays: Comedian Don Rickles is 78. Environmentalist Sir David Attenborough is 78. Author Peter Benchley is 64. Singer John Fred is 63. Actor James Mitchum is 63. Country singer Jack Blanchard is 62. Singer Toni Tennille is 61. Jazz musician Keith Jarrett is 59. Singer Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind and Fire) is 53. Rock musician Chris Frantz (Talking Heads) is 53. Rockabilly singer Billy Burnette is 51. Rock musician Alex Van Halen is 51. Actor David Keith is 50. Actor Stephen Furst is 50. Actress Melissa Gilbert is 40. Rock musician Dave Rowntree (Blur) is 40. Country musician Del Gray is 36. Rock singer Darren Hayes is 32. Singer Enrique Iglesias is 29. Singer Ana Maria Lombo (Eden's Crush) is 26. Actress Julia Whelan is 19.


- posted by Bill @ 8:58 AM