Today in History

Today is Monday, October 6th, the 280th day of 2008. There are 86 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History: On October 6th, 1927, the era of talking pictures arrived with the opening of "The Jazz Singer," a movie starring Al Jolson which featured both silent and sound-synchronized scenes.

On this date: In 1683, 13 families from Krefeld, Germany, arrived in Philadelphia to begin Germantown, one of America's oldest settlements.

In 1884, the Naval War College was established in Newport, Rhode Island.

In 1908, actress Carole Lombard was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In 1928, Chiang Kai-shek was elected the president of China.

In 1948, the Tennessee Williams play "Summer and Smoke" opened on Broadway.

In 1958, the nuclear submarine USS Seawolf surfaced after spending 60 days submerged.

In 1973, war erupted in the Middle East as Egypt and Syria attacked Israel during the Yom Kippur holiday.

In 1976, in his second debate with Jimmy Carter, President Ford asserted there was "no Soviet domination of eastern Europe." (Ford later conceded he'd misspoken.) In 1981, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was shot to death by extremists while reviewing a military parade.

In 1983, Cardinal Terence Cooke, the spiritual head of the Archdiocese of New York, died at age 62.

Ten years ago: With a House vote set on launching an open-ended impeachment inquiry, Democrats rushed to counter Republican plans while still underscoring their disapproval of President CLinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky.

Five years ago: American Paul Lauterbur and Briton Peter Mansfield won the Nobel Prize for medicine for discoveries that led to magnetic resonance imaging. Democrat Bob Graham announced on CNN's "Larry King Live" that he was ending his presidential campaign. Akhmad Kadyrov (kuh-DEE'-ruhv), Russia's hand-picked man to lead Chechnya, was declared winner of the republic's presidential election (he was assassinated in May 2004).

One year ago: Pakistan's General Pervez Musharraf won a presidential election boycotted by most of his opponents. British adventurer Jason Lewis finally returned home, completing a 13-year, 46,000-mile human-powered circumnavigation of the globe at Greenwich, England.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Britt Ekland is 66. Impressionist Fred Travalena is 66. Singer Millie Small is 62. Singer-musician Thomas McClary is 58. Rock singer Kevin Cronin (REO Speedwagon) is 57. Rock singer-musician David Hidalgo (Los Lobos) is 54. Actress Elisabeth Shue is 45. Singer Matthew Sweet is 44. Actress Jacqueline Obradors is 42. Country singer Tim Rushlow is 42. Rock musician Tommy Stinson is 42. Actress Emily Mortimer is 37. Actor Ioan Gruffudd (YOH'-ihn GRIH'-fihth) is 35. Actor Jeremy Sisto is 34.

Thought for Today: "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers." Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892).

(Above Advance for Use Monday, October 6th)


Copyright 2008, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 09-29-08 0910CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list