Today is Tuesday June 6, the 157th day of 2006. There are 208 days left in the year.
Today’s highlight in history:
On June 6, 1944, the “D-Day” invasion of Europe took place during World War II as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France.
On this date:
In 1606, 400 years ago, French dramatist Pierre Corneille was born in Rouen.
In 1844, the Young Men’s Christian Association was founded in London.
In 1918, the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood, which resulted in a U.S. victory over the Germans, began in France.
In 1925, Walter Percy Chrysler founded the Chrysler Corp.
In 1934, the Securities and Exchange Commission was established.
In 1942, Japanese forces retreated in the World War II Battle of Midway.
In 1966, 40 years ago, black activist James Meredith was shot and wounded as he walked along a Mississippi highway to encourage black voter registration.
In 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, a day after he was shot by Sirhan Bishara Sirhan.
In 1978, California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 13, a primary ballot initiative calling for major cuts in property taxes.
In 1985, authorities in Brazil exhumed a body later identified as the remains of Dr. Josef Mengele, the notorious “Angel of Death” of the Nazi Holocaust.
Ten years ago: The Senate narrowly rejected a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution as outgoing Majority Leader Bob Dole and the Democrats clashed over deficit reduction. A family of four became the first persons to leave the Freemen ranch in Montana since April.
Five years ago: Democrats formally assumed control of the U.S. Senate; the unprecedented shift in power came about after the decision of Vermont Republican James Jeffords to become an independent. A jury in Los Angeles awarded more than $3 billion to lifelong smoker Richard Boeken, deciding that tobacco giant Philip Morris was responsible for his incurable lung cancer. (The jury award was reduced by a Superior Court judge to $100 million, then cut to $50 million by an appeals court; the U.S. Supreme Court refused in March 2006 to consider tossing out the award altogether; Boeken died in 2002.)
One year ago: The Supreme Court ruled, 6-to-3, that people who smoke marijuana because their doctors recommend it to ease pain can be prosecuted for violating federal drug laws. A judge upheld Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire’s victory — by 129 votes — in Washington state’s 2004 election. Actor Russell Crowe was arrested for throwing a phone that hit a hotel employee in New York City; he later pleaded guilty to third-degree assault. Death claimed actress Anne Bancroft at age 73 and actor Dana Elcar at age 77.
Today’s birthdays: Actress Billie Whitelaw is 74. Civil rights activist Roy Innis is 72. Singer Levi Stubbs (The Four Tops) is 70. Singer-songwriter Gary “U.S.” Bonds is 67. Country singer Joe Stampley is 63. Actor Robert Englund is 57. Folk singer Holly Near is 57. Singer Dwight Twilley is 55. Playwright-actor Harvey Fierstein is 52. Comedian Sandra Bernhard is 51. Tennis player Bjorn Borg is 50. Actress Amanda Pays is 47. Comedian Colin Quinn is 47. Record producer Jimmy Jam is 47. Rock musician Steve Vai is 46. Actor Jason Isaacs is 43. Rock musician Sean Yseult (White Zombie) is 40. Actor Max Casella is 39. Actor Paul Giamatti is 39. Rhythm-and-blues singer Damion Hall (Guy) is 38. Rock musician Bardi Martin is 37. Rock musician James “Munky” Shaffer (Korn) is 36. Country singer Lisa Brokop is 33. Rapper-rocker Uncle Kracker is 32. Actress Staci Keanan is 31.
Thought for today: “To win without risk is to triumph without glory.” — Pierre Corneille, French dramatist (1606-1684).