Today is Friday, Dec. 15, the 349th day of 2006. There are 16 days left in the year. The Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, begins at sunset.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Dec. 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights went into effect following ratification by Virginia.
On this date:
In 1890, Sioux Indian Chief Sitting Bull and 11 other tribe members were killed in Grand River, S.D., during a fracas with Indian police.
In 1938, groundbreaking ceremonies for the Jefferson Memorial took place in Washington.
In 1939, the motion picture “Gone With the Wind” had its world premiere in Atlanta.
In 1944, a single-engine plane carrying bandleader Glenn Miller, who was a major in the U.S. Army Air Forces, disappeared over the English Channel while en route to Paris.
In 1944, during World War II, American forces invaded Mindoro Island in the Philippines.
In 1961, former Nazi official Adolf Eichmann was sentenced to death by an Israeli court.
In 1964, Canada’s House of Commons approved dropping the “Red Ensign” flag in favor of a new design.
In 1965, two U.S. manned spacecraft, Gemini 6-A and Gemini 7, maneuvered to within 10 feet of each other while in orbit.
In 1966, movie producer Walt Disney died in Los Angeles at age 65.
In 1979, the deposed Shah of Iran left the United States for Panama, the same day the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that Iran should release all its American hostages.
Ten years ago: Boeing Co. announced plans to pay $13.3 billion to acquire rival aircraft manufacturer McDonnell Douglas Corp.
Five years ago: With a crash and a large dust cloud, a 50-foot tall section of steel — the last standing piece of the World Trade Center’s facade — was brought down in New York. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy, was reopened to the public after a $27 million realignment that had dragged on for over a decade. Evander Holyfield was denied a fifth heavyweight championship when his third fight against John Ruiz was called a draw after 12 rounds in Mashantucket, Conn.
One year ago: Millions of Iraqis turned out to choose a parliament in a mostly peaceful election. Former U.S. Sen. William Proxmire, the Wisconsin Democrat who’d fought government waste with his “Golden Fleece” awards, died in Sykesville, Md., at age 90.
Today’s Birthdays: Country singer Ernest Ashworth is 78. Actor-comedian Tim Conway is 73. Singer Cindy Birdsong (The Supremes) is 67. Rock musician Dave Clark (The Dave Clark Five) is 64. Rock musician Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge) is 60. Actor Don Johnson is 57. Movie director Alex Cox is 52. Actor Justin Ross is 52. Rock musician Paul Simonon (The Clash) is 51. Country singer Doug Phelps (Brother Phelps; Kentucky Headhunters) is 46. Movie director Reginald Hudlin is 45. Actress Helen Slater is 43. Actress Molly Price is 41. “Crowd-hyper” Kito Trawick (Ghostown DJs) is 29. Actor Adam Brody is 27. Actor George O. Gore II is 25.
Thought for Today: “Better by far you should forget and smile Than that you should remember and be sad.” — Christina Rosetti, British poet (1830-1874).