This day in history

[November 11, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Thursday, Nov. 11, the 315th day of 2010. There are 50 days left in the year. This is Veterans Day in the U.S., Remembrance Day in Canada.

Today's highlight in history:

On Nov. 11, 1918, fighting in World War I came to an end with the signing of an armistice between the Allies and Germany.

On this date:

In 1620, 41 Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, anchored off Massachusetts, signed a compact calling for a "body politick."

In 1831, former slave Nat Turner, who'd led a violent insurrection, was executed in Jerusalem, Va.

In 1889, Washington became the 42nd state.

In 1909, President William Howard Taft accepted the recommendation of a joint Army-Navy board that Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands be made the principal U.S. naval station in the Pacific.

In 1921, the remains of an unidentified American service member were interred in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in a ceremony presided over by President Warren G. Harding.

In 1929, the Ambassador Bridge spanning the Detroit River between Michigan and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, was dedicated.

In 1960, South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem survived a coup attempt by army rebels. (However, he was overthrown and killed in 1963.)

In 1966, Gemini 12 blasted off from Cape Kennedy with astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. aboard.

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan became the first U.S. chief executive to address the Diet, Japan's national legislature.

In 1990, Stormie Jones, the world's first heart-liver transplant recipient, died at a Pittsburgh hospital at age 13.

Ten years ago: Republicans went to court, seeking an order to block manual recounts from continuing in Florida's razor-thin presidential election. A cable car crammed with skiers and snowboarders caught fire while being pulled through an Alpine tunnel in Austria, killing 155 people. Lennox Lewis won a unanimous 12-round decision over David Tua in Las Vegas to retain his WBC and IBF heavyweight titles.

Five years ago: President George W. Bush strongly rebuked congressional critics of his Iraq war policy, accusing them of being "deeply irresponsible." Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on a surprise visit to Iraq, pressed for unity among the country's religious factions. Syrian-born Hollywood film producer Moustapha Akkad died from wounds sustained in the bombing of a Jordanian hotel two days earlier; he was 75. Modern management guru Peter F. Drucker died in Claremont, Calif. at age 95.

One year ago: For the first time since World War I, the leaders of Germany and France held a joint ceremony to commemorate the end of the conflict, saying it was time to celebrate their countries' reconciliation and friendship. Longtime CNN host Lou Dobbs announced he was leaving the network. Taylor Swift won four awards, including Entertainer of the Year, at the Country Music Association Awards.

Today's birthdays: Dancer-choreographer Nicholas Royce is 85. Comedian Jonathan Winters is 85. Jazz singer-musician Mose Allison is 83. Author Carlos Fuentes is 82. Actress Bibi Andersson is 75. Country singer Narvel Felts is 72. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is 70. Rock singer-musician Vince Martell (Vanilla Fudge) is 65. The president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, is 65. Golfer Fuzzy Zoeller is 59. Pop singer-musician Paul Cowsill (The Cowsills) is 58. Rock singer-musician Andy Partridge (XTC) is 57. Singer Marshall Crenshaw is 57. Rock singer Dave Alvin is 55. Rock musician Ian Craig Marsh (Human League; Heaven 17) is 54. Actor Stanley Tucci is 50. Actress Demi Moore is 48. Actress Calista Flockhart is 46. Actor Philip McKeon is 46. Rock musician Scott Mercado is 46. Actor Frank John Hughes is 43. TV personality Carson Kressley is 41. Actor David DeLuise is 39. Actor Adam Beach is 38. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is 36. Rock musician Jonathan Pretus (Cowboy Mouth) is 29.

Thought for today: "When you make your peace with authority, you become authority." -- Jim Morrison, American rock singer (1943-1971)

[Associated Press]

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