This day in history

[September 09, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Thursday, Sept. 9, the 252nd day of 2010. There are 113 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Sept. 9, 1850, California became the 31st state of the union.

On this date:

In 1776, the second Continental Congress made the term "United States" official, replacing "United Colonies."

In 1830, Charles Durant flew a balloon from New York City across the Hudson River to Perth Amboy, N.J.

In 1919, some 1,100 members of Boston's 1,500-man police force went on strike. (The strike was broken by Massachusetts Gov. Calvin Coolidge, who brought in replacement officers.)

In 1926, the National Broadcasting Co. (NBC) was incorporated by the Radio Corp. of America.

In 1948, the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea) was declared.

In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the first civil rights bill to pass Congress since Reconstruction.

In 1960, in the first regular-season American Football League game, the Denver Broncos defeated the Boston Patriots, 13-10. Opera singer Jussi Bjoerling (YUH'-see byohr-LING') died near Stockholm, Sweden.

In 1971, prisoners seized control of the maximum-security Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo, N.Y., beginning a siege that ended up claiming 43 lives.

In 1976, Communist Chinese leader Mao Zedong died in Beijing at age 82.

In 1990, Liberian President Samuel K. Doe was killed after being captured by rebels.

Ten years ago: President Bill Clinton proposed spending about $1.6 billion to help communities recover from recent Western wildfires. Venus Williams beat Lindsay Davenport 6-4, 7-5 for the U.S. Open women's singles championship.

Five years ago: Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, the principal target of harsh criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, was relieved of his onsite command. A Nevada couple pleaded guilty in San Jose, Calif. to all charges related to planting a human fingertip in a bowl of Wendy's chili in a scheme to extort money from the fast food chain. (Anna Ayala ended up serving four years of a nine-year sentence; her husband, Jaime Placencia, is still in prison.) Hosni Mubarak was declared winner of Egypt's first contested presidential vote.

One year ago: In a speech to a joint session of Congress, President Barack Obama summoned lawmakers to enact sweeping health care legislation, declaring the "time for bickering is over." (In an unusual outburst, Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., shouted "You lie!" when the president said illegal immigrants would not benefit from his proposals; Wilson ended up apologizing.) British commandos in Afghanistan freed New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell from Taliban captors, but one of the troops and a Times translator were killed. Fox announced that Ellen DeGeneres would be the fourth judge on "American Idol," replacing Paula Abdul.

Today's birthdays: Actor Cliff Robertson is 87. Actor Topol is 75. Rhythm-and-blues singer Luther Simmons is 68. Singer Inez Foxx is 68. Singer Dee Dee Sharp is 65. Rock singer-musician Doug Ingle is 64. Country singer Freddy Weller is 63. College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player Joe Theismann is 61. Rock musician John McFee (The Doobie Brothers) is 60. Actor Tom Wopat is 59. Actress Angela Cartwright is 58. Musician-producer Dave Stewart is 58. Actor Hugh Grant is 50. Actress Constance Marie is 45. Actor David Bennent is 44. Actor Adam Sandler is 44. Rock singer Paul Durham (Black Lab) is 42. Model Rachel Hunter is 41. Actor Goran Visnjic (VEEZ'-nihch) is 38. Pop-jazz singer Michael Buble' (boo-BLAY') is 35. Country singer Joey Martin (Joey + Rory) is 35. Latin singer Maria Rita is 33. Actress Michelle Williams is 30.

Thought for today: "To be happy with a man you must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a woman you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all." -- Helen Rowland, American writer, journalist and humorist (1876-1950)

[Associated Press]

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