This day in history

[December 11, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Saturday, Dec. 11, the 345th day of 2010. There are 20 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Dec. 11, 1936, Britain's King Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson.

On this date:

In 1602, forces sent by Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, launched a surprise attack on the city-state of Geneva by attempting to climb its walls; the Genevans were able to repel or capture the invaders.

In 1792, France's King Louis XVI went before the Convention to face charges of treason. (Louis was convicted, and executed the following month.)

In 1816, Indiana became the 19th state.

In 1910, French inventor Georges Claude publicly displayed his first neon lamp, consisting of two 38-foot-long tubes, at the Paris Expo.

In 1928, police in Buenos Aires announced they had thwarted an attempt on the life of President-elect Herbert Hoover.

In 1937, Italy announced it was withdrawing from the League of Nations.

In 1941, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States; the U.S. responded in kind.

In 1946, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established.

In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed into a law legislation creating a $1.6 billion environmental "superfund" to pay for cleaning up chemical spills and toxic waste dumps. "Magnum P.I.," starring Tom Selleck, premiered on CBS.

In 1997, more than 150 countries agreed at a global warming conference in Kyoto, Japan, to control the Earth's greenhouse gases.

Ten years ago: The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments from lawyers representing George W. Bush and Al Gore concerning the Florida presidential vote recount. Shortstop Alex Rodriguez agreed to a $252 million, 10-year deal with the Texas Rangers. (Rodriguez was traded to the New York Yankees in 2004.)

Five years ago: Thousands of drunken white youths, angered by reports that youths of Lebanese descent had assaulted two lifeguards, attacked police and people they believed were Arab immigrants at a beach in Sydney, Australia; young men of Arab descent retaliated in several Sydney suburbs, fighting with police and smashing cars. Explosions ripped through a major fuel depot north of London, injuring 43 people; the cause of the blasts was later found to be accidental. Paramount Pictures announced it was buying independent film studio DreamWorks SKG Inc.

One year ago: Tiger Woods announced on his website that he was taking an indefinite leave from golf to try to save his five-year marriage to Elin Nordegren. (However, the couple ended up divorcing in August 2010.)

Today's birthdays: Composer Elliott Carter is 102. Actor Jean-Louis Trintignant is 80. Actress Rita Moreno is 79. Former California state lawmaker Tom Hayden is 71. Pop singer David Gates (Bread) is 70. Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) is 69. Actress Donna Mills is 68. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is 67. Singer Brenda Lee is 66. Actress Lynda Day George is 66. Music producer Tony Brown is 64. Actress Teri Garr is 63. Movie director Susan Seidelman is 58. Actress Bess Armstrong is 57. Singer Jermaine Jackson is 56. Rock musician Mike Mesaros (The Smithereens) is 53. Rock musician Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue) is 52. Rock musician Darryl Jones (The Rolling Stones) is 49. Actor Ben Browder is 48. Singer-musician Justin Currie (Del Amitri) is 46. Rock musician David Schools (Gov't Mule, Widespread Panic) is 46. Actor Gary Dourdan (DOOR'-dan) is 44. Actress-comedian Mo'Nique ("The Parkers") is 43. Actor Max Martini is 41. Rapper-actor Mos Def is 37. Actor Rider Strong is 31.

Thought for today: "The people who think they are happy should rummage through their dreams." -- Edward Dahlberg, American author and critic (1900-1977)

[Associated Press]

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