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Five years ago: President George W. Bush, speaking in Bangkok, Thailand, praised the spread of freedom in Asia while sharply criticizing oppression and human rights abuses in China, Myanmar and North Korea; the president then traveled to Beijing to attend the opening of the Olympic games.
One year ago: Jared Lee Loughner agreed to spend the rest of his life in prison, accepting that he went on a deadly shooting rampage at an Arizona political gathering in 2011 and sparing the victims a lengthy, possibly traumatic death-penalty trial. Syrian President Bashar Assad made his first appearance on state TV in nearly three weeks. Aly Raisman became the first U.S. woman to win Olympic gold on floor, and she picked up a bronze on balance beam on the final day of the gymnastics competition at the London Games. Movie critic Judith Crist, 90, died in New York.
Today's birthdays: Writer-producer Stan Freberg is 87. Magician, author and lecturer James Randi is 85. Former MLB pitcher Don Larsen is 84. Actress Verna Bloom is 74. Humorist Garrison Keillor is 71. Singer B.J. Thomas is 71. Singer Lana Cantrell is 70. FBI Director Robert Mueller is 69. Actor John Glover is 69. Actor David Rasche is 69. Rhythm-and-blues singer Harold Hudson is 64. Former diplomat, talk show host and activist Alan Keyes is 63. Country singer Rodney Crowell is 63. Actress Caroline Aaron is 61. Comedian Alexei Sayle is 61. Actor Wayne Knight is 58. Rock singer Bruce Dickinson is 55. Marathon runner Alberto Salazar is 55. Actor David Duchovny is 53. Country musician Michael Mahler (Wild Horses) is 52. Actress Delane Matthews is 52. Actor Harold Perrineau is 50. Jazz musician Marcus Roberts is 50. Country singer Raul Malo is 48. Actress Charlotte Lewis is 46. Actress Sydney Penny is 42. Actor Michael Shannon is 39. Actress Charlize Theron (shahr-LEES' THAYR'-ehn) is 38. Rock musician Barry Kerch (Shinedown) is 37. Actor Randy Wayne is 32. Actor-writer Brit Marling is 31.
Thought for today: "Happiness, it seems to me, consists of two things: first, in being where you belong, and second -- and best -- in comfortably going through everyday life, that is, having had a good night's sleep and not being hurt by new shoes." -- Theodor Fontane, German author (1819-1898)
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