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From: "Mary" <>
Subject: [FOLKLORE] Today in History - Jan. 21st.
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 08:03:45 -0500


Today is Friday, January 21st, the 21st day of 2000.
There are 345 days left in the year.


Today's Highlight in History:
On January 21st, 1950, former State Department official Alger Hiss,
accused of being part of a Communist spy ring, was found guilty in New
York of lying to a grand jury. Hiss, who always maintained his
innocence, was sentenced to five years in prison; he served less than
four.

On this date:
In 1793, during the French Revolution, King Louis the 16th, condemned
for treason, was executed on the guillotine.

In 1861, Jefferson Davis of Mississippi and four other Southerners
resigned from the US Senate.

In 1915, the first Kiwanis Club was founded, in Detroit.

In 1924, Russian revolutionary Vladimir Ilyich Lenin died at age 54.

In 1950, George Orwell, author of "Nineteen Eighty-Four," died in
London.

In 1954, the first atomic submarine, the USS "Nautilus," was launched
at Groton, Connecticut.

In 1976, the supersonic Concorde jet was put into service by Britain
and France.

In 1977, President Carter pardoned almost all Vietnam War draft
evaders.

In 1997, Speaker Newt Gingrich was reprimanded and fined as the House
voted for first time in history to discipline its leader for ethical
misconduct.

In 1998, President Clinton angrily denied reports he'd had an affair
with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky and had tried to get
her to lie about it.

Ten years ago: In the Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, mutinous military
cadets fired on troops patrolling the capital during a crackdown on a
nationalist uprising.

Five years ago: President Clinton, addressing the Democratic National
Committee, implored members to "bear down and go forward" despite the
results of the 1994 elections.

One year ago: Former Senator Dale Bumpers told the Senate impeachment
trial of Bill Clinton the president was guilty of a "terrible moral
lapse" but not of conduct warranting or even permitting his removal
from office. Raul Salinas de Gortari, the brother of a former Mexican
president, was convicted of masterminding the murder of rival Jose
Francisco Ruiz Massieu and sentenced to 50 years.

Today's Birthdays:
Actor Paul Scofield is 78.
Actor Steve Reeves is 74.
Actress Ann Wedgeworth is 65.
Blues singer-musician Snooks Eaglin is 64.
Golfer Jack Nicklaus is 60.
Opera singer Placido Domingo is 59.
Singer Richie Havens is 59.
Singer Mac Davis is 58.
Singer Edwin Starr is 58.
Actress Jill Eikenberry is 53.
Singer-songwriter Billy Ocean is 50.
Actor Robby Benson is 44.
Actress Geena Davis is 43.
Basketball player Hakeem Olajuwon is 37.
Rap DJ Jam Master Jay (Run-DMC) is 35.
Actress Charlotte Ross is 32.
Actress Karina Lombard is 31.
Rapper Levirt (B-Rock and the Bizz) is 30.
Singer Emma "Baby Spice" Bunton (The Spice Girls) is 22.
Rhythm-and-blues singer Nokio (Dru Hill) is 21.

Thought for Today:

"Few, save the poor, feel for the poor."
-- Letitia Landon, English poet (1802-1838).


(Copyright 2000 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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