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From: "Mary" <>
Subject: [FOLKLORE] Today in History - May 24th
Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 07:08:13 -0400


Today is Wednesday, May 24th, the 145th day of 2000.
There are 221 days left in the year.


Today's Highlight in History:
On May 24th, 1844, Samuel F.B. Morse transmitted the message, "What
hath God wrought!" from Washington to Baltimore as he formally opened
America's first telegraph line.

On this date:
In 1819, Queen Victoria was born in London.

In 1830, the first passenger railroad in the United States began
service between Baltimore and Elliott's Mills, Maryland.

In 1881, some 200 people died when the Canadian ferry "Princess
Victoria" sank near London, Ontario.

In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan, was
opened to traffic.

In 1935, the first major league baseball game to be played at night
took place at Cincinnati's Crosley Field as the Reds beat the
Philadelphia Phillies, 2-to-1.

In 1941, the German battleship "Bismarck" sank the British dreadnought
"Hood" in the North Atlantic.

In 1962, astronaut Scott Carpenter became the second American to orbit
the Earth as he flew aboard "Aurora Seven."

In 1976, Britain and France opened transatlantic Concorde service to
Washington.

In 1977, in a surprise move, the Kremlin ousted Soviet President
Nikolai Podgorny from the Communist Party's ruling Politburo.

In 1980, Iran rejected a call by the World Court in The Hague to
release the American hostages.

Ten years ago: Two members of the militant environmental group Earth
First! were injured when a pipe bomb exploded in their car in Oakland,
California (the two were initially accused by authorities of carrying
the bomb, but no charges were filed).
The Edmonton Oilers won their fifth Stanley Cup as they defeated the
Boston Bruins, four games to one.

Five years ago: "Hollywood Madam" Heidi Fleiss was sentenced to three
years in prison and fined 15-hundred dollars for running a call-girl
ring that catered to the rich and famous.
Former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson died in London at age 79.

One year ago: A sharply divided Supreme Court ruled, five to four,
that schools can
be sued when officials fail to stop students from sexually harassing
each other.
The Supreme Court ruled that police violate people's privacy rights
when they bring
TV camera crews or other journalists into homes during arrests or
searches.
Mike Tyson walked out of a Rockville, Maryland, jail after serving
three and a-half months behind bars for assaulting two motorists after
a fender-bender.

Today's Birthdays:
Comedian Tommy Chong is 62.
Singer Bob Dylan is 59.
Actor Gary Burghoff is 57.
Singer Patti LaBelle is 56.
Actress Priscilla Presley is 55.
Country singer Mike Reid is 53.
Actor Alfred Molina is 47.
Singer Rosanne Cash is 45.
Actress Kristin Scott Thomas is 40.
Actor-dancer Gene Anthony Ray is 37.
Rock musician Vivian Trimble is 37.
Actor Eric Close is 33.
Rapper-recording executive Heavy D is 33.
Rock musician Rich Robinson (The Black Crowes) is 31.
Actor Billy L. Sullivan is 20.
Actor-rapper Big Tyme is 17.

Thought for Today:

"What makes us discontented with our condition is the absurdly
exaggerated
idea we have of the happiness of others."
-- Anonymous.

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

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