Today is my 23rd birthday, my second since I started working at my current job, my third since permanently moving back to Austin, my fifth since graduating Canyon High School, and my seventh since my father retired from the Army and we moved from Fort Knox, KY to New Braunfels.
Forty years ago, on June 26, 1963, President Kennedy visited West Berlin, where he made his famous declaration: "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a Berliner).On this date:
In 1870, the first section of the Atlantic City, N.J., Boardwalk was opened to the public.
In 1900, a commission that included Dr. Walter Reed began the fight against the deadly disease yellow fever.
In 1917, the first troops of the American Expeditionary Force arrived in France during World War I.
In 1925, Charlie Chaplin's classic comedy, "The Gold Rush," premiered at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
In 1945, the charter of the United Nations was signed by 50 countries in San Francisco.
In 1948, the Berlin Airlift began in earnest after the Soviet Union cut off land and water routes to the isolated western sector of Berlin.
In 1959, President Eisenhower joined Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in ceremonies officially opening the St. Lawrence Seaway.
In 1968, U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren announced his intention to resign.
In 1977, 42 people were killed when a fire sent toxic smoke pouring through the Maury County Jail in Columbia, Tenn.
In 1987, Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. announced his retirement, leaving a vacancy that was filled by Anthony M. Kennedy.
Ten years ago: President Clinton announced the United States had launched missiles against Iraqi targets because of "compelling evidence" Iraq had plotted to assassinate former President Bush. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Roy Campanella died in Woodland Hills, Calif., at age 71.
Five years ago: The Supreme Court issued a landmark sexual harassment ruling, putting employers on notice that they can be held responsible for supervisors' misconduct even if they knew nothing about it.
One year ago: The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools was unconstitutional because of the words "under God" inserted by Congress in 1954. WorldCom Inc., the nation's No. 2 long-distance company, slid toward bankruptcy after disclosing what could be the biggest case of crooked accounting in U.S. history. The Group of Eight nations, meeting in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, announced that Russia would be made a full-fledged member of the elite group. Chinese basketball star Yao Ming was selected first overall by the Houston Rockets in the NBA draft.
Today's Birthdays: Actress Eleanor Parker is 81. Jazz musician-film composer Dave Grusin is 69. Actor Josef Sommer is 69. Singer Billy Davis Junior (The Fifth Dimension) is 63. Singer Georgie Fame is 60. Actor Clive Francis is 57. Actor Robert Davi is 49. Singer-musician Mick Jones is 48. Actor Gedde Watanabe is 48. Rock singer Chris Isaak is 47. Rock singer Patty Smyth is 46. Singer Terri Nunn (Berlin) is 42. Actor Mark McKinney is 41. Rock singer Harriet Wheeler (The Sundays) is 40. Rock musician Colin Greenwood (Radiohead) is 34. Actor Sean Hayes is 33. Actor Matt Letscher is 33. Actor Chris O'Donnell is 33. Actor-musician Jason Schwartzman is 23. Actress Kaitlin Cullum is 17.
For a life that unceasingly seems boring and unremarkable in short-term reflection, I am grateful for who I know, what I have, and the opportunities before me. If I could drink at work, I'd toast to another 23 years.
UPDATE(12:05pm)
Sweet! The Supreme Court struck down the Texas sodomy law. The only problem I have with this? It was a 6-3 decision, which means Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas have still got a lot to learn about individual freedom.
"The court has largely signed on to the so-called homosexual agenda," Scalia wrote for the three. He took the unusual step of reading his dissent from the bench."The court has taken sides in the culture war," Scalia said, adding that he has "nothing against homosexuals."
UPDATE(6/27/2003 12:05am)
Strom Thurmond died...one hell of a news day.
UPDATE(6/26/2004 5:05pm)
June 26, 2004
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