On this day in...

On this day in...
1229 – The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor signs a ten-year truce with al-Kamil, regaining Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem with neither military engagements nor support from the papacy.
1856 – The American Party (Know-Nothings) convene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to nominate their first Presidential candidate, former President Millard Fillmore.
1861 – In Montgomery, Alabama, Jefferson Davis is inaugurated as the provisional President of the Confederate States of America.
1865 – Union forces under Major General William T. Sherman set the South Carolina State House on fire during the burning of Columbia.
1884 – Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is published for the first time.
1901 – Winston Churchill makes his maiden speech in the House of Commons.
1929 – The first Academy Awards are announced.
1930 – While studying photographs taken in January, Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto.
1954 – The first Church of Scientology is established in Los Angeles, California.
1972 – The California Supreme Court in the case of People v. Anderson, 6 Cal.3d 628 invalidates the state's death penalty and commutes the sentences of all death row inmates to life in prison.
2001 – FBI agent Robert Hanssen is arrested for spying for the Soviet Union. He is ultimately convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Births
1516 – Queen Mary I of England (d. 1558)
1898 – Enzo Ferrari, Founder of Ferrari (d. 1988)
1931 – Toni Morrison, American writer, Nobel laureate
1933 – Yoko Ono, Japanese-born singer
1944 – Pat Bowlen, American sports team owner (Denver Broncos)
1947 – Dennis DeYoung, American musician (Styx)
1949 – Gary Ridgway, American serial killer
1950 – John Hughes, American director (d. 2009)
1950 – Cybill Shepherd, American actress
1954 – John Travolta, American actor
1957 – Vanna White, American game show presenter
1964 – Matt Dillon, American actor
1965 – Dr. Dre, American record producer and rapper
1968 – Molly Ringwald, American actress
1981 – Andrei Kirilenko, Russian basketball player
1982 – Juelz Santana, American rapper
1985 – Lee Boyd Malvo, Jamaican serial killer (D.C. Sniper)

Wow! This week has really been bringing it with the birthdays but today has to be one of the biggest of the year. Look at all the similarities too. You have two people who brought down famous bands (Ono and DeYoung), two serial killers (Ridgway and Malvo), two famous rappers (Dre and Santana). And how about Molly Ringwald and John Hughes being born on the same date? What a coincidence. But its probably not as big a coincidence as John Travolta being born on the same date the Church of Scientology was established. Anywho I'll go with Dre as the highlight birthday as an excuse to hear some good rap.