Thursday, May 4, 2006

 

Spotlight: Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist George Will turns 65 today. Will was an editor for the National Review when he was tapped to write a twice-weekly column for the Washington Post. He soon became a contributing editor for Newsweek, as well as a news analyst for ABC. An avid baseball fan, Will was once quoted as saying, "Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal." Among his books are two about his favorite sport: Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball (1990) and Bunts (1998).

Quote: "The pursuit of perfection often impedes improvement." – George Will

Word of the day: erudite: learned, knowledgeable; George Will is known for his erudite commentary. (© )

Today's News:

• Zacarias Moussaoui: escapes the death penalty (story)
• bird flu: US releases plan to prepare for pandemic (story)
• ozone layer: showing signs of improvement (story)
• USPS: wants a 3-cent price rise, plus a "forever" stamp (story)

Today's History:

• Manhattan: Dutch colonist Peter Minuit landed on the island; he later bought it for $24 in trade goods (1626)
• Scarface: after many arrests, crime boss Al Capone was finally jailed for tax evasion (1932)
• Margaret Thatcher: sworn in as Great Britain's first female prime minister (1979)

Today's Birthdays:

• Audrey Hepburn: Brussels-born, Oscar-winning star of Roman Holiday, Breakfast at Tiffany's, My Fair Lady (1929-1993)
• Hosni Mubarak: Egyptian president (78)
• Keith Haring: artist of world renown influenced by Christo, subway graffiti and popular culture; his public works often carried social messages (1958-1990)