Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Spotlight
Happy birthday to actress Mary-Louise Parker, who turns 42 today. This year's winner of both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for best actress for her role in Weeds, Parker has also taken home both trophies for her work in Angels in America. In addition, she's won an Obie for How I Learned to Drive (1997) and a Tony Award for Best Actress for her role in Proof.

Quote
"I'll take any trophy. I don't care what it says on it." – Mary-Louise Parker

Today's News

• Fidel Castro: Cuban leader undergoes surgery; hands over reins to brother Raul (story)
• identity theft: waitress cards patron, gets her own stolen driver's license (story)
• Jupiter: new sibling for Great Red Spot (story)
• Heath Ledger: will be the Joker in Batman sequel (story)
• Elizabeth Hurley: set to wed Indian businessman (story)
• Harry Potter: authors Stephen King, John Irving urge
  J.K. Rowling to spare character's life (story)

Today's History

• Declaration of Independence: members of the Continental Congress began signing "The Unanimous Declaration of the 13 United States of America," which drew on natural rights theories of Locke, Rousseau and others (1776)
• Gulf of Tonkin: Pentagon reported attack on US ship by N. Vietnamese; incident led to Congressional resolution and expansion of war effort (1964)
• Kuwait: was invaded by Iraq, triggering the Gulf War 5 months later (1990)

Today's Birthdays

• James Baldwin: novelist, essayist, and short story writer who penned Go Tell It On The Mountain (1924-1987)
• Peter O'Toole: award-winning actor on stage and screen (74)
• Wes Craven: director, Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream (67)
• Hallie Eisenberg: actress, Paulie (14)