Friday, April 22, 2005

Spotlight
Today is Earth Day, a day when some 140 nations celebrate the environment. Activities include street fairs, television programs, lectures, and exhibits focusing on issues like global warming, deforestation, and pollution of our soil, water and air. Though the original Earth Day was proposed for March 21, the date of the vernal equinox, on April 22, 1970, US Senator Gaylord Nelson sponsored a nationwide event that evolved into the current annual international celebration.

Quote
"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." -- invented quote misattributed to Dan Quayle

Today in History

• Henry VIII: much-married king of England ascended to throne (1509)
• "In God We Trust": U.S. Congress mandated that all coins minted bear this inscription (1864)
• Oklahoma: Land Rush began officially at noon with thousands of homesteaders staking their claims (1889)

Today's Birthdays

• Immanuel Kant: German philosopher, author of Critique of Pure Reason (1724-1804)
• Vladimir I. Lenin: Russian revolutionary, Soviet dictator (1870-1924)
• Aaron Spelling: prodigiously successful TV producer, most recently of Charmed (82)

Word of the Day
 biosphere: the thin outer crust of the Earth and the inner layers of its atmosphere where all living systems are found   (© )