Spotlight
Ham, pork, sugar, salt, water, potato starch and sodium nitrite: mix them together and what do you get? SPAM®. Since it was introduced to the market on this date in 1937 by Hormel Foods Corporation, nearly seven billion cans of the precooked processed meat product have been sold. When the US entered WWII in 1941, SPAM® turned out to be the best way to get meat to the soldiers. In Austin, MN, where Hormel Foods is headquartered, there is an annual SPAM® Jam — a festival with parades and fireworks.

Quote
"In a perfect situation, SPAM® could last forever... It's like meat with a pause button." — Hormel Foods Corporation

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Today's News

• chocolate: lowers blood pressure, but less than 2 kisses needed (story)
• Galapagos Tortoises: park rangers find shells of eight of the endangered creatures at Galapagos National Park; poachers suspected (story)
• Egypt: passed laws to curb public smoking (story)
• Chrysler: teams up with Chinese automaker, Chery, to manufacture small cars for the US market (story)

Today's History

• Venezuela, Algeria, Cape Verde: declared independence (1811, 1962, 1975)
• National Health Service: government-financed medical and dental care began in Great Britain (1948)
• Martina Hingis: at 16, became the youngest Wimbledon singles champion in 110 years (1997)

Today's Birthdays

• Katherine Helmond (73): Jessica Tate on Soap
• Huey Lewis (57): lead singer for Huey Lewis and the News
• Bill Watterson (49): creator of Calvin and Hobbes
• Edie Falco (44): Carmela Soprano on The Sopranos
• Amélie Mauresmo (28): French tennis champ known for her strong one-handed backhand