- 1909] Dot-Dash-Dot-Dash (repeat): The SOS distress signal is used for the first time by the American ship, the Arapahoe, off Cape Hatteras (NC)...
- 1934] The Rock: Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay, receives federal prisoners for the 1st time. Get ready for the 'Birdman', mates...
- 1965] Watts explodes: 34 are killed and more than 1,000 injured during rioting in Watts...
- 1972] "D-I-V-O-R-C-E": Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley file for divorce. They married in May of '67...
- 1984] Not so funny to the Russians: Ronald Reagan jokes: "today we have signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."...
- 1992] Malled: The Mall of America, the biggest shopping mall in the country opens in Bloomington (MN)...
- 1998] Greasing the palm: British Petroleum (a.k.a. 'Bippy') purchases Amoco for $49 billion in the biggest foreign takeover of a U.S. company...
- 2000] Pat throws his hat: Pat Buchanan wins the Reform Party presidential nomination in a victory bitterly disputed by party founder Ross Perot's supporters...
- 2002] Chapter 11: U.S. Airways files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection...
- 2006] "Happy Trails": Former talk/variety show host Mike Douglas dies on his 81st birthday. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1990 but was considered cancer-free when he dies from unknown causes...
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