Born On This Day...

1753:	Jean-Pierre-Francois Blanchard, balloon flight pioneer.    Born 256 years ago today.
1804:	Nathaniel Hawthorne, author.    Born 205 years ago today.
1826:	Stephen Foster, American composer; "Oh, Susanna."    Born 183 years ago today.
1872:	Calvin Coolidge, 30th US president, from 1923-1929.    Born 137 years ago today.
1878:	George M. Cohan, producer.    Born 131 years ago today.
1883:	Rube Goldberg, political cartoonist; known for depicting excessively complex machines performing simple tasks.    Born 126 years ago today.
1900:	Louis Armstrong, bandleader, singer, cornetist; dubbed "Satchmo."    Born 109 years ago today.
1920:	Sisters Ann Landers and Abigail "Dear Abby" Van Buren, advice columnists.    Born 89 years ago today.
1924:	Eva Marie Saint, actress.    Born 85 years ago today.
1927:	Neil Simon, playwright, screenwriter, director, producer.    Born 82 years ago today.
1928:	Gina Lollobrigida, actress.    Born 81 years ago today.
1930:	George Steinbrenner, Yankees big guy.    Born 79 years ago today.
1943:	Geraldo Rivera, self-styled journalist.    Born 66 years ago today.
1946:	Sylvester Stallone, actor.    Born 63 years ago today.

Events On This Day...

1054:	The brightest known super-nova starts shining — it'll last 23 days.
1776:	The Second Continental Congress breaks from British rule with the Declaration of Independence.
1845:	Henry David Thoreau moves into his shack on Walden Pond.
1863:	Boise, Idaho is founded.
1966:	President Johnson signs the Freedom of Information Act.
1969:	20 die and dozens of boats are destroyed when a major derecho sweeps over Ohio and Lake Eerie's 4th of July fireworks displays.
2004:	The cornerstone of the Freedom Tower is laid at the former site of the World Trade Center.

And Don't Forget...

It's American Independence Day.