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Today in History: August 12

0030 Cleopatra VII, Queen of Egypt, commits suicide.

1896 Gold is discovered near Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada. After word reaches the United States in June of 1897, thousands of Americans head to the Klondike to seek their fortunes.

1898 The Spanish American War officially ends after three months and 22 days of hostilities.

1908 Henry Ford's first Model T rolls off the assembly line.

1935 President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Social Security Bill.

1961 The erection of the Berlin Wall begins, preventing access between East and West Germany.

1972 As U.S. troops leave Vietnam, B-52's make their largest strike of the war.

1981 Computer giant IBM introduces its first personal computer.

1992 The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is concluded between the United States, Canada and Mexico, creating the world's wealthiest trade bloc.

2000 Russian Navy submarine K-141 Kursk explodes and sinks with all hands during military exercises in the Barents Sea.


Today in History: Born on August 12

1881 Cecil B. DeMille, American film director, producer and screenwriter, famous for epic productions.

1925 Norris and Ross McWhirter, wrote and updated Guinness Book of World Records, 1955–1975; following Ross' assassination by the IRA, Norris continued writing and updating the Guinness Book until 1985.

1936 Vice-Admiral John Poindexter, Security Adviser to Pres. Ronald Reagan (Dec 1985–Nov 1986); convicted on 5 felonies arising from the Iran/Contra affair, but the convictions were overturned on appeal.


Joke of the Day

Statistics say that 1 out of 3 people in a relationship is unfaithful.

I just need to work out if that’s my wife or my girlfriend