On this date:
In 1848, James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget at Sutter's Mill in northern California, a discovery that led to the gold rush of '49.

In 1924, the Russian city of St. Petersburg was renamed Leningrad in honor of the late revolutionary leader (however, it has since been re-named St. Petersburg).

In 1942, a special court of inquiry into America's lack of preparedness for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor placed much of the blame on Rear Admiral Husband E. Kimmel and Lieutenant General Walter C. Short, the Navy and Army commanders.

In 1943, President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Churchill concluded a wartime conference in Casablanca, Morocco.

In 1965, Winston Churchill died in London at age 90.

In 1972, the Supreme Court struck down laws that denied welfare benefits to people who had resided in a state for less than a year.

In 1978, a nuclear-powered Soviet satellite plunged through Earth's atmosphere and disintegrated, scattering radioactive debris over parts of northern Canada.

In 1989, confessed serial killer Theodore Bundy was put to death in Florida's electric chair.

In 1993, retired Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall died in Bethesda, Maryland, at age 84.

Ten years ago: The House of Representatives voted, 390-to-25, to override President Bush's veto of legislation protecting Chinese students from deportation (however, Bush prevailed in a Senate vote the next day).

Five years ago: President Clinton appealed for common ground as he delivered his second State of the Union address, this time before a Republican-led Congress. The prosecution gave its opening statement at the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

One year ago: House prosecutors interviewed Monica Lewinsky, a move that triggered fresh partisan convulsions in President Clinton's impeachment trial. Olympic leaders recommended the expulsions of six International Olympic Committee members in an unprecedented response to the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the games.

每日格言

"Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now -- always."

-- Albert Schweitzer, German-born missionary and Nobel laureate (1875-1965).