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• One year ago: Republicans pulled out of debt-reduction talks led by Vice President Joe Biden, blaming Democrats for demanding tax increases as part of a deal rather than accepting more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicare and other government programs. "Columbo" actor Peter Falk died in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 83.
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• Today's Birthdays: Singer Diana Trask is 72. Musical conductor James Levine (luh-VYN') is 69. Rhythm-and-blues singer Rosetta Hightower (The Orlons) is 68. Actor Ted Shackelford is 66. Actor Bryan Brown is 65. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is 64. Actor Jim Metzler is 61. "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson is 56. Actress Frances McDormand is 55. Rock musician Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) is 50. Actor Paul La Greca is 50. Rhythm-and-blues singer Chico DeBarge is 42. Actress Selma Blair is 40. Rock singer KT Tunstall is 37. Rhythm-and-blues singer Virgo Williams (Ghostowns DJs) is 37. Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz is 35. Actress Melissa Rauch (TV: "The Big Bang Theory") is 32. Rock singer Duffy is 28. Country singer Katie Armiger is 21.
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• Thought for Today: "A bore is a man who deprives you of solitude without providing you with company." -- Giovanni Vincenzo Gravina, Italian scholar (1664-1718).
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