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a U.S. State Department convoy in Baghdad opened fire on civilian vehicles, mistakenly believing they were under attack; 17 Iraqis died. A One-Two-Go Airlines passenger plane crashed on the island of Phuket (poo-KET'), Thailand, killing 89 people. O.J. Simpson was arrested in the alleged armed robbery of sports memorabilia collectors in Las Vegas. (Simpson was later convicted of kidnapping and armed robbery and sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison.) The Phoenix Mercury beat the Detroit Shock 108-92 to win their first WNBA title. "The Sopranos" claimed its final Emmy award as best dramatic series; "30 Rock" won best comedy series.
• One year ago: President Barack Obama signed into law a major overhaul of the nation's patent system to ease the way for inventors to bring their products to market. A World War II-era fighter plane plunged into spectators during air races in Reno, Nev., killing 74-year-old Florida stunt pilot Jimmy Leeward and 10 others. A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying three crew members, including NASA astronaut Ron Garan, from the International Space Station touched down safely in Kazakhstan, but not without rattling nerves after a breakdown in communications.
• Today's Birthdays: Actress Janis Paige is 90. Actress Lauren Bacall is 88. Blues singer B.B. King is 87. Clergyman-author Rev. Robert H. Schuller is 86. Actor George Chakiris is 80. Movie director Jim McBride is 71. Actress Linda Miller is 70. Rhythm-and-blues singer Betty Kelly (Martha & the Vandellas) is 68. Musician Kenney Jones (Small Faces; Faces; The Who) is 64. Actress Susan Ruttan is 64. Rock musician Ron Blair (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; Mudcrutch) is 64. Actor Ed Begley Jr. is 63. Country singer David Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers) is 62. Country singer-songwriter Phil Lee is 61. Actor-comedian Lenny Clarke is 59. Actor Kurt Fuller is 59. Jazz musician Earl Klugh is 59. Actor Christopher Rich is 59. Singer Frank Reed (The Chi-Lites) is 58. TV personality Mark McEwen is 58. Baseball Hall of Famer Robin Yount is 57. Actor Mickey Rourke is 56. Magician David Copperfield is 56. Country singer-songwriter Terry McBride is 54. Actress Jennifer Tilly is 54. Retired MLB All-Star pitcher Orel Hershiser is 54. Retired MLB All-Star Tim Raines is 53. Actress Jayne Brook is 52. Singer Richard Marx is 49. Comedian Molly Shannon is 48. Singer Marc Anthony is 44. Comedian-actress Amy Poehler is 41. Country singer Matt Stillwell is 37. Singer Musiq (MYOO'-sihk) is 35. Actress Alexis Bledel is 31. Actress Sabrina Bryan is 28. Actress Madeline Zima is 27. Actress Kyla Pratt is 26. Actor Daren Kagasoff is 25. Rock singer Teddy Geiger is 24. Actress-dancer Bailey Buntain (TV: "Bunheads") is 23. Rock singer-musician Nick Jonas (The Jonas Brothers) is 20.
• Thought for Today: "Stoicism is the wisdom of madness and cynicism the madness of wisdom." -- Bergen Evans, American lexicographer (1904-1978).
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