August 24th

Today's Highlight in History:
On August 24th, 1814, British forces invaded Washington DC, setting fire to the Capitol and the White House.

On this date:
In A.D. 79, long-dormant Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in volcanic ash. An estimated 20,000 people died.

In 1572, the slaughter of French Protestants at the hands of Catholics began in Paris.

In 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly non-stop across the United States, traveling from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey, in just over 19 hours.

In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty went into effect.

In 1954, the Communist Control Act went into effect, virtually outlawing the Communist Party in the United States.

In 1968, France became the world's fifth thermonuclear power as it exploded a hydrogen bomb in the South Pacific.

In 1970, a bomb planted by anti-war extremists exploded at the University of Wisconsin's Army Math Research Center in Madison, killing 33-year-old researcher Robert Fassnacht.

In 1981, Mark David Chapman was sentenced in New York to 20 years to life in prison for slaying rock star John Lennon.

In 1989, Baseball Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti banned Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose from the game for gambling.

In 1992, Hurricane "Andrew" smashed into Florida.

Ten years ago: Iraqi troops surrounded foreign missions in Kuwait. Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev sent a message to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein warning the Persian Gulf situation was "extremely dangerous." Irish hostage Brian Keenan was released by his captors in Lebanon after being held more than four years.

Five years ago: China expelled Chinese-American human rights activist Harry Wu, hours after convicting him of spying. Microsoft Corporation began selling its highly publicized Windows 95 personal computer software.

One year ago: The Federal Reserve raised borrowing costs for millions of Americans, increasing its target for the federal funds rate by a quarter point to 5.25 percent, and hiking the discount rate a quarter point to 4.75 percent.

"Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things."

-- Lawrence D. Bell, American aircraft manufacturer (1894-1956).