October 18th

Today's Highlight in History:
On October 18th, 1931, inventor Thomas Alva Edison died in West Orange, New Jersey, at age 84.

On this date:
In 1767, the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania, the Mason-Dixon line, was agreed upon.

In 1867, the United States took formal possession of Alaska from Russia.

In 1892, the first long-distance telephone line between Chicago and New York was formally opened.

In 1898, the American flag was raised in Puerto Rico shortly before Spain formally relinquished control of the island to the US.

In 1944, Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia during World War Two.

In 1950, Connie Mack, the "Grand Old Man" of major league baseball, announced he was retiring as manager of the Philadelphia Athletics.

In 1968, the US Olympic Committee suspended Tommie Smith and John Carlos for giving a "black power" salute as a protest during a victory ceremony in Mexico City.

In 1969, the federal government banned artificial sweeteners known as cyclamates because of evidence they caused cancer in laboratory rats.

In 1982, former first lady Bess Truman died at her home in Independence, Missouri, at age 97.

In 1989, after 18 years in power, Erich Honecker was ousted as leader of East Germany; he was succeeded by Egon Krenz.

Ten years ago: Iraq offered to sell its oil to anyone -- including the United States -- for $21 a barrel, the same price level that preceded the invasion of Kuwait.

Five years ago: President Clinton, facing political fallout for telling financial contributors that "I raised your taxes too much," said he had no regrets about the tax increase package he'd signed into law in 1993.

One year ago: Career prosecutor Robert Ray was sworn in to replace Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr and wrap up the wide-ranging investigation of President Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. The New York Yankees won a record 36th pennant, beating the Boston Red Sox 6-to-1 in Game Five of the American League Championship Series.

"The thinking of a genius does not proceed logically. It leaps with great ellipses. It pulls knowledge from God knows where."

-- Dorothy Thompson, American journalist (1894-1961).