august

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today: Madonna Age: 54 Occupation: Singer, “Actress” and Attention-Hog Known For: Being the world’s top-selling female recording artist of all time, dozens of hit singles you no doubt know by heart, her controversial personal life, and recent stage antics that have served only to make her reek of desperation

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1858 – President James Buchanan inaugurates the new transatlantic telegraph cable by exchanging greetings with Queen Victoria of the UK (More info) 1896 – Gold is discovered in a tributary of the Klondike River in Canada, setting off the Klondike Gold Rush (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1824 – Freed American slaves found Liberia (More info) 1914 – The Panama Canal opens to traffic (More info)

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today: Ben Affleck Age: 40 Occupation: Actor, Director and Screenwriter Known For: Winning an Oscar with Matt Damon for writing ‘Good Will Hunting,’ roles in films such as ‘Armageddon,’ ‘Shakespeare in Love’ and ‘Hollywoodland,’ receiving critical acclaim for directing the movies ‘Gone Baby Gone’ and ‘The Town,’ and his marriage to actress J

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today: David Crosby Age: 72 Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician Known For: Hits such as ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ while with The Byrds and ‘Woodstock’ and ‘Southern Cross’ while with Crosby, Stills & Nash, his 1995 liver transplant, and being the biological father of two of Melissa Etheridge’s children

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today: Danny Bonaduce Age: 53 Occupation: Radio Personality and Former Child Actor Known For: Playing precocious middle brother Danny on 1970s sitcom ‘The Partridge Family,’ his reality show ‘Breaking Bonaduce,’ a messy private life, and being the morning drive-time host on Seattle radio station KZOK-FM

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1878 – A yellow fever epidemic in Memphis eventually empties the city (More info) 1918 – Opha Mae Johnson becomes the first woman to enlist in the United States Marine Corps (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1793 – The Louvre officially opens in Paris (More info) 1846 – The Smithsonian Institution is chartered by the United States Congress (More info)

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today: Antonio Banderas Age: 52 Occupation: Actor Known For: Films such as ‘Evita,’ ‘The Mask of Zorro’ and ‘Philadelphia,’ his voiceover work as the bee in the Nasonex ads and in the ‘Shrek’ and ‘Puss in Boots’ franchises, and his marriage to plastic-surgery victim Melanie Griffith

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today: Melanie Griffith Age: 55 Occupation: Actress Known For: Her Academy Award-nominated turn in the 1988 film ‘Working Girl,’ other work in ‘The Bonfire of the Vanities’ and ‘Pacific Heights,’ a former longtime relationship with Don Johnson, her current marriage to Antonio Banderas, and spending just a little too much time with her plasti

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1890 – Murderer William Kemmler becomes the first person to be executed by electric chair (More info) 1926 – Harry Houdini performs his greatest feat, spending 91 minutes underwater in a sealed tank before escaping (More info)

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today: M. Night Shyamalan Age: 42 Occupation: Screenwriter, Director and Producer Known For: Movies with contemporary supernatural plots and twist endings such as the Oscar-nominated ‘The Sixth Sense,’ other films including ‘Signs,’ ‘The Village’ and ‘The Last Airbender,’ and co-founding the production company Night Chronicles