UNIVERSAL UCLICK ALMANAC

Today is the 255th day of 2013 and the 84th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1609, English explorer Henry Hudson entered the river that would later bear his surname.

In 1940, four teenagers discovered prehistoric paintings, estimated to be 15,000 to 17,000 years old, in a cave in Lascaux, France.

In 1953, Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts married Jaqueline Lee Bouvier in Newport, Rhode Island.

In 1959, the Western series "Bonanza" premiered on NBC.

In 2011, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum opened in New York City.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: H.L. Mencken (1880-1956), journalist/critic; Jesse Owens (1913-1980), Olympic athlete; Ian Holm (1931- ), actor; George Jones (1931-2013), singer-songwriter; Barry White (1944-2003), singer-songwriter; Joe Pantoliano (1951- ), actor; Ben Folds (1966- ), musician; Louis C.K. (1967- ), actor/comedian; Jason Statham (1967- ), actor; Yao Ming (1980- ), basketball player; Jennifer Hudson (1981- ), actress/singer; Andrew Luck (1989- ), football player.

TODAY'S FACT: In 1992, the space shuttle Endeavour embarked on the 50th NASA shuttle mission. Dr. Mae Carol Jemison, the crew's science mission specialist, became the first African-American woman in space.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1984, Dwight "Doc" Gooden of the New York Mets threw his 246th strikeout, breaking the rookie record for strikeouts in a single season. He finished the season with 276, a record that still stands.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Explanations exist; they have existed for all time; there is always a well-known solution to every human problem —- neat, plausible and wrong." -- H.L. Mencken

TODAY'S NUMBER: 45 -- minutes it took track legend Jesse Owens to break three world records and tie a fourth, at a college track meet in 1935.

TODAY'S MOON: First quarter moon (Sept. 12).

UNIVERSAL UCLICK ALMANAC

Today is the 254th day of 2013 and the 83rd day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1857, Mormon guerillas and Paiute Indians massacred 120 pioneers in Mountain Meadows, Utah.

In 1939, Canada made its first declaration of war, joining the Allies in opposition to Nazi Germany.

In 2001, hijacked planes crashed into New York City's World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Virginia and a Pennsylvania field in terrorist attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives.

In 2012, a heavily armed militia attacked the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya, killing four Americans.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: O. Henry (1862-1910), short-story writer; D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930), novelist; Paul "Bear" Bryant (1913-1983), football coach; Tom Landry (1924-2000), football coach; Brian De Palma (1940- ), film director; Brad Bird (1957- ), film director; Virginia Madsen (1961- ), actress; Moby (1965- ), musician; Harry Connick Jr. (1967- ), actor/singer; Ludacris (1977- ), rapper/actor; Ed Reed (1978- ), football player; Jacoby Ellsbury (1983- ), baseball player.

TODAY'S FACT: John Tyler was the first vice president to assume the presidency because of a sitting president's death. During the term he served, after William Henry Harrison's month-long presidency, Tyler was often referred to slightingly as "His Ascendancy" or "Acting President."

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1985, Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb's record with his 4,192nd career hit.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "There's a lot of blood, sweat and guts between dreams and success." -- Paul "Bear" Bryant

TODAY'S NUMBER: 4,256 -- total career hits for Pete Rose, which remains the Major League Baseball record.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (Sept. 5) and first quarter moon (Sept. 12).

UNIVERSAL UCLICK ALMANAC

Today is the 253rd day of 2013 and the 82nd day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1846, Elias Howe patented the first sewing machine.

In 1977, France used a guillotine in carrying out a death sentence for the last time.

In 2002, Switzerland became a member of the United Nations.

In 2008, the Large Hadron Collider was powered up for the first time in Geneva, Switzerland.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Adele Astaire (1896-1981), dancer; Rin Tin Tin (1918-1932), canine actor; Arnold Palmer (1929- ), golfer; Roger Maris (1934-1985), baseball player; Charles Kuralt (1934-1997), TV journalist; Stephen Jay Gould (1941-2002), biologist/writer; Bill O'Reilly (1949- ), TV host/author; Chris Columbus (1958- ), film director; Colin Firth (1960- ), actor; Guy Ritchie (1968- ), filmmaker; Mirko Filipovic (1974- ), mixed martial artist; Ryan Phillippe (1974- ), actor.

TODAY'S FACT: The United Nations, which included 193 member states as of August 2013, began in 1945 when representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco to draw the charter.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1972, the U.S. men's basketball team fell for the first time in Olympic competition, suffering a controversial 51-50 loss to the Soviet Union team on a last-second shot in the gold medal match.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best -- and therefore never scrutinize or question." -- Stephen Jay Gould

TODAY'S NUMBER: 141 -- countries that have abolished the use of capital punishment as of 2013, according to Amnesty International.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (Sept. 5) and first quarter moon (Sept. 12).