On this day, Aug. 8
1814 During the War of 1812, peace talks between the United States and Britain began in Ghent, Belgium.
1868 The cornerstone was laid for the new City Hall on Smithfield Street.
1928 Westinghouse staged what was said to be the world’s first demonstration of “motion pictures broadcast by radio” — “television” — in its East Pittsburgh laboratories. The idea was worked out by Frank Conrad, assistant chief engineer at Westinghouse.
1974 President Richard Nixon, facing damaging new revelations in the Watergate scandal, announced he would resign the following day.
1978 The Parkway East was “papered” with money for the second consecutive day, with an accident littering a mile-long stretch with canceled Series E government savings bonds. The day before, a collision with a messenger’s car caused scores of welfare checks to be strewn on the road.
2017 Singer Glen Campbell died in Nashville, Tenn., at the age of 81; he had announced in 2011 that he’d been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology). — Compiled by Rick Nowlin
Today’s birthdays: Actor Nita Talbot, 91. Actor Dustin Hoffman, 84. Actor Connie Stevens, 83. Country singer Phil Balsley (The Statler Brothers), 82. Actor Larry Wilcox, 74. Actor Keith Carradine, 72. Movie director Martin Brest, 70. RadioTV personality Robin Quivers, 69. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, 68. Percussionist Anton Fig, 68. Actor Donny Most, 68. Rock musician Dennis Drew (10,000 Maniacs), 64. TV personality Deborah Norville, 63. Rock musician The Edge (U2), 60. Rock musician Rikki Rockett (Poison), 60. Rapper Kool Moe Dee, 59. Middle distance runner Suzy Favor Hamilton, 53. Rock singer Scott Stapp, 48. Country singer Mark Wills, 48. Actor Kohl Sudduth, 47. Rock musician Tom Linton (Jimmy Eat World), 46. Singer JC Chasez (‘N Sync), 45. Actor Tawny Cypress, 45. R&B singer Drew Lachey (98 Degrees), 45. R&B singer Marsha Ambrosius, 44. Actor Lindsay Sloane, 44. Actor Countess Vaughn, 43. Actor Michael Urie, 41. Tennis player Roger Federer, 40. Actor Meagan Good, 40. Rock musician Eric Howk (Portugal. The Man), 40. Actor Jackie Cruz, 37. Britain’s Princess Beatrice of York, 33. Actor Ken Baumann, 32. New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo, 32. Pop singer Shawn Mendes, 23. Actor Bebe Wood, 20.
Thought for today: “Man adjusts to what he should not; he is unable to adjust to what he should.”