TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Thursday, Aug. 30, the 242nd day of 2018. There are 123 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Aug. 30, 1963, the “Hot Line” communications link between Washington and Moscow went into operation.

On this date:

In 1945, U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrived in Japan to set up Allied occupation headquarters.

In 1983, Guion S. Bluford Jr. became the first black American astronaut to travel in space as he blasted off aboard the Challenger.

In 1984, the space shuttle Discovery was launched on its inaugural flight.

In 1989, a federal jury in New York found “hotel queen” Leona Helmsley guilty of income tax evasion, but acquitted her of extortion. (Helmsley ended up serving 18 months behind bars, a month at a halfway house and two months under house arrest.)

In 1997, Americans received word of the car crash in Paris that claimed the lives of Princess Diana, her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul. (Because of the time difference, it was Aug. 31 where the crash occurred.)

Today’s Birthdays:

Actress Elizabeth Ashley is 79. Cartoonist R. Crumb is 75. Olympic gold medal skier Jean-Claude Killy is 75. Actress Peggy Lipton is 72. Jazz musician Gerald Albright is 61. Country musician Geoff Firebaugh is 50. Actress Cameron Diaz is 46. TV personality Lisa Ling is 45. Tennis player Andy Roddick is 36.

Thought for Today:

“Walk on air against your better judgement.” — Seamus Heaney (1939-2013).