Today is the 238th day of 2012 and the 67th day of summer.
TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1916, Congress created the National Park Service.
In 1944, Allied troops liberated Paris after four years of German occupation.
In 1967, American Nazi Party leader George Lincoln Rockwell was shot dead by a former aide in Arlington, Va.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Allan Pinkerton (1819-1884), detective; Van Johnson (1916-2008), actor; Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), conductor/composer; Monty Hall (1921- ), TV personality; Althea Gibson (1927-2003), tennis player; Sean Connery (1930- ), actor; Regis Philbin (1931- ), TV personality; Tom Skerritt (1933- ), actor; Anne Archer (1947- ), actress; Elvis Costello (1954- ), musician; Tim Burton (1958- ), film director; Rachael Ray (1968- ), TV personality; Blake Lively (1987- ), actress.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 2003, tennis champion Pete Sampras announced his retirement.
TODAY'S FACT: The National Park Service now oversees more than 84 million acres of land and 27,000 historic structures.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "Consistency is contrary to nature, contrary to life. The only completely consistent people are dead." -- Aldous Huxley
TODAY'S NUMBER: 25 -- age at which Leonard Bernstein made his professional conducting debut.
TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (Aug. 24) and full moon (Aug. 31).