Today is the 24th day of 2015 and the 35th day of winter.
TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, setting off the California Gold Rush.
In 1984, the first Apple Macintosh computer went on sale.
In 1995, the O.J. Simpson murder trial began as the prosecution made its opening statement.
In 2003, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge was sworn in as the first secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Pierre de Beaumarchais (1732-1799), playwright; Edith Wharton (1862-1937), author; Robert Motherwell (1915-1991), artist; Ernest Borgnine (1917-2012), actor; Oral Roberts (1918-2009), evangelist; Neil Diamond (1941- ), singer-songwriter; Aaron Neville (1941- ), singer; John Belushi (1949-1982), actor; Nastassja Kinski (1961- ), actress; Mary Lou Retton (1968- ), Olympic gymnast; Ed Helms (1974- ), actor; Mischa Barton (1986- ), actress.
TODAY'S FACT: The first Apple Macintosh computer had a 9-inch monitor and 128 kilobytes of RAM. It was priced at $2,495.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1980, Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday bought the New York Mets for an estimated $21.1 million, at the time the most ever paid for a baseball franchise.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "The real loneliness is living among all these kind people who only ask one to pretend!" -- Edith Wharton, "The Age of Innocence"
TODAY'S NUMBER: 2,558 -- Barry Bonds' record number of career walks, more than Hank Aaron (1,402) or Babe Ruth (2,062).
TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (Jan. 20) and first quarter moon (Jan. 26).