Today is the 208th day of 2012 and the 37th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1775, the Second Continental Congress established a postal system.

In 1947, President Truman signed the National Security Act, uniting the Army, Navy and Air Force under the Department of Defense and creating the National Security Council, Joint Chiefs of Staff and Central Intelligence Agency.

In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), playwright/critic; Carl Jung (1875-1961), psychiatrist; Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), writer; Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999), film director; Mick Jagger (1943- ), singer; Helen Mirren (1945- ), actress; Kevin Spacey (1959- ), actor; Sandra Bullock (1964- ), actress; Jeremy Piven (1965- ), actor.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 2005, Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux became the 13th pitcher in major league history to strike out 3,000 batters.

TODAY'S FACT: Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" has the longest title of any film nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul." -- George Bernard Shaw

TODAY'S NUMBER: 9 -- Joint Chiefs of Staff chairmen (out of 18) who have been Army officers. Only one (Peter Pace, 2005-2007) was a Marine Corps officer.

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (July 26) and full moon (August 1).

Today is the 207th day of 2012 and the 36th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1952, Puerto Rico became a self-governing U.S. commonwealth.

In 1956, the Andrea Doria ocean liner collided with the cruise ship Stockholm off the New England coast and sank the next day, killing 51.

In 1978, the first "test-tube baby," Louise Brown, was born in England.

In 2005, two major unions, the Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union, withdrew from the AFL-CIO.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Henry Knox (1750-1806), first U.S. secretary of war; Eric Hoffer (1902-1983), philosopher; Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958), biophysicist; Estelle Getty (1923-2008), actress; John Gibson (1946- ), radio/TV personality; Walter Payton (1954-1999), football player; Iman (1955- ), model/actress; Thurston Moore (1958- ), musician; Matt LeBlanc (1967- ), actor.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1976, American Edwin Moses ran in his first international track and field event at the Montreal Olympics -- the 400m hurdles -- and won a gold medal with a world record-setting time of 47.64 seconds.

TODAY'S FACT: In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993 and 1998, Puerto Rican voters chose to retain commonwealth status.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business." -- Eric Hoffer

TODAY'S NUMBER: 3.2 million -- approximate combined membership of the Teamsters and the Service Employees International unions in 2012.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (July 19) and first quarter moon (July 26).

Today is the 206th day of 2012 and the 35th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1847, Brigham Young and the first Mormon pioneers arrived at Utah's Salt Lake Valley.

In 1866, Tennessee became the first state to formally rejoin the Union following the Civil War.

In 1959, Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev engaged in what became known as the "kitchen debate."

In 1998, a lone gunman opened fire in the U.S. Capitol building, killing two police officers.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Simon Bolivar (1783-1830), South American liberator; Alexandre Dumas, pere (1802-1870), playwright/novelist; Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), aviator; Bella Abzug (1920-1998), activist/politician; Billy Taylor (1921-2010), jazz pianist; Karl Malone (1963- ), basketball player; Barry Bonds (1964- ), baseball player; Jennifer Lopez (1969- ), actress/singer; Elisabeth Moss (1982- ), actress.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 2005, Lance Armstrong became the first cyclist ever to win the Tour de France seven consecutive times.

TODAY'S FACT: Barry Bonds will be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time in 2013. He must be named on 75 percent of ballots cast to gain admission.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "All for one, one for all -- that is our motto, is it not?" -- Alexandre Dumas, "The Three Musketeers"

TODAY'S NUMBER: 6.2 million -- reported membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormons) in the United States in 2012.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (July 19) and first quarter moon (July 26).