Today is the 286th day of 2012 and the 20th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1492, explorer Christopher Columbus' expedition made landfall in the Bahamas.

In 1945, the Allied Control Council in Germany decreed that the Nazi political party be dissolved.

In 1960, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev interrupted a session of the U.N. General Assembly by banging his shoe on a table.

In 2000, a suicide bomb attack on the USS Cole in Yemen killed 17 sailors and wounded 39.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Dick Gregory (1932- ), comedian/author; Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007), opera singer; Tony Kubek (1935- ), broadcaster/baseball player; Chris Wallace (1947- ), TV journalist; Hugh Jackman (1968- ), actor; Kirk Cameron (1970- ), actor; Bode Miller (1977- ), Olympic skier; Josh Hutcherson (1992- ), actor.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1982, Paul Molitor had five hits in Game 1 of the World Series, helping the Milwaukee Brewers win 10-0 over the St. Louis Cardinals.

TODAY'S FACT: The United Nations Population Fund estimated that the world's population reached 7 billion at the end of October 2011, but according to U.S. Census Bureau demographers, that number was not reached until four months later.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Liberty, not communism, is the most contagious force in the world." -- Earl Warren

TODAY'S NUMBER: 5 -- medals track-and-field athlete Marion Jones was awarded in the 2000 Summer Olympics. All were returned in 2007, after she admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs.

TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter (Oct. 8) and new moon (Oct. 15).

Today is the 285th day of 2012 and the 20th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1779, Polish nobleman Casimir Pulaski died while fighting for American independence in the Revolutionary War.

In 1890, the Daughters of the American Revolution formed.

In 1975, William Jefferson Clinton and Hillary Diane Rodham were married.

In 1975, "Saturday Night Live" debuted on NBC.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), first lady/writer/diplomat; Elmore Leonard (1925- ), novelist; Steve Young (1961- ), football player; Joan Cusack (1962- ), actress; Jane Krakowski (1968- ), actress; Michelle Trachtenberg (1985- ), actress; Michelle Wie (1989- ), golfer.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1890, John Owens ran the first recorded 100-yard dash that broke 10 seconds.

TODAY'S FACT: Hillary Clinton was a member of Wal-Mart's board of directors for more than six years (1985-1992).

TODAY'S QUOTE: "At all times, day by day, we have to continue fighting for freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom from want -- for these are things that must be gained in peace as well as in war." -- Eleanor Roosevelt

TODAY'S NUMBER: 10 -- writing rules Elmore Leonard gave in a 2001 New York Times essay, later republished in book form. The first rule: "Never open a book with weather."

TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter (Oct. 8) and new moon (Oct. 15).

Today is the 284th day of 2012 and the 19th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy (then known as the U.S. Naval School) opened in Annapolis, Md.

In 1973, Spiro Agnew resigned the vice presidency after being charged with tax evasion.

In 2002, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to give President George W. Bush authority to use military force in Iraq.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), composer; Helen Hayes (1900-1993), actress; Thelonious Monk (1917-1982), jazz pianist/composer; Harold Pinter (1930-2008), director/playwright; Ben Vereen (1946- ), actor/singer/dancer; David Lee Roth (1955- ), musician; Bradley Whitford (1959- ), actor; Daniel Pearl (1963-2002), journalist; Brett Favre (1969- ), football player; Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1974- ), race car driver; Aimee Teegarden (1989- ), actress.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1948, the Green Bay Packers played so badly in a 17-7 loss to the Chicago Cardinals that coach Curly Lambeau legendarily fined his team and released two players as "an apology to the people who paid good money to see it."

TODAY'S FACT: The U.S. Naval Academy's rowing crew teams won gold medals at the Olympic Games in 1920 and 1952.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "There can be no hard distinctions between what is real and what is unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing is not necessarily either true or false; it can be both true and false." -- Harold Pinter

TODAY'S NUMBER: 112,158 -- shareholders in the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in 2011. It is the only publicly owned NFL franchise.

TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter (Oct. 8) and new moon (Oct. 15).