Today is the 293rd day of 2012 and the 28th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1781, Lord Charles Cornwallis' British troops surrendered at Yorktown, Va., heralding an imminent victory for the Continental Army.

In 1960, the United States imposed an embargo on exports to Cuba except for medical supplies and certain foods.

In 1987, "Black Monday" set a new Wall Street record for a single-day decline when the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 508 points.

In 2003, Mother Teresa was beatified by Pope John Paul II.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Auguste Lumiere (1862-1954), inventor/filmmaker; Charles Merrill (1885-1956), investment banker; Jack Anderson (1922-2005), columnist; John le Carre (1931- ), novelist; John Lithgow (1945- ), actor; Jennifer Holliday (1960- ), singer; Evander Holyfield (1962- ), boxer; Jon Favreau (1966- ), actor/director; Trey Parker (1969- ), TV producer/writer; Chris Kattan (1970- ), actor/comedian; Jason Reitman (1977- ), filmmaker.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1957, Maurice "Rocket" Richard became the first NHL player to score 500 goals.

TODAY'S FACT: Brothers Auguste and Louis Lumiere, inventors of the Cinematographe camera that helped kick-start the motion-picture era, declared cinema "an invention without any future."

TODAY'S QUOTE: "A desk is a dangerous place from which to watch the world." -- John le Carre

TODAY'S NUMBER: 16 -- seasons Trey Parker and Matt Stone's "South Park" has aired on Comedy Central.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (Oct. 15) and first quarter (Oct. 21).

Today is the 292nd day of 2012 and the 27th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1767, the boundary between Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania (the Mason-Dixon Line) was established.

In 1851, "Moby-Dick" was first published.

In 1962, Drs. James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins were given the Nobel Prize in medicine/physiology, for uncovering the double-helix structure of DNA.

In 2001, four al-Qaida members were sentenced to life in prison for bombing the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Pierre Elliott Trudeau (1919-2000), Canadian prime minister; Jesse Helms (1921-2008), U.S. senator; Chuck Berry (1926- ), musician; Peter Boyle (1935-2006), actor; Mike Ditka (1939- ), football coach/player; Wendy Wasserstein (1950-2006), playwright; Martina Navratilova (1956- ), tennis player; Jean-Claude Van Damme (1960- ), actor; Wynton Marsalis (1961- ), jazz musician; Josh Gracin (1980- ), singer; Zac Efron (1987- ), actor.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1950, after 50 seasons as manager of the Philadelphia Athletics, Connie Mack announced his retirement.

TODAY'S FACT: The Mason-Dixon Line surveyed by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in 1767 left a "wedge" of land in dispute between Delaware and Pennsylvania until 1921.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Old age is always wakeful; as if, the longer linked with life, the less man has to do with aught that looks like death." -- Herman Melville, "Moby-Dick"

TODAY'S NUMBER: 41 -- record number of Grand Slam doubles (including mixed doubles) titles won by Martina Navratilova.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (Oct. 15) and first quarter (Oct. 21).

Today is the 291st day of 2012 and the 26th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1931, Al Capone was convicted of income tax evasion and sentenced to 11 years in prison.

In 1933, German refugee Albert Einstein immigrated to the United States, where he would live and work for the rest of his life.

In 1989, the strongest earthquake in the United States since 1906 rocked Northern California, killing more than 60 people.

In 2006, the U.S. population topped 300 million for the first time.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Jean Arthur (1900-1991), actress; Arthur Miller (1915-2005), playwright/novelist; Rita Hayworth (1918-1987), actress; Beverly Garland (1926-2008), actress; Evel Knievel (1938-2007), stunt performer; Michael McKean (1947- ), actor; Mae Jemison (1956- ), scientist/astronaut; Mike Judge (1962- ), animator/writer/director; Ziggy Marley (1968- ), musician; Ernie Els (1969- ), golfer; Wyclef Jean (1969- ), singer; Eminem (1972- ), rapper.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1968, American Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos were forced to return their medals for raising their fists in protest against racial discrimination during the victory ceremony.

TODAY'S FACT: In 1952, Albert Einstein was offered the post of Israeli president, which he politely declined.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets." -- Arthur Miller

TODAY'S NUMBER: 32 -- U.S. state names that end in a vowel rather than a consonant.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (Oct. 15) and first quarter (Oct. 21).