Today is the 264th day of 2014 and the 93rd day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1792, the French National Convention declared France a republic and voted to abolish the monarchy.

In 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" was published.

In 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong announced the communist government of the People's Republic of China.

In 1981, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved Sandra Day O'Connor as the first female Supreme Court justice.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: H.G. Wells (1866-1946), historian/author; Chuck Jones (1912-2002), animator; Larry Hagman (1931-2012), actor; Leonard Cohen (1934- ) singer-songwriter; Henry Gibson (1935-2009), comedian/actor; Jerry Bruckheimer (1945- ), film/TV producer; Stephen King (1947- ), author; Bill Murray (1950- ), actor; Ethan Coen (1957- ), filmmaker; Cheryl Hines (1965- ), actress; Faith Hill (1967- ), singer-songwriter; Luke Wilson (1971- ), actor; Maggie Grace (1983- ), actress.

TODAY'S FACT: Best-selling author Stephen King wrote under two names (Stephen King and Richard Bachman) in his early career because publishers told him audiences wouldn't buy more than one book per year from the same writer.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1970, "Monday Night Football" made its ABC broadcast debut with a game between the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "The past is but the beginning of a beginning, and all that is or has been is but the twilight of the dawn." -- H.G. Wells, "The Discovery of the Future"

TODAY'S NUMBER: $1.6 billion -- total worldwide box office gross (as of early September 2014) for director Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and parts 1 and 2 of "The Hobbit," films based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkein.

TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter moon (Sept. 15) and new moon (Sept. 23).

Today is the 263rd day of 2014 and the 92nd day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1873, the New York Stock Exchange closed because of a banking panic.

In 1881, Chester A. Arthur was sworn in as president, one day after the death of James Garfield.

In 1977, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was admitted to the United Nations.

In 1984, a suicide bombing killed 20 Americans at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon.

In 2001, President George W. Bush declared a "war on terror" before a joint session of Congress.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Upton Sinclair (1878-1968), author/social reformer; Leo Strauss (1899-1973), philosopher; Jacob "Red" Auerbach (1917-2006), basketball coach; Anne Meara (1929- ), actress/comedian; Sophia Loren (1934- ), actress; George R.R. Martin (1948- ), author; Guy Lafleur (1951- ), hockey player; Kristen Johnston (1967- ), actress; Moon Bloodgood (1975- ), actress; Brian Joubert (1984- ), figure skater.

TODAY'S FACT: About 2 million Southeast Asian-Americans live in the United States today.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1973, Billie Jean King won the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match against Bobby Riggs in three straight sets.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it." -- Upton Sinclair, "I, Candidate for Governor: And How I Got Licked"

TODAY'S NUMBER: 9 -- NBA championship titles Red Auerbach won as head coach of the Boston Celtics, eight of which were consecutive (1959-1966).

TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter moon (Sept. 15) and new moon (Sept. 23).

Today is the 262nd day of 2014 and the 91st day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1881, President James Garfield died from gunshot wounds sustained during an assassination attempt on July 2.

In 1957, the United States conducted its first entirely underground nuclear test, in a mountain tunnel in Nevada.

In 1995, The Washington Post published the Unabomber's manifesto, in partnership with The New York Times.

In 2002, President George W. Bush requested that Congress authorize him to "use all means" to disarm and depose Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: William Golding (1911-1993), author; Roger Angell (1920- ), author/journalist; James Lipton (1926- ), actor/TV host; Adam West (1928- ), actor; Cass Elliot (1941-1974), singer; Jeremy Irons (1948- ), actor; Twiggy (1949- ), model/actress; Trisha Yearwood (1964- ), singer-songwriter; Jimmy Fallon (1974- ), comedian/TV personality; Alison Sweeney (1976- ), actress/TV host; Tegan and Sara Quin (1980- ), singer-songwriters.

TODAY'S FACT: The Threshold Test Ban Treaty, signed in 1974, prohibited nuclear weapons testing in the atmosphere, in outer space and underwater, but permitted underground testing.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1988, U.S. diver Greg Louganis came back to win gold at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, after hitting his head on the board during a dive in the preliminary round.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "The writer probably knows what he meant when he wrote a book, but he should immediately forget what he meant when he's written it." -- William Golding

TODAY'S NUMBER: 36 -- gold medals won by the United States at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter moon (Sept. 15) and new moon (Sept. 23).