Today is the 234th day of 2015 and the 63rd day of summer.
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TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1851, the American yacht America won the first America's Cup.
In 1864, the first Geneva Convention, which established protections for those wounded in active warfare, was signed by 12 European nations.
In 1902, the Cadillac Automobile Co. was founded.
In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act welfare reform into law.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Claude Debussy (1862-1918), composer; George Herriman (1880-1944), cartoonist; Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), author; Leni Riefenstahl (1902-2003), film director/actress; Ray Bradbury (1920-2012), author; Norman Schwarzkopf (1934-2012), general; Valerie Harper (1939- ), actress; Bill Parcells (1941- ), football coach; David Chase (1945- ), screenwriter/producer; Tori Amos (1963- ), singer-songwriter; Layne Staley (1967-2002), singer-songwriter; Kristen Wiig (1973- ), actress/comedian.
TODAY'S FACT: The Comics Journal named George Herriman's "Krazy Kat" the best American comic strip of the 20th century in 1999.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1989, Texas Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan struck out Rickey Henderson of the Oakland A's, becoming the first major league pitcher to reach 5,000 strikeouts.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "Science-fiction balances you on the cliff. Fantasy shoves you off." -- Ray Bradbury
TODAY'S NUMBER: 196 -- nations that have acceded to the Geneva Conventions.
TODAY'S MOON: First quarter moon (Aug. 22).