ANDREWS MCMEEL ALMANAC

Today is the 194th day of 2018 and the 23rd day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1863, draft riots began in New York City. An estimated 1,000 people were killed or wounded.

In 1973, Alexander Butterfield, deputy assistant to President Richard Nixon, revealed the existence of the "Nixon Tapes" to a senatorial committee investigating the Watergate scandal.

In 1977, a 25-hour blackout hit the New York City area, leaving some 9 million people in darkness and resulting in looting and disorder.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: John Clare (1793-1864), poet; John Jacob Astor IV (1864-1912), businessman; Bob Crane (1928-1978), actor; Jack Kemp (1935-2009), football player/politician; Patrick Stewart (1940- ), actor; Robert Forster (1941- ), actor; Harrison Ford (1942- ), actor; Cheech Marin (1946- ), actor/comedian; Cameron Crowe (1957- ), filmmaker; Tom Kenny (1962- ), actor/comedian; Ken Jeong (1969- ), actor/comedian.

TODAY'S FACT: Presidents Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison all proposed that Congress pass some form of mandatory military conscription or registration, but none of the proposals succeeded.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1930, France defeated Mexico 4-1 and the United States defeated Belgium 3-0 in the first World Cup soccer matches, held in Montevideo, Uruguay.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "I just don't understand the need to name something 'the best' or more better than something else. Saying one thing is better than another, one performance is better than another performance -- there can't be a contest in this area. I don't understand that. -- Harrison Ford

TODAY'S NUMBER: 1.9 billion -- estimated global audience (in 150 countries) that watched the Live Aid concerts, broadcast on this day in 1985 to raise money for African famine relief.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (July 12) and first quarter moon (July 19).

ANDREWS MCMEEL ALMANAC

Today is the 193rd day of 2018 and the 22nd day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law a measure creating the U.S. Army Medal of Honor.

In 1871, rioting between Irish Catholics and Protestants in New York City left more than 50 dead.

In 1984, Democratic Rep. Geraldine Ferraro of New York became the first female vice presidential candidate on a major party ticket.

In 2006, Hezbollah guerrillas raided northern Israel, marking the beginning of a 33-day conflict.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), author/philosopher; Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983), architect; Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960), lyricist; Pablo Neruda (1904-1973), poet; Milton Berle (1908-2002), comedian; Richard Simmons (1948- ), fitness trainer; Julio Cesar Chavez (1962- ), boxer; Brock Lesnar (1977- ), wrestler/mixed martial artist; Topher Grace (1978- ), actor; Michelle Rodriguez (1978- ), actress.

TODAY'S FACT: Mary Edwards Walker, who served as a surgeon for the Union Army during the Civil War, is the only female recipient of the U.S. Army Medal of Honor.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1979, rioting during the Chicago White Sox's "Disco Demolition Night" promotion, in which an explosive-rigged dumpster filled with disco records was destroyed between games of a planned doubleheader, led to 39 arrests and caused the team to forfeit the second game against the Detroit Tigers.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "The true business of people should be to go back to school and think about whatever it was they were thinking about before somebody came along and told them they had to earn a living." -- Buckminster Fuller

TODAY'S NUMBER: 3,518 -- recipients of the U.S. Medal of Honor to date. About half of those honorees distinguished themselves during the American Civil War.

TODAY'S MOON: New moon (July 12).

ANDREWS MCMEEL ALMANAC

Today is the 192nd day of 2018 and the 21st day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1798, the U.S. Marine Corps was re-established, having been disbanded since April 1783.

In 1804, former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton was fatally wounded in a duel with Vice President Aaron Burr.

In 1960, Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" was published.

In 1987, the United Nations estimated that the world's population had reached 5 billion.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), sixth U.S. president; E.B. White (1899-1985), author; Yul Brynner (1920-1985), actor; David Kelly (1929-2012), actor; Giorgio Armani (1934- ), fashion designer; Leon Spinks (1953- ), boxer; Sela Ward (1956- ), actress; Suzanne Vega (1959- ), singer-songwriter; Jeff Corwin (1967- ), naturalist/TV personality; Lil' Kim (1975- ), rapper; Patrick Peterson (1990- ), football player; Alessia Cara (1996- ), singer-songwriter.

TODAY'S FACT: William Howard Taft, who was sworn in as chief justice of the United States on this day in 1921, is the only person in history to serve as both chief justice and president of the United States.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1914, Babe Ruth made his major league debut, pitching seven innings for the Boston Red Sox in a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "All the public business in Congress now connects itself with intrigues, and there is great danger that the whole government will degenerate into a struggle of cabals." -- John Quincy Adams

TODAY'S NUMBER: 18 -- documented duels between 1798 and 1845 at the site known as the Heights of Weehawken in New Jersey, where the Burr-Hamilton duel took place.

TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter moon (July 6) and new moon (July 12).