ANDREWS MCMEEL ALMANAC

Today is the 314th day of 2018 and the 50th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1775, the Continental Congress created the U.S. Marine Corps.

In 1954, the USMC War Memorial (Iwo Jima memorial) was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery.

In 1969, "Sesame Street" premiered on PBS.

In 1977, a human was conceived through in-vitro fertilization for the first time.

In 2001, China was approved for membership in the World Trade Organization.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Martin Luther (1483-1546), leader of the Protestant Reformation; William Hogarth (1697-1764), painter/engraver; Claude Rains (1889-1967), actor; Richard Burton (1925-1984), actor; Ennio Morricone (1928- ), composer; Tim Rice (1944- ), lyricist; Les Miles (1953- ), football coach; Neil Gaiman (1960- ), author; Tracy Morgan (1968- ), actor/comedian; Ellen Pompeo (1969- ), actress; Walton Goggins (1971- ), actor; Brittany Murphy (1977-2009), actress; Miranda Lambert (1983- ), singer; Taron Egerton (1989- ), actor.

TODAY'S FACT: In 2017, the U.S.-China trade deficit was $375 billion, up 8 percent from the 2016 deficit of $347 billion.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1990, the NBA's Phoenix Suns scored a record 107 first-half points in their 173-143 win over the Denver Nuggets, just three days after the Nuggets had set the record with 90 first-half points against the San Antonio Spurs.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Sometimes you wake up. Sometimes the fall kills you. And sometimes, when you fall, you fly." -- Neil Gaiman, "Fables and Reflections"

TODAY'S NUMBER: 1 -- China's rank in the World Trade Organization's 2017 list of the leading exporters in world merchandise trade, with a 12.8 percent share. The United States was No. 2, with 8.7 percent.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (Nov. 7) and first quarter moon (Nov. 15).

ANDREWS MCMEEL ALMANAC

Today is the 313th day of 2018 and the 49th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt visited the Panama Canal, becoming the first sitting president to make an official trip outside of the United States.

In 1938, the Nazis launched a national pogrom, later dubbed "Kristallnacht," against Jewish people in Germany and Austria.

In 1965, a massive blackout left much of the northeastern United States and Ontario, Canada, without power.

In 1989, the wall separating West Berlin from East Berlin and the rest of East Germany was opened.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806), astronomer; Elijah P. Lovejoy (1802-1837), abolitionist; Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000), actress; Spiro Agnew (1918-1996), U.S. vice president; Anne Sexton (1928-1974), poet; Carl Sagan (1934-1996), astronomer/writer; Bob Gibson (1935- ), baseball player; Chris Jericho (1970- ), professional wrestler/actor; Susan Tedeschi (1970- ), singer-songwriter; Eric Dane (1972- ), actor; Nick Lachey (1973- ), singer-songwriter.

TODAY'S FACT: The 1965 power grid blackout left an area of 80,000 square miles, and at least 30 million people, without power.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1961, the Professional Golfers Association of America eliminated its rule limiting membership to Caucasians.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe." -- Carl Sagan, "Cosmos"

TODAY'S NUMBER: 31 -- Rolling Stone magazine cover appearances (as of late October 2018) by the Beatles' John Lennon. The first issue of the iconic magazine was released on this day in 1967, with Lennon on the cover.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (Nov. 7) and first quarter moon (Nov. 15).

ANDREWS MCMEEL ALMANAC

Today is the 312th day of 2018 and the 48th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1889, Montana was admitted as the 41st U.S. state.

In 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected president of the United States, defeating Richard Nixon.

In 2002, the U.N. Security Council unanimously voted to give Iraq a "final opportunity" to disarm.

In 2004, U.S. and Iraqi troops launched a successful siege of the city of Fallujah, an insurgent stronghold.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Edmond Halley (1656-1742), astronomer/mathematician; Bram Stoker (1847-1912), author; Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), author; Christiaan Barnard (1922-2001), surgeon; Bonnie Raitt (1949- ), musician; Kazuo Ishiguro (1954- ), author; Michael Nyqvist (1960-2017), actor; Gordon Ramsay, (1966- ), chef; Parker Posey (1968- ), actress; David Muir (1973- ), TV journalist; Tara Reid (1975- ), actress; Bucky Covington (1977- ), singer; Jessica Lowndes (1988- ), actress; Giancarlo Stanton (1989- ), baseball player.

TODAY'S FACT: The synthetic element roentgenium (atomic number 111), was named after physicist Wilhelm Roentgen, who discovered X-rays on this day in 1895.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1966, Frank Robinson of the American League's Baltimore Orioles became the first person to win MVP honors from both baseball leagues. He had been named MVP in the National League in 1961 with the Cincinnati Reds.

TODAY'S QUOTE: " It was better to know the worst than to wonder." -- Margaret Mitchell, "Gone With the Wind"

TODAY'S NUMBERS: 43 and 70 -- ages of John F. Kennedy and Donald Trump when they won their respective presidential elections, making them the youngest and oldest elected presidents in U.S. history.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (Nov. 7) and first quarter moon (Nov. 15).