Today is Sunday, Jan. 5, the fifth day of 2020. There are 361 days left in the year.
Today in history
On Jan. 5, 1781, a British naval expedition led by Benedict Arnold burned Richmond, Va.
Also on this date:
In 1896, an Austrian newspaper, Wiener Presse, reported the discovery by German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen of a type of radiation that came to be known as X-rays.
In 1914, auto industrialist Henry Ford announced he was going to pay workers $5 for an 8-hour day, as opposed to $2.34 for a 9-hour day. (Employees still worked six days a week; the 5-day work week was instituted in 1926.)
In 1925, Democrat Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming took office as America’s first female governor, succeeding her late husband, William, following a special election.
In 1933, the 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge, died in Northampton, Mass., at age 60. ... Construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge. (Work was completed four years later.)
In 1943, educator and scientist George Washington Carver, who was born into slavery, died in Tuskegee, Ala., at about age 80.
Fun fact
In a new study, researchers found that the human nose has roughly 400 scent receptors that can detect at least 1 trillion different odors.
Just for laughs
My three favorite things are eating my family and not using commas.
Trending words
“Whipsaw:” verb; (WIP-saw). Definition: To beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents.
— Merriam-Webster
Today’s birthdays
Former Vice President Walter F. Mondale is 92. Actor Robert Duvall is 89. Juan Carlos, former King of Spain, is 82. Singer-musician Athol Guy (The Seekers) is 80. Former talk show host Charlie Rose is 78. Actress-director Diane Keaton is 74. Actor Ted Lange is 72. Rhythm-and-blues musician George “Funky” Brown (Kool and the Gang) is 71. Rock musician Chris Stein (Blondie) is 70. Former CIA Director George Tenet is 67. Actress Pamela Sue Martin is 67. Actor Clancy Brown is 61. Singer Iris Dement is 59. Actress Suzy Amis is 58. Actor Ricky Paull Goldin is 55. Actor Vinnie Jones is 55. Rock musician Kate Schellenbach (Luscious Jackson) is 54. Actor Joe Flanigan is 53. Talk show host/dancer-choreographer Carrie Ann Inaba is 52. Rock musician Troy Van Leeuwen (Queens of the Stone Age) is 52. Actress Heather Paige Kent is 51. Rock singer Marilyn Manson is 51. Actor Shea Whigham is 51. Actor Derek Cecil is 47. Actress-comedian Jessica Chaffin is 46. Actor Bradley Cooper is 45. Actress January Jones is 42. Actress Brooklyn Sudano is 39. Actor Franz Drameh is 27.
The Edge is compiled by Dallas Marshall. She can be contacted at dmarshall@lmtribune.com.
