Today is Tuesday, August 1, the 213th day of 2006. There are 152 days left in the year.

ON THIS DATE<$>

In 1714, Queen Anne died; she was succeeded by George I.

In 1894, the First Sino-Japanese War erupted, the result of a dispute over control of Korea; Japan’s army routed the Chinese.

In 1914, Germany declared war on Russia at the onset of the First World War.

In 1936, the Olympic games opened in Berlin with a ceremony presided over by Adolf Hitler.

In 1944, an uprising broke out in Warsaw, Poland, against Nazi occupation, a revolt that lasted two months before collapsing.

In 1981, 25 years ago, the rock music video channel MTV made its debut.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY <$>

“Middle age snuffs out more talent than ever wars or sudden deaths do.” — Richard Hughes, Welsh author and dramatist (1900-1976).