By The Associated PressSat Sep 9, 8:01 PM ET

Today is Sunday, Sept. 10, the 253rd day of 2006. There are 112 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Sept. 10, 1813, an American naval force commanded by Oliver H. Perry defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812.

On this date:

In 1608, John Smith was elected president of the Jamestown colony council in Virginia.

In 1846, Elias Howe received a patent for his sewing machine.

In 1919, New York City welcomed home Gen. John J. Pershing and 25,000 soldiers who served in the U.S. First Division during World War I.

In 1935, Sen. Huey P. Long, "The Kingfish" of Louisiana politics, died in Baton Rouge two days after being shot.

In 1939, Canada declared war on Nazi Germany.

In 1945, Vidkun Quisling was sentenced to death in Norway for collaborating with the Nazis (he was executed by firing squad in October 1945).

In 1955, the long-running TV Western series "Gunsmoke," starring James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, premiered on CBS television.

In 1963, 20 black students entered Alabama public schools following a standoff between federal authorities and Gov. George C. Wallace.

In 1977, convicted murderer Hamida Djandoubi, a Tunisian immigrant, became the last person to date to be executed by the guillotine in France.

In 2003, Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, 46, was stabbed in a Stockholm department store; she died the next day.

Ten years ago: The Senate dealt a double defeat to gay-rights activists, voting to reject same-sex marriage in federal law and killing a separate bill that would have barred job discrimination against gays. Hurricane Hortense pounded Puerto Rico, causing at least 21 deaths and destroying thousands of homes. Ross Perot picked economist Pat Choate to share the Reform Party presidential ticket.

Five years ago: A Marxist militant suicide bomber blew himself up in a popular Istanbul square, killing himself and three others, including an Australian woman. Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in Lima, Peru, to attend an Organization of American States foreign ministers meeting. Michael Jordan all but confirmed that he intended to return to play in the NBA.

One year ago: Cadaver dogs and boatloads of forensic workers fanned out across New Orleans to collect the corpses left behind by Hurricane Katrina; cleanup crews towed away abandoned cars and even began readying a hotel for reopening. Kim Clijsters won her first major title, cruising to a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Mary Pierce at the U.S. Open. Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, the singer and guitarist who'd built a 50-year career playing blues, country, jazz and Cajun music, died in Orange, Texas, at age 81.

Today's Birthdays: Golfer Arnold Palmer is 77. Country singer Tommy Overstreet is 69. Actor Greg Mullavey is 67. Jazz vibraphonist Roy Ayers is 66. Singer Danny Hutton (Three Dog Night) is 64. Singer Jose Feliciano is 61. Actor Tom Ligon is 61. Actress Judy Geeson is 58. Rock musician Joe Perry (Aerosmith) is 56. Actress Amy Irving is 53. Country singer Rosie Flores is 50. Actress Kate Burton is 49. Movie director Chris Columbus is 48. Actor Colin Firth is 46. Rock singer-musician David Lowery (Cracker) is 46. Rock musician Robin Goodridge (Bush) is 40. Rock singer-musician Miles Zuniga (Fastball) is 40. Rapper Big Daddy Kane is 38. Movie director Guy Ritchie is 38. Actor Ryan Phillippe is 32.

Thought for Today: "No man is so methodical as a complete idler, and none so scrupulous in measuring out his time as he whose time is worth nothing." — Washington Irving, American author (1783-1859).