TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in California, setting off the California Gold Rush. In 1965, Winston Churchill died at the age of 90. In 2003, Tom Ridge was sworn in as the first secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Pierre de Beaumarchais (1732-1799), playwright; Edith Wharton (1862-1937), novelist; Robert Motherwell (1915-1991), artist; Oral Roberts (1918- ), evangelist, is 90; Neil Diamond (1941- ), singer/songwriter, is 67; John Belushi (1949-1982), comic actor; Nastassja Kinski (1960- ), actress, is 48; Mary Lou Retton (1968- ), Olympic gold medalist, is 40; Mischa Barton (1986- ), actress, is 22.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1980, Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday bought the New York Mets for an estimated $21.1 million, at the time the most ever paid for a baseball franchise.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Songs are life in eighty words or less." - Neil Diamond

TODAY'S FACT: Seventy-three years ago today, canned beer went on sale for the first time, in Richmond, Virginia.

TODAY'S NUMBER: 2,558 - number of times Barry Bonds was walked in the 2007 season, more than Hank Aaron (1,402) or Babe Ruth (2,062).

TODAY'S MOON: Between full moon (January 22) and last quarter (January 30).