Janurary 23rd, 2007:  The U.S. Navy is granted exemption to use Sonar in protected Hawaiian waters.

Maui marine conservationists are critical of a decision to grant the Navy a two-year exemption from the Marine Mammal Protection Act.  Read more …

Many marine biologists believe this technology disorients and interferes with marine mammal communications, which can result in mass beach strandings of whales and dolphins.  Learn more at the Natural Resources Defense Council...

• 1556: Most deadly earthquake kills 830,000 in Shensi Province, China 
• 1849: Mrs Elizabeth Blackwell becomes first woman physician in U.S. 
• 1849: A patent is granted for an envelope-making machine 
• 1870: 173 Blackfeet (140 women & children) killed in Montana by U.S. Army 
• 1907: Charles Curtis of Kansas becomes first Native American U.S. senator 
• 1960: Bathyscope “Trieste” reach bottom of Pacific 
• 1973: President Nixon announces an accord has been reach to end the Vietnam War 
• 1977: The mini-series “Roots” premieres on ABC 
• 2002:  Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl is abducted in Karachi, Pakistan

BORN ON THIS DAY — January 23rd

• 1783: Stendahl, Marie Henri Beyle, writer
• 1899: Humphrey Bogart, actor 
• 1903: Randolph Scott, actor 
• 1915: Potter Stewart, Supreme Court justice
• 1919: Ernie Kovacs,  comedian 
• 1928: Jeanne Moreau, actress 
• 1933: Chita Rivera,  actress
• 1943: Gil Gerard,  actor 
• 1944: Rutger Hauer, actor
• 1948: Anita Pointer, rock vocalist
• 1950: Patrick Simmons, guitarist/vocal 
• 1950: Richard Dean Anderson,  actor (MacGyver)
• 1950: William Cunningham, rock bassist/pianist   
• 1954: Rick Finch, rocker (KC & Sunshine Band-Give It) 
• 1955: Reginald Calloway, trumpet player
• 1955: Robin Zander, vocalist/guitarist (Cheap Trick-Dream Police)
• 1957: Princess Caroline, Louise Marguerite of Monaco 
• 1959: Earl Falconer, rocker (UB40-Red Red Wine)  
• 1964: Mariska Hargitay,  actress
• 1974: Tiffani-Amber Thiessen,  actress