Today is Monday, May 12, the 133rd day of 2008. There are 233 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History

On May 12, 1958, the United States and Canada signed an agreement to create the North American Air Defense Command (later the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD for short).

On this date

In 1932, the body of Charles Lindbergh Jr., the kidnapped son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh, was found in a wooded area near Hopewell, N.J.

In 1937, Britain’s King George VI was crowned at Westminster Abbey.

In 1978, the Commerce Department said hurricanes would no longer be given only female names.

Ten years ago

A day after India’s first atomic test blasts in 24 years, neighboring Pakistan said it was ready to test a nuclear device itself.

Five years ago

Suicide bombers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, killed nine U.S. citizens and 26 people overall. A suicide truck-bomb attack killed at least 60 at a government compound in northern Chechnya. L. Paul Bremer, the new American civilian administrator of Iraq, arrived in Baghdad; coalition forces announced they had taken custody of Dr. Rihab Rashid Taha, the Iraqi scientist known as “Dr. Germ.” (Taha was later released after no charges were brought.)

One year ago

Virginia Tech held its first commencement ceremonies since the April 16 shooting rampage that claimed 32 victims and the shooter.

Today’s Birthdays

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Yogi Berra is 83. Composer Burt Bacharach is 80. Comedian George Carlin is 71. Actress Lindsay Crouse is 60. Singer-musician Steve Winwood is 60. Actor Gabriel Byrne is 58. Actor Bruce Boxleitner is 58. Singer Billy Squier is 58. Actor Emilio Estevez is 46. Actress April Grace is 46. Actor Stephen Baldwin is 42. Actor Scott Schwartz is 40. Actress Kim Fields is 39. Actress Samantha Mathis is 38. Actress Jamie Luner is 37. Actor Christian Campbell is 36. Actor Mackenzie Astin is 35. Actress Malin Akerman is 30. Actor Jason Biggs is 30. Actress Emily VanCamp is 22. Actor Malcolm David Kelley is 16. Actors Sullivan and Sawyer Sweeten (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) are 13.

Thought for Today

“Act well at the moment, and you have performed a good action to all eternity.” — Johann Kaspar Lavater, Swiss theologian (1741-1801)