Good morning. It's August 21st — let's begin where we always do: on this very date in history.
📅 On This Day — August 21
👵 (It's also National Senior Citizens Day.)
1959 — Hawaii became the 50th state, completing the American flag at fifty stars and folding the islands into the union.
1963 — The rocket-powered X-15 streaked to 354,200 feet — over 67 miles up, the program's highest flight and a true touch of the edge of space.
1968 — James Anderson Jr. became the first African American U.S. Marine awarded the Medal of Honor, recognized for his selfless heroism.
1991 — The hardline coup in Moscow collapsed after three days, as crowds and defiance rallied behind reform and the Soviet Union's final chapter began.
2007 — In one of baseball's oddest lines, the Texas Rangers beat the Orioles 30–3, scoring the most runs by a team in modern Major League history.
Now, let's set the dial back to 2006…
⏪ REWIND: 2006 George W. Bush is president, a first-class stamp is 39 cents, gas is about $2.90 a gallon — and astronomers are about to shrink the solar system.
📰 The Headlines In three days, on August 24, the world's astronomers will vote in Prague to demote Pluto from planet to "dwarf planet" — knocking the solar system down to eight planets and breaking a few schoolkids' hearts in the process.
🎬 At the Movies Burning up the box office: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby — Will Ferrell's NASCAR send-up, all "Shake and Bake" and dinner-table grace to baby Jesus. Pure August popcorn.
🎵 On the Charts At #1 is "Promiscuous" by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland — the flirty call-and-response that ruled radio all summer.
🏆 In Sports In the rivalry of rivalries, the Yankees just finished a five-game sweep at Fenway Park — one of the most lopsided series the Yankees–Red Sox feud has ever seen, and a dagger in Boston's summer.
🏰 The Disney Vault Ruling the summer for Disney: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest — Captain Jack, the Kraken, and Davy Jones making it the year's biggest movie by a mile.
— a couple of quick things before you go —
👟 Step Challenge: the Summer 2026 Step Challenge is rolling — grab the free Pacer app and walk with us: Join the challenge (already have Pacer? Club code E42727228). Every step counts.
💡 Health Snap: it's National Senior Citizens Day — a good nudge to move a little with someone you love. A shared stroll is good for the body and even better for the spirit.
🎉 Born on an August 21st — or know someone who was?
Forward this to them right now — there's no better "this is the day you were born" gift than a little time travel.
🎂 In good company: August 21 babies include bandleader Count Basie (1904), NBA giant Wilt Chamberlain (1936), country legend Kenny Rogers (1938), Kim Cattrall (1956), and sprinter Usain Bolt (1986).
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