Today is Monday, July 23, the 205th day of 2012. There are 161 days left in the year.

636 ― Arabs gain control of most of Palestine from the Byzantine Empire

1798 ― Napoleon captures Alexandria, Egypt

1829 ― William Austin Burt patents ``typographer" (typewriter)

1880 ― First commercial hydroelectric power planet begins, Grand Rapids, Mich.

1904 ― Ice cream cone created by Charles E. Menches during La Purchase Expo

1940 ― ``Blitz" begins, all-night raid on London

1948 ― Progressive Party convention nominates Henry Wallace for president

1968 ― PLO's first hijacking of an El Al plane

1984 ― Vanessa Williams, first black Miss America, resigns due to posing nude

1986 ― Britain's Prince Andrew marries Sarah Ferguson