Today is Wednesday, July 4, the 186th day of 2012. There are 180 days left in the year.

1054 ― Brightest known super-nova (Crab Nebula) starts shining (23 days)

1776 ― Declaration of Independence; U.S. gains independence from Britain

1865 ― First edition of ``Alice in Wonderland" is published

1876 ― First public exhibition of electric light in San Francisco

1884 ― Statue of Liberty presented to U.S. in Paris

1946 ― Philippines gains independence from U.S.

1966 ― LBJ signs Freedom of Information Act

1969 ― 140,000 attend Atlanta Pop Festival featuring Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin

1976 ― Raid on Entebbe; Israel rescues 229 Air France passengers

1987 ― Nazi Klaus Barbie, ``Butcher of Lyon" convicted by a French court