Boston is the capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States and the largest city in New England. Considered the unofficial capital of the New England region, Boston had an estimated city-proper population of 596,638 in 2005. The city lies at the center of America's eleventh-largest metropolitan area known as Greater Boston, which is home to 4.4 million people. Founded in 1630, Boston was the location of several major events during the American Revolution, including the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. With many colleges and universities within the city and surrounding area, Boston is a center of higher education and a center for health care. The city's economy is also based on research, finance, and technology — principally biotechnology. Boston is struggling with gentrification issues, and has one of the highest costs of living in the United States.

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1813: Peninsular War: In the Battle of Vitoria, the Marquess of Wellington's combined British, Portuguese, and Spanish allied army defeated the French near Vitoria, Spain. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vitoria)

1864: New Zealand land wars: The Tauranga Campaign ended. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tauranga_Campaign)

1985: Greenland officially adopted its own flag, adding support to its independence movement from Denmark. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Greenland)

2000: The controversial amendment to the United Kingdom Local Government Act of 1988 known as Section 28, stating that a local authority cannot intentionally promote homosexuality, was repealed in Scotland with a 99 to 17 vote. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28)

2004: SpaceShipOne completed the first privately funded human spaceflight. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceShipOne)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

Give me the splendid silent sun with all his beams full-dazzling… -- Walt Whitman in Leaves of Grass (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Walt_Whitman)