Birthday

President Bush took a lunchtime birthday jog today "to show that 65 can still do three miles." The temperature was 77, the humidity was 60% and Bush's T-shirt was soaked with presidential sweat by the time he finished his jog at Ft. McNair, an Army base in southwest Washington. "I wanted to show that 65 can still do three miles," Bush huffed. He reached into his limousine for a plastic bag containing ice and cans of orange soda, tossed a soda to an aide and had one himself.

Burbank city officials and historians are eagerly awaiting the celebration of the city's birthday. But they can't agree on how many candles to put on the cake. Mayor Mary Lou Howard says the city should celebrate its 75th birthday next July to commemorate the date in 1911 when Burbank became an incorporated city.

When Hala Masaad invited her girlfriends over to celebrate her 18th birthday with cake and juice, the high school student was stepping into an unusual public debate. Is celebrating birthdays un-Islamic? Saudi Arabia's most senior Muslim cleric recently denounced birthday parties as an unwanted foreign influence, but another prominent cleric declared they were OK. That has left Masaad with mixed feelings about her low-key celebration last month. She loves birthday parties, she says, because they make her feel that she has "moved from one stage of life to another."

Ask Huldah Hunter about her health, and the soon-to-be 101-year-old changes the topic at the drop of a hat. Instead she'll inquire about your grandchildren, or say, "Would you like a piece of my birthday candy?" The Westminster resident, born July 31, 1899, was the main attraction Thursday at a senior center luncheon party celebrating July birthdays. But sure enough, whenever fellow celebrants stopped by to chat, Hunter instantly diverted the attention from herself.

From its inception on Dec. 4, 1881, the Los Angeles Times has been an integral part of this great city. Our metropolis has changed dramatically over the last 130 years, but one thing has remained constant: The Los Angeles Times has landed on doorsteps -- and now computer screens and cellphones -- every single day. Our commitment to covering the news -- the first draft of history, as Phillip Graham famously called it -- is unwavering....

One of Edwin Jackson's teammates jokingly insisted the 20-year-old pitcher had hired a screenwriter to script his meteoric rise with the Dodgers. The opening act definitely indicated blockbuster potential as Jackson shined in his major league debut Tuesday night -- a 4-1 Dodger victory over the reeling Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark. The highly touted right-hander delivered a show-stopping performance before 36,488, working six strong innings while filling in for injured Hideo Nomo.

Celebrating your 50th? So is Hacienda Beach Club & Residences, a Cabo San Lucas landmark that once catered to Hollywood stars such as Bing Crosby, John Wayne and Desi Arnaz. The Hacienda's management is inviting others celebrating the half-century mark - whether it's a 50th birthday or a 50th anniversary - to join in the party. If you're marking a 50th anniversary, you can get a complimentary two-night stay; those celebrating a 50th birthday can collect a 50% discount on every second night, plus a free 50-minute massage at the Hacienda Spa. “The original Hacienda Hotel was such an iconic destination," said Ricardo Ramirez, general manager of Hacienda Beach Club & Residences.

The only things missing when Los Angeles' top air artists get together are inflated egos. There's something resembling Betty Boop standing in the corner. Pluto, the cartoon dog, is sitting on the floor. A tiny ladybug rests on a hand. There's a birthday cake, a Viking headdress, a witch's hat and broom, an octopus, Casper the ghost. All made of twisted-together balloons. "We're standing on the shoulder of giants," says Eddie Medrano, one of the balloon blowers. "Look at that guy over there.

Justin Bieber reportedly collapsed Thursday night after suffering breathing problems while playing the third of four shows planned for London's O2 arena. After receiving oxygen from emergency personnel, the 19-year-old returned to finish his final four songs before heading to the hospital to be checked out. Bieber told the audience he wasn't feeling well before he stumbled backstage, according to TMZ and the Daily Mail . He fainted backstage, not onstage, his rep told the Associated Press.

Patricia Simples journeys to a prison in southern Illinois to visit a young man she considers her son. A guard escorts her to a visiting room, where she wraps her arms around Terrence Strong and tries to hold back her tears. Their powerful bond was born one summer evening 10 years ago, when Simples, a single pathologist, waited for the valet outside a Chicago restaurant. She overheard an 11-year-old boy in a dirty shirt and broken sneakers say he didn't get any gifts for his birthday.