Turning 50 in 2011

The Seattle tower, 605 feet tall, was built for the 1962 World's Fair and became a symbol of the Pacific Northwest city. Construction was completed in December 1961.

The Seattle tower, 605 feet tall, was built for the 1962 World’s Fair and became a symbol of the Pacific Northwest city. Construction was completed in December 1961.  (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

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President Obama

The 44th president of the United States turned 50 on Aug. 4.  (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)

The Los Angeles Angels

The Anaheim-based baseball team was founded by Gene Autry in 1961. Above, Pitcher Tyler Chatwood with a 50th-anniversary patch on his uniform in May.   (J. Meric / Getty Images)

Cape Cod National Seashore

The great Outer Beach has been protected since 1961, when President Kennedy signed legislation establishing 40 miles of pristine beach, marshland, ponds and upland forests as the Cape Cod National Seashore.   (Margo Tabb / Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce)

Amnesty International

Founded in London in 1961, the nonprofit organization draws attention to human rights abuses around the world. Its symbol, a lighted candle surrounded by barbed wire, was reproduced during a 50-year-celebration church service in London in May.  (Ben Stansall / AFP/Getty Images)

Celebrities turning 50

Michael J. Fox, Meg Ryan, George Clooney, Heather Locklear and Eddie Murphy will all pass the half-century mark this year.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times, Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times, Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times, Getty Images, AFP/Getty Images)

Sophie the Giraffe

The world-famous teething toy originated in France, where chewing on a Sophie has become a rite of passage for babies. It came to the United States in 2000.

How Sophie the giraffe became a status teether  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)