This month in history:

Sept. 2, 1789 The third presidential cabinet department, the U.S. Treasury, was established by Congress.

Sept. 8, 1883 The Northern Pacific Railroad across the U.S. was completed.

Sept. 16, 1908 General Motors was founded by entrepreneur William Crapo "Billy" Durant in Flint, Mich.

Sept. 20, 1873 The New York Stock Exchange was forced to close for the first time in its history as a result of a banking crisis during the financial panic of 1873.

The Mortgage Bankers Association reports a 30-year high in homes entering foreclosure, with 0.65 percent of mortgages in foreclosure, the highest ever recorded in their survey. Overall, 5.12 percent of all loans outstanding were delinquent.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sparks controversy with scathing anti-American remarks during a visit to New York for appearances at the United Nations and Columbia University. A New York Post headline reporting the event said: "The Evil has landed."

The Fed surprises investors by cutting the federal funds rate by half a percent in an attempt to jump-start the economy and stabilize the stock market.

In a less successful attempt to pump life into her career, singer Britney Spears appears on MTV’s Video Music awards in a black sequined bikini, and bombs at her performance, leading to an outpouring of sympathy from hardcore fans and indifference from everybody else.