 Today's
highlight in history:
On Feb. 11, 1812, Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a
re-districting law favoring his Democratic-Republican Party -- giving
rise to the term "gerrymandering."
On this date:
In 1858, a French girl, Bernadette Soubirous (soo-bee-ROO'),
reported the first of 18 visions of a lady dressed in white in a
grotto near Lourdes. (The Catholic Church later accepted that the
visions were of the Virgin Mary.)
In 1861, President-elect Abraham Lincoln bade farewell to his
adopted hometown of Springfield, Ill., as he headed to Washington
for his inauguration.
In 1862, the Civil War Battle of Fort Donelson began in Tennessee.
(Union forces led by Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant captured the fort
five days later.
In 1929, the Lateran Treaty was signed, with Italy recognizing the
independence and sovereignty of Vatican City.
In 1937, a six-week-old sit-down strike against General Motors
ended, with the company agreeing to recognize the United Automobile
Workers Union.
In 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister
Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin signed the Yalta
Agreement during World War II.
In 1960, "Tonight Show" host Jack Paar stunned his audience by
walking off the program in a censorship dispute with NBC. (Despite
his very public resignation, Paar returned to the Tonight Show less
than a month later.)
In 1972, McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. and Life magazine canceled plans
to publish what had turned out to be a fake autobiography of
reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes.
In 1975, Margaret Thatcher was elected leader of Britain's
opposition Conservative Party.
In 1979, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (hoh-MAY'-nee)
seized power in Iran.
In 1982, actress-dancer Eleanor Powell, 69, died in Beverly Hills,
Calif.
In 1990, South African black activist Nelson Mandela was freed after
27 years in captivity.
Ten years ago: Israel attacked Palestinian security
headquarters in Gaza City in response to unprecedented Palestinian
rocket fire and a shooting attack on Israeli civilians. Argentina
fully uncoupled the peso from the U-S dollar for the first time in
more than a decade. Americans Ross Powers, Danny Kass and J.J.
Thomas took gold, silver and bronze in the men's halfpipe at the
Salt Lake City Olympics. Controversy erupted at the games as Elena
Berezhnaya (behr-ehzh-NY'-uh) and Anton Sikharulidze (sih-kar-OOL'-ihd-zeh)
were crowned the champions of pairs figure skating, although many
observers felt the best duo was Jamie Sale (sah-LAY') and David
Pelletier (pehl-tee-YAY') of Canada.
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 Five years ago: Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad (ah-muh-DEE'-neh-zhahd), marking the 28th anniversary of
the Islamic Revolution, vowed his country would not give up uranium
enrichment. The Dixie Chicks won five Grammys in a defiant comeback
after being shunned over their anti-President George W. Bush
comments about the Iraq war. Harvard University named historian Drew
Gilpin Faust its first female president.
One year ago: Egypt exploded with joy after pro-democracy
protesters brought down President Hosni Mubarak, whose resignation
ended three decades of authoritarian rule.
Today's birthdays: Actor Conrad Janis is 84. Actress Tina
Louise is 78. Actor Burt Reynolds is 76. Songwriter Gerry Goffin is
73. Actor Sonny Landham is 71. Bandleader Sergio Mendes is 71.
Rhythm-and-blues singer Otis Clay is 70. Actor Philip Anglim is 60.
Actress Catherine Hickland is 56. Rock musician David Uosikkinen
(aw-SIK'-ken-ihn) (The Hooters) is 56. Actress Carey Lowell is 51.
Singer Sheryl Crow is 50. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is 48.
Actress Jennifer Aniston is 43. Actor Damian Lewis is 41. Actress
Marisa Petroro is 40. Singer D'Angelo is 38. Actor Brice Beckham is
36. Rock M-C/vocalist Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park) is 35.
Singer-actress Brandy is 33. Actor Matthew Lawrence is 32.
Rhythm-and-blues singer Kelly Rowland is 31. Singer Aubrey O'Day is
28. Actress Q'orianka (kohr-ee-AHN'-kuh) Kilcher is 22. Actor Taylor
Lautner is 20.
Thought for today: "We had better live as we think, otherwise
we shall end up by thinking as we have lived." -- Paul Bourget,
French author (1852-1935)
[Associated Press]
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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