Thursday, February 11th
The 042nd day of 2010.
There are 323 days left in the year.
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Today's Highlights in History
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On Feb. 11, 1945, President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin signed the Yalta Agreement during World War II. (Go to article.)
On Feb. 11, 1847, Thomas Alva Edison, the prolific inventor whose more than 1,000 patents included the light bulb and the gramophone, was born. Following his death on Oct. 18, 1931, his obituary appeared in The Times. (Go to obit. | Other Birthdays)
Editorial Cartoon of the Day
On February 11, 1865, Harper's Weekly featured a cartoon about oil speculation. (See the cartoon and read an explanation.)
On this date in:
1812 Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a redistricting law that favored his party - giving rise to the term "gerrymandering."
1847 Inventor Thomas Alva Edison was born in Milan, Ohio.
1858 A French girl, Bernadette Soubirous, claimed to have seen a vision of the Virgin Mary near Lourdes.
1929 The Lateran Treaty was signed, with Italy recognizing the independence and sovereignty of Vatican City.
1937 A sit-down strike against General Motors ended with the company agreeing to recognize the United Automobile Workers Union.
1972 McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. and Life magazine canceled plans to publish what turned out to be a fake autobiography of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes.
1975 Margaret Thatcher became the first woman to head a major party in Britain when she was elected leader of opposition Conservative Party.
1979 Followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power in Iran, nine days after the religious leader returned to his home country following 15 years of exile.
1989 Rev. Barbara C. Harris became the first woman consecrated as a bishop in the Episcopal Church in a ceremony held in Boston.
1990 South African black activist Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years in captivity.
2006 Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a companion during a quail hunt in Texas.
2006 Dubai Ports World, a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates, struck a $6.8 billion deal to take over operations at six U.S. ports. (The deal was later blocked.)
2008 The Defense Department charged Khalid Sheikh Mohammed with murder and war crimes in connection with the Sept. 11 attacks.
2009 Democrat John Dingell of Michigan became the longest-serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives with more than 53 years of service.
2009 President Robert Mugabe swore in longtime rival Morgan Tsvangirai as Zimbabwe's prime minister.
Current Birthdays
Jennifer Aniston turns 41 years old today.
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill Actress Jennifer Aniston ("Friends") turns 41 years old today.
84 Leslie Nielsen
Actor
82 Conrad Janis
Actor ("Mork and Mindy")
76 Tina Louise
Actress ("Gilligan's Island")
74 Burt Reynolds
Actor
71 Gerry Goffin
Songwriter
69 Sergio Mendes
Bandleader
57 Jeb Bush
Former governor of Florida, brother of former President George W. Bush
49 Carey Lowell
Actress ("Law and Order")
48 Sheryl Crow
Rock singer, musician
46 Sarah Palin
Former governor of Alaska, 2008 Republican vice-presidential nominee
39 Damian Lewis
Actor ("Band of Brothers")
31 Brandy
R&B singer, actress
30 Matthew Lawrence
Actor
29 Kelly Rowland
R&B singer (Destiny's Child)
18 Taylor Lautner
Actor ("Twilight" movies)
Historic Birthdays
Thomas Alva Edison
2/11/1847 - 10/18/1931
American inventor holding 1,093 patents
(Go to obit.)
99 Bernard Le Bovier Fontenelle
2/11/1657 - 1/9/1757
French scientist and man of letters
73 Hans Jarta
2/11/1774 - 4/6/1847
Swedish political activist/administrator/publicist
77 William Henry Fox Talbot
2/11/1800 - 9/17/1877
English chemist/pioneer photographer
52 Otto Ludwig
2/11/1813 - 2/25/1865
German novelist/playwright/critic
44 Thomas, Jr. Hitchcock
2/11/1900 - 4/19/1944
American polo player
69 Arne Jacobsen
2/11/1902 - 3/24/1971
Danish architect/designer
50 Max Baer
2/11/1909 - 11/21/1959
American boxer
45 Farouk I
2/11/1920 - 3/18/1965
King of Egypt,1936-1952
76 Eva Gabor
2/11/1919 - 7/4/1995
Hungarian actress/pianist
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