1 1788: The first U.S. steamboat patent was issued by Georgia to Briggs & Longstreet. - 1790: The Supreme Court met for the first time, one year after it was established under the Judiciary Act. - 1840: The world's first dental college opened in Baltimore. - 1861: Texas seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy. - 1862: Julia Ward Howe's poem "Battle Hymn of the Republic" was first published in Atlantic Monthly. - 1884: The first volume of the Oxford English Dictionary was published. - 1887: Harvey Wilcox of Kansas subdivided 120 acres he owned in Southern California and started selling it off as a real estate development. His wife, Daeida, christened it Hollywood after the summer home of a woman she had met on a train. - 1893: Thomas Edison opened the world's first film studio in West Orange, N.J. - 1896: Giacomo Puccini's opera, "La Boheme," was first staged in Turin. - 1898: The first automobile insurance policy was issued by Travelers Insurance Co. of Connecticut to Dr. Truman J. Martin for $11.05. - 1906: The first federal penitentiary building was completed in Leavenworth, Kan. - 1908: King Carlos I of Portugal was assassinated along with his son in Lisbon. - 1914: The first motion picture censorship board was appointed in Pennsylvania. - 1920: The first commercial armored car was introduced in St. Paul, Minn. Also: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police came into existence when the Royal Northwest Mounted Police merged with the Dominion Police. - 1929: The first recorded "clean and jerk" in weightlifting was performed by Charles Rigoulet of France. He lifted 402 1/2 pounds. - 1935: The first "March of Time" newsreel premiered at the Capitol. - 1953: "You Are There," a new CBS series anchored by Walter Cronkite and featuring re-enactments of famous historical events, aired for the first time. - 1960: In the first of many such protests throughout the United States, four black college students began a sit-in at an all-white Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C., after they were refused service. - 1964: Indiana Gov. Matthew Welsh declared The Kingsmen's version of "Louie, Louie" to be "pornographic" and called for its ban. - 1965: Peter Jennings became the anchor of ABC's nightly news report at the age of 26. - 1966: U.S. silent film comedian and director Buster Keaton died. - 1968: Saigon's police chief, Nguyen Ngoc Loan, executed a Viet Cong officer with a pistol shot to the head in a scene captured in a photo that would become one of the most famous images of the Vietnam War. - 1978: Harriet Tubman became the first African American woman honored with a U.S. postage stamp. Also: director Roman Polanski skipped bail and fled to France after pleading guilty to charges of engaging in sex with a 13-year-old girl. - 1982: "Late Night With David Letterman" debuted on NBC, where it stayed for 11 years. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Gabrielle Carteris, 38, actress, "Beverly Hills 90210" - Don Everly, 62, singer/musician, the Everly Brothers - Sherilyn Fenn, 34, actress, "Twin Peaks" - Sherman Hemsley, 61, actor, "The Jeffersons" - Rick James, 47, singer/musician - Terry Jones, 57, actor/director, Monty Python troupe - Garrett Morris, 62, actor/comedian, "Saturday Night Live" - Bill Mumy, 45, actor, "Lost in Space's" Will Robinson - Lisa Marie Presley, 31 - Princess Stephanie Grimaldi of Monaco, 34 - Pauly Shore, 31, comedian - Boris Yeltsin, 68, Russian president Today is Tuesday, Feb. 1, the 32nd day of 2000. There are 334 days left in the year. - On Feb. 1, 1960, four black college students began a sit-in protest at a lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C., where they had been refused service. - In 1861 Texas voted to secede from the Union. - In 1893 inventor Thomas A. Edison completed work on the world's first motion picture studio, his "Black Maria," in West Orange, N.J. - In 1896 Puccini's opera "La Boheme" premiered in Turin. - In 1920 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police came into existence. - In 1943 one of America's most highly decorated military units of World War II, the 442d Regimental Combat Team, made up almost entirely of Japanese-Americans, was authorized. - In 1946 Norwegian statesman Trygve Lie was chosen to be the first secretary general of the United Nations. - In 1968 during the Vietnam War, Saigon's police chief (Nguyen Ngoc Loan) executed a Viet Cong officer with a pistol shot to the head in a scene captured in a famous news photograph. - In 1979 Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini received a tumultuous welcome in Tehran as he ended nearly 15 years of exile. Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst, whose prison sentence for bank robbery had been commuted by President Jimmy Carter, left a federal prison near San Francisco. - In 1991 35 people were killed when a USAir jetliner crashed atop a commuter plane at Los Angeles International Airport. - Ten years ago East Germany's Communist premier, Hans Modrow, appealed for negotiations with West Germany to forge a "united fatherland." - Five years ago the Federal Reserve boosted interest rates by 0.5%, the seventh rate hike in a year. House Republicans pushed through a bill restricting the federal government's ability to impose unfunded mandates on states. - One year ago with the promise of huge federal surpluses, President Clinton proposed a $1.77 trillion budget for fiscal 2000. Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky gave a deposition that was videotaped for senators weighing impeachment charges against President Clinton. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Stuart Whitman is 72. - Former Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin is 69. - Singer Don Everly is 63. - Actor Garrett Morris is 63. - Singer Ray Sawyer (Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show) is 63. - Actor Sherman Hemsley is 62. - Bluegrass singer Del McCoury is 61. - Jazz musician Joe Sample is 61. - Comedian-filmmaker Terry Jones is 58. - Singer Rick James is 48. - Actor-writer-producer Bill Mumy is 46. - Rock musician Mike Campbell (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) is 46. - Rock singer Exene Cervenka is 44. - Princess Stephanie of Monaco is 35. - Actress Sherilyn Fenn is 35. - Lisa Marie Presley is 32. - Comedian Pauly Shore is 30. - Rapper Big Boi (Outkast) is 25.

2 1536: The Argentine city of Buenos Aires was founded by Pedro de Mendoza of Spain. - 1653: New Amsterdam - now New York City - was incorporated. - 1709: British sailor Alexander Selkirk was rescued after being marooned on a desert island for five years. His story became the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe." - 1848: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending the Mexican War, was signed; the U.S. acquired Texas, California, New Mexico & Arizona for $15 million. - 1876: Baseball's National League was formed in New York with eight teams in Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Hartford, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia and St. Louis. - 1882: James Joyce, the Irish novelist whose "Ulysses" is considered one of the masterpieces of world literature, was born. - 1892: The bottle cap with cork seal was patented by William Painter of Baltimore. - 1893: The first "close-up" in film history was filmed at Edison's new studio in New Jersey, showing Fred Otte sneezing. - 1913: New York City's Grand Central Terminal opened. - 1935: The lie detector was first used in court in Portage, Wisc. - 1940: Frank Sinatra made his singing debut in Indianapolis with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. - 1943: the remainder of Nazi forces from the Battle of Stalingrad surrendered in a major victory for the Soviets in World War II. - 1949: Golfer Ben Hogan suffered a fractured pelvis, broken collarbone and other injuries when his car hit a bus; the first 45 RPM record was released. - 1963: Pebbles Flintstone was born on "The Flintstones." - 1964: The GI Joe doll made its debut on the American toy market. - 1971: Ugandan army strongman Major-General Idi Amin took full powers as military head of state and formed an 18-man cabinet to run the country. - 1979: Sid Vicious, bassist with the British punk group The Sex Pistols, died of a drug overdose. - 1990: South Africa's President F.W. de Klerk lifted a ban on the African National Congress and promised to free Nelson Mandela. - 1995: The space shuttle Discovery blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, piloted by astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman ever to fly a space shuttle. - 1996: Hollywood song and dance legend Gene Kelly, star of such classic movies as "Singin' in the Rain" and "An American in Paris," died. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Christie Brinkley, 45, model - Barry Diller, 57, Fox-TV founder - Farrah Fawcett, 52, actress - Robert Mandan, 67, actor, "Soap" - Graham Nash, 57, singer/musician - Liz Smith, 76, entertainment columnist - Tommy Smothers, 62, comedian - Brent Spiner, 49, actor, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" - Michael T. Weiss, 37, actor, "The Pretender" Today is Wednesday, February 2, the 33rd day of 2000. There are 333 days left in the year. - On February 2, 1536, the Argentine city of Buenos Aires was founded by Pedro de Mendoza of Spain. - In 1653 New Amsterdam, now New York City, was incorporated. - In 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending the Mexican War, was signed. - In 1876 the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs was formed in New York. - In 1882 Irish novelist James Joyce was born near Dublin. - In 1897 fire destroyed the Pennsylvania state capitol in Harrisburg. (A new statehouse was dedicated on the same site nine years later.) - In 1943 the remainder of Nazi forces from the Battle of Stalingrad surrendered in a major victory for the Soviets in World War II. - In 1945 President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill left for the summit in Yalta with Soviet leader Josef Stalin. - In 1971 Idi Amin assumed power in Uganda, following a coup that ousted President Milton Obote. - In 1980 reports surfaced that the FBI had conducted a sting operation targeting members of Congress using phony Arab businessmen in what became known as "Abscam," a codename protested by Arab-Americans. - In 1996 dancer, actor and choreographer Gene Kelly died at his Beverly Hills, Calif. home; he was 83. - Ten years ago in a dramatic concession to South Africa's black majority, President F.W. de Klerk lifted a ban on the African National Congress and promised to free Nelson Mandela. - Five years ago President Clinton nominated Henry Foster Jr. to succeed fired Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders; however, Foster's nomination was later defeated in the Senate. The leaders of Egypt, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians held an unprecedented summit in Cairo to try to revive the Mideast peace process. - One year ago a federal jury in Portland, Oregon, ordered abortion foes who had created "wanted" posters and a Web site listing the names and addresses of "baby butchers" to pay $107 million in damages; the defendants said they would appeal. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actress Elaine Stritch is 74. - Actor Robert Mandan is 68. - Comedian Tom Smothers is 63. - Rock singer-guitarist Graham Nash is 58. - Actor Bo Hopkins is 58. - TV executive Barry Diller is 58. - Country singer Howard Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers) is 54. - Actress Farrah Fawcett is 53. - Model Christie Brinkley is 46. - Actor Michael Talbott is 45. - Actress Kim Zimmer is 45. - Rock musician Robert DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots) is 34. - Rock musician Ben Mize (Counting Crows) is 29. - Rapper T-Mo (Goodie Mob) is 28.

3 1690: The first paper money in America was issued by the colony of Massachusetts; the currency was used to pay soldiers fighting a war against Quebec. - 1809: The Illinois Territory, including present-day Wisconsin, was established. - 1836: The Whig Party held its first national convention, in Albany N.Y. - 1867: Prince Mutsuhito became Emperor Meiji of Japan at the age of 14 and reigned until 1912. - 1876: Albert Spalding and his brother took $800 and started a sporting goods company. They manufactured the first official baseball, tennis ball, basketball, golf ball, and football. - 1882: Circus owner P.T. Barnum bought his world famous elephant Jumbo. - 1913: The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, giving the government the power to impose and collect taxes on income. - 1917: The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany after Berlin announced a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. - 1919: The first meeting of the League of Nations took place in Paris. - 1948: Dick Button became the first world figure skating champion from the United States. - 1951: Tennessee Williams' "Rose Tattoo" premiered in New York City. - 1956: Toni Sailor became first Olympic skier to sweep the three alpine events. - 1959: A plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, claimed the lives of rock 'n' roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. - 1969: The Palestine National Congress appointed Yasser Arafat head of the Palestine Liberation Organization. - 1973: President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law. - 1984: The first baby conceived by embryo transplant was born in Long Beach, Calif. - 1987: The San Diego Yacht Club celebrated the victory of skipper Dennis Conner and the "Stars and Stripes" over Australia's "Kookaburra Three" to sweep the America's Cup series. - 1989: Bill White became the first black man to head an American professional sports league when he was named to succeed A. Bartlett Giamatti as National League president. - 1993: The federal trial of four police officers charged with civil rights violations in the videotaped beating of Rodney King began in Los Angeles. - 1993: Marge Schott was suspended as Cincinnati Reds owner for one year for her repeated use of racial and ethnic slurs. - 1994: President Bill Clinton announced the lifting of the U.S. trade embargo against Vietnam, marking a dramatic shift in relations chilled for decades by war and postwar hostility. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Joey Bishop, 81, talk show host, last surviving member of The Rat Pack - Thomas Calabro, 40, actor, "Melrose Place" - Blythe Danner, 55, actress - Dave Davies, 52, singer/musician, the Kinks - Vlade Divac, 31, NBA center - Morgan Fairchild, 49, actress - Michelle Greene, 42, actress, "L.A. Law" - Nathan Lane, 43, actor, "The Birdcage" - Fran Tarkenton, 59, NFL quarterback/sportscaster - Maura Tierney, 34, actress, "NewsRadio" Today is Thursday, Feb. 3, the 34th day of 2000. There are 332 days left in the year. - On Feb. 3, 1959, a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, claimed the lives of rock-and-roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. - In 1690 the first paper money in America was issued by the colony of Massachusetts. (The currency was used to pay soldiers fighting a war against Quebec.) - In 1783 Spain recognized U.S. independence. - In 1809 the territory of Illinois was created. - In 1865 President Lincoln and Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens held a shipboard peace conference off the Virginia coast. (The talks deadlocked over the issue of Southern autonomy.) - In 1913 the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, providing for a federal income tax, was ratified. - In 1916 Canada's original Parliament Buildings, in Ottawa, burned down. - In 1917 the U.S. broke off diplomatic relations with Germany, which had announced a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. - In 1924 the 28th president of the U.S., Woodrow Wilson, died in Washington at age 68. - In 1930 the chief justice of the U.S., William Howard Taft, resigned for health reasons. - In 1989 Alfredo Stroessner, president of Paraguay for more than three decades, was overthrown in a military coup. - Ten years ago the parliament of Bulgaria elected economist Andrei Lukanov to replace a hard-line Communist as premier. - Five years ago the space shuttle Discovery blasted off with a woman, Air Force Lt. Col. Eileen Collins, in the pilot's seat for the first time in NASA history. At the O.J. Simpson trial in Los Angeles, prosecution witness Denise Brown wept on the stand as she described the humiliation and abuse of her sister, Nicole Brown Simpson, at the hands of the former football star. - One year ago the Clinton administration told Congress a NATO-led peacekeeping force could be needed in Kosovo for three to five years and might include up to 4,000 American troops. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Comedian Joey Bishop is 82. - Actor John Fiedler is 75. - Comedian Shelley Berman is 74. - Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.) is 67. - Football Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton is 60. - Singer Dennis Edwards is 57. - Football Hall-of-Famer Bob Griese is 55. - Singer-guitarist Dave Davies (The Kinks) is 53. - Singer Melanie is 53. - Actress Morgan Fairchild is 50. - Actor Nathan Lane is 44. - Rock musician Lee Renaldo (Sonic Youth) is 44. - Actor Thomas Calabro is 41. - Actor-director Keith Gordon is 39. - Actress Michele Greene is 38. - Country singer Matraca Berg is 36. - Actress Maura Tierney is 35. - Rock musician Nick Hawkins (Big Audio) is 35. - Musician Grant Barry (Reel Big Fish) is 23.

4 Today is Thursday, Feb. 4, the 35th day of 1999. There are 330 days left in the year. - On Feb. 4, 1789, electors unanimously chose George Washington to be the first president of the United States. - In 1783, Britain declared a formal cessation of hostilities with its former colonies, the United States of America. - In 1801, John Marshall was sworn in as chief justice of the United States. - In 1861, delegates from six southern states met in Montgomery, Ala., to form the Confederate States of America. - In 1932, New York Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt opened the Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid. - In 1938, the Thornton Wilder play "Our Town" opened on Broadway. - In 1941, the United Service Organizations (USO) came into existence. - In 1945, President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin began a wartime conference at Yalta. - In 1948, the island nation of Ceylon - now Sri Lanka - became an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth. - In 1974, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst was kidnapped in Berkeley, Calif., by the Symbionese Liberation Army. - In 1983, singer Karen Carpenter died in Downey, Calif., at age 32. - In 1987, pianist Liberace died at his Palm Springs, Calif., home at age 67. - In 1997, a civil jury in Santa Monica, Calif., found O.J. Simpson liable for the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. - Ten years ago: Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze wrapped up four days of high-level talks in China, the first visit by a Soviet foreign minister in three decades. - Five years ago: The Federal Reserve increased interest rates for the first time in five years in a surprise announcement that triggered a huge sell-off on Wall Street; the Fed said the move was designed to head off any recurrence of high inflation. - One year ago: An estimated 5,000 people were killed when an earthquake hit northeast Afghanistan with a magnitude of 6.1. - Today's Birthdays: Civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks is 86. Feminist author Betty Friedan is 78. Actor Conrad Bain is 76. Actor Gary Conway is 63. Former Sen. Donald Riegle, D-Mich., is 61. Movie director George Romero ("Night of the Living Dead") is 59. Singer Florence LaRue (The Fifth Dimension) is 55. Comedian David Brenner is 54. Former Vice President Dan Quayle is 52. Rock singer Alice Cooper is 51. Actor Michael Beck is 50. Actress Pamela Franklin is 49. Actress Lisa Eichorn is 47. Rock musician Henry Bogdan (Helmet) is 38. Country singer Clint Black is 37. Actress Gabrielle Anwar is 29. Singer Natalie Imbruglia is 24. Today is Friday, Feb. 4, the 35th day of 2000. There are 331 days left in the year. - On Feb. 4, 1789, electors unanimously chose George Washington to be the first president of the U.S. - In 1783 Britain declared a formal cessation of hostilities with its former colonies, the United States of America. - In 1861 delegates from six southern states met in Montgomery, Ala., to form the Confederate States of America. - In 1941 the United Service Organizations (USO) came into existence. - In 1945 President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin began a wartime conference at Yalta. - In 1974 newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst was kidnapped in Berkeley, Calif. by the Symbionese Liberation Army. - In 1975 more than 22,000 died when a severe earthquake struck Guatemala and Honduras. - In 1980 Abolhassan Bani-Sadr was installed as president of Iran by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. - In 1983 singer Karen Carpenter died in Downey, Calif. at age 32. - In 1987 pianist Liberace died at his Palm Springs, Calif. home at age 67. - In 1997 a civil jury in Santa Monica, Calif., found O.J. Simpson liable for the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. - Ten years ago cheering protesters thronged Moscow streets to demand that the Communists surrender their stranglehold on power. Nine people were killed as guerrillas attacked a bus carrying Israeli tourists near Cairo, Egypt. - Five years ago a standoff between the U.S. and China escalated into a trade war, with each country ordering stiff tariffs against the other. - One year ago, gravely ill with lymphatic cancer, Jordan's King Hussein left the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and was flown home. Senators at President Clinton's impeachment trial voted to permit the showing of portions of Monica Lewinsky's videotaped deposition. In a case which has drawn much controversy, Amadou Diallo, an unarmed West African immigrant, was shot and killed in front of his Bronx home by four plainclothes New York City police officers during a nighttime search for a rape suspect. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks is 87. - Feminist author Betty Friedan is 79. - Actor Conrad Bain is 77. - Actor Gary Conway is 64. - Movie director George Romero ("Night of the Living Dead") is 60. - Singer Florence LaRue (The Fifth Dimension) is 56. - Comedian David Brenner is 55. - Former Vice President Dan Quayle is 53. - Rock singer Alice Cooper is 52. - Actor Michael Beck is 51. - Actress Pamela Franklin is 50. - Actress Lisa Eichorn is 48. - Rock musician Henry Bogdan (Helmet) is 39. - Country singer Clint Black is 38. - Country musician Dave Buchanan (Yankee Grey) is 34. - Actress Gabrielle Anwar is 30. - Singer Natalie Imbruglia is 25.

5 Today is Friday, Feb. 5, the 36th day of 1999. There are 329 days left in the year. - On Feb. 5, 1937, President Roosevelt proposed increasing the number of Supreme Court justices; critics charged Roosevelt was attempting to "pack" the court. - In 1631, the founder of Rhode Island, Roger Williams, and his wife arrived in Boston from England. - In 1783, Sweden recognized the independence of the United States. - In 1881, Phoenix, Ariz., was incorporated. - In 1887, Verdi's opera "Otello" premiered at La Scala. - In 1917, Congress passed, over President Wilson's veto, an immigration act severely curtailing the influx of Asians. - In 1917, Mexico's Constitution was adopted. - In 1940, Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded "Tuxedo Junction" for RCA Victor's "Bluebird" label. - In 1958, Gamel Abdel Nasser was formally nominated to become the first president of the new United Arab Republic. - In 1962, French President Charles De Gaulle called for Algeria's independence. - In 1981, a military jury in North Carolina convicted Marine Pvt. 1st Class Robert Garwood of collaborating with the enemy while a prisoner of war in Vietnam. - In 1988, the Arizona House impeached Gov. Evan Mecham, setting the stage for his trial and conviction in the state Senate. - Ten years ago: The Soviet Union announced that all but a small rear-guard contingent of its troops had left Afghanistan. - Five years ago: Sixty-eight people were killed when a mortar shell exploded in a marketplace in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. White separatist Byron De La Beckwith was convicted in Jackson, Miss., of murdering civil rights leader Medgar Evers in 1963, and was immediately sentenced to life in prison. - One year ago: Democratic fundraiser Yah Lin "Charlie" Trie pleaded innocent in Washington to charges he'd raised illegal donations to buy influence in high places. A federal judge in Los Angeles threw out Charles Keating's state securities fraud conviction for a second time, saying the trial judge had given jurors flawed instructions. *Today's Birthdays* ------------------- - Comedian-actor Red Buttons is 80. - The Rev. Andrew M. Greeley is 71. - Baseball Hall-of-Famer Hank Aaron is 65. - Television producer-writer Stephen J. Cannell is 58. - Singer-songwriter Barrett Strong is 58. - Football Hall-of-Famer Roger Staubach is 57. - Singer Cory Wells (Three Dog Night) is 57. - Actress Charlotte Rampling is 53. - Actress Barbara Hershey is 51. - Actor Christopher Guest is 51. - Actress Jennifer Jason Leigh is 37. - Rock musician Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses) is 35. - Rock singer Chris Barron (Spin Doctors) is 31. - Singer Bobby Brown is 30. Today is Saturday, Feb. 5, the 36th day of 2000. There are 330 days left in the year. - On Feb. 5, 1937, President Roosevelt proposed increasing the number of Supreme Court justices; critics accused him of trying to "pack" the court. - In 1783 Sweden recognized the independence of the United States. - In 1881 Phoenix, Ariz., was incorporated. - In 1887 Verdi's opera "Otello" premiered at La Scala. - In 1917 Congress passed, over President Wilson's veto, an immigration act severely curtailing the influx of Asians. Mexico's constitution was adopted. - In 1940 Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded "Tuxedo Junction" for RCA Victor's "Bluebird" label. - In 1958 Gamel Abdel Nasser of Egypt was formally nominated to become the first president of the new United Arab Republic, a short-lived union of Egypt and Syria. - In 1962 French President Charles De Gaulle called for Algeria's independence. - In 1988 the Arizona House impeached Gov. Evan Mecham, setting the stage for his trial and conviction in the state Senate. - In 1994 white separatist Byron De La Beckwith was convicted in Jackson, Miss., of murdering civil rights leader Medgar Evers in 1963, and was immediately sentenced to life in prison. - Ten years ago Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev told the Communist Party it had to earn the right to rule, instead of treating it as an unchallenged right. - Five years ago the White House and congressional Republicans drew battle lines over President Clinton's $1.61 trillion budget, with Republicans accusing Clinton of "taking a walk" and the administration saying Clinton was cutting the deficit more than any president in history. - One year ago former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was sentenced in Maryland to a year in jail for assaulting two motorists following a traffic accident. He ended up serving 3 1/2 months. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Comedian-actor Red Buttons is 81. - The Reverend Andrew M. Greeley is 72. - Country singer Claude King is 67. - Baseball Hall-of-Famer Hank Aaron is 66. - Actor Stuart Damon is 63. - Financial writer Jane Bryant Quinn is 61. - Television producer-writer Stephen J. Cannell is 59. - Actor David Selby is 59. - Singer-songwriter Barrett Strong is 59. - Football Hall-of-Famer Roger Staubach is 58. - Singer Cory Wells (Three Dog Night) is 58. - Singer Al Kooper is 56. - Actress Charlotte Rampling is 54. - Actress Barbara Hershey is 52. - Actor Christopher Guest is 52. - Actress Jennifer Jason Leigh is 38. - Rock musician Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses) is 36. - Rock singer Chris Barron (Spin Doctors) is 32. - Singer Bobby Brown is 31. - Country singer Sara Evans is 29.

6 Today is Saturday, Feb. 6, the 37th day of 1999. There are 328 days left in the year. - On Feb. 5, 1756, America's third vice president, Aaron Burr, was born in Newark, N.J. - In 1778, the U.S. won official recognition from France as the two nations signed a pair of treaties in Paris. - In 1788, Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. - In 1815, New Jersey issued the first American railroad charter to John Stevens, who proposed a rail link between Trenton and New Brunswick. The line was never built. - In 1820, the first organized emigration of blacks back to Africa was arranged. - In 1862, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant captured Fort Henry in Tennessee. - In 1895, baseball legend Babe Ruth was born in Baltimore. - In 1921, "The Kid," starring Charlie Chaplin and 6-year-old Jackie Coogan, was released. - In 1933, the 20th Amendment to the Constitution came into effect. The amendment moved the start of presidential, vice-presidential and congressional terms from March to January. - In 1943, a Los Angeles jury acquitted actor Errol Flynn of three counts of statutory rape. Also: Singer Frank Sinatra made his debut as vocalist on radio's "Your Hit Parade." - In 1952, King George VI of Great Britain was found dead in bed by a servant delivering the morning tea. - In 1956, Autherine Lucy became the first African American student to enroll in the University of Alabama. - In 1964, France and Great Britain signed an accord committing the two nations to the construction of a tunnel under the English Channel. - In 1968, the 10th Winter Olympic Games opened in Grenoble, France. - In 1970, the NBA expanded to 18 teams for the '70-'71 season. New franchises were granted to Buffalo and Cleveland in the East and to Houston and Portland in the West. - In 1971, Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepherd took a few shots at some golf balls while on the moon. - In 1974, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an inquiry to determine if there were grounds for impeachment of President Nixon. - In 1978, Muriel Humphrey took the oath of office as a United States senator from Minnesota, filling the seat of her late husband, former Vice President Hubert Humphrey. - In 1990, Brett Hull, son of Bobby Hull, became the first son of an NHL 50-goal scorer to score 50 himself. - One year ago: President Bill Clinton said he would "never" consider resigning over the sex scandal involving Monica Lewinsky. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Tom Brokaw, 59, news anchor/journalist - Natalie Cole, 49, singer - Mike Farrell, 60, actor, "M*A*S*H" - Zsa Zsa Gabor, 82, actress - Megan Gallagher, 39 actress, "Millennium" - Patrick Macnee, 77, actor, "The Avengers" - Kathy Najimy, 42, actress, "Veronica's Closet," "Sister Act" - Ronald Reagan, 88, former President, actor - Axl Rose, 37, singer/musician, Guns 'N Roses - Rip Torn, 68, actor, "The Larry Sanders Show," "Men in Black" - Robert Townsend, 42, actor/director, "The Parent 'Hood" - Michael Tucker, 55, actor, "L.A. Law" Today is Sunday, Feb. 6, the 37th day of 2000. There are 329 days left in the year. - On Feb. 6, 1952, Britain's King George VI died; he was succeeded by his daughter, Elizabeth II. - In 1756 America's third vice president, Aaron Burr, was born in Newark, N.J. - In 1778 the United States won official recognition from France with the signing of treaties in Paris. - In 1788 Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. - In 1895 baseball legend Babe Ruth was born in Baltimore. - In 1899 a peace treaty between the United States and Spain was ratified by the U.S. Senate. - In 1933 the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, the so-called "lame duck" amendment, was declared in effect. - In 1959 the United States successfully test-fired for the first time a Titan intercontinental ballistic missile from Cape Canaveral. - In 1993 tennis Hall-of-Famer and human rights advocate Arthur Ashe died in New York at age 49. - In 1998 President Clinton signed a bill changing the name of Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. - Ten years ago Soviet Communist Party leaders decided to extend a two-day party session by an extra day amid controversy over Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev's proposals to revamp the country's political structure. - Five years ago President Clinton unveiled his $1.61 trillion budget for 1996, mixing mild tax relief and spending reductions. Siddig Ibrahim Siddig Ali, the alleged mastermind of a campaign of violence, pleaded guilty in New York to plotting urban terrorism. The space shuttle Discovery flew to within 37 feet of the Russian space station Mir in the first rendezvous of its kind in two decades. - One year ago the public finally got to see and hear Monica Lewinsky as excerpts of the former White House intern's videotaped testimony were shown at President Clinton's impeachment trial. President Clinton requested legislation to require background checks on buyers at gun shows. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Former President Ronald Reagan is 89. - Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor is 83. - Actor Patrick Macnee is 78. - Actor Rip Torn is 69. - Actor Mike Farrell is 61. - NBC news anchorman Tom Brokaw is 60. - Singer Fabian Forte is 57. - Actress Gayle Hunnicutt is 57. - Actor Michael Tucker is 56. - Producer-director-writer Jim Sheridan is 51. - Singer Natalie Cole is 50. - Actor Jon Walmsley is 44. - Actress Kathy Najimy is 43. - Rock musician Simon Phillips (Toto) is 43. - Actor-director Robert Townsend is 43. - Actor Barry Miller is 42. - Actress Megan Gallagher is 40. - Rock singer Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) is 38. - Country singer Richie McDonald (Lonestar) is 38. - Singer Rick Astley is 34. - Rock musician Tim Brown (Boo Radleys) is 31. - Actor Brandon Hammond is 16.

7 Today is Sunday, Feb. 7, the 38th day of 1999. There are 327 days left in the year. - On Feb. 7, 1795, the 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It affirmed the power of the states by prohibiting suits against them. - In 1812, author Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, England. - In 1827, ballet was introduced to the U.S. at Bowery Theatre in New York City. - In 1914, Charlie Chaplin debuted his character "The Tramp" in "Kid Auto Races at Venice." - In 1915, the first wireless message sent from a moving train to a station was received. - In 1935, the game "Monopoly" was first marketed by Charles Darrow. - In 1943, the government announced that shoe rationing would go into effect in two days, limiting consumers to buying three pairs per person for the remainder of the year. - In 1944, Bing Crosby and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra recorded "Swinging on a Star" for Decca Records. - In 1948, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower resigned as Army chief of staff and was succeeded by Gen. Omar Bradley. - In 1949, Joe DiMaggio re-signed with the Yankees for $100,000, the first six-figure contract in the major leagues. - In 1961, Jane Fonda made her acting debut in the NBC drama "A String of Beads." - In 1964, 10,000 screaming fans welcomed the Beatles upon their arrival at New York's JFK International Airport as the "Fab Four" began their first U.S. tour and for their first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show." - In 1965, prizefighter Cassius Clay became a Muslim and adopted the name Muhammad Ali. - In 1979, Pink Floyd premiered their live version of "The Wall" in Los Angeles. - In 1983, Elizabeth H. Dole was sworn in as the first female secretary of transportation. - In 1984, space shuttle astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart went on the first untethered space walk. - In 1985, "New York, New York" became the official anthem of The Big Apple. - In 1986, Haitian President-for-Life Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier fled his country, ending 28 years of his family's rule. - In 1990, Lisa Leslie of Morningside High School in Inglewood, Calif., scored 101 points in the first half against South Torrance High School. The final score was 102-24, as the South Torrance coach decided not to bring his team out for the second half. - In 1991, the Rev. Jean-Bertrand Aristide was sworn in as Haiti's first democratically elected president. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Garth Brooks, 37, Country singer/musician - Miguel Ferrer, 45, actor, "Twin Peaks" - Jason Gedrick, 32, actor, "Murder One" - Juwan Howard, 26, NBA forward - Pete Postlethwaite, 54, actor, "The Boxer" - Chris Rock, 33, actor/comedian - James Spader, 39, actor, "Crash" Today is Monday, Feb. 7, the 38th day of 2000. There are 328 days left in the year. - On Feb. 7, 1943, the government announced that shoe rationing would go into effect in two days, limiting consumers to buying three pairs per person for the remainder of the year. - In 1812 author Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, England. - In 1904 a fire began in Baltimore that raged for about 30 hours and destroyed more than 1,500 buildings. - In 1936 President Roosevelt authorized a flag for the office of the vice president. - In 1944 during World War II, the Germans launched a counteroffensive at Anzio, Italy. Bing Crosby and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra recorded "Swinging on a Star" for Decca Records in Los Angeles. - In 1948 Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower resigned as Army chief of staff; he was succeeded by Gen. Omar Bradley. - In 1964 The Beatles began their first American tour as they arrived at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. - In 1974 the island nation of Grenada won independence from Britain. - In 1984 space shuttle astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart went on the first untethered space walk. - In 1986 Haitian President-for-Life Jean-Claude Duvalier fled his country, ending 28 years of his family's rule. - Ten years ago the Soviet Union's Communist Party agreed to let other political parties compete for control of the country, thereby giving up its monopoly on power. An 811-foot tanker, the American Trader, spilled hundreds of thousands of gallons of Alaskan crude oil off the coast of Huntington Beach, Calif. - Five years ago Ramzi Yousef, the alleged mastermind of the World Trade Center bombing, was arrested in Islamabad, Pakistan, after two years as a fugitive. - One year ago Jordan's King Hussein died of cancer at age 63; he was succeeded by his eldest son, Abdullah. NASA launched the Stardust spacecraft on a mission to chase a comet in hopes of collecting a sample of comet dust. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Eddie Bracken is 80. - Country singer Wilma Lee Cooper is 79. - Author Gay Talese is 68. - Blues singer-musician Earl King is 66. - Actor Miguel Ferrer is 46. - Reggae musician Brian Travers (UB40) is 41. - Actor James Spader is 40. - Country singer Garth Brooks is 38. - Rock musician David Bryan (Bon Jovi) is 38. - Actor-comedian Chris Rock is 34. - Actor Jason Gedrick is 33. - Actor Ashton Kutcher ("That 70's Show") is 22. - Actress Tina Majorino is 15.

8 Today is Monday, Feb. 8, the 39th day of 1999. There are 326 days left in the year. - On Feb. 8, 1837, for the only time in history, the U.S. Senate chose the vice president of the United States, selecting Richard Mentor Johnson after no candidate received a majority of the popular vote. - In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War began. - In 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated and chartered. - In 1915, D.W. Griffith's film "The Birth of a Nation" premiered in Los Angeles. - In 1918, "The Stars and Stripes," the weekly newspaper of the American Expeditionary Forces, was published for the first time. - In 1924, the first execution by gas in the United States took place at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City. - In 1926, Walt Disney Studios formed. - In 1936, the Philadelphia Eagles made University of Chicago halfback and Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger the first player ever selected in the NFL draft. - In 1942, Congress advised President Roosevelt that, in light of the attack on Pearl Harbor two months earlier, Americans of Japanese descent should be locked up en masse so they couldn't oppose the U.S. war effort. - In 1960, the House of Representatives Special Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight opened hearings on disc jockey "payola." - In 1963, in the NFL, the Dallas Texans transferred to Kansas City and became the Chiefs. - In 1964, a speech by U.S. Representative Martha Griffiths in Congress on sex discrimination resulted in civil rights protection for women being added to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. - In 1969, the last edition of Saturday Evening Post was published. - In 1973, Senate leaders named seven members of a select committee to investigate the Watergate scandal, including the chairman, Democrat Sam J. Ervin Jr. of North Carolina. - In 1990, "60 Minutes" commentator Andy Rooney was suspended by CBS for racial remarks attributed to him by a gay magazine. - In 1993, General Motors sued NBC, alleging that the "Dateline NBC" program had rigged two car-truck crashes to show that 1973-87 GM pickups were prone to fires in side impact crashes. - In 1996, the NFL and the city of Cleveland agreed on terms for the relocation of the Cleveland Browns. Art Modell could take his NFL franchise to Baltimore, but he had to leave the Browns' name behind. - One year ago: California Gov. Pete Wilson asked President Clinton to declare almost half the counties in the state a federal disaster area, following six days of fierce rainstorms. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Dino Ciccarelli, 39, hockey player - Gary Coleman, 31, actor, "Diff'rent Strokes" - John Grisham, 44, author - Robert Klein, 57, comedian - Ted Koppel, 59, news anchor/journalist - Jack Lemmon, 74, actor - Mary McCormack, 30, actress, "Murder One," "Private Parts" - Alonzo Mourning, 29, NBA center - Vince Neil, 38, singer/musician, Motley Crue - Nick Nolte, 58, actor - Mary Steenburgen, 46, actress, "Parenthood" - John Williams, 67, conductor/composer Today is Tuesday, Feb. 8, the 39th day of 2000. There are 327 days left in the year. - On Feb. 8, 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated. - In 1904 the Russo-Japanese War began. - In 1915 D.W. Griffith's silent movie epic about the Civil War, "The Birth of a Nation," premiered in Los Angeles. - In 1922 President Harding had a radio installed in the White House. - In 1924 the first execution by gas in the U.S. took place at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City. - In 1968 three college students were killed in a confrontation with highway patrolmen in Orangeburg, S.C. during a civil rights protest against a whites-only bowling alley. - In 1973 Senate leaders named seven members of a select committee to investigate the Watergate scandal. - In 1974 the three-man crew of the Skylab space station returned to Earth after spending 84 days in space. - In 1978 the deliberations of the Senate were broadcast on radio for the first time as members opened debate on the Panama Canal treaties. - In 1980 President Jimmy Carter unveiled a plan to re-introduce draft registration. - In 1989 144 people were killed when an American-chartered Boeing 707 filled with Italian tourists slammed into a fog-covered mountain in the Azores. - Ten years ago CBS News suspended resident humorist Andy Rooney for racial comments he supposedly made to a gay magazine, comments Rooney denied making. - Five years ago the U.N. Security Council approved sending 7,000 peacekeepers to Angola to cement an accord ending 19 years of civil war. Surgeon General nominee Henry Foster said in an ABC interview he had performed 39 abortions - more than three times as many as previously stated. - One year ago the Senate heard closing arguments at President Clinton's impeachment trial, with House prosecutors challenging senators to "cleanse the office" and the president's attorney dismissing the case as one of partisan retribution. Jordan's King Hussein was laid to rest during a five-hour funeral in Amman attended by dignitaries from all over the world, including President Clinton and former presidents Bush, Carter and Ford. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Jack Lemmon is 75. - Composer-conductor John Williams is 68. - ABC News anchor Ted Koppel is 60. - Actor Nick Nolte is 59. - Comedian Robert Klein is 58. - Country singer Dan Seals is 52. - Singer Ron Tyson is 52. - Actress Brooke Adams is 51. - Actress Mary Steenburgen is 47. - Author John Grisham is 45. - Rock singer Vince Neil (Motley Crue) is 39. - Rock singer-musician Sammy LLanas (The BoDeans) is 39. - Actor Gary Coleman is 32. - Actress Mary McCormack is 31. - Actor Seth Green ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") is 26.

9 Today is Tuesday, Feb. 9, the 40th day of 1999. There are 325 days left in the year. - On Feb. 9, 1943, the World War II battle of Guadalcanal in the southwest Pacific ended with an American victory over Japanese forces. - In 1773, the ninth president of the United States, William Henry Harrison, was born in Charles City County, Va. - In 1825, the House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams president after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes. - In 1861, the provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America elected Jefferson Davis president and Alexander H. Stephens vice president. - In 1870, the U.S. Weather Bureau was established. - In 1942, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff held its first formal meeting to coordinate military strategy during World War II. - In 1942, daylight-saving "war time" went into effect in the United States, with clocks turned one hour forward. - In 1950, in a speech in Wheeling, W. Va., Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., charged the State Department was riddled with Communists. - In 1964, The Beatles made their first live American television appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show." - In 1971, the "Apollo 14" spacecraft returned to Earth after man's third landing on the moon. - In 1984, Soviet leader Yuri V. Andropov died at age 69, less than 15 months after succeeding Leonid Brezhnev; he was succeeded by Konstantin U. Chernenko. - Ten years ago: President Bush, in his first major speech to Congress, proposed a $1.16 trillion "common sense" budget for fiscal 1990. - Five years ago: PLO leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres initialed an agreement on security measures that had been blocking a peace accord. NATO delivered an ultimatum to Bosnian Serbs to remove heavy guns encircling Sarajevo, or face air strikes. The Bosnian Serbs agreed to withdraw artillery and mortars. - One year ago: The Pentagon said it would send as many as 3,000 U.S. ground troops to the Persian Gulf region to discourage what one official called "any creative thinking" by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. At the Nagano Games, German Georg Hackl won the men's luge for the third consecutive Olympics. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actress Kathryn Grayson is 77. - Television journalist Roger Mudd is 71. - Actress Janet Suzman is 60. - Singer-songwriter Carole King is 57. - Actor Joe Pesci is 56. - Singer Barbara Lewis is 56. - Author Alice Walker is 55. - Actress Mia Farrow is 54. - Singer Joe Ely is 52. - Actress Judith Light is 50. - R&B musician Dennis "DT" Thomas (Kool & the Gang) is 48. - Country singer Travis Tritt is 36. - Actor David Gallagher ("7th Heaven") is 14. Today is Wednesday, Feb. 9, the 40th day of 2000. There are 326 days left in the year. - On Feb. 9, 1950, in a speech in Wheeling, W.Va., Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wis.) charged the State Department was riddled with Communists. - In 1773 the ninth president of the U.S., William Henry Harrison, was born in Charles City County, Va. - In 1825 the House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams president after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes. - In 1861 the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America elected Jefferson Davis president and Alexander H. Stephens vice president. - In 1870 the U.S. Weather Bureau was established. - In 1933 the Oxford Union, Oxford University's debating society, endorsed, 275-153, a motion stating "that this House will in no circumstances fight for its King and Country," a pacifist stand widely denounced by Britons. - In 1943 the World War II battle of Guadalcanal in the southwest Pacific ended with an American victory over Japanese forces. - In 1964 The Beatles made their first live American television appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show." - In 1971 the Apollo 14 spacecraft returned to Earth after man's third landing on the moon. - In 1983 in a dramatic reversal from 50 years earlier, the Oxford Union Society at Oxford University rejected, 416 to 187, a motion "that this House would not fight for Queen and Country." - In 1984 Soviet leader Yuri V. Andropov died at age 69, less than 15 months after succeeding Leonid Brezhnev; he was succeeded by Konstantin U. Chernenko. - Ten years ago Perrier Group of America Inc. announced it was voluntarily recalling its inventory of mineral water in the U.S. after tests showed the presence of benzene in a small number of bottles. - Five years ago former Sen. J. William Fulbright died in Washington at age 89. - One year ago the Senate began closed-door deliberations in President Clinton's impeachment trial, even though members from both parties acknowledged that the two-thirds margin for conviction could not be attained. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actress Kathryn Grayson is 78. - Television journalist Roger Mudd is 72. - Actress Janet Suzman is 61. - Singer-songwriter Carole King is 58. - Actor Joe Pesci is 57. - Singer Barbara Lewis is 57. - Author Alice Walker is 56. - Actress Mia Farrow is 55. - Singer Joe Ely is 53. - Actress Judith Light is 51. - Rhythm-and-blues musician Dennis "DT" Thomas (Kool & the Gang) is 49. - Country singer Travis Tritt is 37. - Actress Julie Warner ("Family Law") is 35. - Country singer Danni Leigh is 30. - Actor David Gallagher is 15.

10 Today is Wednesday, Feb. 10, the 41th day of 1999. There are 324 days left in the year. - Fifty years ago, on Feb. 10, 1949, Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman" opened at Broadway's Morosco Theater. - In 1763, France ceded Canada to England under the Treaty of Paris, which ended the French and Indian War. - In 1840, Britain's Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. - In 1846, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Mormons, began an exodus from Illinois to the west. - In 1933, the first singing telegram was introduced by the Postal Telegram Co. in New York. - In 1942, the former French liner Normandie capsized in New York Harbor a day after it caught fire while being refitted for the U.S. Navy. - In 1942, RCA Victor presented Glenn Miller and his Orchestra with a "gold record" for their recording of "Chattanooga Choo Choo," which had sold more than 1 million copies. - In 1962, the Soviet Union exchanged captured American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers for Rudolph Ivanovich Abel, a Soviet spy held by the United States. - In 1967, the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, dealing with presidential disability and succession, went into effect. - In 1968, Peggy Fleming of the United States won the gold medal in ladies' figure skating at the Winter Olympic Games in Grenoble, France. - In 1981, eight people were killed and 198 injured, when fire broke out at the Las Vegas Hilton hotel-casino. - Ten years ago: Ron Brown was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee, becoming the first black to head a major U.S. political party. - Five years ago: The Senate approved $8.6 billion in relief for victims of the Los Angeles earthquake. The House approved the measure the next day, and President Clinton signed it the day after that. - One year ago: Dr. David Satcher was confirmed by the Senate to be surgeon general. Voters in Maine become the first to repeal a state gay rights law. Monica Lewinsky's mother, Marcia Lewis, testified before the grand jury investigating her daughter's alleged affair with President Clinton. Speedskater Hiroyasu Shimizu won Japan's first gold medal of the Nagano Olympics, in the 500-meter event. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Opera singer Leontyne Price is 72. - Movie composer Jerry Goldsmith is 70. - Actor Robert Wagner is 69. - Mississippi Gov. Kirk Fordice is 65. - Singer Roberta Flack is 60. - Singer Jimmy Merchant is 59. - Olympic gold-medal swimmer Mark Spitz is 49. - Actress Kathleen Beller is 44. - Country singer Lionel Cartwright is 39. - Former presidential adviser George Stephanopoulos is 38. - Actress Laura Dern is 32. - Country singer Dude Mowrey is 27. Today is Thursday, Feb. 10, the 41st day of 2000. There are 325 days left in the year. - On Feb. 10, 1967, the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, dealing with presidential disability and succession, went into effect. - In 1763 France ceded Canada to England under the Treaty of Paris, which ended the French and Indian War. - In 1840 Britain's Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. - In 1846 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Mormons, began an exodus to the west from Illinois. - In 1933 the first singing telegram was introduced by the Postal Telegram Company in New York. - In 1942 the former French liner "Normandie" capsized in New York Harbor a day after it caught fire while being refitted for the U.S. Navy. - In 1949 Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman" opened at Broadway's Morosco Theater. - In 1962 the Soviet Union exchanged captured American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers for Rudolph Ivanovich Abel, a Soviet spy held by the United States. - In 1981 eight people were killed and 198 injured when fire broke out at the Las Vegas Hilton hotel-casino. - In 1989 Ron Brown was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee, becoming the first black to head a major U.S. political party. - In 1998 Dr. David Satcher was confirmed by the Senate to be surgeon general. - Ten years ago South African President F.W. de Klerk announced that black activist Nelson Mandela would be released the next day after 27 years in captivity. - Five years ago the House passed a GOP crime bill boosting funding for state prisons but requiring states to get tougher on violent criminals before they could receive any money. - One year ago, resigned to losing their case, House prosecutors said public opinion polls had made a stronger impression on senators than any evidence that President Clinton committed high crimes and misdemeanors. A federal judge ordered American Airlines pilots to end a sickout that had grounded 2,500 flights, stranded 200,000 travelers and left businesses scrambling for cargo carriers. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Opera singer Leontyne Price is 73. - Movie composer Jerry Goldsmith is 71. - Actor Robert Wagner is 70. - Singer Roberta Flack is 61. - Singer Jimmy Merchant (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) is 60. - Olympic gold-medal swimmer Mark Spitz is 50. - Actress Kathleen Beller is 45. - Country singer Lionel Cartwright is 40. - Former presidential adviser George Stephanopoulos is 39. - Actress Laura Dern is 33. - Country singer Dude Mowrey is 28.

11 Today is Thursday, Feb. 11, the 42nd day of 1999. There are 323 days left in the year. - On Feb. 11, 1812, Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a re-districting law favoring his party and giving rise to the term "gerrymandering." - In 1847, American inventor Thomas Alva Edison was born in Milan, Ohio. - In 1858, a French girl, Bernadette Soubirous, claimed for the first time to have seen a vision of the Virgin Mary near Lourdes. - In 1861, President-elect Lincoln departed Springfield, Ill., for Washington. - In 1929, the Lateran Treaty was signed, with Italy recognizing the independence and sovereignty of Vatican City. - In 1937, a sit-down strike against General Motors ended, with the company agreeing to recognize the United Automobile Workers Union. - In 1945, President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin signed the Yalta Agreement during World War II. - In 1979, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power in Iran. - In 1990, South African black activist Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years in captivity. - In 1993, President Clinton announced his choice of Miami prosecutor Janet Reno to be the nation's first female attorney general. - Ten years ago: Reverend Barbara C. Harris became the first woman consecrated as a bishop in the Episcopal Church, in a ceremony held in Boston. - Five years ago: President Clinton and Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa, meeting at the White House, failed to resolve key differences on trade. The space shuttle "Discovery" returned from an eight-day mission. Actor William Conrad died in Los Angeles at age 73. - One year ago: Attorney General Janet Reno asked for an independent prosecutor to investigate whether Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt had misled Congress in connection with an Indian casino controversy; the counsel was later appointed. Skier Jonny Moseley won the first U.S. gold medal at Nagano, in men's moguls freestyle; Picabo Street won the women's super-G. Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati was stripped of his gold medal after testing positive for marijuana. (His medal was later reinstated.) *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Author Sidney Sheldon is 82. - Former Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen is 78. - Actress Kim Stanley is 74. - Actor Leslie Nielsen is 73. - Actor Conrad Janis is 71. - Actress Tina Louise is 65. - Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan is 65. - Actor Burt Reynolds is 63. - Songwriter Gerry Goffin is 60. - Singer Bobby "Boris" Pickett is 59. - Bandleader Sergio Mendes is 58. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Otis Clay is 57. - Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt is 48. - Actor Philip Anglim is 46. - Actress Carey Lowell is 38. - Singer Sheryl Crow is 37. - Actress Jennifer Aniston is 30. - Singer D'Angelo is 25. - Actor Brice Beckham is 23. - Singer-actress Brandy is 20. - Actor Matthew Lawrence is 19. Today is Friday, Feb. 11, the 42nd day of 2000. There are 324 days left in the year. - On Feb. 11, 1929, the Lateran Treaty was signed, with Italy recognizing the independence and sovereignty of Vatican City. - In 1812 Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a redistricting law favoring his party, giving rise to the term "gerrymandering." - In 1847 American inventor Thomas Alva Edison was born in Milan, Ohio. - In 1858 a French girl, Bernadette Soubirous, claimed for the first time to have seen a vision of the Virgin Mary near Lourdes. - In 1861 President-elect Lincoln departed Springfield, Ill., for Washington. - In 1937 a sit-down strike against General Motors ended, with the company agreeing to recognize the United Automobile Workers Union. - In 1945 President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin signed the Yalta Agreement during World War II. - In 1972 McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. and Life magazine canceled plans to publish an autobiography of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes that turned out to be fake. - In 1979 followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power in Iran. - In 1989 Reverend Barbara C. Harris became the first woman consecrated as a bishop in the Episcopal Church, in a ceremony held in Boston. - In 1993 President Clinton announced his choice of Miami prosecutor Janet Reno as the nation's first female attorney general. - Ten years ago South African black activist Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years in captivity. In a stunning upset, heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round of his fight with Buster Douglas in Tokyo. - Five years ago the space shuttle Discovery landed at Cape Canaveral, Fla., ending a historic rendezvous mission with Russia's Mir space station. President Clinton, in his weekly radio address, threatened to veto any attempt by Republicans to scrap plans to put 100,000 additional police officers on the streets. - One year ago a federal jury in New York found several gun makers responsible in three area shootings for letting guns fall into the hands of criminals; other manufacturers were cleared. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Author Sidney Sheldon is 83. - Former Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen is 79. - Actress Kim Stanley is 75. - Actor Leslie Nielsen is 74. - Actor Conrad Janis is 72. - Actress Tina Louise is 66. - Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan is 66. - Actor Burt Reynolds is 64. - Songwriter Gerry Goffin is 61. - Singer Bobby "Boris" Pickett is 60. - Bandleader Sergio Mendes is 59. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Otis Clay is 58. - Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt is 49. - Actor Philip Anglim is 47. - Actress Catherine Hickland is 44. - Actress Carey Lowell is 39. - Singer Sheryl Crow is 38. - Actress Jennifer Aniston is 31. - Singer D'Angelo is 26. - Actor Brice Beckham is 24. - Singer-actress Brandy is 21. - Actor Matthew Lawrence is 20.

12 Today is Friday, Feb. 12, the 43nd day of 1999. There are 322 days left in the year. - On Feb. 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was born in present-day Larue County, Ky. - In 1733, English colonists led by James Oglethorpe founded Savannah, Ga. - In 1870, women in the Utah Territory gained the right to vote. - In 1892, President Lincoln's birthday was declared a national holiday. - In 1907, more than 300 people died when the steamer Larchmont collided with a schooner off New England's Block Island. - In 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded. - In 1915, the cornerstone for the Lincoln Memorial was laid in Washington, D.C. - In 1924, George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" premiered in New York. - In 1940, the radio play "The Adventures of Superman" debuted on the Mutual network with Bud Collyer as the Man of Steel. - In 1973, the first release of American prisoners of war from the Vietnam conflict took place. - In 1993, in a crime that shocked Britons, two 10-year-old boys lured 2-year-old James Bulger from his mother at a shopping mall in Liverpool and beat him to death. - Ten years ago: The special prosecutor in the Iran-Contra case and the Justice Department reached an agreement on protecting classified materials aimed at allowing the trial of Oliver North to proceed. - Five years ago: President Clinton signed an $8.6 billion relief package for victims of the Northridge earthquake in Southern California. The XVII Winter Olympic Games opened in Lillehammer, Norway. - One year ago: A federal judge threw out President Clinton's new line-item veto authority. At Nagano, Norwegian Bjorn Daehlie became the first man to win six Winter Olympic gold medals, as he placed first in the 10-kilometer classical cross-country race. An appeals panel reinstated Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati's gold medal, a day after he was stripped of the honor for testing positive for marijuana. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Movie director Franco Zefferelli is 76. - Baseball Hall-of-Fame sportscaster Joe Garagiola is 73. - Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., is 69. - Basketball Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell is 65. - Rock musician Ray Manzarek (The Doors) is 64. - Actor Joe Don Baker is 63. - Author Judy Blume is 61. - Country singer Moe Bandy is 55. - Actress Maud Adams is 54. - Actor Michael Ironside is 49. - Actress Joanna Kerns is 46. - Actor-former talk show host Arsenio Hall is 44. - Singer Chynna Phillips is 31. - Rock musician Jim Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies) is 29. - Rhythm-and-blues musician Keri Lewis (Mint Condition) is 28. - Actress Christina Ricci is 19. Today is Saturday, Feb. 12, the 43rd day of 2000. There are 323 days left in the year. - One year ago, on Feb. 12, 1999, the Senate voted to acquit President Clinton of perjury and obstruction of justice. Clinton told Americans he was "profoundly sorry" for what he had said and done in the Monica Lewinsky affair that triggered the impeachment drama. - In 1733 English colonists led by James Oglethorpe founded Savannah, Ga. - In 1809 Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the U.S., was born in present-day Larue County, Ky. - In 1870 women in the Utah Territory gained the right to vote. - In 1892 President Lincoln's birthday was declared a national holiday. - In 1909 the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded. - In 1915 the cornerstone for the Lincoln Memorial was laid in Washington, D.C. - In 1924 George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" premiered in New York. - In 1940 the radio play "The Adventures of Superman" debuted on the Mutual network with Bud Collyer as the Man of Steel. - In 1973 the first release of American prisoners of war from the Vietnam conflict took place. - In 1993 in a crime that shocked Britons, two 10-year-old boys lured 2-year-old James Bulger from his mother at a shopping mall in Liverpool, England, then beat him to death. - Ten years ago President Bush rejected Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev's new initiative for troop reductions in Europe, but predicted a "major success" on arms control at the superpower summit in June. - Five years ago jurors in the O.J. Simpson murder trial toured the scene where Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman had been slain, then visited the estate of the former football star. - One year ago swarms of anxious travelers were left stranded when American Airlines again scrubbed more than 1,000 flights after its pilots defied a court order and continued their mass sickout. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Movie director Franco Zeffirelli is 77. - Baseball Hall-of-Fame sportscaster Joe Garagiola is 74. - Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) is 70. - Basketball Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell is 66. - Rock musician Ray Manzarek (The Doors) is 65. - Actor Joe Don Baker is 64. - Author Judy Blume is 62. - Country singer Moe Bandy is 56. - Actress Maud Adams is 55. - Actor Cliff DeYoung is 55. - Actor Michael Ironside is 50. - Rock musician Steve Hackett is 50. - Actress Joanna Kerns is 47. - Actor-former talk show host Arsenio Hall is 45. - Actress Christine Elise is 35. - Singer Chynna Phillips is 32. - Rock musician Jim Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies) is 30. - Rhythm-and-blues musician Keri Lewis (Mint Condition) is 29. - Actress Christina Ricci is 20.

13 Today is Saturday, Feb. 13, the 44nd day of 1999. There are 321 days left in the year. - On this date in 1542, The fifth wife of England's King Henry VIII, Catherine Howard, was executed for adultery. - In 1633, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before the Inquisition for professing the belief that the earth revolves around the sun. - In 1635, the oldest public school in the United States, the Boston Public Latin School, was founded. - In 1866, Jesse James held up his first bank in Liberty, Mo. - In 1867, Johann Strauss' "Blue Danube Waltz" was played for the first time at a public concert in Vienna, Austria. - In 1875, Edna Kanouse of Watertown, Wisc., gave birth to America's first quintuplets on this day. All five of the baby boys died within two weeks. - In 1914, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, known as ASCAP, was founded in New York City. - In 1920, the League of Nations recognized the perpetual neutrality of Switzerland. Also, the National Negro Baseball League was organized. - In 1932, the release of "Free Eats" introduced George "Spanky" McFarland to Hal Roach's "Our Gang" series. - In 1935, a jury in Flemington, N.J., found Bruno Richard Hauptmann guilty of first-degree murder in the kidnap-death of the infant son of aviator Charles and Anne Lindbergh. - In 1937, the NFL's Boston Redskins moved to Washington. - In 1943, the Women's Marine Corps was created. - In 1945, Allied planes staged a massive bombing raid on Dresden, Germany, killing over 35,000 people. - In 1961, Frank Sinatra, after spending many years signed to Capitol Records, launched his own Reprise label under Warner Bros. Records. - In 1972, the Broadway show "Grease" opened in New York City and went on to become one of the longest-running shows in history. - In 1996, the rock musical "Rent," by Jonathan Larson, opened off-Broadway. - One year ago, police in Pleasanton, Calif., said they were looking for a man who had dropped photographs of his private parts in the path of unsuspecting women. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actress Stockard Channing is 55 - Musician Peter Gabriel is 49 - Actor David Naughton is 48, "An American Werewolf in London" - Actress Kim Novak is 66 - Actor Oliver Reed is 61 - Musician Henry Rollins is 38 - Actor George Segal is 65, "Just Shoot Me" - Talk show host Jerry Springer is 55 - Musician Peter Tork is 55, The Monkees - Test pilot Gen. Chuck Yeager is 76, 1st to break sound barrier Today is Sunday, Feb. 13, the 44th day of 2000. There are 322 days left in the year. - On Feb. 13, 1935, a jury in Flemington, N.J. found Bruno Richard Hauptmann guilty of first-degree murder in the kidnap-death of the infant son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh. Hauptmann was later executed. - In 1542 the fifth wife of England's King Henry VIII, Catherine Howard, was executed for adultery. - In 1914 the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, known as ASCAP, was founded in New York. - In 1920 the League of Nations recognized the perpetual neutrality of Switzerland. - In 1945 during World War II, the Soviets captured Budapest, Hungary, from the Germans. Allied planes began bombing the German city of Dresden. - In 1960 France exploded its first atomic bomb. - In 1980 opening ceremonies were held in Lake Placid, N.Y., for the 13th Winter Olympics. - In 1984 Konstantin Chernenko was chosen to be general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party's Central Committee, succeeding the late Yuri Andropov. - In 1988 the 15th Winter Olympics opened in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. - In 1996 the rock musical "Rent," by Jonathan Larson, opened off-Broadway. - Ten years ago at a conference in Ottawa, the United States and its European allies forged agreement with the Soviet Union and East Germany on a two-stage formula to reunite Germany. - Five years ago a tribunal in the Netherlands indicted 21 Serbs for atrocities against Croats and Muslims interned in a Bosnian prison camp. House Speaker Newt Gingrich ruled out running for the 1996 Republican presidential nomination. - One year ago in his weekly radio address, President Clinton said as many as 4,000 American troops would go to Kosovo as part of a NATO peacekeeping force if warring Serbs and ethnic Albanians reached a political settlement. A federal judge held American Airlines' pilots' union and two top board members in contempt and promised sizable fines against them, saying the union did not do enough to encourage pilots to return to work after a court order. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Lyle Bettger is 85. - Singer Eileen Farrell is 80. - Former test pilot Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager is 77. - Actress Kim Novak is 67. - Actor George Segal is 66. - Actor Bo Svenson is 59. - Actress Carol Lynley is 58. - Singer-musician Peter Tork (The Monkees) is 58. - Actress Stockard Channing is 56. - Talk show host Jerry Springer is 56. - Singer Peter Gabriel is 50. - Actor David Naughton is 49. - Rock musician Peter Hook is 44. - Actor Matt Salinger is 40. - Singer Henry Rollins is 39. - Singer Freedom Williams is 34. - Actress Kelly Hu is 32.

14 Today is Sunday, Feb. 14, the 45th day of 1999. There are 320 days left in the year. - St. Valentine's Day: One legend suggests that in the 3rd century, a priest named Valentine defied Emperor Claudius II's wartime ban on marriages and secretly married young lovers. He was later discovered and killed. - On this date in 1859, Oregon was admitted to the Union as the 33rd state. - In 1872, the first state bird refuge was authorized in Lake Merritt, Calif. - In 1876, inventors Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray applied separately for patents related to the telephone. The U.S. Supreme Court eventually ruled Bell the rightful inventor. - In 1895, Oscar Wilde's final play, "The Importance of Being Earnest," opened at the St. James Theatre in London. - In 1903, the Department of Commerce and Labor was established. - In 1912, Arizona was admitted to the Union as the 48th state. - In 1919, the United Parcel Service was founded. - In 1920, the League of Women Voters was founded in Chicago. Its first president was Maude Wood Park. - In 1924, the IBM Corporation was founded by Thomas Watson. - In 1929, the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" took place in a Chicago garage as seven rivals of Al Capone's gang were gunned down. - In 1939, Victor Fleming replaced George Cukor as director for "Gone With The Wind." - In 1962, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy hosted a televised tour of the White House that showcased the building's interior restoration. - In 1971, President Richard Nixon installed a secret taping system at the White House. - In 1978, the first "micro on a chip" was patented by Texas Instruments. - In 1988, at age 50, Bobby Allison became the oldest driver to win the Daytona 500. - In 1989, Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini called on Muslims to kill Salman Rushdie, author of the novel "The Satanic Verses," a work condemned as blasphemous throughout the Islamic world. - One year ago, famed Chicago Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray, 77, was hospitalized after he collapsed at a nightclub in Palm Springs, Calif. He died five days later. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Journalist Carl Bernstein is 55 - NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe is 27 - Musician Michael Doucet is 48, Beausoleil - Journalist Hugh Downs is 78 - Actor Zach Galligan is 35, "Gremlins" - Actress Florence Henderson is 65, "The Brady Bunch" - Actor/dancer Gregory Hines is 53 - Former NFL quarterback/TV announcer Jim Kelly is 39 - Director Alan Parker is 55, "Evita" - Magician Teller is 51, of "Penn & Teller" - Actress Meg Tilly is 39, "The Big Chill" - Actor Ken Wahl is 43, "Wiseguy" Today is Monday, Feb. 14, the 45th day of 2000. There are 321 days left in the year. This is Valentine's Day. - On Feb. 14, 1920, the League of Women Voters was founded in Chicago; its first president was Maude Wood Park. - In 1778 the American ship Ranger arrived in France, flying the recently adopted Stars and Stripes in a foreign port for the first time. - In 1859 Oregon was admitted to the Union as the 33rd state. - In 1895 Oscar Wilde's final play, "The Importance of Being Earnest," opened at the St. James's Theatre in London. - In 1899 Congress approved, and President McKinley signed, legislation authorizing states to use voting machines for federal elections. - In 1903 the Department of Commerce and Labor was established. - In 1912 Arizona became the 48th state of the Union. - In 1929 the St. Valentine's Day Massacre took place in a Chicago garage as seven rivals of Al Capone's gang were gunned down. - In 1945 Peru, Paraguay, Chile and Ecuador joined the United Nations. - In 1962 First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy conducted a televised tour of the White House. - In 1989 Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini called on Muslims to kill Salman Rushdie, author of "The Satanic Verses," a novel condemned as blasphemous. - Ten years ago 94 people were killed when an Indian Airlines passenger jet crashed while landing at a southern Indian airport. - Five years ago a federal judge rejected the Justice Department's proposed antitrust settlement with Microsoft Corporation; U.S. District Judge Stanley Sporkin was later overruled by an appeals court. The House passed the centerpiece of the Republican anti-crime package, voting to create block grants for local governments while eliminating President Clinton's program to hire more police. (The president later vetoed a spending authorization bill containing this provision.) - One year ago President Clinton, accompanied by his wife, Hillary, began a quick visit to Mexico to encourage its struggle against narcotics and government corruption, and grow its markets for U.S. products. John D. Ehrlichman, President Nixon's domestic affairs adviser imprisoned for his role in the Watergate cover-up that ultimately led to Nixon's resignation, died in Atlanta at age 73. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - TV personality Hugh Downs is 79. - Actress-singer Florence Henderson is 66. - Country singer Razzy Bailey is 61. - Jazz musician Maceo Parker is 57. - Movie director Alan Parker is 56. - Journalist Carl Bernstein is 56. - Actor-dancer Gregory Hines is 54. - Senator Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) is 53. - TV personality Pat O'Brien is 52. - Magician Teller (Penn and Teller) is 52. - Cajun singer-musician Michael Doucet (Beausoleil) is 49. - Actor Ken Wahl is 43. - Actress Meg Tilly is 40. - Actor Zach Galligan is 37. - Rock musician Ricky Wolking (The Nixons) is 34. - Tennis player Manuela Maleeva is 33.

15 Today is Monday, Feb. 15, the 46th day of 1999. There are 319 days left in the year. - On Feb. 15, 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine mysteriously blew up in Havana Harbor, killing more than 260 crew members and bringing the U.S. closer to war with Spain. - In 1564, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa. - In 1764, the city of St. Louis was established. - In 1820, American suffragist Susan B. Anthony was born in Adams, Mass. - In 1879, President Hayes signed a bill allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the Supreme Court. - In 1933, President-elect Franklin Roosevelt escaped an assassination attempt in Miami that claimed the life of Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak. - In 1942, the British colony Singapore surrendered to the Japanese during World War II. - In 1961, 73 people, including an 18-member figure skating team from the U.S., were killed in the crash of a Sabena Airlines Boeing 707 in Belgium. - In 1965, Canada's new maple-leaf flag was unfurled in ceremonies in Ottawa. - In 1982, 84 men were killed when a huge oil-drilling rig, the Ocean Ranger, sank off the coast of Newfoundland during a fierce storm. - In 1992, Benjamin L. Hooks announced plans to retire as executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. - Ten years ago: The Soviet Union announced that the last of its troops had left Afghanistan, after more than nine years of military intervention. - Five years ago: Navy chief Adm. Frank Kelso II agreed to early retirement because of criticism over the Tailhook sex abuse scandal. Viacom won a hard-fought victory to acquire Paramount Communications. - One year ago: Monica Lewinsky's attorney, William Ginsburg, continued his harsh criticism of Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr for alleged leaks of information to the news media. Two Japanese ski jumpers, Kazuyoshi Funaki and Masahiko Harada, leapt to gold and bronze medals in the 120-meter event at the Nagano Olympics. Happy Birthday -------------- - Actor Kevin McCarthy is 85. - Country singer Hank Locklin is 81. - Former Illinois Rep. John Anderson is 77. - Comedian Harvey Korman is 72. - Actress Claire Bloom is 68. - Author Susan Brownmiller is 64. - Songwriter Brian Holland is 58. - Rock musician Mick Avory (The Kinks) is 55. - Actress Jane Seymour is 48. - Singer Melissa Manchester is 48. - "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening is 45. - Reggae singer Ali Campbell (UB40) is 40. - Actor Michael Easton is 32. - Actress Emily May Young is 29. - Actress Renee O'Connor ("Xena: Warrior Princess") is 28. Today is Tuesday, Feb. 15, the 46th day of 2000. There are 320 days left in the year. - On Feb. 15, 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine mysteriously blew up in Havana Harbor, killing more than 260 crew members and bringing the United States closer to war with Spain. - In 1564 Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa. - In 1764 the city of St. Louis was established. - In 1820 American suffragist Susan B. Anthony was born in Adams, Mass. - In 1879 President Hayes signed a bill allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the Supreme Court. - In 1933 President-elect Roosevelt escaped an assassination attempt in Miami that killed Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak. - In 1942 the British colony of Singapore surrendered to the Japanese during World War II. - In 1965 Canada's new maple-leaf flag was unfurled in ceremonies in Ottawa. - In 1982 84 men were killed when a huge oil-drilling rig, the Ocean Ranger, sank in a storm off the Newfoundland coast. - In 1989 the Soviet Union announced that the last of its troops had left Afghanistan after nearly a decade of military intervention. - In 1992 Benjamin L. Hooks announced plans to retire as executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. - Ten years ago President Bush and the leaders of Colombia, Bolivia and Peru met in Cartagena, Colombia for a drug-fighting summit. - Five years ago the FBI arrested Kevin Mitnick, its "most wanted hacker," and charged him with cracking security in some of the nation's most protected computers. (Mitnick was released this past Jan. 21 after serving five years behind bars.) A fire roared through a three-story nightclub in Taichung, Taiwan, killing at least 64 people. - One year ago the body of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed West African gunned down by New York City police, was returned to his native Guinea. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Kevin McCarthy is 86. - Country singer Hank Locklin is 82. - Former Illinois Congressman John Anderson is 78. - Comedian Harvey Korman is 73. - Actress Claire Bloom is 69. - Author Susan Brownmiller is 65. - Songwriter Brian Holland is 59. - Rock musician Mick Avory (The Kinks) is 56. - Actress Jane Seymour is 49. - Singer Melissa Manchester is 49. - "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening is 46. - Reggae singer Ali Campbell (UB40) is 41. - Musician Mikey Craig (Culture Club) is 40. - Actor Michael Easton is 33. - Actress Emily May Young is 30. - Actress Renee O'Connor ("Xena: Warrior Princess") is 29. - Actress Ashley Lyn Cafagna ("The Bold and the Beautiful") is 17.

16 Today is Tuesday, Feb. 16, the 47th day of 1999. There are 318 days left in the year. - On Feb. 16, 1862, during the Civil War, some 14,000 Confederate soldiers surrendered at Fort Donelson, Tenn. - In 1804, Lt. Stephen Decatur led a successful raid into Tripoli Harbor to burn the U.S. Navy frigate Philadelphia, which had fallen into the hands of pirates. - In 1868, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was organized in New York City. - In 1918, Lithuania proclaimed its independence. - In 1923, the burial chamber of King Tutankhamen's recently unearthed tomb was unsealed in Egypt. - In 1937, Dr. Wallace H. Carothers, a research chemist for DuPont who invented nylon, received a patent for the synthetic fiber. - In 1945, American troops landed on the island of Corregidor in the Philippines during World War II. - In 1948, NBC began airing its first nightly newscast, "The Camel Newsreel Theatre," which consisted of Fox Movietone newsreels. - In 1959, Fidel Castro became premier of Cuba after the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista. - In 1968, the nation's first 911 emergency telephone system was inaugurated, in Haleyville, Ala. - In 1987, John Demjanjuk went on trial in Jerusalem, accused of being "Ivan the Terrible," a guard at the Treblinka Nazi concentration camp. - Ten years ago: Investigators in Lockerbie, Scotland, said a bomb hidden inside a radio-cassette player was what brought down Pan Am Flight 103 the previous December, killing all 259 people aboard and 11 on the ground. - Five years ago: At least 217 people were killed when a powerful earthquake shook Indonesia's Sumatra island. Figure skaters Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan encountered each other at the Winter Olympic Games in Norway before posing for the U.S. team photograph. - One year ago: A China Airlines Airbus A300-600R trying to land in fog near Taipei, Taiwan, crashed, killing all 196 people on board and six people on the ground. Happy Birthday -------------- - Singer Patty Andrews is 79. - Movie director John Schlesinger is 73. - Actor Pete Postlethwaite is 53. - Actor William Katt is 48. - Actor James Ingram is 43. - Actor LeVar Burton is 42. - Actor-rapper Ice-T is 41. - Actress Lisa Loring is 41. - Tennis player John McEnroe is 40. - Rock musician Andy Taylor (Duran Duran) is 38. - Singer Sam Salter is 21. Today is Wednesday, Feb. 16, the 47th day of 2000. There are 319 days left in the year. - On Feb. 16, 1862, during the Civil War, some 14,000 Confederate soldiers surrendered at Fort Donelson, Tenn. (Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's victory earned him the nickname "Unconditional Surrender Grant.") - In 1804 Lt. Stephen Decatur led a successful raid into Tripoli Harbor on the Mediterranean to burn the U.S. Navy frigate Philadelphia, which had fallen into the hands of pirates. - In 1868 the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was organized in New York City. - In 1918 Lithuania proclaimed its independence. - In 1923 the burial chamber of King Tutankhamen's recently unearthed tomb was unsealed in Egypt. - In 1945 American troops landed on the island of Corregidor in the Philippines during World War II. - In 1948 NBC-TV began airing its first nightly newscast, "The Camel Newsreel Theatre," which consisted of Fox Movietone newsreels. - In 1959 Fidel Castro became premier of Cuba after the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista. - In 1968 the nation's first 911 emergency telephone system was inaugurated in Haleyville, Ala. - In 1987 John Demjanjuk went on trial in Jerusalem, accused of being "Ivan the Terrible," a guard at the Treblinka Nazi concentration camp. (Demjanjuk was convicted, but the verdict was overturned by the Israeli Supreme Court.) - In 1994 at least 217 people were killed when a powerful earthquake shook Indonesia's Sumatra island. - Ten years ago former President Reagan began two days of giving a videotaped deposition in Los Angeles for the Iran-Contra trial of former national security adviser John Poindexter. - Five years ago four people were killed when tornadoes tore through rural north Alabama. In a dark and defensive address to his nation, Russian President Boris Yeltsin berated his military leaders for big losses and human rights abuses in Chechnya, but insisted Russia had to use force to defend its unity. - One year ago enraged Kurds seized embassies and held hostages across Europe following Turkey's arrest of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan. Testimony began in the Jasper, Texas trial of John William King, charged with murder in the gruesome dragging death of James Byrd Jr. (King was later convicted and sentenced to death.) *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Singer Patty Andrews is 80. - Movie director John Schlesinger is 74. - Actor Jeremy Bulloch is 54. - Actor Pete Postlethwaite is 54. - Actor William Katt is 49. - Actor James Ingram is 44. - Actor LeVar Burton is 43. - Actor-rapper Ice-T is 42. - Actress Lisa Loring ("The Addams Family") is 42. - Tennis player John McEnroe is 41. - Rock musician Andy Taylor (Duran Duran) is 39. - Singer Sam Salter is 22.

17 Today is Wednesday, Feb. 17, the 48th day of 1999. There are 317 days left in the year. - On Feb. 17, 1801, the House of Representatives broke an electoral tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, electing Jefferson president. Burr became vice president. - In 1817, a street in Baltimore became the first to be lighted with gas from America's first gas company. - In 1865, Columbia, S.C., burned as the Confederates evacuated and Union forces moved in. - In 1897, the forerunner of the National PTA, the National Congress of Mothers, was founded in Washington. - In 1933, Newsweek was first published. - In 1947, the Voice of America began broadcasting to the Soviet Union. - In 1964, the Supreme Court ruled that congressional districts within each state had to be roughly equal in population. - In 1972, President Nixon departed on his historic trip to China. - In 1988, Lt. Col. William Higgins, an American officer serving with a United Nations truce monitoring group, was kidnapped in southern Lebanon. He was later slain by his captors. - Ten years ago: Iran's President Ali Khamenei said Salman Rushdie, author of "The Satanic Verses," could save himself from a death sentence pronounced by Ayatollah Khomeini if he were to apologize for his book, which was regarded as blasphemous. - Five years ago: Bosnian Serbs began large-scale withdrawal of its heavy guns from the hills around Sarajevo under pressure from Russia. The U.S. government reported a record trade deficit with Japan the previous year. - One year ago: President Clinton, preparing Americans for possible air strikes against Iraq, said military force is never the first answer "but sometimes it's the only answer." A jury in Fort Worth, Texas, convicted former Naval Academy midshipman Diane Zamora of killing a 16-year-old romantic rival. An Iranian crowd cheered as U.S. wrestlers carried the Stars and Stripes into an international meet in Tehran. The U.S. women's hockey team won the gold medal at Nagano, Japan, defeating Canada 3-1. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Hal Holbrook is 74. - Singer Bobby Lewis is 66. - Actor Alan Bates is 65. - Football Hall-of-Famer Jim Brown is 63. - Actress Mary Ann Mobley is 60. - Singer Gene Pitney is 58. - Actress Brenda Fricker is 54. - Actor Richard Karn is 43. - Actor Lou Diamond Phillips is 37. - Basketball legend Michael Jordan is 36. - Rock singer-musician Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) is 27. - Country singer Bryan White is 25. Today is Thursday, Feb. 17, the 48th day of 2000. There are 318 days left in the year. - On Feb. 17, 1801, the House of Representatives broke an electoral tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, electing Jefferson president. Burr became vice president. - In 1817 a street in Baltimore became the first to be lighted with gas from America's first gas company. - In 1865 Columbia, S.C., burned as the Confederates evacuated and Union forces moved in. (It's not known which side set the blaze.) - In 1897 the forerunner of the National PTA, the National Congress of Mothers, was founded in Washington. - In 1904 Giacomo Puccini's opera "Madama Butterfly" was poorly received at its world premiere at La Scala. - In 1933 Newsweek was first published. - In 1947 the Voice of America began broadcasting to the Soviet Union. - In 1964 the Supreme Court ruled that congressional districts within each state had to be roughly equal in population. - In 1972 President Nixon departed on his historic trip to China. - In 1988 Lt. Col. William Higgins, an American officer serving with a United Nations truce monitoring group, was kidnapped in southern Lebanon (and later slain). - In 1992 serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced in Milwaukee to life in prison. (He was beaten to death in prison in November 1994.) - Ten years ago former President Reagan spent a second day in a Los Angeles courtroom, giving videotaped testimony about the Iran-Contra affair for the trial of his former national security adviser, John Poindexter. - Five years ago Colin Ferguson was convicted of six counts of murder in the December 1993 Long Island Rail Road shootings. (He was later sentenced to a minimum of 200 years in prison). - One year ago in a satellite-linked address to college campuses across the country, President Clinton made his case for shoring up Social Security and Medicare. Israeli security guards shot and killed three Kurds who had forced their way into the Israeli consulate in Berlin; the protesters were enraged by reports that Israel aided in the arrest of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Marc Lawrence is 90. - Actress Kathleen Freeman is 81. - Margaret Truman Daniel is 76. - Actor Hal Holbrook is 75. - Singer Bobby Lewis is 67. - Actor Alan Bates is 66. - Country singer-songwriter Johnny Bush is 65. - Football Hall-of-Famer Jim Brown is 64. - Actress Mary Ann Mobley is 61. - Singer Gene Pitney is 59. - Actress Brenda Fricker is 55. - Actress Rene Russo is 46. - Actor Richard Karn is 44. - Actor Lou Diamond Phillips is 38. - Basketball player-turned-executive Michael Jordan is 37. - Movie director Michael Bay ("Armageddon") is 36. - Rock musician Timothy J. Mahoney (311) is 30. - Rock singer-musician Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) is 28. - Actor Jerry O'Connell is 26. - Country singer Bryan White is 26. - Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is 19.

18 Today is Thursday, Feb. 18, the 49th day of 1999. There are 316 days left in the year. - On Feb. 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis was sworn in as president of the Confederate States of America in Montgomery, Ala. - In 1516, Mary Tudor, the Queen of England popularly known as "Bloody Mary," was born in Greenwich Palace. - In 1546, Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, died. - In 1564, the artist Michelangelo died in Rome. - In 1885, Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was published in the United States for the first time. - In 1930, the ninth planet of our solar system, Pluto, was discovered. - In 1960, the Winter Olympic Games were formally opened in Squaw Valley, Calif., by Vice President Nixon. - In 1970, the Chicago Seven defendants were found innocent of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic national convention. - In 1972, the California Supreme Court struck down the state's death penalty. - In 1977, the space shuttle Enterprise, sitting atop a Boeing 747, went on its maiden "flight" above the Mojave Desert. - In 1988, Anthony M. Kennedy was sworn in as the 104th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. - Ten years ago: Author Salman Rushdie, under a death sentence from Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini for his book "The Satanic Verses," expressed regret for any distress he'd caused Muslims. - Five years ago: President Clinton notified Congress he was prepared to order bombing by U.S. warplanes in Bosnia. At the Winter Olympic Games in Norway, speedskater Dan Jansen finally won a gold medal, breaking the world record in the 1,000 meters. - One year ago: President Clinton's foreign policy team encountered jeers during a town meeting at Ohio State University while trying to defend the administration's threat to bomb Iraq into compliance with UN weapons edicts. Sportscaster Harry Caray died in Rancho Mirage, Calif., at age 83. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Songwriter-musician Pee Wee King is 85. - Actor Jack Palance is 78. - Actor George Kennedy is 74. - Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner (R-Va.) is 72. - Author Toni Morrison is 68. - Movie director Milos Forman is 67. - Singer Yoko Ono is 66. - Singer Dennis DeYoung (Styx) is 52. - Producer-director-writer John Hughes is 49. - Actress Cybill Shepherd is 49. - Singer Juice Newton is 47. - Singer Randy Crawford is 47. - Actor John Travolta is 45. - Game show host Vanna White is 42. - Actor Matt Dillon is 35. - Rapper Dr. Dre is 34. - Actress Molly Ringwald is 31. - Actor Tyrone Dorzell Burton is 20. Today is Friday, Feb. 18, the 49th day of 2000. There are 317 days left in the year. - On Feb. 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis was sworn in as president of the Confederate States of America in Montgomery, Ala. - In 1516 Mary Tudor, the Queen of England popularly known as "Bloody Mary," was born in Greenwich Palace. - In 1546 Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, died. - In 1564 the artist Michelangelo died in Rome. - In 1885 Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was published in the United States. - In 1930 the ninth planet of our solar system, Pluto, was discovered. - In 1960 the Eighth Winter Olympic Games were formally opened in Squaw Valley, Calif. by Vice President Nixon. - In 1970 the defendants known as the Chicago Seven were found innocent of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. - In 1972 the California Supreme Court struck down the state's death penalty. - In 1977 the space shuttle Enterprise, sitting atop a Boeing 747, went on its maiden "flight" above the Mojave Desert. - In 1988 Anthony M. Kennedy was sworn in as the 104th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. - Ten years ago in general elections, Japan's conservative governing party held onto its 34-year-old majority in the Parliament's lower house. - Five years ago the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People replaced veteran chairman William Gibson with Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, after the rank-and-file declared no confidence in Gibson's leadership. - One year ago the Clinton administration warned Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic to choose peace with ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, or face a devastating military strike. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Songwriter-musician Pee Wee King is 86. - Actor Jack Palance is 79. - Former Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown is 78. - Actor George Kennedy is 75. - Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner (R-Va.) is 73. - Author Toni Morrison is 69. - Movie director Milos Forman ("Man on the Moon") is 68. - Singer Yoko Ono is 67. - Singer Irma Thomas is 59. - Singer Herman Santiago (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) is 59. - Singer Dennis DeYoung (Styx) is 53. - Actress Sinead Cusack is 52. - Producer-director-writer John Hughes is 50. - Actress Cybill Shepherd is 50. - Singer Juice Newton is 48. - Singer Randy Crawford is 48. - Rock musician Robbie Bachman is 47. - Actor John Travolta is 46. - Game show host Vanna White is 43. - Actress Greta Scacchi is 40. - Actor Matt Dillon is 36. - Rapper Dr. Dre is 35. - Actress Molly Ringwald is 32. - Rock musician Tommy Scott (Space) is 32. - Actor Tyrone Dorzell Burton is 21.

19 Today is Friday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 1999. There are 315 days left in the year. - On Feb. 19, 1945, during World War II, some 30,000 Marines landed on Iwo Jima, where they began a month-long battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces. - In 1473, the astronomer Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland. - In 1803, Congress voted to accept Ohio's borders and constitution. (However, Congress did not get around to formally ratifying Ohio statehood until 1953.) - In 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr was arrested in Alabama. He was subsequently tried for treason and acquitted. - In 1846, the Texas state government was formally installed in Austin. - In 1878, Thomas Edison received a patent for his phonograph. - In 1881, Kansas became the first state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages. - In 1942, President Roosevelt signed an executive order giving the military the authority to relocate and intern Japanese-Americans. - In 1942, about 150 Japanese warplanes attacked the Australian city of Darwin. - In 1959, an agreement was signed by Britain, Turkey and Greece granting Cyprus its independence. - In 1986, the U.S. Senate approved a treaty outlawing genocide, 37 years after the pact had first been submitted for ratification. - In 1997, Deng Xiaoping, the last of China's major Communist revolutionaries, died. - Ten years ago: Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini rejected the apology of "Satanic Verses" author Salman Rushdie, exhorting Muslims to "send him to hell" for committing blasphemy. - Five years ago: With Bosnian Serbs facing a NATO deadline to withdraw heavy weapons encircling Sarajevo or face air strikes, President Clinton delivered an address from the Oval Office reaffirming the ultimatum. American speedskater Bonnie Blair won the fourth Olympic gold medal of her career as she won the 500-meter race in Lillehammer, Norway. - One year ago: U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan set out for Iraq on a last-chance peace mission, saying he was "reasonably optimistic" about ending the standoff over weapons inspections without the use of force. At the Nagano Olympics, Austrian Hermann Maier won the men's giant slalom while Hilde Gerg of Germany won the women's slalom. Happy Birthday -------------- - Movie director John Frankenheimer ("The Manchurian Candidate") is 69. - Singer Smokey Robinson is 59. - Singer Bobby Rogers (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles) is 59. - Actress Carlin Glynn is 59. - Singer Lou Christie is 56. - Actor Michael Nader is 54. - Rock musician Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) is 51. - Actor Jeff Daniels is 44. - Talk show host Lorianne Crook is 42. - Britain's Prince Andrew is 39. - Tennis Hall-of-Famer Hana Mandlikova is 37. - Actress Justine Bateman is 33. Today is Saturday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2000. There are 316 days left in the year. - On Feb. 19, 1945, during World War II, some 30,000 U.S. Marines landed on Iwo Jima, where they began a month-long battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces. - In 1803 Congress voted to accept Ohio's borders and constitution. (However, Congress did not get around to formally ratifying Ohio statehood until 1953.) - In 1807 former Vice President Aaron Burr was arrested in Alabama. (He was subsequently tried for treason and acquitted.) - In 1846 the Texas state government was formally installed in Austin. - In 1878 Thomas Edison received a patent for his phonograph. - In 1881 Kansas became the first state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages. - In 1942 President Roosevelt signed an executive order giving the military the authority to relocate and intern Japanese-Americans. About 150 Japanese warplanes attacked the Australian city of Darwin. - In 1959 an agreement was signed by Britain, Turkey and Greece granting Cyprus its independence. - In 1986 the U.S. Senate approved a treaty outlawing genocide, 37 years after the pact was first submitted for ratification. - In 1997 Deng Xiaoping, the last of China's major Communist revolutionaries, died. - Ten years ago Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, snubbed by Philippine President Corazon Aquino, met in Manila with Defense Minister Fidel Ramos to discuss the future of U.S. bases in the country. - Five years ago, a day after being named the new chairwoman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Myrlie Evers-Williams outlined her plans for revitalizing the civil rights organization, saying she wanted to take the group back to its roots. - One year ago President Clinton posthumously pardoned Henry O. Flipper, the first black graduate of West Point, whose military career was tarnished by a racially motivated discharge. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Movie director John Frankenheimer ("Seconds") is 70. - Singer Smokey Robinson is 60. - Singer Bobby Rogers (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles) is 60. - Actress Carlin Glynn is 60. - Singer Lou Christie is 57. - Actor Michael Nader is 55. - Rock musician Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) is 52. - Actor Jeff Daniels is 45. - Talk show host Lorianne Crook is 43. - Britain's Prince Andrew is 40. - Tennis Hall-of-Famer Hana Mandlikova is 38. - Singer Seal is 37. - Actress Justine Bateman is 34.

20 Today is Saturday, Feb. 20, the 51th day of 1999. There are 314 days left in the year. - On Feb. 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. - In 1790, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II died. - In 1792, President Washington signed an act creating the U.S. Post Office. - In 1809, the Supreme Court ruled the power of the federal government is greater than that of any individual state. - In 1839, Congress prohibited dueling in the District of Columbia. - In 1895, abolitionist Frederick Douglass died in Washington D.C. - In 1933, the House of Representatives completed congressional action on an amendment to repeal Prohibition. - In 1938, Anthony Eden resigned as British foreign secretary in a dispute with Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. - In 1944, during World War II, U.S. bombers began raiding German aircraft manufacturing centers in a series of attacks that became known as "Big Week." - In 1965, the Ranger Eight spacecraft crashed on the moon after sending back thousands of pictures of the lunar surface. - Ten years ago: Members of the European Economic Community decided to withdraw their top diplomats from Iran to protest Ayatollah Khomeini's order for Muslims to kill author Salman Rushdie. - Five years ago: Bosnian Serbs, faced with the threat of air strikes, pulled back most of their heavy guns from around Sarajevo as a NATO deadline approached. - One year ago: With the U.S. military poised to attack Iraq, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan began a final campaign to end the crisis over U.N weapons inspections without bloodshed. Tara Lipinski of the U.S. won the ladies' figure skating title at Nagano, becoming at age 15 the youngest gold medalist in Winter Olympics history; Michelle Kwan won the silver. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt is 75. - Movie director Robert Altman is 74. - Actor Sidney Poitier is 72. - Jazz-soul singer Nancy Wilson is 62. - Singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie is 58. - Hockey Hall-of-Famer Phil Esposito is 57. - Movie director Mike Leigh is 56. - Actress Sandy Duncan is 53. - Rock musician J. Geils is 53. - Actor Peter Strauss is 52. - Rock singer-musician-producer Walter Becker (Steely Dan) is 49. - Actor Edward Albert is 48. - Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is 45. - Basketball player Charles Barkley is 36. - Rock musician Ian Brown (Stone Roses) is 36. - Actor French Stewart is 35. - Model Cindy Crawford is 33. - Actor Jake Richardson is 14. Today is Sunday, Feb. 20, the 51st day of 2000. There are 315 days left in the year. - On Feb. 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth, flying aboard Friendship 7. - In 1790 Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II died. - In 1792 President Washington signed an act creating the U.S. Post Office. - In 1809 the Supreme Court ruled the power of the federal government is greater than that of any individual state. - In 1839 Congress prohibited dueling in the District of Columbia. - In 1895 abolitionist Frederick Douglass died in Washington, D.C. - In 1933 the House of Representatives completed congressional action on an amendment to repeal Prohibition. - In 1938 Anthony Eden resigned as British foreign secretary in a dispute with Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. - In 1944 during World War II, U.S. bombers began a series of attacks on German aircraft manufacturing centers that became known as "Big Week." - In 1965 the Ranger 8 spacecraft crashed on the moon after sending back thousands of pictures of the lunar surface. - In 1981 space shuttle Columbia cleared the final major hurdle to its maiden launch by firing fired its three engines in a 20-second test. - Ten years ago President Bush welcomed Czechoslovak President Vaclav Havel to the White House, promising trade rewards for Prague's moves toward democracy. - Five years ago an American Marine, Sgt. Justin A. Harris, died in a helicopter crash during the evacuation of United Nations forces from Somalia. - One year ago the United States and five other nations agreed to extend by three days the deadline for a Kosovo peace agreement. (NATO had threatened airstrikes against the Serbs if they did not reach an agreement with Albanian insurgents.) Movie reviewer Gene Siskel died at a hospital outside Chicago; he was 53. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt is 76. - Movie director Robert Altman is 75. - Actor Sidney Poitier is 73. - Actress Marj Dusay is 64. - Jazz-soul singer Nancy Wilson is 63. - Singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie is 59. - Hockey Hall-of-Famer Phil Esposito is 58. - Movie director Mike Leigh is 57. - Actress Brenda Blethyn is 54. - Actress Sandy Duncan is 54. - Rock musician J. Geils is 54. - Actor Peter Strauss is 53. - Rock singer-musician-producer Walter Becker (Steely Dan) is 50. - Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is 46. - Actor James Wilby is 42. - Rock musician Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing) is 41. - Basketball player Charles Barkley is 37. - Actor French Stewart is 36. - Actor Ron Eldard is 35. - Model Cindy Crawford is 34. - Actor Andrew Shue is 33. - Actress Lili Taylor is 33. - Singer Brian Littrell (Backstreet Boys) is 25. - Actor Jake Richardson is 15.

21 Today is Sunday, Feb. 21, the 52nd day of 1999. There are 313 days left in the year. - On Feb. 21, 1965, former Black Muslim leader Malcolm X was shot to death in New York by assassins identified as Black Muslims. - In 1866, Lucy B. Hobbs became the first woman to graduate from a dental school, the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in Cincinnati. - In 1878, the first telephone directory was issued, by the District Telephone Company of New Haven, Conn. - In 1885, the Washington Monument was dedicated. - In 1916, the World War I Battle of Verdun began in France. - In 1925, The New Yorker magazine made its debut. - In 1947, Edwin H. Land publicly demonstrated his Polaroid Land camera, which could produce a black-and-white photograph in 60 seconds. - In 1972, President Nixon began his historic visit to China. - In 1973, Israeli fighter planes shot down a Libyan Airlines jet over the Sinai Desert, killing more than 100 people. - In 1988, television evangelist Jimmy Swaggart tearfully confessed to his congregation in Baton Rouge, La., that he was guilty of an unspecified sin, and said he was leaving the pulpit temporarily. (Reports linked Swaggart to an admitted prostitute, Debra Murphree.) - In 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi won the gold medal in ladies' figure skating at the Albertville Olympics; Midori Ito of Japan won the silver, Nancy Kerrigan, the bronze. - Ten years ago: President Bush called Ayatollah Khomeini's death warrant against "Satanic Verses" author Salman Rushdie "deeply offensive to the norms of civilized behavior." - Five years ago: With Bosnian Serbs complying with a NATO ultimatum to remove heavy guns near Sarajevo, President Clinton promised renewed efforts to help "reinvigorate the peace process." - One year ago: Secretary General Kofi Annan began formal talks with Iraqi officials in the standoff over weapons inspections. *Happy Birthday* -------------- - Fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy is 72. - Movie director Bob Rafelson is 66. - Singer Nina Simone is 66. - Actress Rue McClanahan is 65. - Actor Gary Lockwood is 62. - Actor-director Richard Beymer is 60. - Actor Peter McEnery is 59. - Recording executive David Geffen is 56. - Actor Alan Rickman is 53. - Actress Tyne Daly is 53. - Tricia Nixon Cox is 53. - Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, is 52. - Rock musician Jerry Harrison (The Heads) is 50. - Actor William Petersen is 46. - Actor Kelsey Grammar is 44. - Country singer Mary-Chapin Carpenter is 41. - Rock singer Ranking Roger (General Public, English Beat) is 38. - Actor William Baldwin is 36. - Blues musician Corey Harris is 30. - Rock musician Eric Wilson (Sublime) is 29. - Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt ("Party of Five") is 20. Today is Monday, Feb. 21, the 52nd day of 2000. There are 314 days left in the year. This is Presidents Day. - On Feb. 21, 1965, former Black Muslim leader Malcolm X, 39, was shot to death in New York by assassins identified as Black Muslims. - In 1846 Sarah G. Bagley became the first female telegrapher, taking charge at the newly opened telegraph office in Lowell, Mass. - In 1866 Lucy B. Hobbs became the first woman to graduate from a dental school, the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in Cincinnati. - In 1878 the first telephone directory was issued, by the District Telephone Co. of New Haven, Conn. - In 1885 the Washington Monument was dedicated. - In 1916 the World War I Battle of Verdun began in France. - In 1925 The New Yorker made its debut. - In 1947 Edwin H. Land publicly demonstrated his Polaroid Land camera, which could produce a black-and-white photograph in 60 seconds. - In 1972 President Nixon began his historic visit to China. - In 1973 Israeli fighter planes shot down a Libyan Airlines jet over the Sinai Desert, killing more than 100 people. - In 1975 former Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman were sentenced to 2 1/2 to 8 years in prison for their roles in the Watergate cover-up. - Ten years ago, addressing the U.S. Congress, Czechoslovak President Vaclav Havel said his nation welcomed U.S. help after decades of Soviet domination, but also said Europe should eventually "decide for itself" how long American and Soviet troops should remain. - Five years ago the United States and Mexico signed an agreement to unlock $20 billion in U.S. support to stabilize the peso, but under tough conditions. Chicago stockbroker Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon, landing in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada. - One year ago Secretary of State Madeleine Albright reported little progress toward a Kosovo peace settlement during talks in Rambouillet, France. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy is 73. - Movie director Bob Rafelson is 67. - Singer Nina Simone is 67. - Actress Rue McClanahan is 66. - Actor Gary Lockwood is 63. - Actor-director Richard Beymer is 61. - Actor Peter McEnery is 60. - Recording executive David Geffen is 57. - Actor Alan Rickman is 54. - Actress Tyne Daly is 54. - Tricia Nixon Cox is 54. - Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) is 53. - Rock musician Jerry Harrison (The Heads) is 51. - Actor William Petersen is 47. - Actor Kelsey Grammer is 45. - Country singer Mary-Chapin Carpenter is 42. - Actor Jack Coleman is 42. - Actor Christopher Atkins is 39. - Rock singer Ranking Roger is 39. - Actor William Baldwin is 37. - Blues musician Corey Harris is 31. - Rock musician Eric Wilson (Sublime) is 30. - Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt is 21. - Singer Charlotte Church is 14.

22 Today is Monday, Feb. 22, the 53nd day of 1999. There are 312 days left in the year. - On Feb. 22, 1732, the first U.S. president, George Washington, was born at his parents' plantation in the Virginia Colony. - In 1784, a U.S. merchant ship, the "Empress of China," left New York City for the Far East. - In 1819, Spain ceded Florida to the U.S. - In 1865, Tennessee adopted a new constitution abolishing slavery. - In 1879, Frank Winfield Woolworth opened a five-cent store in Utica, N.Y. - In 1889, President Cleveland signed a bill to admit the Dakotas, Montana and Washington state to the Union. - In 1892, "Lady Windermere's Fan" by Oscar Wilde was first performed, at London's St. James's Theater. - In 1924, Calvin Coolidge delivered the first presidential radio broadcast from the White House. - In 1973, the U.S. and Communist China agreed to establish liaison offices. - In 1980, in a stunning upset, the U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviets at Lake Placid, N.Y., 4-3. - In 1987, pop artist Andy Warhol died at a New York City hospital at age 58. - Ten years ago: Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini, who had sentenced author Salman Rushdie to death, said economic sanctions would not change his stance, and that publication of Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" was a sign from God that Iran should not reach out to the West. - Five years ago: The Justice Department charged 31-year CIA veteran Aldrich Ames and his wife, Rosario, with selling national security secrets to the Soviet Union. (Ames was later sentenced to life in prison; his wife received a 5-year term.) - One year ago: Abraham A. Ribicoff, the former Connecticut governor and senator who served as President Kennedy's secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, died in Riverdale, N.Y., at age 87. The Czech Republic defeated Russia 1-0 to win men's hockey as the Nagano Winter Olympics came to a close. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Sir John Mills is 91. - Announcer Don Pardo is 81. - Actor Paul Dooley is 71. - Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., is 67. - Singer Ernie K-Doe is 63. - Movie director Jonathan Demme is 55. - Actress Ellen Greene is 49. - Actress Miou-Miou is 49. - Actress Julie Walters is 49. - Basketball Hall-of-Famer Julius Erving is 49. - Actor Kyle MacLachlan is 40. - Actress-singer Lea Salonga is 28. - Actor Jose Solano ("Baywatch") is 28. - Tennis player Michael Chang is 27. - Actress Drew Barrymore is 24. Today is Tuesday, Feb. 22, the 53rd day of 2000. There are 313 days left in the year. - Twenty years ago, on Feb. 22, 1980, the United States Olympic hockey team upset the Soviets at Lake Placid, N.Y., 4-3. (The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.) - In 1732 the first president of the United States, George Washington, was born at his parents' plantation in the Virginia Colony. - In 1819 Spain ceded Florida to the United States. - In 1865 Tennessee adopted a new constitution abolishing slavery. - In 1879 Frank Winfield Woolworth opened a five-cent store in Utica, N.Y. - In 1889 President Cleveland signed a bill to admit the Dakotas, Montana and Washington state to the Union. - In 1892 "Lady Windermere's Fan" by Oscar Wilde was first performed at London's St. James's Theater. - In 1924 Calvin Coolidge delivered the first presidential radio broadcast from the White House. - In 1934 the romantic comedy "It Happened One Night" starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert opened at New York's Radio City Music Hall. - In 1973 the United States and Communist China agreed to establish liaison offices. - In 1987 pop artist Andy Warhol died at a New York City hospital at age 58. - Ten years ago former President Reagan's videotaped testimony for the trial of former national security adviser John Poindexter was released in Washington; in his deposition, Reagan said he never had "any inkling" his aides were secretly arming the Nicaraguan Contras. - Five years ago France accused four American diplomats and a fifth U.S. citizen of spying, and asked them to leave the country. Security forces in Algiers crushed a prison uprising by Islamic extremists, resulting in 96 deaths by official count. - One year ago Levi Strauss, falling victim to a fashion generation gap, announced it was closing 11 plants. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Sir John Mills is 92. - Announcer Don Pardo is 82. - Actor Paul Dooley is 72. - Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) is 68. - Singer Ernie K-Doe is 64. - Movie director Jonathan Demme is 56. - Actor John Ashton is 52. - Actress Ellen Greene is 50. - Actress Miou-Miou is 50. - Actress Julie Walters is 50. - Basketball Hall-of-Famer Julius Erving is 50. - Actor Kyle MacLachlan is 41. - Actress Jeri Ryan ("Star Trek: Voyager") is 32. - Actress-singer Lea Salonga is 29. - Actor Jose Solano ("Baywatch") is 29. - Tennis player Michael Chang is 28. - Actress Drew Barrymore is 25.

23 Today is Tuesday, Feb. 23, the 54nd day of 1999. There are 311 days left in the year. - On Feb. 23, 1945, U.S. Marines on Iwo Jima captured Mount Suribachi, where they raised the American flag. - In 1822, Boston was granted a charter to incorporate as a city. - In 1836, the siege of the Alamo began in San Antonio, Texas. - In 1847, U.S. troops under Gen. Zachary Taylor defeated Mexican Gen. Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista in Mexico. - In 1848, the sixth president of the United States, John Quincy Adams, died of a stroke at age 80. - In 1861, President-elect Lincoln arrived secretly in Washington to take office after an assassination plot was foiled in Baltimore. - In 1870, Mississippi was re-admitted to the Union. - In 1905, the Rotary Club was founded. - In 1927, President Coolidge signed a bill creating the Federal Radio Commission, forerunner of the Federal Communications Commission. - In 1954, the first mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine began in Pittsburgh. - In 1965, Stan Laurel, the "skinny" half of the Laurel and Hardy comedy team, died in Santa Monica, Calif. - In 1997, scientists in Scotland announced they had succeeded in cloning an adult mammal, producing a lamb named "Dolly." - Ten years ago: The Senate Armed Services Committee voted against recommending the nomination of John Tower to become secretary of defense. - Five years ago: Military chiefs of Bosnia's Muslim-led government and their second-strongest foes, Bosnia's Croats, signed a truce. Russia's new parliament took a swipe at President Boris Yeltsin by granting amnesty to leaders of the 1991 Soviet coup and the hard-liners who'd fought him in 1993. Nancy Kerrigan led the women's figure skating short program at the Winter Olympics in Norway, while Tonya Harding placed tenth. - One year ago: Forty-two people were killed and some 2,600 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed by tornadoes in central Florida. President Clinton gave cautious approval to a U.N. agreement reached by Secretary-General Kofi Annan with Saddam Hussein for monitoring suspected weapons sites in Iraq. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Peter Fonda is 59. - Singer-musician Johnny Winter is 55. - South African activist Allan Boesak is 54. - Country-rock musician Rusty Young is 53. - Actress Patricia Richardson ("Home Improvement") is 48. - Rock musician Brad Whitford (Aerosmith) is 47. - Singer Howard Jones is 44. - Rock musician Michael Wilton (Queensryche) is 37. - Tennis player Helena Sukova is 34. - Rock musician Jeff Beres (Sister Hazel) is 28. - Rock musician Lasse Johansson (The Cardigans) is 26. Today is Wednesday, Feb. 23, the 54th day of 2000. There are 312 days left in the year. - On Feb. 23, 1945, during World War II, U.S. Marines on Iwo Jima captured Mount Suribachi, where they raised the American flag. - In 1822 Boston was granted a charter to incorporate as a city. - In 1836 the siege of the Alamo began in San Antonio, Texas. - In 1847 U.S. troops under Gen. Zachary Taylor defeated Mexican Gen. Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista in Mexico. - In 1848 the sixth president of the United States, John Quincy Adams, died of a stroke at age 80. - In 1861 President-elect Lincoln arrived secretly in Washington to take office, an assassination plot having been foiled in Baltimore. - In 1870 Mississippi was readmitted to the Union. - In 1927 President Coolidge signed a bill creating the Federal Radio Commission, forerunner of the Federal Communications Commission. - In 1954 the first mass inoculation of children with the Salk polio vaccine began in Pittsburgh. - In 1965 Stan Laurel, the "skinny" half of the Laurel and Hardy comedy team, died in Santa Monica, Calif. - In 1997 scientists in Scotland announced they had succeeded in cloning an adult mammal, producing a lamb named "Dolly." - Ten years ago former Salvadoran President Jose Napoleon Duarte died at age 64. - Five years ago the Dow Jones industrial average closed above the 4,000 mark for the first time, ending the day at 4,003.33. Administration officials said President Clinton would review dozens of affirmative action programs. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter arrived in Haiti to help prepare for peaceful elections. - One year ago a jury in Jasper, Texas convicted white supremacist John William King of murder in the gruesome dragging death of a black man, James Byrd Jr.; King was sentenced to death two days later. Serbs agreed in principle to give limited self-rule to majority ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, thereby temporarily heading off NATO air strikes, but during their talks in Rambouillet, France, the two sides failed to conclude a deal for ending their yearlong conflict. The first of two avalanches that claimed 38 lives over two days struck in Austria. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Peter Fonda is 60. - Singer-musician Johnny Winter is 56. - South African activist Allan Boesak is 55. - Country-rock musician Rusty Young is 54. - Actress Patricia Richardson is 49. - Rock musician Brad Whitford (Aerosmith) is 48. - Singer Howard Jones is 45. - Rock musician Michael Wilton (Queensryche) is 38. - Actress Kristin Davis is 35. - Tennis player Helena Sukova is 35. - Actor Marc Price is 32. - Rock musician Jeff Beres (Sister Hazel) is 29. - Rock musician Lasse Johansson (The Cardigans) is 27.

24 On Feb. 24, 1868, the House of Representatives impeached President Andrew Johnson following his attempted dismissal of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton; Johnson was later acquitted by the Senate. - In 1803, the Supreme Court ruled itself the final interpreter of constitutional issues. - In 1821, Mexico declared its independence from Spain. - In 1863, Arizona was organized as a territory. - In 1903, the United States signed an agreement acquiring a naval station at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. - In 1942, the Voice of America went on the air for the first time. - In 1945, American soldiers liberated the Philippine capital of Manila from Japanese control. - In 1955, the Cole Porter musical "Silk Stockings" opened at the Imperial Theater on Broadway. - In 1980, the U.S. hockey team defeated Finland, 4-2, to clinch the gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. - In 1981, Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Britain's Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer. - In 1983, a congressional commission released a report condemning the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II as a "grave injustice." - In 1988, in a ruling that expanded legal protections for parody and satire, the Supreme Court overturned a $200,000 award that Rev. Jerry Falwell had won against Hustler magazine and publisher Larry Flynt. - Ten years ago: A state funeral was held in Japan for Emperor Hirohito, who died the month before at age 87. A cargo door blew off a United Air Lines Boeing 747-100 flying near Hawaii; the explosive release of pressure pulled nine passengers to their deaths. - Five years ago: Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders labeled smoking an "adolescent addiction" and accused the tobacco industry of trying to convince teen-agers that cigarettes will make them sexy and successful. Entertainer Dinah Shore died in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 76. - One year ago: Henny Youngman, a tireless comic who quipped "Take my wife - please" and countless other one-liners during a career that spanned seven decades, died in New York City at age 91. *** Today's Birthdays - Actor Abe Vigoda is 78. - Actor Steven Hill ("Law and Order") is 77. - Actor Richard B. Shull is 70. - Movie composer Michel Legrand is 67. - Actor John Vernon is 67. - Opera singer Renata Scotto is 64. - Actor Barry Bostwick is 54. - Actor Edward James Olmos is 52. - Singer-writer-producer Rupert Holmes is 52. - Country singer Sammy Kershaw is 41. - Singer Michelle Shocked is 37. - Actor Billy Zane is 33. Today is Thursday, Feb. 24, the 55th day of 2000. There are 311 days left in the year. - On Feb. 24, 1868, the House of Representatives impeached President Andrew Johnson following his attempt to dismiss Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. Johnson was later acquitted by the Senate. - In 1821 Mexico declared its independence from Spain. - In 1863 Arizona was organized as a territory. - In 1903 the United States signed an agreement acquiring a naval station at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. - In 1920 a fledgling German political party held its first meeting of importance in Munich. It became known as the Nazi Party, and its chief spokesman was Adolf Hitler. - In 1945 American soldiers liberated the Philippine capital of Manila from Japanese control during World War II. - In 1955 the Cole Porter musical "Silk Stockings" opened at the Imperial Theater on Broadway. - In 1980 the U.S. hockey team defeated Finland 4-2 to clinch the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y. - In 1981 Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Britain's Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer. - In 1983 a congressional commission condemned the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II as a "grave injustice." - In 1989 a state funeral was held in Japan for Emperor Hirohito, who had died the month before at age 87. - Ten years ago magazine publisher Malcolm Forbes died in Far Hills, N.J. at age 70; Balladeer Johnnie Ray died in Los Angeles at age 63. - Five years ago under pressure from farm-state Republicans, House leaders abandoned a campaign promise to disband food stamps. - One year ago the Senate voted overwhelmingly to give the nation's military the biggest benefits increase since the early 1980s; Lauryn Hill won a record five Grammys, including album of the year and best new artist, for her solo debut, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Abe Vigoda is 79. - Actor Steven Hill is 78. - Movie composer Michel Legrand is 68. - Actor John Vernon is 68. - Opera singer Renata Scotto is 65. - Actor James Farentino is 62. - Actor Barry Bostwick is 55. - Actor Edward James Olmos is 53. - Singer-writer-producer Rupert Holmes is 53. - Fox News anchor Paula Zahn is 44. - Country singer Sammy Kershaw is 42. - Singer Michelle Shocked is 38. - Actor Billy Zane is 34. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Brandon Brown (Mista) is 17.

25 On Feb. 25, 1793, department heads of the U.S. government met with President Washington at his home for the first Cabinet meeting on record. - In 1836, inventor Samuel Colt patented his revolver. - In 1899, Paul Julius Reuter, founder of the British news agency that bears his name, died in Nice, France. - In 1919, Oregon became the first state to tax gasoline. - In 1948, Communists seized power in Czechoslovakia. - In 1950, "Your Show of Shows" made its debut on NBC. - In 1986, In the wake of a tainted election, President Ferdinand Marcos fled the Philippines after 20 years of rule ; Corazon Aquino assumed the presidency. - In 1990, Nicaraguans went to the polls in an upset election victory for opponents of the ruling Sandinistas. - In 1991, during the Persian Gulf War, 28 Americans were killed when an Iraqi Scud missile hit a U.S. barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. - Ten years ago: President Bush left Japan, where he had attended the funeral of Emperor Hirohito, and arrived in China for a three-day visit. - Five years ago: American-born Jewish settler Baruch Goldstein opened fire with an automatic rifle inside the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank, killing 29 Muslims before he was beaten to death by worshippers. At the Winter Olympics in Norway, Oksana Baiul of Ukraine won the gold medal in ladies' figure skating while Nancy Kerrigan won the silver and Chen Lu of China the bronze; Tonya Harding came in eighth. - One year ago: The Supreme Court threw out a 16-year-old government rule that allowed company credit unions to accept members from other companies. Kim Dae-jung, once South Korea's leading dissident, was inaugurated as its president. At the Grammy Awards, Bob Dylan won best album and best contemporary folk album for "Time Out of Mind" while Shawn Colvin won song and record of the year for "Sunny Came Home." *** Today's Birthdays - Producer-writer Larry Gelbart is 71. - Musician Tommy Newsom is 70. - Actor Tom Courtenay is 62. - CBS newsman Bob Schieffer is 62. - Rock singer-musician George Harrison is 56. - Talk show host Sally Jessy Raphael is 56. - Movie director Neil Jordan is 49. - Rock singer-musician Mike Peters (The Alarm) is 40. - Actress Veronica Webb is 34. - Actress Tea Leoni is 33. - Actor Sean Astin is 28. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Justin Jeffre (98 Degrees) is 26.

26 On Feb. 26, 1919, Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. - In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from the Island of Elba to begin his second conquest of France. - In 1848, the Second French Republic was proclaimed. - In 1929, President Coolidge signed a measure establishing Grand Teton National Park. - In 1945, a midnight curfew on night clubs, bars and other places of entertainment was set to go into effect across the nation. - In 1952, Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced that Britain had developed its own atomic bomb. - In 1979, a total solar eclipse cast a moving shadow 175 miles wide from Oregon to North Dakota before moving into Canada. - In 1987, the Tower Commission, which probed the Iran-Contra affair, issued a report that rebuked President Reagan for failing to control his national security staff. - In 1991, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein announced on Baghdad Radio that he had ordered his forces to withdraw from Kuwait. - In 1993, a bomb built by a group of Islamic extremists exploded in the parking garage of New York's World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others. - Ten years ago: President Bush's visit to China was marred by the refusal of Chinese authorities to allow dissident Fang Lizhi to attend a banquet hosted by Bush. Defense Secretary-designate John Tower, dogged by questions about a possible drinking problem, publicly pledged not to drink any alcohol during his term of office if confirmed by the Senate. - Five years ago: A jury in San Antonio acquitted 11 followers of David Koresh of murder, rejecting claims they had ambushed federal agents; five were convicted of manslaughter. - One year ago: A jury in Amarillo, Texas, rejected an $11 million lawsuit brought by Texas cattlemen who blamed Oprah Winfrey's talk show for a price fall after a segment on food safety that included a discussion about mad-cow disease. *** Today's Birthdays - Actor Mason Adams is 80. - Actor Tony Randall is 79. - Actress Betty Hutton is 78. - Singer Fats Domino is 71. - Political columnist Robert Novak is 68. - Singer Johnny Cash is 67. - Country-rock musician Paul Cotton (Poco) is 56. - Actor-director Bill Duke is 56. - Singer Mitch Ryder is 54. - Singer Michael Bolton is 46. - Actress Jennifer Grant is 33. - Singer Erykah Badu is 28. Today is Saturday, Feb. 26, the 57th day of 2000. There are 309 days left in the year. - On Feb. 26, 1993, a bomb built by Islamic extremists exploded in the parking garage of New York's World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000. - In 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from the Island of Elba to begin his second conquest of France. - In 1848 the Second French Republic was proclaimed. - In 1919 Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. - In 1929 President Coolidge signed a measure establishing Grand Teton National Park. - In 1940 the United States Air Defense Command was created. - In 1945 a midnight curfew on night clubs, bars and other places of entertainment was set to go into effect across the nation. - In 1951 the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms of office, was ratified. - In 1952 Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced that Britain had developed its own atomic bomb. - In 1979 a total solar eclipse cast a moving shadow 175 miles wide from Oregon to North Dakota before moving into Canada. - In 1987 the Tower Commission, which probed the Iran-Contra affair, issued its report, which rebuked President Reagan for failing to control his national security staff. - Ten years ago Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega conceded defeat to his opponent, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, in a stunning election upset. - Five years ago the United States and China averted a trade war by signing a comprehensive agreement. Barings PLC, Britain's oldest investment banking firm, collapsed after Nick Leeson, a 28-year-old securities dealer, lost over $1.4 billion by gambling on Tokyo stock prices. - One year ago President Clinton, outlining foreign policy goals for the final two years of his administration, urged continued American engagement in the quest for peace and freedom abroad. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Mason Adams is 81. - Actor Tony Randall is 80. - Actress Betty Hutton is 79. - Singer Fats Domino is 72. - Political columnist Robert Novak is 69. - Singer Johnny Cash is 68. - Country-rock musician Paul Cotton (Poco) is 57. - Actor-director Bill Duke is 57. - Singer Mitch Ryder is 55. - Rock musician Jonathan Cain (Journey) is 50. - Singer Michael Bolton is 47. - Actress Jennifer Grant is 34. - Singer Erykah Badu is 29. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Rico Wade (Society of Soul) is 28.

27 On Feb. 27, 1933, Germany's parliament building, the Reichstag, caught fire. Blaming the Communists, the Nazis used the fire as a pretext for suspending civil liberties. - In 1801, the District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress. - In 1807, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine. - In 1861, in Warsaw, Russian troops fired on a crowd protesting Russian rule over Poland; five marchers were killed. - In 1922, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the 19th Amendment to the Constitution that guaranteed the right of women to vote. - In 1939, the Supreme Court outlawed sit-down strikes. - In 1972, President Nixon and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai issued the Shanghai Communique at the conclusion of Nixon's historic visit to China. - In 1973, members of the American Indian Movement occupied the hamlet of Wounded Knee in South Dakota, the site of the 1890 massacre of Sioux men, women and children. (The occupation lasted until May.) - In 1979, Jane M. Byrne confounded Chicago's Democratic political machine as she upset Mayor Michael A. Bilandic to win their party's mayoral primary. (Byrne went on to win the election.) - In 1982, Wayne B. Williams was found guilty of murdering two of the 28 young blacks whose bodies were found in the Atlanta area over a 22-month period. - In 1997, divorce became legal in Ireland. - Ten years ago: President Bush warned of what he called the "fool's gold" of trade protectionism as he addressed South Korea's National Assembly before returning home. - Five years ago: The Winter Olympic Games ended in Lillehammer, Norway. - One year ago: With the approval of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's House of Lords agreed to end 1,000 years of male preference by giving a monarch's first-born daughter the same claim to the throne as any first-born son. *** Today's Birthdays - Actress Joanne Woodward is 69. - Actress Elizabeth Taylor is 67. - Consumer advocate Ralph Nader is 65. - Actress Barbara Babcock is 62. - Actor Howard Hesseman is 59. - Basketball player James Worthy is 38. - Actor Adam Baldwin is 37. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Chilli (TLC) is 28. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Roderick Clark is 26. - Chelsea Clinton is 19. Today is Sunday, Feb. 27, the 58th day of 2000. There are 308 days left in the year. - On Feb. 27, 1960, the U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviets, 3-2, at the Winter Games in Squaw Valley, Calif. (The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.) - In 1801 the District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress. - In 1807 the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine. - In 1861 in Warsaw, Russian troops fired on a crowd protesting Russian rule over Poland; five marchers were killed. - In 1922 the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the 19th Amendment to the Constitution that guaranteed the right of women to vote. - In 1933 Germany's parliament building, the Reichstag, caught fire. The Nazis, blaming the Communists, used the fire as a pretext for suspending civil liberties. - In 1939 the Supreme Court outlawed sit-down strikes. - In 1972 President Nixon and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai issued the Shanghai Communique at the conclusion of Nixon's historic visit to China. - In 1973 members of the American Indian Movement occupied the hamlet of Wounded Knee in South Dakota, the site of the 1890 massacre of Sioux men, women and children. (The occupation lasted until May.) - In 1982 Wayne B. Williams was found guilty of murdering two of the 28 young blacks whose bodies were found in the Atlanta area over a 22-month period. - In 1997 divorce became legal in Ireland. - Ten years ago the Supreme Court ruled that prison officials could force inmates to take powerful anti-psychotic drugs without a judge's consent. - Five years ago court-appointed salvagers swarmed into Britain's oldest investment bank to evaluate the remaining assets of Barings PLC after Nick Leeson, a 28-year-old trader, ruined the firm by gambling on Tokyo stock prices. - One year ago the Rev. Henry Lyons, president of the National Baptist Convention USA, was convicted in Largo, Fla., of swindling millions of dollars from companies seeking to do business with his followers. Nigerians voted to elect Olusegun Obasanjo their new president as the country marked the final phase of its return to democracy. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actress Joanne Woodward is 70. - Actress Elizabeth Taylor is 68. - Consumer advocate Ralph Nader is 66. - Actress Barbara Babcock is 63. - Actor Howard Hesseman is 60. - Actress Debra Monk is 51. - Musician Paul Humphreys (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) is 40. - Basketball player James Worthy is 39. - Actor Adam Baldwin is 38. - Actor Grant Show is 38. - Rock musician Mike Cross (Sponge) is 35. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Chilli (TLC) is 29. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Roderick Clark is 27. - Chelsea Clinton is 20. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Bobby Wilson (Mista) is 20.

28 Today is Sunday, Feb. 28, the 59th day of 1999. There are 306 days left in the year. - 1827: The first U.S. railroad chartered to carry passengers and freight, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, was incorporated. - 1844: A 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded, killing Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Navy Secretary Thomas W. Gilmer and several others. - 1861: The Territory of Colorado was organized. - 1940: The first televised college basketball games were broadcast by New York City station W2XBS. Pittsburgh defeated Fordham, 57-37, and New York University beat Georgetown, 50-27, at Madison Square Garden. - 1951: The Senate committee headed by Estes Kefauver, D-Tenn., issued a preliminary report saying at least two major crime syndicates were operating in the US. - 1974: The U.S. and Egypt re-established diplomatic relations after a seven-year break. - 1983: "M*A*S*H" ended after 11 seasons on CBS with a special 2 1/2-hour finale that was watched by an estimated 121.6 million people. - 1986: Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme was shot to death in central Stockholm while walking from a movie theater with his wife, Lisbeth. - 1993: A gun battle erupted at a compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to serve warrants on the Branch Davidians; four agents and six Davidians were killed as a 51-day standoff began. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Mario Andretti, 58, auto racer - Stephanie Beacham, 51, actress - Frank Bonner, 56, actor, "WKRP in Cincinnati" - Rae Dawn Chong, 37, actress - Robert Sean Leonard, 29, actor, "Dead Poets Society" - Gavin MacLeod, 67, actor, "The Love Boat," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" - Bernadette Peters, 50, actress/singer - Mercedes Ruehl, 50, actress, "The Fisher King" - "Bubba" Smith, 53, NFL tackle/actor - Tommy Tune, 59, actor/dancer - John Turturro, 40, actor, "Quiz Show" Today is Monday, Feb. 28th, the 59th day of 2000. There are 307 days left in the year. - On Feb. 28, 1854, some 50 slavery opponents met in Ripon, Wis., to call for creation of a new political group, which became the Republican Party. - In 1827 the first U.S. railroad chartered to carry passengers and freight, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Co., was incorporated. - In 1844 a 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded, killing Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Navy Secretary Thomas W. Gilmer and several others. - In 1849 the ship California arrived at San Francisco, carrying the first of the gold-seekers. - In 1861 the Territory of Colorado was organized. - In 1940 the first televised college basketball games were broadcast, by New York City station W2XBS, as Pittsburgh defeated Fordham, 57-37, and New York University beat Georgetown, 50-27, at Madison Square Garden. - In 1974 the United States and Egypt re-established diplomatic relations after a seven-year break. - In 1975 more than 40 people were killed in London's Underground when a subway train smashed into the end of a tunnel. - In 1986 Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot to death in central Stockholm. - In 1993 a gun battle erupted at a compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to serve warrants on the Branch Davidians; four agents and six Davidians were killed as a 51-day standoff began. - Ten years ago space shuttle Atlantis blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla. on a secret mission to place a spy satellite in orbit. - Five years ago U.S. Marines swept ashore in Somalia to protect retreating U.N. peacekeepers. Denver International Airport opened after 16 months of delays and $3.2 billion in budget overruns. - One year ago guerrillas detonated two bombs beside a military convoy in southern Lebanon, killing a brigadier general and three other Israelis; Israel retaliated with air raids on suspected guerrilla hideouts. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actress Billie Bird is 92. - Actor Charles Durning is 77. - Svetlana Alliluyeva, daughter of Josef Stalin, is 74. - Actor Gavin MacLeod is 69. - Actor Don Francks is 68. - Actor-director-dancer Tommy Tune is 61. - Auto racer Mario Andretti is 60. - Singer Joe South is 60. - Actor Frank Bonner is 58. - Football player Bubba Smith is 55. - Actress Stephanie Beacham is 53. - Actress Mercedes Ruehl is 52. - Actress Bernadette Peters is 52. - Basketball player Adrian Dantley is 44. - Actor John Turturro is 43. - Rock singer Cindy Wilson (formerly of B52s) is 43. - Actress Rae Dawn Chong is 39. - Actor Robert Sean Leonard is 31. - Actress Maxine Bahns is 29.

29 Today is Tuesday, Feb. 29, the 60th day of 2000. There are 306 days left in the year. This is Leap Day. - On Feb. 29, 1940, "Gone with the Wind" won eight Academy Awards, including best picture of 1939. - In 1504 Christopher Columbus, stranded in Jamaica during his fourth voyage to the West, used a correctly predicted lunar eclipse to frighten hostile natives into providing food for his crew. - In 1792 the composer Gioacchino Antonio Rossini was born in Pesaro, Italy. - In 1796 President Washington proclaimed Jay's Treaty in effect; it settled some outstanding differences with Great Britain. - In 1904 President Theodore Roosevelt appointed a seven-member commission to hasten completion of the Panama Canal. - In 1956 President Eisenhower announced he would seek a second term of office. - In 1960s the first Playboy Club, featuring waitresses clad in "bunny" outfits, opened in Chicago. (Hugh Hefner closed the corporate-owned clubs in 1986, calling them "passe.") - In 1968 the discovery of the first "pulsar," a star which emits regular radio waves, was announced by Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell at Cambridge, England. - In 1968 President Johnson's National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (also known as the Kerner Commission) warned that racism was causing America to move "toward two societies, one black, one white - separate and unequal." In 1980, former Israeli foreign minister Yigal Allon, who had played an important role in the Jewish state's fight for independence, died at age 61. - In 1984 Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau announced he was stepping down after more than 15 years in power. - Twelve years ago South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other religious leaders were arrested while kneeling near Parliament with a petition against government bans on anti-apartheid "groups. (All were freed hours later.) - Eight years ago Muslims and Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina began of casting ballots in an independence referendum; Serbs boycotted the vote, calling it illegal. - Four years ago a about 30 television and entertainment industry executives met with President Clinton at the White House, where they promised to devise a TV ratings system. Daniel Green was convicted in Lumberton, N.C., of murdering James R. Jordan, the father of basketball star Michael Jordan, during a 1993 roadside holdup. (Green was sentenced to life in prison; an accomplice who had testified against him, Larry Demery, is also serving a life sentence.) A Peruvian commercial jetliner crashed in the Andes, killing all 123 people on board. *Happy Birthdays - Actress Michele Morgan is 80. - Actor Arthur Franz is 80. - Actor James Mitchell is 80. - Actor Joss Ackland is 72. - Actor Alex Rocco is 64. - Former space shuttle astronaut Jack Lousma is 64. - Actor Dennis Farina is 56. - Actress Phyllis Frelich is 56. - Actor Antonio Sabato Junior is 28.