http://www.reference.com/thisday/ Holidays, historical events and births and deaths of notable people that occurred on this day. en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:03:12 -0800 Almanac This is the 38th day of the year, with 328 days remaining in 2012 Holidays Feast day of St. Luke the Younger, St. Theodore of Heraclea, St. Adaucus, St Moses, St. Richard, "King of the English," and St. Silvin. Holidays Grenada: Independence Day (from Great Britain, 1974). Holidays Italy: Feast of the Incappucciati. Events Edward Caernarvon (later King Edward II) became the first Prince of Wales. Events French danseuse Mme. Francisquy Hutin introduced ballet to the U.S. with a performance of "The Deserter" at the Bowery Theater. Events John L. Sullivan won the last bare-knuckle heavyweight boxing championship. Events The Great Baltimore Fire began when wind whipped a fire in the business district into a conflagration that engulfed a large part of the city by evening. More than 1,500 buildings were completely leveled, and another 1,000 severely damaged, with property loss an estimated $100 million. It was the biggest fire-related disaster since the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Events Congress granted statehood to Oklahoma. New Mexico and Arizona were the only remaining territories. Events Aviator Amelia Earhart married publisher George P. Putnam. Events The U.S. government announced that shoe rationing would go into effect, limiting consumers to buying three pairs per person for the remainder of the year. Events The main group of the Dead Sea Scrolls, dating to about 150 BC-AD 68, was found in caves by the Jordan River. Events General Dwight D. Eisenhower resigned as Army chief of staff; he was succeeded by General Omar Bradley. Events The Beatles began their first American tour, arriving at New York's Kennedy International Airport. Events Women in Switzerland won the right to vote. Events Title IX was passed, a U.S. law guaranteeing gender equality in federally-funded school programs, including athletics. Events The U.S. Senate voted to form an investigative committee to look into the Watergate break-in. Events U.S. Navy Captain Bruce McCandless became the first human being to fly untethered in space when he exited the U.S. space shuttle Challenger and maneuvered freely. Robert L. Stewart joined him in the feat. Events "Sports Illustrated" released its annual swimsuit edition. Events "New York, New York" became the official anthem of the Big Apple. Events Haitian President-for-Life Jean-Claude Duvalier fled his country, ending 28 years of his family's rule. Events The European Union was established upon the signing of the Maastricht Treaty of European Union. Events Ramzi Yousef, the alleged mastermind of the World Trade Center bombing, was arrested in Islamabad, Pakistan, after two years as a fugitive. Events Crown Prince Abdullah becomes the King of Jordan on the death of his father, King Hussein. Births John Deere, American farm equipment manufacturer. Births Charles Dickens, British novelist. Births Frederick Douglass, American abolitionist leader. Births Sir James Murray, Scottish lexicographer and editor. Births Laura Ingalls Wilder, American writer. Births Eubie Blake (James Hubert Blake), American pianist, writer. Births Sinclair Lewis, first American Nobel prize-winning author (1930). Births P'u-I (Pu Yi) (born Hsüan-T'ung), China's last emperor. Births Buster Crabbe, American Olympic Gold medal swimmer, actor. Births Garth Brooks American country music singer-songwriter. Births Chris Rock, American stand-up comedian and actor. Births Steve Nash, Canadian professional basketball player. Births Ashton Kutcher American actor, television producer, and former fashion model. Deaths Adolphe Sax, Belgian inventor of the saxophone. Deaths Josef Mengele, Nazi German SS officer and a physician in Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp. Deaths Jordan's King Hussein. Deaths Doug Henning, Canadian magician, illusionist, and escape artist. Deaths Dale Evans an American writer, film star, and singer-songwriter. She was the wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers.