THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2011

Today is Thursday, December 22, the 356th day of 2011. There are nine days left in the year.

1870 ― Jules Janssen flies in a balloon in order to study a solar eclipse

1882 ― First string of Christmas tree lights created by Thomas Edison

1894 ― French officer Alfred Dreyfus court-martialed for treason, triggers worldwide charges of anti-Semitism (Dreyfus later vindicated)

1919 ― U.S. deports 250 alien radicals, including anarchist Emma Goldman

1963 ― Official 30-day mourning period for President John F. Kennedy ends

1984 ― Madonna's ``Like a Virgin" single goes No. 1 for six weeks

1989 ― After 23 years of dictatorial rule, Romania ousts Nicolae Ceausescu

1990 ― Lech Walesa sworn in as Poland's first popularly elected president

1992 ― Libyan MIG-23UB attacks Boeing 727 at Souk al-Sabt, 158 die

1994 ― Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi resigns