FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Today is Friday, December 30, the 364th day of 2011. There are one day left in the year.

1621 ― English king James I cracks Protestation of Parliament

1911 ― Sun Yat-sen elected first President of Republic of China

1927 ― Japan dedicates first subway in the Orient (route under 2 miles long)

1938 ― Electronic television system patented by V. K. Zworykin

1950 ― Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia become independent states in France Union

1972 ― President Nixon halts bombing of North Vietnam and announces peace talks

1973 ― First picture of a comet from space (Comet Kohoutek-Skylab)

1974 ― Beatles are legally disbanded (four years after suit was brought)

1988 ― Canadian Senate OK's free trade pact; with U.S.

1993 ― Vatican recognizes Israel