THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Today is Thursday, February 23, the 54th day of 2012. There are 312 days left in the year.

1455 ― Johannes Gutenberg prints first book, the Bible (estimated date)

1792 ― Joseph Haydn's 94th Symphony in G, premieres

1836 ― Alamo besieged by Santa Anna; entire garrison eventually killed

1861 ― President-elect Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington, D.C. to take office

1886 ― Aluminum manufacturing process developed

1886 ― London Times publishes world's first classified ad

1898 ― In France, Emile Zola is imprisoned for writing his ``J'accuse" letter accusing government of anti-Semitism and wrongly jailing Alfred Dreyfus

1917 ― February revolution begins in Russia

1919 ― Benito Mussolini founds the Fascist party of Italy

1997 ― Scientists in Scotland announced they succeeded in cloning an adult mammal, producing a lamb named ``Dolly"