Today is Saturday, January 17, the 17th day of 2009. There are 348 days left in the year.
1773 _ Captain James Cook becomes first to cross Antarctic Circle
1861 _ Flush toilet (with separate water tank and a pull chain) patented by Thomas Crapper (Honest!)
1904 _ Anton Chekhov's ``The Cherry Orchard" opens at the Moscow Art Theater
1929 _ Popeye makes first appearance, in comic strip "Thimble Theatre"
1945 _ Auschwitz concentration camp begins evacuation
1946 _ United Nations Security Council holds its first meeting
1951 _ China refuses ceasefire in Korea
1987 _ President Reagan signs secret order permitting covert sale of arms to Iran
1994 _ Liz Taylor released from the hospital after hip treatment
1998 _ President Clinton faces sexual harassment charges from Paula Jones