Today is Wednesday, February 11, the 42nd day of 2009. There are 323 days left in the year.
0660 B.C. _ Traditional founding of Japan by Emperor Jimmu Tenno
1808 _ Anthracite coal first burned as fuel, experimentally, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
1810 _ Napoleon marries Marie-Louise of Austria
1812 _ Massachusetts Gov. Gerry signs a redistricting bill _ the first ``gerrymander"
1814 _ Norway's independence proclaimed
1896 _ Oscar Wildes ``Salome" premieres in Paris
1963 _ Beatles tape 10 tracks for their first album, including ``Please, Please Me"
1975 _ Margaret Thatcher defeats Edward Heath for Conservative leadership
1991 _ UNPO, Unrepresented Nations & People Organization forms in Hague Netherlands
1999 _ Pluto is once again the farthest planet from the sun in our solar system