Today is Saturday, February 12, the 43rd day of 2011. There are 322 days left in the year.
1818 ― Chile gains independence from Spain
1850 ― Original Washington's Farewell Address manuscript sells for $2,300
1877 ― First news dispatch by telephone, between Boston and Salem, Mass.
1912 ― Last Ching (Manchu) Emperor of China, Henry Pu-i, abdicates
1921 ― Winston Churchill becomes British, minister of Colonies
1924 ― George Gershwin's ``Rhapsody In Blue" premieres at Carnegie Hall (New York City)
1950 ― Senator Joe McCarthy claims to have list of 205 communist government employees
1950 ― Albert Einstein warns against hydrogen bomb
1982 ― Wayne Gretzky scores 153rd point of season, tying NHL record
1991 ― North and South Korea form a joint team for table tennis competition