Today is Friday, April 8, the 98th day of 2011. There are 267 days left in the year.
1766 ― First fire escape patented, wicker basket on a pulley and chain
1781 ― Premiere of Mozart's violin sonata K379
1832 ― Charles Darwin begins trip through Rio de Janeiro
1879 ― Milk is sold in glass bottles for first time
1893 ― The Critic reports that the ice cream soda is our national drink
1913 ― Opening of China's first parliament takes place in Peking (now Beijing)
1968 ― 40th Academy Awards postponed to April 10th due to death of Martin Luther King Jr.
1985 ― India files suit against Union Carbide over Bhopal disaster
1989 ― One-handed pitcher Jim Abbott debuts and lasts 4 2/3 innings
1994 ― Smoking banned in Pentagon and all U.S. military bases