Today is Tuesday, January 17, the 17th day of 2012. There are 349 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)
1904 ― Anton Chekhov's ``The Cherry Orchard" opens at the Moscow Art Theater
1929 ― Popeye makes first appearance, in comic strip ``Thimble Theatre"
1945 ― Liberation of Warsaw by Soviet troops (end of Nazi occupation)
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
1990 ― Who, Simon & Garfunkel, Four Seasons, Four Tops, Hank Ballard, Platters & Kinks inducted into Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
1998 ― President Clinton faces sexual harassment charges from Paula Jones