• Today is Barbie Day, marking this date in 1959 when the
doll went on sale in the U.S. More than 900-million Barbies have
been sold, and still sell at the rate of about 120 dolls a
minute.
• Today is Panic Day, sponsored by the Wellness Permission League of
Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a group that encourages you to run around today in a
panic and tell everyone you can’t take it anymore (wellcat.com).
•
Today is Ash Wednesday, the
beginning of Lent. Most Christian churches observe a period of
fasting and penitence beginning today and continuing until the
Saturday before Easter.
•
Today is Learn What Your Name Means Day. Go
ahead. Look it up. Online or at the Library.
•
Today is "Family" Day, marking the debut of the TV drama on this date in 1976.
It starred Sada Thompson, James Broderick, Gary Frank, and Kristy McNichol.
•
Today is False Teeth Day. On March 9th, 1822, Charles Graham, a New York dentist, received
a patent for false teeth.
On this date in . . .
1562: Kissing in public was banned
in Naples, Italy. Violators could be put to death.
1858: Albert Potts of Philadelphia patented the
street letter box, an idea the Post Office liked very much.
1961: A Soviet dog named Blackie became the first
animal to return alive from outer space aboard the spacecraft Sputnik-9. The dog
Laika that orbited the earth in Sputnik-2 did not return alive.
1964: The U.S. Supreme Court, in its New
York Times v. Sullivan decision, ruled that public officials who charged libel could not
recover damages for defamatory statements related to their official duties unless they
proved actual malice on the part of the news organization.
1964: The first Mustang rolled off of the
Ford assembly line.
1969: CBS-TV cancelled "The Smothers Brothers
Comedy Hour," indicating that though the show’s irreverent comedy had high
ratings, it was more trouble than it was worth. The replacement was called "Hee
Haw."
1984: Two 78-year-old burglars were caught in Sao
Paulo, Brazil, when the occupants of the house returned unexpectedly. The lookout sounded
a warning, but his partner inside was too deaf the hear.
1986: "Steady Eddy" Wolf of Loyal,
Wisconsin, took 27 steps in Yokohama, Japan, on aluminum stilts 40 feet 6 inches tall.
Each stilt weighed 55 pounds.
1987: History's largest piece of furniture was
completed by 800 builders on Masuhoura Beach at Ishikawa, Japan. It is a bench 1,512 feet
long that seats 1,400 people.
1987: Carole King was inducted into the Songwriters
Hall of Fame in New York City.
1988: Singer Andy Gibb, the younger brother of the
Bee Gees, died at age 30. Official cause of death was heart failure.
1999: A 48-year-old Massachusetts man, already
convicted four times of DWI and driving with a suspended license, hit a car driven by the
state director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The man’s alcohol level was twice
the legal limit, but he pleaded not guilty to DWI charges and was released without bond.
2000: Jeff Fredrick of La Crosse won his
sixth Wisconsin turkey calling contest in seven years. Jeff's mom said her son was such a
good caller, real turkeys tried to imitate him.
2005:
Dan Rather signed off for the
last time as principal anchorman of "The CBS Evening News."
2006:
Scientists reported finding evidence of water on a Saturn moon.
Birthdays:
