February 16, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Veronica Jones!

210 years ago
1804

War
A small group of men led by U.S. Navy officer Stephen Decatur set fire to and destroyed the U.S. frigate Philadelphia, captured and held by Barbary pirates at Tripoli during the Tripolitan War.

180 years ago
1834

Born on this date
Ernst Haeckel. German zoologist, naturalist, and eugenicist. Dr. Haeckel discovered, described and named thousands of new species, mapped a genealogical tree relating all life forms, and connected many terms in biology, including ecology, phylum, and phylogeny, but was primarily known for promoting and popularizing in Germany Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Dr. Haeckel was especially known for advocating the recapitulation theory--summed up by the phrase "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny"--which postulates that the development of the embryo of an animal, from fertilization to gestation or hatching (ontogeny), goes through stages resembling or representing successive adult stages in the evolution of the animal's remote ancestors (phylogeny). Dr. Haeckel published embryological drawings in support of the recapitulation theory which were heavily criticized by fellow academics as inaccurate. His work and views influenced the optimistic nationalism of the German Empire. Dr. Haeckel died on August 9, 1919 at the age of 85.

140 years ago
1874

Economics and finance
The silver dollar became legal U.S. tender.

130 years ago
1884

Born on this date
Robert Flaherty. U.S. film producer and director. Mr. Flaherty was a pioneer in making documentaries, and was known for films such as Nanook of the North (1922); Moana (1926); Man of Aran (1934); Louisiana Story (1948); and The Titan: Story of Michelangelo (1950). His wife Frances worked with him on several films. Mr. Flaherty died on July 23, 1951 at the age of 67.

100 years ago
1914

Baseball
The New York Giants and Chicago White Sox continued their post-season exhibition tour, with the White Sox winning 10-9 in Nice, France.

80 years ago
1934

War
The Austrian Civil War ended with the defeat of the Social Democrats and the Republican Schutzbund.

Politics and government
David Murray Anderson began presiding over the Newfoundland Commission; the Commission, appointed by Great Britain to govern Newfoundland, consisted of three Newfoundlanders and three non-Newfoundlanders.

70 years ago
1944

Died on this date
Dadasaheb Phalke, 73. Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter. Mr. Phalke was known as the "Father of Indian cinema," completing 95 feature films and 27 short films from 1913-1937. His first movie, Raja Harishchandra (1913), is officially recognized as the first Indian feature film. Mr. Phalke's last movie, Gangavataran (1937), was his only sound film.

Miller Reese Hutchison, 67. U.S. inventor. Mr. Hutchison was an electrical engineer who helped to develop some of the first portable electric devices, such as the "Acousticon" (a hearing aid), and the Klaxon horn.

Charles Hoey, 29. Canadian military officer. Major Hoey, a resident of Duncan, British Columbia serving with the British Army in Burma, was fatally wounded while capturing a Japanese position, earning the Victoria Cross posthumously.

War
A report of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities charged the Peace Now movement with seditious and treasonable activities in attempting to persuade U.S. servicemen to lay down their arms. In the heaviest allied attack on Berlin to date, nearly 1,000 U.K. Royal Air Force planes unloaded 2,500 tons of bombs in 30 minutes. U.S. bombers completed two days of raids on the abbey atop Monte Cassino, Italy, which German forces were using as a fortress. Soviet forces occupied more than 35 localities in their advance on the German-held rail centre of Pskov. A statement from U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur said that Japan would be defeated only by ground forces destroying the Imperial Japanese Army as a result of ground, sea, and air cooperation.

Oil
The government of Ecuador granted a concession of one million acres to International Petroleum Company. The U.S. Senate committee head by Sen. Harry Truman (Democrat--Missouri) filed a report recommending "a positive vigorous American policy" to assure the United States of a proper share of the world's oil reserves.

Economics and finance
U.S. Army purchases director General Albert Browning said that equipment contracts had been reduced by an average of 20%, resulting in a two-year saving of $9 billion.

Oddities
The will of Mrs. George Bernard Shaw left an estimated $400,000 trust fund to be used to "teach" the Irish "self-control, deportment, elocution and the art of personal behaviour and social intercourse."

60 years ago
1954

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Execution, starring Joseph Anthony and Katharine Bard

50 years ago
1964

On television tonight
The Ed Sullivan Show, on CBS
The Beatles appeared on the program for the second straight Sunday, on this occasion performing at their hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Den Uyl is in den olie--Vader Abraham & Boer Koekoek (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Tiger Feet--Mud (4th week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Photograph--Ringo Starr (2nd week at #1)
2 Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)--Helen Reddy
3 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road--Elton John
4 The Most Beautiful Girl--Charlie Rich
5 48 Crash--Suzi Quatro
6 Sorrow--David Bowie
7 The Ballroom Blitz--The Sweet
8 Helen Wheels/Country Dreamer--Paul McCartney and Wings
9 Rock On--David Essex
10 For the Good Times--Perry Como

The only new single entering the chart was Gaye by Clifford T. Ward (#36).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Way We Were--Barbra Streisand (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Americans--Byron MacGregor
2 Love's Theme--The Love Unlimited Orchestra
3 The Way We Were--Barbra Streisand
4 Let Me Be There--Olivia Newton-John
5 Boogie Down--Eddie Kendricks
6 Seasons in the Sun--Terry Jacks
7 Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)--Aretha Franklin
8 Spiders & Snakes--Jim Stafford
9 You're Sixteen--Ringo Starr
10 Rock On--David Essex

Singles entering the chart were Bennie and the Jets by Elton John (#72); Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me by Gladys Knight and the Pips (#74); A Very Special Love Song by Charlie Rich (#83); Honey Please, Can't Ya See by Barry White (#84); The Lord's Prayer by Sister Janet Mead (#85); My Mistake (Was to Love You) by Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye (#88); Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me by the Persuaders (#92); Nice to Be Around by Maureen McGovern (#97); Homely Girl by the Chi-Lites (#99); and Pepper Box by the Peppers (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Seasons in the Sun--Terry Jacks (4th week at #1)
2 The Way We Were--Barbra Streisand
3 Love's Theme--The Love Unlimited Orchestra
4 Spiders & Snakes--Jim Stafford
5 Let Me Be There--Olivia Newton-John
6 You're Sixteen--Ringo Starr
7 Love Song--Anne Murray
8 I Thought of You Again--Susan Jacks
9 Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)--Aretha Franklin
10 Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)--Rolling Stones

Singles entering the chart were Mockingbird by Carly Simon and James Taylor (#67); There Won't Be Anymore by Charlie Rich (#70); Stop to Start by Blue Magic (#77); We're Getting Careless with Our Love by Bob Dylan (#81); Molly by Bearfoot (#83); Do it Right by Bob McBride (#87); Baby Come Close by Smokey Robinson (#93); Piano Man by Billy Joel (#94); Finally (With You) by the Cooper Brothers (#95); Just Don't Want to Be Lonely by the Main Ingredient (#96); Crude Oil Blues by Jerry Reed (#97); Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede (#98); Lookin' for a Love by Bobby Womack (#99); and Get That Gasoline by NRBQ (#100).

Calgary's Top 10
1 The Way We Were--Barbra Streisand
2 You're Sixteen--Ringo Starr
3 Let Me Be There--Olivia Newton-John
4 Smokin' in the Boy's Room--Brownsville Station
5 I Love--Tom T. Hall
6 Never Gonna Give You Up--Barry White
7 I Shall Sing--Garfunkel
8 Dark Lady--Cher
9 Highway Driving--Alabama
10 Running Wild--Stampeders
Pick hit of the week: I Fell in Love with You Sometime--Gary & Dave

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Only You--The Flying Pickets

Diplomacy
Lebanese President Amin Gemayel said that he would cancel the May 17, 1983 agreement with Israel providing for the withdrawal of Israeli and Syrian troops from Lebanon if opposition groups entered peace talks, but all other Muslim and Christian factions rejected that proposal. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Arens said that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon for security reasons.

War
Iran claimed that it had begun a new offensive on the central front of her war against Iraq, which Iraq claimed to be containing.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that housing starts had risen 15% in January and that personal income had risen 1.1% in January.

Olympics
Bill Johnson of the United States became the first American to win a gold medal in downhill skiing, winning the event at the Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo, Yugolsavia and upsetting favourites such as Franz Klammer and Peter Mueller. Gaetan Boucher of Canada won his second gold medal of the games in speed skating, and Brian Orser of Canada won a silver medal in the men's figure skating competition.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Like a Yo-Yo--Sabrina (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Belfast Child--Simple Minds

World events
Major anti-apartheid organizations in South Africa formally disowned Winnie Mandela, wife of imprisoned anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, in the wake of the abduction and murder of four black youths by members of the United Mandela Football Club, who acted as Mrs. Mandela's bodyguards. A doctor who had examined one of the youths while he was being held at Mrs. Mandela's home was himself murdered by unknown assailants shortly thereafter.

Economics and finance
Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez devalued the bolivar in order to satisfy the International Monetary Fund, with which Venezuela had been negotiating on a loan.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting (9th week at #1)

Transportation
The Parliament of Canada passed legislation amending the original agreement that had brought Prince Edward Island into Confederation in 1873, changing the obligation to provide ferry service to accommodate the proposed bridge from P.E.I. to the New Brunswick mainland, and paving the way for the $840-million project.

Olympics
Jean-Luc Brassard became the first Canadian to win an Olympic medal in freestyle skiing as he edged out Russia's Sergei Shupletsov by 0.34 points for the gold medal in men's moguls, with his sensational Cossack jump, at the Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Doris Troy, 67. U.S. singer-songwriter. Miss Troy was known for the song Just One Look, which she co-wrote. Her original version reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1963, and was later a hit for artists such as the Hollies and Anne Murray. Miss Troy signed with Apple Records in 1969; she and George Harrison of the Beatles co-wrote her single Ain't That Cute, which was released in 1970.