February 7, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Sherri Pierce!

220 years ago
1795

Law
The 11th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified. It reads:

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

140 years ago
1875

Born on this date
Erkki Melartin. Finnish composer and conductor. Mr. Melartin, whose birthday is also said to have been on February 2, 1875, wrote chamber, piano, and vocal works, but was best known for his nine symphonies and the Juhlamarssi (Festive March) from his ballet Sleeping Beauty (1904/1911), which is the most popular wedding march in Finland. He conducted the Vyborg Orchestra from 1908-1911, touring as far as India and North Africa. Mr. Melartin suffered from chronic health problems, and died on February 14, 1937, a week after his 62nd birthday.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Anita Stewart. U.S. actress. Miss Stewart starred in movies in the 1910s and '20s, including A Tale of Two Cities (1911). She produced seven of her own films in 1918-1919. Miss Stewart died of a heart attack on May 4, 1961 at the age of 66.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Eddie Bracken. U.S. actor. Mr. Bracken had a successful career on stage, screen, and television, but was probably best known for his starring roles in the movies The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944) and Hail the Conquering Hero (1944). He died on November 14, 2002 at the age of 87.

90 years ago
1925

Transportation
The Orient Steam Navigation Company liner SS Oronsay embarked on her maiden voyage from London to Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

75 years ago
1940

At the movies
Pinocchio, an animated feature produced by Walt Disney, received its premiere screening at the Center Theater in New York City.

War
South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts reported widespread support for Germany in the Union of South Africa and South-West Africa among Germans and people of German extraction.

Defense
The Japanese government announced that it was considering abrogation of the 1922 Nine Power Naval Pact.

The Hague announced plans to build three battle cruisers and modernize the harbour at Surabaya, Java for the defense of the NEI.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed three new ambassadors: George Earle to Bulgaria; David Gray to Ireland; and Louis Dreyfus to Afghanistan.

Politics and government
U.S. Vice President John Nance "Cactus Jack" Garner was reported to be considering entering the Illinois Democratic Party primary for President of the United States in the 1940 election in an effort to "smoke out" President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the issue of whether he would run for an unprecedented third term as President. Mr. Roosevelt's name was on the ballot.

The U.S. House of Representatives Rules Committee approved the Walter-Logan bill to limit the power of federal boards and agencies.

Society
A subsidiary of the United States Senate Judiciary Committee conducting hearings on the Gavagan anti-lynching bill was disrupted at its opening session by spectators.

Medicine
Doctors Sidney Levinson, Frank Neuwelt, and Heinrich Nicholes announced that blood serum, the colourless liquid part of blood, could be used as the basis of a blood substitute.

70 years ago
1945

At the movies
Hangover Square, starring Laird Cregar, Linda Darnell, and George Sanders, opened in theatres.



Diplomacy
The Yalta Conference of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin became public knowledge upon the issuance of a statement by the British Ministry of Information. The conference had begun three days earlier.

War
The Paraguayan Council of State approved a declaration of war against the Axis. Four U.S. Divisions crossed the German frontier opposite Luxembourg at 10 places, bridging the Our and Saur Rivers. Russian troops extended their hold on the east bank of the Oder River, capturing Zaeckerick, 31 miles from Berlin. U.S. forces in the Philippines closed in on downtown Manila. Much of the old city, dating from the Spanish colonial period, was destroyed by American artillery fire and Japanese demolitions.

Politics and government
Belgian Prime Minister Hubert Pierlot and his cabinet resigned in anticipation of an unfavourable vote in parliament. Mr. Pierlot, leader of the Catholic party, had led the government-in-exile in London from 1940-1944, returning to Belgium after the country's liberation from Nazi occupation.

Labour
The American Federation of Labor--affiliated American Federation of Musicians notified the four radio networks that the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan had been placed on its "unfair list," which barred musicians there from commercial unemployment.

Scandal
The New York Stock Exchange and Philadelphia Stock Exchange announced that they would report daily sales in round numbers in an effort to deprive numbers game operators of the basis for their gambling activities.

60 years ago
1955

On television tonight
Sherlock Holmes, starring Ronald Howard and H. Marion Crawford
Tonight's episode: The Case of the Laughing Mummy



40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: I Can Help--Billy Swan

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Griechischer Wein--Udo Jürgens

#1 single in Switzerland: I Can Help--Billy Swan (2nd week at #1)

Ottawa's Top 30 (CFGO)
1 Mandy--Barry Manilow (2nd week at #1)
2 Doctor's Orders--Carol Douglas
3 Please Mr. Postman--Carpenters
4 Bungle in the Jungle--Jethro Tull
5 Never Can Say Goodbye--Gloria Gaynor
6 Get Dancin'--Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes
7 Changes--David Bowie
8 Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds--Elton John
9 Morning Side of the Mountain--Donny and Marie Osmond
10 Dancin' Fool--The Guess Who
11 Best of My Love--The Eagles
12 I Wouldn't Want to Lose Your Love--April Wine
13 Boogie On Reggae Woman--Stevie Wonder
14 You're the First, the Last, My Everything--Barry White
15 Pick Up the Pieces--AWB
16 Kung Fu Fighting--Carl Douglas
17 Ramona--Stampeders
18 Angie Baby--Helen Reddy
19 Black Water--The Doobie Brothers
20 Some Kind of Wonderful--Grand Funk
21 You're No Good--Linda Ronstadt
22 You Beat Me to the Punch--Charity Brown
23 Have You Never Been Mellow--Olivia Newton-John
24 Lady Marmalade--LaBelle
25 Lonely People--America
26 Up in a Puff of Smoke--Polly Brown
27 #9 Dream--John Lennon
28 Sweet Surrender--John Denver
29 Roll on Down the Highway--Bachman-Turner Overdrive
30 Tell Your Mother--Downchild Blues Band

Died on this date
Felicia Sanders, 53 (?). U.S. singer. Miss Sanders, born Felicia Schwartz, sang the vocal for The Song from Moulin Rouge with Percy Faith and his Orchestra, one of the biggest hit singles of 1953. Her only other notable hit was Blue Star (The "Medic" Theme) in 1955. Miss Sanders died of cancer.

Economics and finance
The four-day meeting in Moscow between representatives of the European Economic Community and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) failed to reach agreement.

The United States Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate had reached 8.2% in January, the highest rate in 33 years.

Oil
The International Energy Agency, a group of 18 oil-consuming nations, concluded a three-day conference by setting a temporary goal of reducing 1975 oil imports by 10%.

Canadian Energy Minister Donald Macdonald announced an energy-conservation program that included a 55-mile (88.5-kilometre)-per-hour speed limit.

30 years ago
1985

Died on this date
Matt Monro, 54. U.K. singer. Mr. Monro, born Terence Parsons, was a bus driver who made several records before landing a contract with the Parlophone label in 1960 and began a career that made him one of Britain's most popular crooners in the 1960s, with hits such as Portrait of My Love; My Kind of Girl; Softly as I Leave You; From Russia with Love; Walk Away; and Born Free. He also achieved popularity in South America, and recorded songs in Spanish for that market. Mr. Monro died of liver cancer.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Jimmy Dean--Troll

Died on this date
Alfredo M. Santos, 84. Filipino military officer. General Santos joined the Philippine Army in 1936, and served in several key battles of World War II, led campaigns against Communist insurgents, and was named the first chief of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization's Military Planning Office in 1957. He became the first four-star general of the Philippines Armed Forces, and was Chief of Staff of the Philippines Armed Forces from 1962-1965.

Alan Perlis, 67. U.S. computer scientist. Dr. Perlis helped to develop the programming language ALGOL, and was awarded the first Turing Award in 1966 "for his influence in the area of advanced programming techniques and compiler construction."

Politics and government
The Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party endorsed President Mikhail Gorbachev’s proposal to change the constitution and end the party’s monopoly on political power in the U.S.S.R.

Former Prime Minister John Turner resigned as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, to be replaced on an interim basis by Herb Gray. Mr. Turner had won the party leadership and taken office as Prime Minister upon the retirement of Pierre Trudeau in June 1984, but had lasted just 69 days in office, as the Liberals were defeated in the federal election. Mr. Turner continued as Leader of the Opposition until his resignation as party leader.

Economics and finance
The United States Congress approved $42 million in emergency aid to Panama and lifted economic sanctions against Panama.

Law
Donald Marshall, a Micmac Indian who had served 11 years in prison for a murder he did not commit, received an apology from the government of Nova Scotia. Provincial Attorney General Tom McInnis told a news conference that he agreed with a royal commission’s conclusion that the justice system had failed Mr. Marshall, and that part of the reason for the failure was that Mr. Marshall was an Indian. Mr. McInnis also said that the provincial government would introduce many of the commission’s recommendations, including the establishment of a cabinet committee on race relations; the scheduling of provincial court sessions on Indian reserves; and the establishment of a native criminal court as a pilot project. It was also announced that there would be a further judicial inquiry into the conduct of five Court of Appeal judges who concluded in 1983 that , although he was innocent, Mr. Marshall had been partly to blame for his conviction.

Hockey
NHL
New York Rangers 5 Edmonton 2

20 years ago
1995

Terrorism
Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, was arrested in Islamabad, Pakistan. The explosion had killed 6 people and injured more than 1,000. Authorities believed that Mr. Yousef had flown to New York in September 1992 and then assembled the group of men who helped him plan the bombing. He had then flown from New York to Pakistan hours after the explosion.

Labour
U.S. President Bill Clinton invited representatives of major league baseball club owners and major league players to come to the White House in Washington and make a final effort to reach an agreement. The principal issue was the owners' desire to impose a cap on players' salaries. The players had gone on strike after the games of August 11, 1994, ending the season prematurely. After the White House meeting, Mr. Clinton said that his efforts had not been successful.

Basketball
NBA
Milwaukee 95 New York 87

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Atli Dam, 72. Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands, 1970-1981; 1985-1989; 1991-1993. Mr. Dam, the son of former Prime Minister Peter Mohr Dam, was the leader of the Social Democratic Party.

Bob Turner, 71. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Turner was a defenceman with the Montreal Canadiens (1955-1961) and Chicago Black Hawks (1961-1963), scoring 19 goals and 51 assists in 478 regular season games and 1 goal and 4 assists in 68 playoff games. He was a member of Stanley Cup championship teams in each of his first five seasons. Mr. Turner died a week after his 71st birthday.

Adventure
Ellen MacArthur of Great Britain completed a 27,000-mile around-the-word solo sailing voyage in the record time of 71 days and less than 15 hours. The previous record of 72 days, 22 hours, 54 mins and 22 seconds had been set by Francis Joyon.