Calendar for February 11th, 2010

National Inventors' Day (United States)

2001: Septuagesima

1808: First use of anthracite coal as a household fuel

1836: Mount Holyoke Seminary, the first U.S. college for women, founded in South Hadley, Massachusetts

Born 1847: Thomas Alva Edison (inventor)

Born 1912: Rudolf Firkusny (pianist)

Born 1917: Sidney Sheldon (author & producer)

Born 1926: Leslie Nielson (actor)

Born 1934: Tina Louise (actress)

Born 1936: Burt Reynolds (actor)

1954: I Love Lucy won an Emmy for Best Situation Comedy

Born 1962: Sheryl Crow (musician)

Died 1963: Sylvia Plath (poet)

1964: The Beatles had their first live performance in the U.S. at the Washington, D.C. Coliseum

1967: Glowing oval object reported hovering in Milford, Ohio

Born 1969: Jennifer Aniston (actress)

Born 1972: Kelly Slater (surfer)

1977: Largest lobster on record at the time (44 lbs. 6 oz.) caught near Nova Scotia

Born 1979: Brandy (singer & actress)

1989: Barbara Harris became the first female Episcopal bishop

1990: Nelson Mandela was released from prison in South Africa

1994: First joint U.S.-Russian space shuttle mission completed

Died 1994: William Conrad (actor)

Died 2002: Victor Posner (owned Arby's and Royal Crown Cola)

Died 2005: Samuel Alderson (inventor of crash test dummies used to test the safety of cars)

Died 2006: Peter Benchley (author best known for making millions fear swimming with his novel "Jaws")

Died 2010: Alexander McQueen (British fashion designer known for his unconventional designs and shock tactics)