This Day in History

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY January 23 1957 Toy company Wham-O produces first Frisbees On January 23, 1957, machines at the Wham-O toy company roll out the first batch of their aerodynamic plastic discs—now known to millions of fans all over the world as Frisbees. The story of the Frisbee began in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where William Frisbie opened the Frisbie Pie Company in 1871. S... read more 19th CENTURY 1870 Soldiers massacre sleeping camp of Native Americans Art, Literature and Film History 1976 Singer, actor, athlete, activist Paul Robeson dies Cold War 1968 USS Pueblo captured Crime 1991 Videotaped murder leads to convictions in Texas Inventions & Science 1855 Gun designer John Browning is born Natural Disasters & Environment 1556 Deadliest earthquake in recorded history rocks China Sports 1984 Hulk Hogan beats Iron Sheik to win first WWF title U.S. Presidents 1992 President George H.W. Bush honors Women's World Cup champions Women's History 1849 Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to receive a medical degree 1997 Madeleine Albright becomes first female secretary of state World War I 1920 Netherlands refuses to extradite Kaiser Wilhelm to the Allies World War II 1941 Charles Lindbergh urges Congress to negotiate with Hitler

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY January 24 2018 Larry Nassar, a former doctor for USA Gymnastics, is sentenced to prison for sexual assault Larry Nassar, a former doctor at Michigan State and for USA Gymnastics, is sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for sexual assault on January 24, 2018. Nassar was found guilty of using his position in sports medicine to abuse hundreds of women and girls in one of the most high-profile cases to ari... read more 19th CENTURY AMERICA 1848 Gold discovered at Sutter's Creek American Revolution 1781 Light Horse and Swamp Fox raid Georgetown, South Carolina Art, Literature and Film History 1862 Author Edith Wharton is born 2006 Walt Disney announces $7.4 billion purchase of Pixar ASIAN HISTORY 1972 Japanese soldier found hiding on Guam Crime 1956 Emmett Till murderers make magazine confession EUROPEAN HISTORY 1908 Boy Scouts movement begins 1965 Winston Churchill dies 2011 Moscow's Domodedovo International Airport is bombed by Chechen terrorists Great Depression 1935 First canned beer goes on sale World War II 1943 General Paulus to Hitler: Let us surrender!

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY January 25 1905 World's largest diamond found A 3,106-carat diamond is discovered in South Africa and christened the "Cullinan." It was the largest diamond ever found. On January 25, 1905, at the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa, a 3,106-carat diamond is discovered during a routine inspection by the mine's superintendent. Weighing 1.33 pou... read more American Revolution 1776 First national memorial is ordered by Congress Art, Literature and Film History 1759 Scottish poet Robert Burns is born 1949 First Emmy Awards ceremony 1980 Paul McCartney is released from a Tokyo jail and deported from Japan ASIAN HISTORY 1981 Chairman Mao's widow sentenced to death Cold War 1995 Russia activates its nuclear command systems for the first time Crime 1971 Charles Manson and his followers convicted of murder 2005 BTK killer sends message MIDDLE EASTERN HISTORY 1968 Israeli sub vanishes Sports 1924 First Winter Olympics U.S. Presidents 1961 President Kennedy holds first live television news conference World War I 1919 Formal commission is established on the League of Nations World War II 1942 Thailand declares war on the United States and England

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY January 26 1788 British settlement begins in Australia On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip guides a fleet of 11 British ships carrying convicts to the colony of New South Wales, effectively founding Australia. After overcoming a period of hardship, the fledgling colony began to celebrate the anniversary of this date with great fanfare and it eve... read more 19th Century 1838 Tennessee passes nation's first prohibition law 1875 Pinkertons maim Frank and Jesse James' mother Art, Literature and Film History 1979 "The Dukes of Hazzard" premieres 2006 Oprah Winfrey confronts author James Frey over lying ASIAN HISTORY 1950 Republic of India born Cold War 1980 U.S. Olympic Committee votes against Moscow games Crime 1936 So-called "Mad Butcher" terrorizes Cleveland EUROPEAN HISTORY 1939 Franco captures Barcelona Exploration 1500 First European explorer reaches Brazil Inventions & Science 1926 John Logie Baird demonstrates TV Sports 1986 Bears beat Patriots in Super Bowl XX 2020 Basketball star Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS 2005 Condoleezza Rice sworn in as first Black female secretary of state U.S. PRESIDENTS 1961 President Kennedy appoints first female presidential physician Vietnam War 1970 POW spends 2,000th day in captivity World War II 1945 Decorated U.S. soldier Audie Murphy is wounded

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY January 27 1945 Auschwitz is liberated On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops enter Auschwitz, Poland, freeing the survivors of the network of concentration camps—and finally revealing to the world the depth of the horrors perpetrated there. Auschwitz was really a group of camps, designated I, II, and III. There were also 40 smaller "satelli... read more 19th Century 1888 National Geographic Society incorporated 1950s 1951 First atomic detonation at the Nevada test site AFRICAN HISTORY 2002 Armory explosions trigger deadly panic in Nigeria Art, Literature and Film History 1302 Dante is exiled from Florence 1970 John Lennon writes and records "Instant Karma" in a single day Civil War 1862 President Lincoln orders Union forces to advance Crime 1978 "Dracula Killer" murders four people Inventions & Science 1965 Shelby GT 350 debuts Space Exploration 1967 Astronauts die in launch pad fire Sports 1993 American becomes first non-Japanese to achieve highest rank in sumo wrestling 1996 Monica Seles wins first Grand Slam title since being attacked U.S. Presidents 1943 Future President Ronald Reagan serves in film unit Vietnam War 1973 Paris Peace Accords signed World War II 1943 Americans bomb Germans for first time 1944 Siege of Leningrad is lifted

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY January 28 1986 The space shuttle Challenger explodes after liftoff At 11:38 a.m. EST, on January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Christa McAuliffe is on her way to becoming the first ordinary U.S. civilian to travel into space. McAuliffe, a 37-year-old high school social studies teacher from New Hampshire, won a co... read more AFRICAN HISTORY 1997 Afrikaner police admit to killing Stephen Biko American Revolution 1777 British plan to isolate New England Art, Literature and Film History 1985 Music stars gather to record "We Are the World" Cold War 1964 Soviets shoot down U.S. jet Crime 1958 Teenage killers murder three people Hispanic History 1917 The 1917 Bath Riots Sports 1901 American League is founded Vietnam War 1973 Cease-fire goes into effect World War I 1915 Germans sink American merchant ship

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY January 29 1936 U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame elects first members On January 29, 1936, the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame elects its first members in Cooperstown, New York: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson. The Hall of Fame actually had its beginnings in 1935, when plans were made to build a museum devoted to baseball and its 100... read more 1970s 1979 Deng Xiaoping and Jimmy Carter sign accords Art, Literature and Film History 1845 "The Raven" is published 1958 Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward marry 1962 Peter, Paul and Mary sign their first recording contract 1964 "Dr. Strangelove" premieres Civil War 1861 Kansas enters the Union Crime 1979 School shooting in San Diego EUROPEAN HISTORY 1820 King George III dies U.S. Presidents 1843 Future president William McKinley is born U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS 2002 George W. Bush describes Iraq, Iran and North Korea as "axis of evil" World War I 1915 German lieutenant Erwin Rommel leads daring mission in France

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY January 30 1948 Gandhi assassinated Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the political and spiritual leader of the Indian independence movement, is assassinated in New Delhi by a Hindu extremist. Born the son of an Indian official in 1869, Gandhi's Vaishnava mother was deeply religious and early on exposed her son to Jainism, a morally rigorou... read more Art, Literature and Film History 1933 "The Lone Ranger" debuts on Detroit radio Civil Rights Movement 1956 Martin Luther King Jr.'s home is bombed EUROPEAN HISTORY 1933 Adolf Hitler is named chancellor of Germany 1972 "Bloody Sunday" in Northern Ireland Great Britain 1649 King Charles I executed for treason Inventions & Science 1920 Mazda car company founded Sports 1994 Dan Jansen skates world-record 500 meters U.S. Presidents 1835 Andrew Jackson narrowly escapes assassination 1882 Franklin Delano Roosevelt is born Vietnam War 1968 Tet Offensive shakes Cold War confidence

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY January 31 1950 Truman announces development of H-bomb U.S. President Harry S. Truman publicly announces his decision to support the development of the hydrogen bomb, a weapon theorized to be hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Japan during World War II. Five months earlier, the United States had lost its nuclear supremacy w... read more Civil War 1865 House passes the 13th Amendment Cold War 1990 First McDonald's opens in Soviet Union Great Britain 1606 The death of Guy Fawkes Space Exploration 1971 Apollo 14 departs for the moon Sports 1988 Doug Williams leads Redskins to Super Bowl victory Vietnam War 1968 Viet Cong attack U.S. Embassy World War I 1917 Germans unleash U-boats World War II 1944 D-Day is postponed 1945 The execution of Pvt. Slovik

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 1 1960 Greensboro sit-in begins On February 1, 1960, in Greensboro, North Carolina, four Black college students spark a nationwide civil rights movement by refusing to leave a “whites-only” lunch counter at a popular retail store after they are denied service. The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State students—Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, Joseph... read more 19th CENTURY 1884 Oxford Dictionary debuts 21st CENTURY 2002 Journalist Daniel Pearl is murdered 2004 "Nipplegate" controversy at the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show Art, Literature and Film History 1887 Official registration of Hollywood 1896 Puccini's "La Bohème" premieres in Turin, Italy 1961 "The Misfits" opens in theaters 2013 "House of Cards," Netflix's first original series, starts streaming Black History 1978 Harriet Tubman becomes the first African American woman to appear on a U.S. postage stamp Crime 1974 Serial killer Ted Bundy strikes again MIDDLE EASTERN HISTORY 1979 Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran SPACE EXPLORATION 2003 Columbia Space Shuttle mission ends in disaster SPORTS 1913 Multi-sport star Jim Thorpe signs MLB contract with Giants U.S GOVERNMENT & POLITICS 1790 First session of the U.S. Supreme Court Vietnam War 1968 Nixon announces his candidacy for president World War I 1917 Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 2 1887 First Groundhog Day On February 2, 1887, Groundhog Day, featuring a rodent meteorologist, is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. According to tradition, if a groundhog comes out of its hole on this day and sees its shadow, it gets scared and runs back into its burrow, predicti... read more AFRICAN HISTORY 1971 Idi Amin takes power in Uganda Art, Literature and Film History 1882 James Joyce is born 1974 “The Way We Were” becomes Barbra Streisand’s first No. 1 hit 1979 Sid Vicious dies of a drug overdose in New York City 2014 Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman dies at age 46 COLD WAR 1949 United States rejects proposal for conference with Stalin Crime 1922 Director William Desmond Taylor is found murdered 1980 ABSCAM operation revealed EARLY 20th CENTURY U.S. 1913 Grand Central Terminal opens in New York City INVENTIONS & SCIENCE 1897 Black inventor Alfred Cralle patents the first ice cream scoop Sports 1876 Baseball's National League is founded U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed Vietnam War 1962 First U.S. Air Force plane crashes in South Vietnam World War II 1943 Battle of Stalingrad ends

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 3 1959 Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and “The Big Bopper” die in a plane crash Rising American rock stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson are killed when their chartered Beechcraft Bonanza plane crashes in Iowa a few minutes after takeoff from Mason City on a flight headed for Moorhead, Minnesota. Investigators blamed the crash on... read more 19th CENTURY 1889 Belle Starr murdered in Oklahoma 1990s 1998 Marine jet severs ski-lift cable in Italy Art, Literature and Film History 1953 Jacques Cousteau's "The Silent World" is published 1959 Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and "The Big Bopper" die in a plane crash Crime 1780 Earliest documented mass murder in U.S. history HISPANIC HISTORY 2005 Alberto Gonzales becomes first Hispanic U.S. attorney general Space Exploration 1966 Lunik 9 soft-lands on lunar surface Sports 2002 New England Patriots win their first Super Bowl title U.S. Presidents 1924 Woodrow Wilson dies 1994 President Clinton ends trade embargo of Vietnam World War II 1944 U.S. troops capture the Marshall Islands

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 04 1974 Patty Hearst kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army On February 4, 1974, Patty Hearst, the 19-year-old granddaughter of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, is kidnapped from her apartment in Berkeley, California, by three armed strangers. Her fiancee, Steven Weed, was beaten and tied up along with a neighbor who tried to help. Witnesses rep... read more 1990s 1999 Amadou Diallo killed by police 21st Century 2004 Facebook launches Art, Literature and Film History 1826 “The Last of the Mohicans” is published 1938 Disney releases “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” 1983 Singer-songwriter Karen Carpenter dies 2000 “The Sims” launches Black History 1913 Civil rights icon Rosa Parks is born Civil War 1861 States meet to form Confederacy Cold War 1945 Yalta Conference foreshadows the Cold War Inventions & Science 1922 Ford buys Lincoln SPORTS 2007 Tony Dungy becomes first Black head coach to win a Super Bowl U.S. Presidents 1789 George Washington unanimously elected first U.S. president Vietnam War 1962 First U.S. helicopter is shot down in Vietnam World War I 1915 Germany declares war zone around British Isles

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 05 1994 White supremacist convicted of killing Medgar Evers On February 5, 1994, white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith is convicted in the murder of African American civil rights leader Medgar Evers, over 30 years after the crime occurred. Evers was gunned down in the driveway of his Jackson, Mississippi, home on June 12, 1963, while his wife, Myrlie, and t... read more 19th Century 1883 Southern Pacific Railroad completes New Orleans to California route American Revolution 1777 Georgia constitution abolishes primogeniture and entail Ancient Rome 146 BCE Punic Wars, between Rome and Carthage, come to an end Art, Literature and Film History 1919 United Artists created Colonial America 1631 Roger Williams arrives in America Crime 2012 Husband of missing Utah woman kills self and two young sons EARLY 20th CENTURY U.S. 1917 U.S. ends search for Pancho Villa Great Depression 1937 FDR announces “court-packing” plan Immigration 1917 Immigration act passed over President Wilson’s veto Latin American History 1917 Mexican constitution approved Sports 1934 Hank Aaron is born U.S. Government and Politics 2003 Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks at UN, justifies US invasion of Iraq U.S. Presidents 1826 Millard Fillmore marries Abigail Powers World War II 1941 Hitler to Mussolini: Fight harder!

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 06 1952 King George VI dies; Elizabeth becomes queen On February 6, 1952, after a long illness, King George VI of Great Britain and Northern Ireland dies in his sleep at the royal estate at Sandringham. Princess Elizabeth, the older of the king’s two daughters and next in line to succeed him, was in Kenya at the time of her father’s death; she was off... read more 19th CENTURY 1891 Dalton Gang commits its first train robbery American Revolution 1778 Franco-American alliances signed Art, Literature and Film History 1937 "Of Mice and Men" is published 1998 Austrian superstar Falco dies Civil War 1865 Confederate general John Pegram killed Crime 1998 Mary Kay Letourneau goes back to prison Roaring Twenties 1928 Woman claiming to be Anastasia Romanov arrives in the U.S. Slavery 1820 Formerly enslaved people depart on journey to Africa Sports 1958 Man United players among victims of plane crash 1993 Tennis great Arthur Ashe dies of AIDS U.S. Presidents 1911 Ronald Reagan born 1985 The “Reagan Doctrine” is announced World War II 1943 Mussolini fires his son-in-law

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 07 1964 The Beatles arrive in New York On February 7, 1964, Pan Am Yankee Clipper flight 101 from London Heathrow lands at New York’s Kennedy Airport—and “Beatlemania” arrives. It was the first visit to the United States by the Beatles, a British rock-and-roll quartet that had just scored its first No. 1 U.S. hit six days before with “I ... read more 1990s 1992 European Union treaty signed American Revolution 1775 Benjamin Franklin publishes “An Imaginary Speech” ART, LITERATURE AND FILM HISTORY 1974 Guests watch Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles” movie premiere from horseback Cold War 1962 Full U.S.-Cuba embargo is announced Crime 1881 Criminal case ends in plea bargain—one of the first 1968 Mysterious murder, later solved by forensic evidence EARLY 20th CENTURY U.S. 1904 The Great Baltimore Fire begins Holocaust 1979 Josef Mengele, known as the “Angel of Death,” dies Natural Disasters & Environment 1812 Earthquake causes fluvial tsunami in the Mississippi River Space Exploration 1984 Navy captain becomes the first human to perform an untethered space walk U.S. Presidents 2002 President George W. Bush announces plan for “faith-based initiatives” World War I 1917 German sub sinks Scottish passenger ship SS California

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 08 1943 Americans secure Guadalcanal On February 8, 1943, Japanese troops evacuate Guadalcanal, leaving the island in Allied possession after a prolonged campaign. The American victory paved the way for other Allied wins in the Solomon Islands. Guadalcanal is the largest of the Solomons, a group of 992 islands and atolls, 147 of which ... read more Art, Literature and Film History 1915 "The Birth of A Nation" opens in L.A., glorifying the KKK 1960 Construction begins on the Hollywood Walk of Fame 1990 Del Shannon, a ‘60s songwriter, dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound 1994 Jack Nicholson smashes windshield in episode of road rage Black History 1968 Three protesters die in the Orangeburg Massacre Civil War 1862 The Union captures Roanoke Island Cold War 1949 Cardinal Mindszenty of Hungary sentenced Crime 1924 First execution by lethal gas 1983 Irish race horse stolen European History 1587 Mary, Queen of Scots beheaded 1725 Peter the Great dies 1904 The Russo-Japanese War begins Native American History 1887 Dawes Severalty Act approved, ending tribal control of land Natural Disasters & Environment 1978 New England digs out after blizzard Sports 1936 Jay Berwanger picked No. 1 in first NFL draft 1986 Spud Webb, 5'7", wins NBA dunk contest

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 09 1971 Satchel Paige nominated to Baseball Hall of Fame On February 9, 1971, pitcher Leroy “Satchel” Paige becomes the first Negro League veteran to be nominated for the Baseball Hall of Fame. In August of that year, Paige, a pitching legend known for his fastball, showmanship and the longevity of his playing career, which spanned five decades, was induc... read more Art, Literature and Film History 1964 America meets the Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show” Civil War 1864 Union general George Custer marries Cold War 1950 Senator McCarthy says communists are in State Department Crime 1960 Coors brewery heir is kidnapped SPACE EXPLORATION 1995 Bernard Harris becomes the first Black man to walk in space Sports 1992 Magic Johnson returns for All-Star Game U.S. Government and Politics 1825 Presidential election decided in the House U.S. Presidents 1773 William Henry Harrison is born World War I 1918 Ukraine signs peace treaty with Central Powers World War II 1942 The S.S. Normandie catches fire 1942 Daylight saving time instituted

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 10 1996 World chess champion Garry Kasparov loses game to computer On February 10, 1996, after three hours, world chess champion Garry Kasparov loses the first game of a six-game match against Deep Blue, an IBM computer capable of evaluating 200 million moves per second. Man was ultimately victorious over machine, however, as Kasparov bested Deep Blue in ... read more Art, Literature and Film History 1957 Laura Ingalls Wilder, chronicler of American frontier life, dies 1972 Ziggy Stardust makes his earthly debut 2006 Final episode of “Arrested Development” airs on Fox 2014 Iconic child star Shirley Temple dies at 85 Cold War 1962 Pilot Gary Powers exchanged in U.S.-Soviet spy swap Colonial America 1763 The French and Indian War ends Crime 1992 Star boxer Mike Tyson convicted of rape Inventions & Science 1966 Auto safety crusader Ralph Nader testifies before Congress Natural Disasters & Environment 1970 Avalanche buries skiers in France Vietnam War 1971 Vietnam War journalists killed in helicopter crash

[phkrause]

February 10, 2024

By Melissa Kirsch

Good morning. Valentine’s Day is on Wednesday. It’s the one day a year when we endorse unfettered demonstrations of affection, but it doesn’t need to to be.

María Jesús Contreras

Love letters

It was customary when I was in grade school to bestow a valentine upon every person in one’s class. These valentines were not of the handmade or heartfelt variety, but rather bought in bulk from CVS, from the red-cellophane aisle, on the shelf next to the seasonal Whitman’s Samplers and conversation hearts.

Each box of cards had a theme — Disney characters, Garfield, the Berenstain Bears — but were otherwise generic, bearing anodyne tidings of holiday cheer. You’d scrawl your signature on each of the 25 cards, stuff them into their flimsy red envelopes and address them, painstakingly, to each member of your class.

The process might have felt impersonal to an adult, but as a child, receiving dozens of little envelopes that were addressed to me, in the individual penmanship of each of my classmates, felt heavenly. It was exciting to open each one and see which cartoon character hid inside, to be lavished with so much attention. It was an early exercise in seeing and being seen.

Love was, in this classroom scenario, democratic, if dutiful. Over time, of course, we become more selective in how we confer our affection. Eventually, Valentine’s Day, should we choose to participate, becomes a day for honoring one sweetheart, for celebrating a single relationship. One card, one box of chocolates, one dinner reservation.

Efforts have been made to enlarge the circle of those we honor on Valentine’s Day; in 2010 the television comedy “Parks and Recreation” introduced us to “Galentine’s Day,” when women celebrate their female friends. It seems to have achieved some staying power, both for its inclusivity and for its profit-generating potential. But at its heart, under the layers of commercialism and cliché, Valentine’s Day’s core proposition is still one of selectivity (of varying degrees), of special someones and Steady Freddies.

The modern phenomenon of Valentine’s Day gets weirder the closer you look at it: We have this one day when we focus on love, when it’s acceptable — nay, expected — that we communicate tender feelings, preferably in the form of a card, in which those feelings have been inscribed. We engage in a more or less choreographed, calendar-delimited expression of romance and emotion. Then it’s back to worldly cares and business as usual on February 15.

I’m exaggerating, of course — we’re not wholly cut off from our feelings 364 days out of the year. But we’re not necessarily focused on deliberate expressions of affection either, whether toward our partners, our children, our friends. It’s not because we’re heartless, but because we’re busy. A holiday reminds us to explicitly tell those we care about that we care, but a calendar alert that you set for a random Thursday in April would do just as well.

I always come back to those classroom valentines. They were wonderful because they were egalitarian, but also because they were actual artifacts of affection, however mass produced, bearing my name and the sender’s. They were mail, something that was exotic and exciting to receive as a child, that’s become even more exotic and exciting to receive in our paperless present. Sending a “thinking about you” text to a friend is a lovely gesture. Mailing a postcard, or a longer note, a more explicit demonstration of fondness, feels a bit magical. And even more so if you don’t wait for a birthday or holiday to do it.

For more

Valentine’s Day, P.S. 183 in Manhattan, 1987. Make a very cool homemade card with newspaper. Is Valentine’s Day “a hallowed celebration, a marketing scam that entrenches the hegemony of the nuclear family or just a harmless convention that everyone needs to calm down about”? Here’s a bouquet of perspectives. Bring back snail mail.

Continue reading the main story

ADVERTISEMENT

THE WEEK IN CULTURE

Toby Keith performs in Austin, Texas, in 2021. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Iheartmedia

Toby Keith, who died this week, drew recognition beyond country music for his belligerent post-9/11 rallying cry “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).” See a timeline of his biggest songs and career moments. Can you tell the difference between scenes from “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm”? Take a “Curb” quiz. Prince Harry traveled to Britain following King Charles’s cancer diagnosis but did not meet with Prince William, a sign that their relationship remains tense. Taylor Swift’s attorneys threatened to sue a college student who tracks the flights of her private jet, The Washington Post reports. Climate change is a laughing matter: Comedians and scientists are finding that joking about global warming can help inform people without bumming them out. Zac Posen, known for his Old Hollywood glamour, is the new creative director of the Gap. Ruth La Ferla explains how his hiring continues a (not always successful) trend of tapping start talent. Korean dining in New York has never been more interesting. A single company, Hand Hospitality, is generating much of the innovation. Seiji Ozawa, a high-spirited Japanese conductor who directed the Boston Symphony Orchestra for decades, died at 88. Here are eight of his essential recordings. Rolling Stone’s top editor is stepping down because of differences with the magazine’s chief executive. Sony has agreed to acquire half of Michael Jackson’s catalog, said to be worth at least $1.2 billion. It is likely the richest transaction ever for a single musician’s work. The M.L.B. suspended Billy Eppler, the former New York Mets general manager, accusing him of fabricating injuries. Rome’s grandeur rises anew: A copy of a 43-foot statue of the fourth-century emperor Constantine, painstakingly reconstructed from fragments, was installed in a garden in the Capitoline Museums.

THE LATEST NEWS

In Rafah on Friday. Many civilians in the city say there is nowhere left in Gaza to avoid Israeli shelling. Mohammed Abed/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Israel’s military to plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah, in southern Gaza, ahead of a likely offensive. A top Biden aide acknowledged “missteps” in the administration’s response to the Israel-Hamas war during a meeting with Arab American political leaders. A defense lawyer in the Georgia criminal case against Donald Trump accused the prosecutors leading the case of lying about when their romantic relationship began. Seven companies billed Medicare over $2 billion for catheters that patients never ordered. Doctors and health groups suspect a major scam. The S&P 500, which tracks the stock performance of the largest U.S. companies, closed above 5,000 for the first time. Larry Hogan, Maryland’s Republican former governor and a longtime Trump critic, is running for Senate.

Discover more of the insight you value in The Morning.

The Times is filled with information and inspiration every day. So gain unlimited access to everything we offer — and save with this introductory offer.

CULTURE CALENDAR

By Andrew LaVallee Arts & Leisure Editor

🎸 “What Now” (Out Now): Brittany Howard, the lead singer of Alabama Shakes, wrote and recorded the songs on her second solo album in the wake of both a divorce and the pandemic, and the result, as David Peisner described it in his profile of the musician, is “filled with wailing soul, jittery funk and buzzing grooves born of frustration, pain, love and intense questioning.” It all came together during a period when she, like many of us, was forced to stop much of what she had been doing, but the resulting music showcases her undiminished vocal power.

😹 “Have It All” (Tuesday): It’s not even mid-February, but it feels safe to say that Taylor Tomlinson — whom our comedy critic Jason Zinoman calls “one of the most acclaimed, in-demand superstars in comedy, the rare young stand-up with mass appeal in the current fragmented landscape” — is having a standout year. Last month she made her debut as the host of “After Midnight” on CBS, filling James Corden’s former late-night spot. On Tuesday, her third Netflix comedy special, “Have It All,” starts streaming, just in case you need a way to ignore the encroachment of Valentine’s Day.

Continue reading the main story

ADVERTISEMENT

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Linda Xiao for The New York Times

By Melissa Clark

Guacamole

Is it even legal to have a Super Bowl party without a bowl of guacamole on the coffee table? You can’t do better than the chef Josefina Howard’s version, as adapted by Florence Fabricant. Served at the original Rosa Mexicano restaurant in Manhattan, it couldn’t be simpler, a mix of ripe avocados seasoned with onion, chile, cilantro and a little tomato for color and a juicy bite. The recipe as written feeds only two (or even one very ardent guacamole lover), but it’s easy to scale up for a crowd. And be sure to make a lot. Whether your team wins or loses, you’ll need plenty of guac on hand to see you through.

REAL ESTATE

The Tinklenberg family. Narayan Mahon for The New York Times

The hunt: A young family took their Chicago budget to Madison, Wis. Which house did they choose? Play our game.

What you get for $450,000: A Carpenter Gothic-style home in Irvington, Va., a cottage in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and a two-bedroom brick house in Columbus, Ohio.

In the Garden: When war came to Ukraine, Alla Olkhovska had been planning to open a rare-plants nursery. Now her Clematis seeds have an international following.

Super bad: Prosecutors unsealed bribery and extortion charges against 70 current and former employees of the New York City Housing Authority, a sweeping accusation of malfeasance.

LIVING

Scott McIntyre for The New York Times

Beyond the sea: Our reporter joined thousands of passengers on the inaugural sailing of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship.

Eating disorders: Boys and men suffer from them, too. Two experts explain what to look for.

Stay strong: Doctors are looking for ways to counteract the muscle loss that can happen when using weight-loss drugs like Ozempic.

Free skate: People around the U.S. are building private ice skating rinks in their backyards, sometimes using as little as a garden hose and lots of patience.

ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER

For Valentine’s Day procrastinators

It’s not too late to hit a Valentine’s Day home run, whether you’re seeking the perfect present for a cherished friend or a low-key surprise for a new crush. Wirecutter’s experts gathered up the best last-minute gifts, none of which make it seem like you dipped into the drugstore for a day-of panic buy. I can’t stop talking about the long-stem Lego roses beloved by our experts, which have pretty petals and little thorns and would delight almost everyone I know. Of course, if you would rather go the real flowers route, more than a few of our favorite flower delivery services specialize in day-of and last-minute orders. — Hannah Morrill

GAME OF THE WEEK

MiLaysia Fulwiley, left. Butch Dill/Associated Press

UConn vs. South Carolina, women’s college basketball: This isn’t the biggest sporting event of the weekend, but it could be the best. These two teams topped The Athletic’s power rankings at the start of the season, and South Carolina has remained at No. 1. “It is overwhelmingly clear South Carolina is the best team in the country,” Sabreena Merchant wrote this week. Keep a particular eye on MiLaysia Fulwiley, a freshman who grew up minutes from South Carolina’s campus and whose moves have earned praise from Magic Johnson. Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

NOW TIME TO PLAY

Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was lengthened.

Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines.

And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku and Connections.

Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa

Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com.

Continue reading the main story

Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Lauren Jackson, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 11 1990 Nelson Mandela released from prison Nelson Mandela, leader of the movement to end South African apartheid, is released from prison after 27 years on February 11, 1990. In 1944, Mandela, a lawyer, joined the African National Congress (ANC), the oldest Black political organization in South Africa, where he became a leader of Johannesbur... read more 1960s 1963 Julia Child’s “The French Chef” debuts 21st CENTURY 2020 World Health Organization officially names novel coronavirus disease COVID-19 Art, Literature and Film History 1960 The Payola scandal heats up 2012 Pop superstar Whitney Houston dies at age 48 Crime 1916 Women’s rights activist arrested Native American History 1805 Sacagawea gives birth to her first child Religion 1858 St. Bernadette claims to see the Virgin Mary Space Exploration 1970 Japan launches its first satellite Sports 1878 First US cycling club formed World War II 1945 Yalta Conference ends

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 12 2002 Former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic goes on trial for war crimes On February 12, 2002, former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic goes on trial at The Hague, Netherlands, on charges of genocide and war crimes in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo. Milosevic served as his own attorney for much of the prolonged trial, which ended... read more 1970s 1970 Joseph Searles III becomes first Black member of the New York Stock Exchange American Revolution 1789 Ethan Allen dies Art, Literature and Film History 1924 “Rhapsody In Blue,” by George Gershwin, performed for first time 1938 Judy Blume, popular young-adult author, is born 2005 Christo and Jeanne-Claude's "The Gates" opens in New York's Central Park 2008 Hollywood writers’ strike ends after 100 days Asian History 1912 Last emperor of China abdicates Black History 1909 The NAACP is founded Crime 1976 Actor Sal Mineo is killed in Hollywood Latin American History 1817 Revolutionary leader José de San Martín routs Spanish forces in Chile Slavery 1793 The US enacts first fugitive slave law U.S. Presidents 1809 Abraham Lincoln is born 1999 President Bill Clinton acquitted on both articles of impeachment Vietnam War 1972 Cambodians launch attack to retake Angkor Wat 1973 Release of U.S. POWs begins World War I 1917 American schooner Lyman M. Law is sunk World War II 1941 German General Erwin Rommel arrives in Africa

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 13 1945 Firebombing of Dresden On the evening of February 13, 1945, a series of Allied firebombing raids begins against the German city of Dresden, reducing the “Florence of the Elbe” to rubble and flames, and killing roughly 25,000 people. Despite the horrendous scale of destruction, it arguably accomplished little stra... read more 19th CENTURY 1861 First Medal of Honor action Art, Literature and Film History 1914 ASCAP is founded Crime 1982 Serial killer strikes in Colorado European History 1689 William and Mary proclaimed joint sovereigns of Britain 1984 Chernenko becomes general secretary of Soviet Communist Party Inventions & Science 1633 Galileo arrives in Rome to face charges of heresy Sports 1923 First all-Black professional basketball team organized 1998 Downhill skier Hermann Maier crashes in Olympics U.S. Presidents 1905 Teddy Roosevelt discusses America’s race problem Vietnam War 1965 Lyndon Johnson approves Operation Rolling Thunder World War I 1920 League of Nations recognizes perpetual Swiss neutrality

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 14 270 St. Valentine beheaded On February 14, around the year 270 A.D., Valentine, a holy priest in Rome in the days of Emperor Claudius II, is said to have been executed. Under the rule of Claudius the Cruel, Rome was involved in many unpopular and bloody campaigns. The emperor had to maintain a strong army, but was having a di... read more 19th CENTURY 1818 Frederick Douglass is born 1886 First trainload of oranges leaves Los Angeles American Revolution 1779 Patriots defeat Loyalists at Kettle Creek Art, Literature and Film History 1989 Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini calls on Muslims to kill Salman Rushdie, author of "The Satanic Verses" Crime 1929 The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre 2018 Teen gunman kills 17, injures 17 at Parkland, Florida high school Exploration 1779 Captain Cook killed in Hawaii Inventions & Science 1957 Noam Chomsky publishes his groundbreaking book "Syntactic Structures" Latin American History 1989 Sandinistas agree to free elections Space Exploration 1990 "Pale Blue Dot" photo of Earth is taken Sports 1988 Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen falls after sister dies U.S. Presidents 1884 Theodore Roosevelt’s wife and mother die World War II 1943 Battle of Kasserine Pass begins

[phkrause]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY February 15 1898 The USS Maine explodes in Cuba's Havana Harbor A massive explosion of unknown origin sinks the battleship USS Maine in Cuba’s Havana harbor on February 15, 1898, killing more than 260 of the 350-plus American crew members aboard. One of the first American battleships, the Maine weighed more than 6,000 tons and was built at a cost of more than $2 mil... read more 1960s 1965 Canada adopts maple leaf flag 1968 Henry Lewis named first Black conductor of a major U.S. orchestra 21st CENTURY 2003 Millions coordinate to protest the impending invasion of Iraq Art, Literature and Film History 1950 Disney’s “Cinderella” opens in theaters Sports 1953 Polio survivor becomes the first female U.S. figure skater to win world title 1961 U.S. figure skating team killed in plane crash 1998 Dale Earnhardt Sr. wins his first Daytona 500 2002 IOC finds fraud, awards second gold in Winter Olympics skating event U.S. Presidents 1903 First Teddy bear goes on sale 1933 FDR escapes assassination attempt in Miami World War II 1942 Singapore falls to Japan