Today in history

Today is the 70th day of 2023 and the 81st day of winter.

Today’s history: In 1861, delegates from seven states adopted the Constitution of the Confederate States of America.

n In 1888, the “Great Blizzard of ‘88” struck the Northeastern United States, killing more than 400 people.

n In 2004, 191 people were killed when terrorist bombs exploded on rush-hour commuter trains in Madrid.

n In 2011, a magnitude 9.03 undersea earthquake triggered a tsunami that struck Japan, killing nearly 16,000 people and causing meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

n In 2020, the World Health Organization officially announced the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic.

Today’s fact: According to Forbes, News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch’s net worth was $18 billion as of late February 2023.

Today’s sports: In 1979, Randy Holt of the NHL’S Los Angeles Kings was penalized nine times for a record total of 67 minutes.

Today’s quote: “A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.”

— Douglas Adams, “Mostly Harmless”

Today’s number: 44 — countries that received the $50 billion in funds and military goods made available under the LendLease Act, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on this day in 1941.

Birthdays

Lawrence Welk (1903-1992), bandleader; Ralph Abernathy (1926-1990), civil rights leader; Rupert Murdoch (1931- ), business leader; Sam Donaldson (1934- ), TV journalist; Antonin Scalia (1936-2016), U.S. Supreme Court justice; Douglas Adams (1952-2001), author; Peter Berg (1964- ), actor/filmmaker; Terrence Howard (1969- ), actor; Johnny Knoxville (1971- ), actor; Thora Birch (1982- ), actress; Anton Yelchin (1989-2016), actor; Anthony Davis (1993- ), basketball player.