Today is Sunday, Feb. 2, the 33rd day of 2020. There are 333 days left in the year.
Today in history
On Feb. 2, 1653, New Amsterdam — now New York City — was incorporated.
Also on this date:
In 1876, the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs was formed in New York.
In 1887, Punxsutawney, Pa., held its first Groundhog Day festival.
In 1913, New York City’s rebuilt Grand Central Terminal officially opened to the public at one minute past midnight.
In 1922, the James Joyce novel “Ulysses” was published in Paris on Joyce’s 40th birthday.
In 1925, the legendary Alaska Serum Run ended as the last of a series of dog mushers brought a life-saving treatment to Nome, the scene of a diphtheria epidemic, six days after the drug left Nenana.
In 1942, a Los Angeles Times column by W.H. Anderson urged security measures against Japanese-Americans, arguing that a Japanese-American “almost inevitably ... grows up to be a Japanese, not an American.”
In 1943, the remainder of Nazi forces from the Battle of Stalingrad surrendered in a major victory for the Soviets in World War II.
In 1971, Idi Amin, having seized power in Uganda, proclaimed himself president.
Fun fact
Yuma, Ariz., is the sunniest place in the United States.
Just for laughs
Teacher: “Millie, give me a sentence starting with ‘i.’ “
Millie: “I is ...”
Teacher: “No, Millie. Always say, ‘I am.’ “
Millie: “Okay, I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.”
Trending words
“Diligent:” adjective; (DIL-uh-junt). Definition: Characterized by steady, earnest and energetic effort: painstaking.
— Merriam-Webster
Today’s birthdays
Comedian Tom Smothers is 83. Rock singer-guitarist Graham Nash is 78. Television executive Barry Diller is 78. Actor Bo Hopkins is 76. Country singer Howard Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers) is 74. TV chef Ina Garten is 72. Actor Jack McGee is 71. Actor Brent Spiner is 71. Rock musician Ross Valory (Journey) is 71. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is 68. The former president of South Korea, Park Geun-hye, is 68. Model Christie Brinkley is 66. Actor Michael Talbott is 65. Actress Kim Zimmer is 65. Actor Michael T. Weiss is 58. Actor-comedian Adam Ferrara is 54. Rock musician Robert DeLeo (Army of Anyone; Stone Temple Pilots) is 54. Actress Jennifer Westfeldt is 50. Rock musician Ben Mize is 49. Rapper T-Mo is 48. Actress Marissa Jaret Winokur is 47. Actress Lori Beth Denberg is 44. Rock musician Jesse Siebenberg (Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real) is 44. Singer Shakira is 43. Actor Rich Sommer is 42. Country singer Blaine Larsen is 34. Actress Zosia Mamet is 32.
The Edge is compiled by Dallas Marshall. She can be contacted at dmarshall@lmtribune.com.
