By The Associated Press
                     - Today is Thursday, Feb. 11, the 42nd day of 1999. There are 323 days   left in
                     the year.

                     - On Feb. 11, 1812, Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a
                     re-districting law favoring his party and giving rise to the term
                     "gerrymandering."
                     - In 1847, American inventor Thomas Alva Edison was born in Milan,     Ohio.
                     - In 1858, a French girl, Bernadette Soubirous, claimed for the first     time
                     to have seen a vision of the Virgin Mary near Lourdes.
                     - In 1861, President-elect Lincoln departed Springfield, Ill., for
                     Washington.
                     - In 1929, the Lateran Treaty was signed, with Italy recognizing the
                     independence and sovereignty of Vatican City.
                     - In 1937, a sit-down strike against General Motors ended, with the     company
                     agreeing to recognize the United Automobile Workers Union.
                     - In 1945, President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston     Churchill and
                     Soviet leader Josef Stalin signed the Yalta Agreement     during World War II.
                     - In 1979, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power in     Iran.
                     - In 1990, South African black activist Nelson Mandela was freed after     27
                     years in captivity.
                     - In 1993, President Clinton announced his choice of Miami prosecutor     Janet
                     Reno to be the nation's first female attorney general.
                     - Ten years ago: Reverend Barbara C. Harris became the first woman
                     consecrated as a bishop in the Episcopal Church, in a ceremony held     in
                     Boston.
                     - Five years ago: President Clinton and Japanese Prime Minister     Morihiro
                     Hosokawa, meeting at the White House, failed to resolve key     differences on
                     trade. The space shuttle "Discovery" returned from an     eight-day mission.
                     Actor William Conrad died in Los Angeles at age     73.
                     - One year ago: Attorney General Janet Reno asked for an independent
                     prosecutor to investigate whether Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt     had
                     misled Congress in connection with an Indian casino controversy;     the counsel
                     was later appointed. Skier Jonny Moseley won the first     U.S. gold medal at
                     Nagano, in men's moguls freestyle; Picabo Street     won the women's super-G.
                     Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati was     stripped of his gold medal after
                     testing positive for marijuana.     (His medal was later reinstated.)

                     *Happy Birthday*
                     ----------------
                     - Author Sidney Sheldon is 82.
                     - Former Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen is 78.
                     - Actress Kim Stanley is 74.
                     - Actor Leslie Nielsen is 73.
                     - Actor Conrad Janis is 71.
                     - Actress Tina Louise is 65.
                     - Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan is 65.
                     - Actor Burt Reynolds is 63.
                     - Songwriter Gerry Goffin is 60.
                     - Singer Bobby "Boris" Pickett is 59.
                     - Bandleader Sergio Mendes is 58.
                     - Rhythm-and-blues singer Otis Clay is 57.
                     - Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt is 48.
                     - Actor Philip Anglim is 46.
                     - Actress Carey Lowell is 38.
                     - Singer Sheryl Crow is 37.
                     - Actress Jennifer Aniston is 30.
                     - Singer D'Angelo is 25.
                     - Actor Brice Beckham is 23.
                     - Singer-actress Brandy is 20.
                     - Actor Matthew Lawrence is 19.