The Almanac

Today is Saturday, Feb. 2, the 33rd day of 2002 with 332 to follow.

This is Groundhog's Day.

The moon is waning, moving toward its last quarter.

The morning star is Mercury.

The evening stars are Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Aquarius. They include French statesman Charles de Talleyrand in 1754; psychologist Havelock Ellis in 1859; Irish novelist James Joyce in 1882; Charles Correll, Andy of radio's "Amos and Andy" program, in 1890; National Football League co-founder George Halas in 1895; violinist Jascha Heifetz in 1901; novelist Ayn Rand in 1905; actor Gale Gordon in 1906; columnist Liz Smith in 1923 (age 79); comedian Tom Smothers in 1937 (age 65); singer Graham Nash in 1942 (age 60); actress Farrah Fawcett in 1947 (age 55); model Christie Brinkley in 1953 (age 49); and actor Michael T. Weiss ("The Pretender") in 1962 (age 40).

On this date in history:

In 1848, the war between the United States and Mexico formally ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. It provided for Mexico's cession to the U.S. of the territory that became the states of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming in exchange for $15 million.

In 1876, the National Baseball League was formed, with teams in Boston; Chicago; Cincinnati; New York; Philadelphia; St. Louis; Louisville, Ky.; and Hartford, Conn.

In 1933, two days after becoming chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler ordered dissolution of the German Parliament.

In 1936, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson were voted into the brand-new Baseball Hall of Fame.

In 1990, South African President F.W. de Klerk announced he would free Nelson Mandela and lift a 30-year ban on the African National Congress. Mandela was released nine days later.

In 1991, allied forces in the Persian Gulf War declared they were in control in the air and at sea.

In 1992, one day after agreeing to withdraw its troops from Lithuania, Russia reached a similar agreement with Latvia and opened talks with Estonia.

Also in 1992, the defense phase began in the Miami cocaine racketeering trial of Panama's Manuel Noriega after a seven-week recess.

In 1993, more than 7,500 UMW miners went on strike against the Peabody Coal Co., the nation's largest coal producer.

Also in 1993, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton banned smoking in the White House.

In 1994, South Africa announced the election to chose national and regional assemblies, in which people of all races would vote, would be held April 26-28.

In 1998, President Clinton submitted the first balanced federal budget in 29 years.

A thought for the day: Robert Frost said, "Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence."