Today is Thursday, Feb. 11, the 42nd day of 2010. There are 323 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History

On Feb. 11, 1960, “Tonight Show” host Jack Paar stunned his audience by walking off the program in a dispute with NBC over its decision to censor an anecdote he’d quoted the night before having to do with a misunderstanding over the British term “W.C.” (short for “water closet,” or bathroom). Despite his very public resignation, Paar returned to the Tonight Show less than a month later.

On this date

In 1812, Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a re-districting law favoring his party — giving rise to the term “gerrymandering.”

In 1858, a French girl, Bernadette Soubirous, reported the first of 18 visions of a lady dressed in white in a grotto near Lourdes. (The Catholic Church later accepted that the visions were of the Virgin Mary.)

In 1861, President-elect Abraham Lincoln departed Springfield, Ill. for Washington.

In 1929, the Lateran Treaty was signed, with Italy recognizing the independence and sovereignty of Vatican City.

In 1945, President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin signed the Yalta Agreement during World War II.

In 1975, Margaret Thatcher was elected leader of Britain’s opposition Conservative Party.

In 1979, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power in Iran.

In 1989, Reverend Barbara Harris became the first woman consecrated as a bishop in the Episcopal Church, in a ceremony held in Boston.

In 1990, South African black activist Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years in captivity.

One year ago

The nation’s top bankers went before the House Financial Services Committee, pledging to build public trust with greater lending and fewer perks. Stewart Parnell, owner of Peanut Corp. of America, repeatedly invoked his right not to incriminate himself at a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on a salmonella outbreak that had sickened hundreds.

Today’s Birthdays

Actor Leslie Nielsen is 84. Actor Conrad Janis is 82. Actress Tina Louise is 76. Actor Burt Reynolds is 74. Bandleader Sergio Mendes is 69. Singer Sheryl Crow is 48. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is 46. Actress Jennifer Aniston is 41. Singer D’Angelo is 36. Actor Brice Beckham is 34. Actress Q’orianka Kilcher is 20. Actor Taylor Lautner is 18.

Thought for Today

“What we respect we always do, but what we do not respect we ignore.”

— Plato, Greek philosopher (c. 347 B.C.)