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PEANUTS® By Charles Schultz Friday, February 17, 2012 – Daily News 5B Today in History By The Associated Press Today is Friday, Feb. 17, the 48th day of 2012. There are 318 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Feb. 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon departed the White House with his wife, Pat, on a historic trip to China, which he called ''a journey for peace.'' On this date: DILBERT® By Scott Adams In 1801, the U.S. House of Representatives broke an electoral tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, electing Jefferson president; Burr became vice president. In 1864, during the Civil War, the Union ship USS Housatonic was rammed and sunk in Charleston Harbor, S.C., by the Confederate hand-cranked submarine HL Hun- ley, which also sank. In 1865, Columbia, S.C., burned as the Confederates evacuated and Union forces moved in. (It's not clear which side set the blaze.) In 1897, the forerunner of the National PTA, the Nation- al Congress of Mothers, convened its first meeting, in Wash- ington. In 1904, the original two-act version of Giacomo Pucci- GARFIELD® By Jim Davis ni's opera ''Madama Butterfly'' was poorly received at its premiere at La Scala in Milan, Italy. In 1933, Newsweek was first published by Thomas J.C. Martyn under the title ''News-Week.'' In 1947, the Voice of America began broadcasting to the Soviet Union. In 1959, the United States launched Vanguard 2, a satel- lite which carried meteorological equipment on board. In 1964, the Supreme Court, in Wesberry v. Sanders, ruled that congressional districts within each state had to be roughly equal in population. In 1992, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced in SHOE By Chris Cassatt and Gary Brookins BLONDIE® By Dean Young and Stan Drake Milwaukee to life in prison (he was beaten to death by a fel- low inmate in Nov. 1994). Ten years ago: President George W. Bush opened a three- nation Asian tour in recession-wracked Japan, where he urged Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (joon-ee-chee-roh koh-ee-zoo-mee) to follow through on long-promised eco- nomic reforms. The new Transportation Security Adminis- tration took over supervision of aviation security from the airline industry and the Federal Aviation Administration. Five years ago: Senate Republicans foiled a Democratic bid to repudiate President George W. Bush's deployment of 21,500 additional combat troops to Iraq. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a surprise visit to Baghdad. At Camp Pendleton, Calif., Marine Lance Cpl. Robert B. Pen- nington was sentenced to 8 years in military prison for his role in the kidnapping and killing of an Iraqi civilian. One year ago: A group of Democratic Wisconsin law- BEETLE BAILEY® By Mort Walker makers blocked passage of a sweeping anti-union bill, refus- ing to show up for a vote and then abruptly leaving the state in an effort to force Republicans to the negotiating table. Today's Birthdays: Actor Hal Holbrook is 87. Mys- tery writer Ruth Rendell is 82. Singer Bobby Lewis is 79. Actor-comedian Barry Humphries (aka ''Dame Edna'') is 78. Country singer-songwriter Johnny Bush is 77. Actress Christina Pickles is 77. Football Hall-of-Famer Jim Brown is 76. Actress Mary Ann Mobley is 73. Actress Brenda Fricker is 67. Actress Rene Russo is 58. Actor Richard Karn is 56. Actor Lou Diamond Phillips is 50. Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan is 49. Actor-comedian Larry, the Cable Guy is 49. TV personality Rene Syler is 49. Movie director Michael Bay is 48. Singer Chante Moore is 45. Rock musician Timothy J. Mahoney (311) is 42. Actor Dominic Purcell is 42. Olympic gold medal skier Tommy Moe is 42. Actress Denise Richards is 41. Rock singer-musician Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) is 40. Actor Jerry O'Connell is 38. Country singer Bryan White is 38. Actress Kelly Carlson is 36. Actor Ashton Holmes is 34. Actor Jason Ritter is 32. TV personality Paris Hilton is 31. Thought for Today: ''Wounded vanity knows when it is mortally hurt; and limps off the field, piteous, all disguises thrown away. But pride carries its banner to the last; and fast as it is driven from one field unfurls it in another.'' — Helen Hunt Jackson, American author (1831-1885). HAGAR the Horrible® By Chris Browne RUBES® By Leigh Rubin ZITS BY JERRY SCOTT & JIM BORGMAN FRANK & ERNEST® By Bob Thaves ALLEY OOP