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PEANUTS® Wednesday, February 22, 2012 – Daily News 5B By Charles Schultz Today in History By The Associated Press Today is Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22, the 53rd day of 2012. There are 313 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Feb. 22, 1732 (New Style date), the first president of the United States, George Washington, was born in West- moreland County in the Virginia Colony. On this date: In 1784, a U.S. merchant ship, the Empress of China, left DILBERT® By Scott Adams GARFIELD® By Jim Davis New York for the Far East to trade goods with China. In 1862, Jefferson Davis, already the provisional presi- dent of the Confederacy, was inaugurated for a six-year term following his election in November 1861. In 1865, Tennessee adopted a new constitution which included the abolition of slavery. In 1909, the Great White Fleet, a naval task force sent on a round-the-world voyage by President Theodore Roosevelt, returned after more than a year at sea. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge delivered the first radio broadcast from the White House as he addressed the country over 42 stations. In 1935, it became illegal for airplanes to fly over the White House. In 1940, the 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) was enthroned at age 4 in Lhasa, Tibet. In 1959, the inaugural Daytona 500 race was held; although Johnny Beauchamp was initially declared the win- ner, the victory was later awarded to Lee Petty. In 1967, more than 25,000 U.S. and South Vietnamese troops launched Operation Junction City, aimed at smashing a Vietcong stronghold near the Cambodian border. (Although the communists were driven out, they later returned.) In 1973, the United States and China agreed to establish liaison offices. In 1980, the ''Miracle on Ice'' took place in Lake Placid, SHOE By Chris Cassatt and Gary Brookins N.Y., as the United States Olympic hockey team upset the Soviets, 4-3. (The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.) In 1987, pop artist Andy Warhol died at a New York City hospital at age 58; talk-show host David Susskind was found dead in his Manhattan hotel suite; he was 66. Ten years ago: Police in San Diego arrested David West- BLONDIE® By Dean Young and Stan Drake erfield in connection with the disappearance of seven-year- old Danielle van Dam. (Westerfield was later sentenced to death for Danielle's murder.) The Angolan army and gov- ernment announced the killing of UNITA leader Jonas Sav- imbi. Cartoon animator Chuck Jones died in Newport Beach, Calif., at age 89. Five years ago: Britain's Ministry of Defense announced that Prince Harry, a second lieutenant in the British army, would be deployed to Iraq (officials later reversed the deci- sion because of insurgent threats). The U.N. nuclear watch- dog agency said Iran had ignored a Security Council ulti- matum to freeze uranium enrichment, and instead had expanded its program by setting up hundreds of cen- trifuges. One year ago: A defiant Moammar Gadhafi vowed to fight to his ''last drop of blood'' and roared at supporters to strike back against Libyan protesters to defend his embattled regime. A magnitude-6.1 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, killed 184 people. Today's Birthdays: Announcer Don Pardo is 94. Actor BEETLE BAILEY® By Mort Walker Paul Dooley is 84. Hollywood ''ghost singer'' Marni Nixon is 82. Movie director Jonathan Demme is 68. Actor John Ashton is 64. Actress Miou-Miou is 62. Actress Julie Wal- ters is 62. Basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving is 62. Actress Ellen Greene is 61. Former Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., is 60. White House adviser David Axelrod is 57. Actor Kyle MacLachlan is 53. World Golf Hall of Famer Vijay Singh is 49. Actress-comedian Rachel Dratch is 46. Actor Paul Lieberstein (TV: ''The Office'') is 45. Actress Jeri Ryan is 44. Actor Thomas Jane is 43. Actress Tamara Mello is 42. Actress-singer Lea Salonga is 41. Actor Jose Solano is 41. International Tennis Hall-of-Famer Michael Chang is 40. Rock musician Scott Phillips is 39. Actress Drew Barry- more is 37. Actress Liza Huber is 37. Thought for Today: ''It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.'' — President George Washington (1732-1799). HAGAR the Horrible® By Chris Browne RUBES® By Leigh Rubin ZITS BY JERRY SCOTT & JIM BORGMAN FRANK & ERNEST® By Bob Thaves ALLEY OOP