TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1888, the "Great Blizzard of '88" killed 400 Americans. In 1941, President Roosevelt signed the "Lend-Lease" bill, allowing the U.S. to provide supplies to its allies. In 2004, terrorist bombings of commuter trains in Madrid, Spain, killed 191 people.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Lawrence Welk (1903-1992), bandleader; Mercer Ellington (1919-1996), bandleader/composer; Rupert Murdoch (1931- ), media executive, is 77; Antonin Scalia (1936- ), U.S. Supreme Court justice, is 72; Jerry Zucker (1950- ), filmmaker, is 58; Johnny Knoxville (1971- ), actor, is 37; Dan Uggla (1980- ), baseball player, is 28.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1979, the NHL's Randy Hold was penalized a record 9 times for 67 minutes.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "There is nothing new in the realization that the Constitution sometimes insulates the criminality of a few in order to protect the privacy of us all." - Antonin Scalia

TODAY'S FACT: According to the Forbes 400, News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch's wealth increased from $7.7 billion in 2006 to $8.8 billion in 2007, but his rank on the list dropped from 32 to 33.

TODAY'S NUMBER: 44 - number of countries that received the $50 million in funds and military goods made available under the 1941 Lend-Lease bill.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (March 7) and first quarter (March 14).