TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1781, William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus. In 1884, the United States adopted Standard Time. In 1957, Jimmy Hoffa was arrested and charged with bribery.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Percival Lowell (1855-1916), astronomer; Walter Annenberg (1908-2002), publisher/philanthropist; L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986), author/Scientologist; Neil Sedaka (1939- ), singer, is 69; William H. Macy (1950- ), actor, is 58.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1992, Los Angeles Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn called his 2,500th consecutive game; he hadn't missed a broadcast since November 1965.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "He who opens a school, closes a prison." - Victor Hugo

TODAY'S FACT: Standard Time was introduced in the U.S. at the instigation of the railroad companies who needed a set of standard times in order to plan train schedules across the country.

TODAY'S NUMBER: 27 - number of known moons orbiting the planet Uranus.

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