Paradise Driver

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Today is Tuesday, March 2nd.

The 62nd day of 2004.

There are 304 days left in the year.



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Today's Highlight in History:



One hundred years ago, on March 2, 1904, children's author Theodor Seuss Geisel — popularly known as "Dr. Seuss" — was born in Springfield, Mass.



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On this date:



In 1498, Vasco de Gama's Portuguese expedition reaches the island of Mozambique, the most southerly port of call for Arab merchants on the east coast of Africa.



In 1776, Americans begin shelling British troops in Boston



In 1789, Pennsylvania ends prohibition of theatrical performances



In 1793, the first president of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston, was born near Lexington, Va.



In 1799, Congress standardizes US weights & measures



In 1807, The U.S. Congress passed an act to "prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States... from any foreign kingdom, place or country."



In 1819, Territory of Arkansas organized.



In 1824, Interstate commerce comes under federal control.



In 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico.



In 1853, Territory of Washington organized after separating from Oregon Territory.



In 1861, US Congress creates Dakota & Nevada Territories out of the Nebraska & Utah territories



In 1877, Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was declared the winner of the 1876 presidential election over Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, even though Tilden had won the popular vote.



In 1897, U.S. President Cleveland vetoed legislation that would have required a literacy test for immigrants entering the country.



In 1899, U.S. President McKinley signed a measure that created the rank of Admiral for the U.S. Navy. The first admiral was George Dewey.



In 1899, Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state was established.



In 1901, The U.S. Congress passed the Platt amendment, which limited Cuban autonomy as a condition for withdrawal of U.S. troops.



In 1909, baseball hall of famer (New York Giants)Mel Ott was born. The 1st National League-er to hit 500 homeruns,



In 1917, Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship.



In 1917, Actor-producer-director-musician Desi Arnaz (Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III ) was born in Santiago, Cuba. He died of cancer December 2, 1986.



In 1923, Time magazine made its debut.



In 1925, State and federal highway officials develop a nationwide route-numbering system and adopt the shield-shaped, number marker.



In 1928, Author Philip K. Dick was born.



In 1933, the motion picture "King Kong," starring Fay Wray, had its world premiere in New York.



In 1939, Roman Catholic Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli was elected pope; he took the name Pius XII.



In 1940, The first televised intercollegiate track meet was seen on TV in New York City on W2XBS. The game presented live from Madison Square Garden. New York University won the meet.



In 1943, the World War II Battle of the Bismarck Sea began.



In 1946, Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnamese Communist leader, is elected the first president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.



In 1956, Morocco gained independence from France.



In 1962, Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain scores a record 100 points in an NBA game, leading the Philadelphia Warriors over the New York Knicks, 169-147.



In 1970, Rhodesia becomes independent republic.



In 1970, Supreme Court ruled draft evaders can not be penalized after 5 years



In 1972 The first outer-planetary probe, Pioneer 10, was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. On December 3, 1973 the probe sent back the first close-up images of Jupiter.



In 1974, First class postage stamps go up in price from eight to ten cents.



In 1974, Stevie Wonder wins five Grammy awards for his album Innervisions.



In 1977, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a strict code of ethics.



In 1998, The United Nation’s Security Council endorses U.N. chief Kofi Annan’s deal to open Iraq’s presidential palaces to arms inspectors.



In 1998, Images from the American spacecraft Galileo indicated that the Jupiter moon, Europa, has a liquid ocean and a source of interior heat.



In 2000, In Great Britain, Chile's former President Augusto Pinochet Ugarte was freed from house arrest and allowed to return to Chile. Britain's Home Secretary Jack Straw had concluded that Pinochet was mentally and physically unable to stand trial. Belgium, France, Spain and Switzerland had sought the former Chilean leader on human-rights violations.



Ten years ago (1994):



The government of Mexico and Indian rebels reached a tentative accord on most insurgent demands for the ending the rebellion, including sweeping political reforms.



Five years ago (1999):



Conservative commentator Pat Buchanan launched a third White House bid.



Texas Governor George W. Bush announced he was forming a presidential exploratory committee.



Singer Dusty Springfield died at her home west of London at age 59.



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One year ago (2003):



Over the Sea of Japan, there was a confrontation between four armed North Korean fighter jets and a U.S. RC-135S Cobra Ball. No shots were fired in the encounter in international airspace about 150 miles off North Korea's coast. The U.S. Air Force announced that it would resume reconnaissance flights on March 12.



Iraq crushed another six Al Samoud Two missiles, as ordered by U.N. weapons inspectors.



Landlocked Switzerland became the first European country to win the America's Cup as "Alinghi" swept Team New Zealand in five races.



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Today's Birthdays:



Actress Jennifer Jones is 85.



Bluegrass singer-musician Doc Watson is 81.



Actor John Cullum is 74.



Former Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev is 73.



Author Tom Wolfe is 73.



Actress Barbara Luna is 65.



Actor Jon Finch is 63.



Author John Irving ("The World According To Garp") is 62.



Singer Lou Reed is 62.



Actress Gates McFadden ("Beverly Crusher" - Star Trek Next Generation) is 55.



Actress Cassie Yates is 53.



Actress Laraine Newman is 52.



Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., is 51.



Singer Jay Osmond is 49.



Pop musician John Cowsill (The Cowsills) is 48.



Tennis player Kevin Curren is 46.



Country singer Larry Stewart (Restless Heart) is 45.



Rock singer Jon Bon Jovi is 42.



Rock musician Casey (Jimmie's Chicken Shack) is 28.



Rock singer Chris Martin (Coldplay) is 27.



Actress Heather McComb is 27.



Actor Robert Iler ("The Sopranos") is 19.



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Thought for Today:

"Be who you are and say what you feel 'cause people who mind don't matter, and people who matter don't mind.'" -

— Theodor Seuss Geisel, American children's author (1904-1991).

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