March 29th

Today's Highlight in History:
On March 29th, 1943, World War Two meat, butter and cheese rationing began.

On this date:
In 1638, Swedish colonists settled in present-day Delaware.

In 1790, the tenth president of the United States, John Tyler, was born in Charles City County, Virginia.

In 1847, victorious forces led by General Winfield Scott occupied the city of Vera Cruz after Mexican defenders capitulated.

In 1867, the British Parliament passed the North America Act to create the Dominion of Canada.

In 1882, the Knights of Columbus was chartered in Connecticut.

In 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. (They were executed in June 1953.)

In 1962, Jack Paar hosted NBC's "Tonight" show for the final time.

In 1971, Army Lieutenant William L. Calley Junior was convicted of murdering at least 22 Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai massacre. (Calley ended up spending three years under house arrest.)

In 1971, a jury in Los Angeles recommended the death penalty for Charles Manson and three female followers for the 1969 Tate-La Bianca murders. (The sentences were later commuted.)

In 1974, eight Ohio National Guardsmen were indicted on charges stemming from the shooting deaths of four students at Kent State University. (The guardsmen were later acquitted.)

Ten years ago: President Bush, addressing the National Leadership Coalition on AIDS, declared his administration "on a wartime footing" against the disease, and called for compassion, not discrimination, toward those infected with the virus.

Five years ago: The House of Representatives rejected, 227-to-204, a constitutional amendment placing term limits on lawmakers. (The rejected proposal would have limited terms to 12 years in the House and Senate.)

One year ago: NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia continued for a sixth night. The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 10,000 for the first time, ending the day at 10,006.78. Connecticut beat top-ranked Duke, 77-to-74, for its first NCAA basketball championship. Legendary jazz singer Joe Williams died in Las Vegas at age 80.

"Materialists and madmen never have doubts."

-- G.K. Chesterton, English author (1874-1936).