Today is the 71st day of 2014 and the 82nd day of winter.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1912, the Girl Guides (later renamed the Girl Scouts of the USA) were founded in Savannah, Ga.

In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi and more than 70 supporters began a 240-mile march protesting the British salt tax.

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman introduced the "Truman Doctrine," a policy that provided military and economic aid to Greece and Turkey to prevent the spread of communism.

In 2002, the U.N. Security Council approved Resolution 1397, endorsing the creation of a Palestinian state.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Elaine de Kooning (1918-1989), artist/critic; Jack Kerouac (1922-1969), author; Edward Albee (1928- ), playwright; Andrew Young (1932- ) activist/politician; Liza Minnelli (1946- ), actress/singer; Mitt Romney (1947- ), politician; James Taylor (1948- ), singer-songwriter; Carl Hiaasen (1953- ), author; Darryl Strawberry (1962- ), baseball player; Aaron Eckhart (1968- ), actor; Jaimie Alexander (1984- ), actress.

TODAY'S FACT: Former President Harry S. Truman was the holder of Medicare card No. 1, which President Lyndon Johnson symbolically presented to Truman on the passing of Medicare legislation in 1965.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1966, Bobby Hull scored his 51st goal, becoming the first NHL player to tally more than 50 goals in a season and leading his Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "A painting to me is primarily a verb, not a noun, an event first and only secondarily an image." -- Elaine de Kooning

TODAY'S NUMBER: $18 billion -- losses suffered by investors in the massive Ponzi scheme perpetuated by stockbroker Bernie Madoff, who pleaded guilty to 11 federal felonies on this day in 2009.

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (March 8) and full moon (March 16).

Today is the 70th day of 2014 and the 81st day of winter.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1861, delegates from seven states adopted the Constitution of the Confederate States of America.

In 1888, the "Great Blizzard of '88" struck the Northeastern United States, killing 400 Americans.

In 2004, 191 people were killed when terrorist bombs exploded on rush hour commuter trains in Madrid.

In 2011, a magnitude 9.03 undersea earthquake triggered a tsunami that struck Japan, killing nearly 16,000 people and causing meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Lawrence Welk (1903-1992), bandleader; Ralph Abernathy (1926-1990), civil rights leader; Rupert Murdoch (1931- ), business leader; Sam Donaldson (1934- ), TV journalist; Antonin Scalia (1936- ), U.S. Supreme Court justice; Douglas Adams (1952-2001), author; Peter Berg (1962- ), actor/director; Terrence Howard (1969- ), actor; Johnny Knoxville (1971- ), actor; Dan Uggla (1980- ), baseball player; Anton Yelchin (1989- ), actor.

TODAY'S FACT: According to the Forbes 400, News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch's net worth was $13.4 billion in 2013.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1979, Randy Holt of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings was penalized a record nine times for a total of 67 minutes.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools." -- Douglas Adams, "Mostly Harmless"

TODAY'S NUMBER: 44 -- countries that received the $50 billion in funds and military goods made available under the Lend-Lease Act, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on this day in 1941.

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (March 8) and full moon (March 16).

Today is the 69th day of 2014 and the 80th day of winter.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed Ulysses S. Grant's commission to command the U.S. Army.

In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell spoke the first intelligible words transmitted over a telephone: "Mr. Watson -- come here -- I want to see you."

In 1969, James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to assassinating Martin Luther King Jr.

In 1971, the U.S. Senate passed the 26th Amendment, lowering the minimum voting age to 18.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908), violinist/composer; Albert Fraenkel (1848-1916), physician; Clare Boothe Luce (1903-1987), playwright/politician; Chuck Norris (1940- ), actor; Jim Valvano (1946-1993), basketball coach; Sharon Stone (1958- ), actress; Rick Rubin (1963- ), record producer; Rod Woodson (1965- ), football player; Jon Hamm (1971- ), actor; Matt Kenseth (1972- ), race car driver; Timbaland (1972- ), rapper/producer; Robin Thicke (1977- ), singer-songwriter; Carrie Underwood (1983- ), singer-songwriter/actress; Olivia Wilde (1984- ), actress.

TODAY'S FACT: From 1875 through 1893, the Bell Telephone Company faced 587 unsuccessful court challenges to its patents, including five decided by the Supreme Court.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1995, retired basketball superstar Michael Jordan announced his retirement from baseball after a single season in the minor leagues. Jordan played his comeback game with the NBA's Chicago Bulls nine days later.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Cancer can take away all of my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul." -- Jim Valvano

TODAY'S NUMBER: 129.1 million -- Americans who voted in the 2012 presidential election.

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (March 8) and full moon (March 16).