THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2009

Today is Thursday, March 19, the 78th day of 2009. There are 287 days left in the year.

0721 B.C. _ First recorded lunar eclipse; Location, Babylon

1571 _ Spanish troops occupy Manila

1644 _ 200 members of Peking imperial family/court commit suicide

1915 _ Pluto photographed for first time (although unknown at the time)

1931 _ Nevada legalizes gambling

1942 _ FDR orders men between 45 and 64 to register for non-military duty

1945 _ 800 killed as Kamikaze attacked USS Franklin off Japan

1945 _ Adolf Hitler issues ``Nero Decree": destruction of German facilities

1970 _ West German Chancellor Willy Brandt and East German Premier Willi Stoph meet

1997 _ Supreme Court hears Internet indecency arguments