The Almanac

Today is Sunday, March 23, the 82nd day of 2003 with 283 to follow.

The moon is waning.

The morning stars are Venus, Mars, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. The evening stars are Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Aries. They include culinary expert Fannie Farmer in 1857; psychoanalyst Erich Fromm in 1900; actress Joan Crawford in 1908; Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa in 1910; rocket scientist Wernher von Braun in 1912; Roger Bannister, the first person to run the mile in less than four minutes, in 1929 (age 74); former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson Jr., in 1938 (age 65); comedian Louie Anderson and singer Chaka Khan, both in 1953 (age 50); and actresses Amanda Plummer in 1957 (age 46) and Keri Russell ("Felicity") in 1976 (age 27).

On this date in history:

In 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act for taxing the American colonies, an action that became a major grievance for rebellious colonials.

In 1775, in a speech supporting the arming of the Virginia militia, Patrick Henry declared, "Give me liberty or give me death."

In 1942, Japanese-Americans were forcibly moved from their homes along the Pacific Coast to inland internment camps.

In 1966, Pope Paul VI met Britain's archbishop of Canterbury at the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, the first meeting between the heads of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches in 400 years.

In 1983, the world's first recipient of a permanent artificial heart, Barney Clark of Seattle, died in a Salt Lake City hospital.

In 1985, the United States completed the secret air evacuation of 800 Ethiopian Jews to Israel.

In 1989, Dick Clark retired from hosting the TV show "American Bandstand" after 33 years.

In 1993, President Clinton held his first full-blown White House news conference on his 62nd day in office.

In 1994, the nominee of the ruling party in Mexico was shot to death just after delivering a campaign speech in Tijuana. A suspect believed to be the gunman was arrested immediately.

In 1996, Taiwan elected Lee Teng-hui in the island nation's first direct presidential election.

In 1998, Russian President Boris Yeltsin fired his entire cabinet.

Also in 1998, "Titanic" won 11 Academy Awards, tying the record total won by "Ben-Hur" in 1959.

In 1999, the vice president of Peru was assassinated.

In 2001, the United States expelled 40 Russian diplomats it said were spies. The action had come in response to the arrested of FBI agent and accused Russian spy Robert Hanssen.

Also in 2001, the Russian space station Mir was brought down in the Pacific Ocean near Fiji after more than 15 years in orbit.

A thought for the day: Erich Fromm wrote, "That man can destroy life is just as miraculous a feat as that he can create it, for life is the miracle, the inexplicable."