Erie is an industrial city on the shore of Lake Erie and the regional hub of northwestern of Pennsylvania. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth largest city (after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown), with a population of 104,000. Erie's Metropolitan Area consists of approximately 280,000 residents and an Urbanized Area population of approximately 195,000. The city is the seat of government for Erie County. Erie is in proximity to Cleveland, Ohio; Buffalo, New York; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Once teeming with heavy industry, Erie's manufacturing sector remains prominent in the local economy, though healthcare, higher education, and tourism are emerging as greater economic drivers. More than four million people each year visit Presque Isle State Park, for water recreation, and a new casino named for the state park is growing in popularity. Erie is known as the Flagship City because of the presence of Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship Niagara. The city has also been called the Gem City because of the "sparkling" lake. Erie won the All-America City Award in 1972.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie%2C_Pennsylvania

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1859:

German scholar Constantin von Tischendorf rediscovered the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th century uncial manuscript of the Greek Bible, in Saint Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Sinaiticus

1899:

The Philippine–American War opened when an American soldier, under orders to keep insurgents away from his unit's encampment, fired upon a Filipino soldier in Manila. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine%E2%80%93American_War

1974:

The Provisional Irish Republican Army bombed a motor coach carrying off-duty British Armed Forces personnel and their family members, killing twelve and wounding fifty more. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M62_coach_bombing

1992:

Venezuelan Army Lieutenant Colonel Hugo Chávez failed in his attempt to overthrow the government of Carlos Andrés Pérez. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Venezuelan_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat_attempts

1999:

The Panamanian-flagged freighter New Carissa ran aground near Coos Bay, Oregon, US, causing one the worst oil spills in Oregon history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Carissa

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

score off (v): 1. To defeat (especially in an argument), get the better of. 2. To delete, especially from a list; to draw a line through http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/score_off

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

If I had to choose, I would rather have birds than airplanes. --Charles Lindbergh http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Charles_Lindbergh