GMT

Today in History

1990 Mikhail Gorbachev becomes President of the Soviet Union
His economic and political reforms, as well as his advocacy of free speech, strengthened pro-democracy movements in other Eastern European countries and ultimately led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War.

1985 The world's first internet domain name is registered
symbolics.com was registered by the Symbolics Computer Corporation of Massachusetts. There are over 1 billion domains today.

1972 Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather is premiered
The gangster movie based on Mario Puzo's novel is one of the most popular films of all time.

1917 The last emperor of Russia abdicates
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicated following the February Revolution. He was later executed together with his family and some of his servants.

1895 Enrico Caruso makes his stage debut
The Italian tenor is arguably the most famous opera singer of all time.

Births On This Day,
March 15

1979 Kevin Youkilis
American baseball player

1975 Eva Longoria
American actress, producer

1947 Ry Cooder
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer


Joke of the Day

Bert and Ernie had worked together as radio hosts for twenty years.

They traded jokes, played pop music and generally made people's lives a touch brighter as they trundled to work.

In one of the breaks they received a Fax. Ernie picked up the page and was in shock. Ernie silently reread the fax message from civil defense. As licensed broadcasters they were legally obligated to alert the public, to tell them the nukes were flying and that in a few minutes, all of the world's troubles would be over.

What was the point of that though? To torture people with the knowledge of something they couldn't change?

Their eyes met and a decision was reached. Bert put on their most requested song, a sugary top 40 tune while Ernie produced a bottle of bourbon from under the desk. As their producer banged on the locked studio door, the colleagues toasted the end of a long career.

Bert, always the consummate professional, turned away from the window as the first explosion split the distant horizon. He straightened his tie, tucked in his shirt and brushed his hair back. He would meet his fiery death with dignity.

Bert turned to Ernie and said in a quiet, resigned voice, "How do I look, Ernie?"

Ernie walked slowly over to his friend. He looked into Bert's face and saw the closeness they shared, the strength of their relationship, forged over the years. took a deep breath and spoke quietly:

"With your eyes, Bert."