GMT

Today in History: February 27

1827 The first Mardi-Gras celebration is held in New Orleans.

1864 The first Union prisoners arrive at Andersonville Prison in Georgia.

1908 The forty-sixth star is added to the U.S. flag, signifying Oklahoma's admission to statehood.

1925 Glacier Bay National Monument is dedicated in Alaska.

1933 The burning down of the Reichstag building in Berlin gives the Nazis the opportunity to suspend personal liberty with increased power.

1988 Debi Thomas becomes the first African American to win a medal at the Winter Olympics.

1991 Coalition forces liberate Kuwait after seven months of occupation by the Iraqi army.


Born on February 27

1902 John Steinbeck, American novelist (The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men).

1932 Elizabeth Taylor, actress (Cleopatra, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?).

1934 Ralph Nader, consumer advocate.



JOTD
I was walking down the street when I was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless man who asked me for a couple of dollars for dinner.

I took out my wallet, extracted ten dollars and asked,"If I give you this money, will you buy some beer with it instead of dinner?"
"No, I had to stop drinking years ago," the homeless man replied.
"Will you use it to go fishing instead of buying food?" I asked.
"No, I don't waste time fishing," the homeless man said.."I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive."
"Will you spend this on hunting equipment?" I asked.
"Are you NUTS!" replied the homeless man. "I haven't gone hunting in 20 years!"
"Well," I said, "I'm not going to give you money. Instead, I'm going to take you home for a shower and a terrific dinner cooked by my wife."
The homeless man was astounded. "Won't your wife be furious with you for doing that?
I replied, "Don't worry about that. It's important for her to see what a man looks like after he has given up drinking, fishing and hunting."