Musing of the Month:
What I Really Know About First Dates
by Denise Rucci, Bend, OR; reprinted from AARP Bulletin May 2013
My first date never happened. I was 14 and in the eighth grade, but had been in love with Jimmy since age 11. He went to a different school, but lived a block away and across the street from my best friend. Toward the end of the school year, the most popular girl in my grade invited me to her birthday sleepover. When I arrived at the girl's house, I discovered it was not your typical girls-up-all-night party. I was led down to the basement, where in the dark my entire class, boys and girls, were sprawled everywhere, kissing up a storm. At first, I wanted to run, but then I got an idea. When the popular girl stopped kissing long enough, I asked her if I could invite Jimmy to the party. "Absolutely," she replied. I sat on her bed, staring at the phone, waiting for my hand to stop shaking long enough to dial. Once I dialed, the phone rang and rang, but no one answered. I dialed again and again for two hours before finally giving up. By the time I got back to the party, all of the boys were gone and our girls-up-all-night party was in full swing.
Fast forward to present-day social media. I am able to type in Jimmy's name, and his profile appears. I send a friend request, and it is promptly accepted. I can view Jimmy's images on his profile, where I meet his wife, children and pets. Because we are able to chat back and forth, I decide to tell Jimmy about that birthday party. When I get his reply, I'm shocked. "I would have come," he said. So, even though my first date never happened, I'm glad it happened the way it did. I was spared the awkward first kiss and the gossip that would have followed. And although I had to wait a while, I learned that my affections were not in vain.
50th Anniversaries, Holidays, National Observances and Birthdays
50th anniversaries
Feb. 2
Hasbro debuts G.I. Joe, "America's movable fighting man." The company opens the doll market to boys by branding the toys "action figures."
Feb. 7
"Beatlemania" erupts in the United States when 3,000 screaming fans greet the "Fab Four" as they arrive at New York's Kennedy Airport for their first American tour. It's six days after the quartet first vaults to the top of the U.S. singles chart with "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and two days before an estimated 73 million U.S. television viewers watch their debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
Feb. 17
The U.S. Supreme Court issues its landmark "one person, one vote" decision in Wesberry v. Sanders, requiring states to draw U.S. congressional districts so that they are approximately equal in population.
Feb. 25
Cassius Clay, 22, knocks out world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston in Miami Beach to win the title he will hold until 1967. Shortly after the bout Clay joins the Nation of Islam, and on March 6 he is renamed Muhammad Ali.
February national months, observances and holidays
African American/Black History Month
American Heart Month
National AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
National Children's Dental Health Month
Feb. 1: National Freedom Day
Feb. 2: Groundhog Day
Feb. 2: Super Bowl XLVIII
Feb. 14: Valentine's Day
Feb. 17: Presidents' Day
February milestone birthdays
5 things you didn't know about Chris Gardner, stockbroker, motivational speaker, philanthropist, author of "The Pursuit of Happyness," AARP Ambassador of Pursuit and Happyness (born Feb. 9, 1954)
He grew up in Milwaukee, where his mother's family had settled after their car broke down on the way to Canada (or at least that's the story).
He decided to become a stockbroker after a chance meeting in a parking lot with the driver of a red Ferrari, who revealed to him that he was a stockbroker.
To portray Gardner accurately during his period of homelessness in the 1980s, "Pursuit of Happyness" star Will Smith lost 25 pounds to appear more gaunt.
Gardner made a cameo appearance in the 2008 comedy film "The Promotion," directed by "Pursuit of Happyness" screenwriter Steve Conrad.
The vanity license plate on the Ferrari he bought from Michael Jordan reads "Not MJ."
50
Feb. 5: Laura Linney (actress)
Feb. 10: Glenn Beck
Feb. 11: Sarah Palin
Feb. 18: Matt Dillon
60
Feb. 2: Christie Brinkley
Feb. 9: Chris Gardner
Feb. 15: Matt Groening
Feb. 17: Rene Russo
Feb. 18: John Travolta
Feb. 20: Patty Hearst
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Feb. 5: Al Kooper (musician, songwriter)
Feb. 9: Alice Walker (author, poet)
Feb. 13: Stockard Channing
Feb. 13: Jerry Springer
Feb. 14: Carl Bernstein
Feb. 22: Jonathan Demme (filmmaker, producer, screenwriter)
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Feb. 5: Hank Aaron
Feb. 11: Tina Louise (Ginger, "Gilligan's Island")
Feb. 12: Bill Russell
Feb. 13: George Segal
Feb. 14: Florence Henderson
Feb. 17: Barry Humphries, a.k.a. "Dame Edna"
Feb. 20: Bobby Unser (race-car driver)
Feb. 27: Ralph Nader
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Feb. 20: Gloria Vanderbilt
Freebies, Scams and Savings Tips
February free stuff
Monthlong: Tax return preparation by AARP volunteers for low-to middle-income filers. For nearby locations, call 888-227-7669 or visit aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action.
Monthlong: These sites may offer free "simple" federal tax returns: Express1040.com, Free File (irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free), TaxAct.com and TurboTax (turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/free-edition.jsp).
Yearlong Freebies
Books, CDs, DVDs, Internet access, classes and lectures: At 17,000 public libraries across the country.
Cash back: Rebate websites such as BeFrugal.com, CouponCactus.com, Ebates.com and Extrabux.com pay back a percentage of online purchases from select retailers.
Computer security software: Avast! (avast.com/index), AVG (http and Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download).
Computer software for word processing, spreadsheets and other features: OpenOffice.org.
Credit report: Get three credit reports per year (one from each reporting bureau) at annualcreditreport.com. Scores cost extra.
Diet and exercise plans: FatSecret.com, MyFitnessPal.com and SparkPeople.com.
Factory tours: FactoryToursUSA.com.
Grocery-shopping apps to compare prices or use coupons: CardStar.com, CouponSherpa.com, KeyRingApp.com, http and
Hotel freebies: Check Priceline.com.
Home improvement workshops: Held weekends in local Home Depot (homedepot.com) and Lowe's (lowes.com) stores.
Medications (such as antibiotics): Meijer (meijer.com/pharmacy), Publix (publix.com/pharmacy/Free-Medications.do), ShopRite (shoprite.com/in-our-store/pharmacy) and other chains.
Military and veterans freebies: Various freebies and discounts at military.com, militaryandveteransdiscounts.com, themilitarywallet.com and VeteranOwnedBusiness.com.
Free or discounted tickets to sporting and other events for enrolling at vettix.org.
Wedding gowns for military brides at bridesacrossamerica.com.
Movies and TV shows to watch online: Crackle.com and Hulu.com.
Recipes: AllRecipes.com and Epicurious.com.
Restaurants: Some chain restaurants offer freebies on your birthday or anniversary if you subscribe to their e-newsletters or email clubs.
If you're a kid (or dining with one), certain restaurants offer "Kids Eat Free" promotions. Check MyKidsEatFree.com for details.
Go to your favorite businesses' Facebook pages and see if they offer free food and other stuff by clicking on "Like."
Samples of products: freesamples.org, getitfree.us, mrfreestuff.com, shop4freebies.com, startsampling.com, sweetfreestuff.com, TheFreeSite.com and TotallyFreeStuff.com. (To receive information without overloading your primary email, open a free dedicated account at Yahoo or Gmail.)
Free shipping: FreeShipping.org lists everyday shipping freebies and discounts.
Travel insurance: Check whether your credit card provides free travel insurance and other on-the-road perks.
February scam of the month: Plucking snowbirds
It's not just retirees who flock to warm-weather states like Florida and Arizona as the temperature drops up north. During Snowbird Season-which runs from late November through early April but peaks this month-traveling crooks work retiree-rich communities. Among the most common ruses on snowbirds:
Condo capers: Unannounced visits by self-described utility workers or contractors should always sound internal alarms of a possible scam. But a request to enter your home can have more credence when the front-door fraudster claims "the condo association sent me." Be especially on guard when workers arrive in pairs; a common scheme is to pose as exterminators, as one may "accidentally" spill liquid or spray pesticide on you and divert your attention by helping with the cleanup while the other stealthily steals valuables. Unless you initiate contact or the condo association gives prior notice, never let these folks inside your dwelling.
Telemarketing cons: Snowbirds can expect an uptick in phony phone calls claiming they've won a sweepstakes or the like. Why? During winter, telephoning tricksters specially target phone numbers in snowbird communities. And if you own a condo or second home, it's easy to get personal info such as your name and age, information that's dropped into the come-on to make it seem more legitimate.
Pickpockets: Older folks are prized targets for their looser-fitting clothing and sometimes delayed reaction times. Beware of strangers traveling in pairs; one may distract the intended victim (perhaps asking for driving directions) while the other quickly picks a pocket or handbag.
Fake lottery winnings: In a parking lot, someone approaches you claiming to hold a winning lottery ticket. Only problem, the "winner" is in the United States illegally and can't go get the money. So a request is made to pay a portion of the jackpot, and you can have the winning ticket to claim as your own. Its number may be "verified" by a passerby-"I saw it announced on TV last night." In reality, this person is an accomplice.
The malevolent mechanic: They wait outside shopping malls or supermarkets, watching for snowbirds (often recognized by out-of-state license plates) to park and go inside. If the car's older or left unlocked, they can pop the hood and disable the vehicle by pulling wires. When you return, they offer help getting the car started-after driving them to the bank for money to pay for the repair. Your best option, if you don't have roadside assistance coverage, is to call a friend or police to give you a hand.
The bank examiner scam: Outside of banks, con artists pose as bank officials or law enforcement agents who claim to be doing an internal investigation on a corrupt teller. They say they're asking valued customers to withdraw their money and hand it over-saying they need to check serial numbers or to mark the currency and will quickly redeposit it to determine if the teller steals any. Of course, they and the cash quickly disappear. Real banking examiners and police don't need your money for their investigations.
February best buys
Air conditioners: Need you ask why? It's also the best time to have existing units serviced-along with lawn mowers.
Boats: Maybe not the best time for the high seas, but perhaps the ideal time to buy; it's boat-show season, and manufacturers eagerly discount old models.
Cameras: Some industry trade shows occur in January to unveil new models, so older inventory is marked down, and you can snap up bargains.
Chocolate: After Valentine's Day, Cupid shelves his bow and arrow. So aim for bargains on leftovers of this classic gift.
Luggage: With a lull between the busy holiday and January travel rush and the beginning of spring break, it's a good time to bag deals.
February sales tax holidays
Sales tax holidays differ by state and may be subject to legislative approval each year. Consult your state's department of taxation website (linked and listed below) for verification as well as a complete list of eligible purchases.
Alabama: Typically the last weekend for generators up to $1,000 and other hurricane preparedness supplies up to $60 revenue.
alabama.gov/salestax/salestaxhol.cfm
Fun Places to Go This Month
This list isn't comprehensive, and dates weren't all confirmed when we went to press, so verify the information with the websites provided and check your local newspaper for other ideas.
February great vacations
Feb. 4-9
American International Fine Art Fair
(aifaf.com)
Palm Beach, Fla.
Sure, the organizers would love to sell you that Andy Warhol portrait of Chairman Mao, or an original Chagall of a man and his goat. But don't feel any pressure: You can browse all you want among the exhibitions at one of the nation's premiere arts and antique fairs-in one of the ritziest neighborhoods in the United States.
Feb. 12-16 (Presidents Day Weekend)
Winter Blast Pyrotechnics Fireworks Show
(golakehavasu.com)
Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
This marks the 25th year that the world's top fireworks manufacturers have taken advantage of Arizona's clear winter nights to demonstrate their latest products. The result: Presidents Day Weekend becomes an early July Fourth celebration.
Feb. 13-16
Winter Wings Festival
(winterwingsfest.org)
Klamath Falls, Ore.
The longest-running bird festival in the nation-35 years running-corresponds with one of the year's best viewing periods. Visitors come from as far as New York to spot bald eagles, falcons, gray owls and, even though they don't fly, Rocky Mountain elk.
February book fairs
Feb. 7-9
International Antiquarian Book Fair
(http
Pasadena, Calif.
Billed as the largest antiquarian book fair in the world, the event features more than 200 dealers selling limited and first editions, medieval manuscripts, maps, photographs and prints, plus seminars, lectures and demos on book-related topics. Admission.
Feb. 13-16
Savannah Book Festival
(savannahbookfestival.org)
Savannah, Ga.
The seventh annual four-day festival features an onsite bookstore and presentations by best-selling authors of popular fiction and nonfiction, as well as historians, lifestyle experts and other authors.
February 21-22
Amelia Island Book Festival
(http
Amelia Island, Fla.
This festival offers workshops, discussions and signings, plus a marketplace where visitors can chat with authors and buy books.
February film festivals
Feb. 12-16
Beaufort International Film Festival
(beaufortfilmfestival.com)
Beaufort, S.C.
This fest was created in 2007 to highlight the "film-friendliness" of the area (Forrest Gump and The Big Chill were filmed here) for industry insiders. It's cozy-7,600 people showed up in 2013-but growing, with a diverse lineup.
Feb. 13-16
Boulder International Film Festival
(biff1.com)
Boulder, Colo.
Boulder lures big-ticket Hollywood films and artsy independents, while offering panels and lectures with folks like William H. Macy and Peter Fonda (both recent fests).
Feb. 22-March 2
Sedona International Film Festival
(sedonafilmfestival.org)
Sedona, Ariz.
The motto for this indie film fest is "Where Movies Rock!" Organizers emphasize the area's red rock formations and stunning sunsets as a unique backdrop for the week's 145 films, parties and workshops.
Feb. 27-March 2
Macon Film Festival
(maconfilmfestival.com)
Macon, Ga.
This small festival is all about independent films, American and international, which are shown at two different historic theaters in downtown Macon.
February food and wine festivals
Feb. 8-9
Wine and Chocolate Weekend
(maderawinetrail.com/february.htm)
Madera, Calif.
Visitors taste local wines along the Madera Wine Trail, while sampling chocolate and other treats. The weekend also features live music and local art. Admission.
Feb. 9-10
Valentine Wine & Chocolate Weekend
(vermontgrapeandwinecouncil.com/what-s-happening)
Throughout Vermont
Wineries throughout the state offer free wine tastings, along with chocolate and other local foods. In honor of Valentine's Day, each winery provides a special pairing of one of its wines and chocolate or other desserts. Free.
Feb. 20-23
Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival
(corporate.sobefest.com/2014-festival/)
South Beach, Fla.
The food festival spans four days and offers more than 50 events and products from more than 150 wine and spirits producers from around Florida. Admission.
Feb. 22
New London Chamber Beer Tasting
(newlondonchamber.com/events/beertasting.html)
New London, Wis.
The annual beer-tasting event offers local and international beers, as well as wines and other beverages. Admission.
Feb. 22-23
Chocolate Wine Trail
(hermannwinetrail.com)
Hermann, Mo.
Wineries along the Wine Trail, which spans 20 miles along the Missouri River between Hermann and New Haven, offer tastings of chocolate treats and wines. Admission (note that it sells out quickly).
Diet, Health and Recipes
February health tip of the month
Flossing may protect you from Alzheimer's disease, says a recent British study that found bacteria from gum disease in brain samples of some people who died of Alzheimer's but not in those from people who died of other, non-dementia related, causes. So while you're sampling Valentine's Day chocolate, we're going to nag you just like your dentist would: You need to floss more!
February superfood of the month: Coffee
In American Heart Month, choose coffee. That's because the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study found that people who drank coffee were less likely to die from heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes and infections. Coffee may also help protect women from breast and other cancers; for example, those who drank two cups a day had a lower incidence of breast cancer compared with those who drank little or no coffee daily. Other research found that those who drank three to five cups of coffee a day in their 40s and 50s had a 65 percent lower rate of developing Alzheimer's than those who drank two cups a day. Remember, this doesn't pertain to the sugar-and fat-filled coffee drinks you get at the corner coffee shop. There is some evidence that raw-unroasted-green coffee can lower blood pressure in those with mild hypertension. Be sure to check with your doctor.
February fitness tip of the month
Exercising with a friend or family member can help keep you motivated, particularly during what feels like winter's coldest, darkest month. But what happens if you don't have a reliable exercise buddy? A new study finds that exercising with a virtual partner can be just as effective. The Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect gaming systems not only track your body's movements in real time but also let you "work out" with a virtual friend. Try Zumba Fitness, Just Dance or UFC Personal Trainer for a fun, invigorating workout.
Medical breakthrough of the month: More effective, less toxic drug for advanced breast cancer
On Feb. 22, 2013, the Food and Drug Administration approved Kadcyla, a new type of drug that combines the common breast cancer drug Herceptin with a powerful medicine that targets tumor cells but spares healthy ones. (Herceptin alone interferes with the growth of cancer cells but can also affect normal cells, causing fever, pain, swelling, trouble breathing and heart problems.) Researchers hope the new drug will extend the survival of women with advanced breast cancer while reducing side effects. Such advancement, however, comes with a stiff price: the drug's developer Genentech said it will cost $9,800 a month-about twice the price of Herceptin alone. A number of insurers may cover the drug if patients qualify. Currently, Kadcyla is approved for use only after a patient has already failed to respond to Herceptin and taxane, another class of chemotherapy drug.
February recipe of the month: Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Tart
This chocolate-covered dessert takes a little effort, but it's perfect for Valentine's Day-and has "I love you" written all over it.
By blogger Jen Bernstein, localappetiteny.com, @localappetiteny, from AARP's ThinkFood: Recipes for Brain Fitness (Posit Science), aarp.org/ThinkFoodCookbook.
Serves 7-8
INGREDIENTS
Chocolate Tart Dough
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
? cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
? cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
Dark Chocolate Topping
6? ounces high-quality dark chocolate (70% preferable), chopped
? cup light cream
1 egg yolk
Extra dark chocolate for shavings on top for decoration
Strawberry Filling
? cup strawberry jam
2 baskets of strawberries, sliced (or enough to cover bottom of tart shell)
DIRECTIONS
Chocolate Tart Dough
Sift together flour and the cocoa powder. Set aside.
Cream butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer. When well beaten, add the egg yolk and beat until blended. Add half the flour/cocoa mixture and beat in until it becomes crumbly. Add the remaining flour/cocoa and mix in just until dough holds together.
Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap to ? inch thickness. If it crumbles, just press it back together. (The plastic wrap should help it stay together as you roll.)
Gently place dough in a tart pan, and use your fingertips to press the sides into the bottom to make sure it is well fitted. Using your rolling pin, roll over the top of the tart shell to cut off any excess dough and give you a neat edge. Prick all over the base of the dough with a fork. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake chilled tart until crust is dry to the touch, about 15 minutes. Let cool while you make the chocolate cream.
Dark Chocolate Topping
Place the chopped chocolate and cream in a saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring, until chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolk with a whisk. Set aside.
To Assemble the Tart
Spread a layer of strawberry jam inside the cooled tart shell.
Lay strawberry slices on top of the jam and cover the base of the tart. Try to keep them in a single layer, without piling them too high.
Pour the chocolate cream over the strawberries and smooth out with a knife or spatula. Decorate the top with a few strawberry slices in the middle and shavings of dark chocolate (if using).
Chill in the refrigerator until chocolate cream has firmed, about one hour.
This Day in History
Feb. 1, 1960: Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain and David Richmond, all freshmen at the Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina, are refused service because of their race at the "whites only" lunch counter of the F. W. Woolworth Co. store in Greensboro, N.C. Despite being asked to leave by Woolworth's management, the four men stay until the store closes, inspiring sit-in protests throughout Greensboro and other Southern cities.
Feb. 2, 1970: "Pistol Pete" Maravich becomes the first college basketball player to score 3,000 points. He will end his varsity career with a record 3,667.
Feb. 3, 1959: It is "the day the music died," as young rock 'n' roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson are killed along with pilot Roger Peterson in the crash of their chartered plane near Clear Lake, Iowa. They would be immortalized in Don McLean's 1972 hit, "American Pie."
Feb. 4, 1789: Electors unanimously select George Washington to be America's first president.
Feb. 5, 1948: Dick Button lands the first ever double-axle jump attempted in a competition at the Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, becoming the first American athlete to take home a gold medal in men's figure skating. Button will repeat his golden feat four years later.
Feb. 6, 1971: Alan B. Shepard hits golf balls while on the moon. The club he used is later displayed at the U.S. Golf Association Hall of Fame.
Feb. 7, 1991: The Rev. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Haiti's first democratically elected president, is sworn into office.
Feb. 8, 1936: Jay Berwanger, Heisman Trophy winner and star halfback of the University of Chicago, is the No. 1 pick selected in the first ever National Football League draft, held at the Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia. Berwanger is chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles, yet he turns down the job and would never play in the NFL.
Feb. 9, 1964: John, Paul, George and Ringo debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show," which receives more than 50,000 requests for 728 seats.
Feb. 10, 1949: Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman" debuts on Broadway. The playwright will die exactly 56 years later.
Feb. 11, 1993: Janet Reno is chosen by President Bill Clinton to become the first woman to serve as attorney general of the United States.
Feb. 12, 1909: W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, Henry Moscowitz, William English Walling and others found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth.
Feb. 13, 1935: Following a six-week trial for the "crime of the century," Bruno Richard Hauptmann is convicted by a jury in Flemington, N.J., of the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr., the infant son of aviation celebrities Charles and Anne Lindbergh. Hauptmann will be executed on April 3, 1936.
Feb. 14, 1962: First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy gives television viewers an inside look at the White House when she takes CBS broadcaster Charles Collingwood on a televised tour of the newly restored presidential residence.
Feb. 15, 1933: Giuseppe "Joe" Zangara pulls out an $8 pistol and tries to assassinate President-elect Franklin Roosevelt in Miami. He misses, killing Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak instead.
Feb. 16, 1923: After some 3,000 years of undisturbed peace, King Tutankhamen's inner tomb is unsealed by Howard Carter in Egypt.
Feb. 17, 1996: Man triumphs over machine as chess master Garry Kasparov beats IBM's supercomputer, Deep Blue, in 43 moves.
Feb. 18, 1930: Astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh produces images of Planet X at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz. An 11-year-old English girl, Venetia Burney, suggests the name Pluto and lives to see it named a planet and then, in 2006, downgraded to a "dwarf" planet.
Feb. 19, 2002: Vonetta Flowers becomes the first African-American to win a Winter Olympics gold medal after she and teammate Jill Bakken win the bobsledding event.
Feb. 20, 1998: At age 15, Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest person in Winter Olympic history to win an individual gold medal when she wins the women's figure skating competition for the United States in Nagano, Japan.
Feb. 21, 1947: Edwin Land shows off the world's first instant camera-the Polaroid Land.
Feb. 22, 1980: In a stunning 4-3 upset deemed the "Miracle on Ice," an unseasoned U.S. hockey team beats a highly experienced and decorated team from the Soviet Union at the Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. The Americans, coached by Herb Brooks, will go on to win the gold medal after defeating Finland.
Feb. 23, 1954: Jonas Salk's polio vaccine is used in Pittsburgh for the first mass inoculation of children against the disease.
Feb. 24, 1992: Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain marries Hole front woman Courtney Love in Waikiki Beach, Hawaii.
Feb. 25, 1986: Corazon Aquino is sworn is as president of the Philippines after Ferdinand Marcos-who ruled the country for over 20 years-flees following a disputed election.
Feb. 26, 1983: Michael Jackson's best-selling album "Thriller" rises to No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, where it will remain for a record 37 weeks.
Feb. 27, 1991: President George H.W. Bush announces that combat in Operation Desert Storm is over, proclaiming the defeat of Iraq and the liberation of Kuwait.
Feb. 28, 1953: Scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick discover the double-helix structure of the human genetic molecule deoxyribonucleic acid, better known as DNA, at Cambridge University in England. Along with Maurice Wilkins, Watson and Crick will be awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on nucleic acids.
