STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep. Happy Mardi Gras. Today is the last day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, a time of fasting and prayer for many Christians leading up to Easter. So today, Fat Tuesday, is a day for eating and drinking. New Orleans, or N'Ahlens (ph), or New Orleyans (ph) is the best-known place for celebrating in the U.S. It has several parades scheduled today, including two of the most well-known, Zulu and Rex. Let the good times roll. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.