February 7, 1964 –
It was 58 years ago today, The Beatles arrived at JFK International Airport to begin their first tour of the United States. They helped bring about a social revolution whose effects can be felt to this day. They had nothing to declare but their genius.
The Beatles came from Britain, sometimes known as England, a little island in the North Atlantic from which many people have come to the United States over the years, some of them without guitars.
The British (or English), like so many other Europeans, have a long and storied history. Although it took the French to perfect the guillotine, the English (or British) made up for in zeal what they lacked in technological savvy, and next week is the anniversary of three British (or English) queens having their heads hewn from their shoulders.
On February 8, 1587, after nineteen years in prison, Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded.
On February 12, 1554, Lady Jane Grey, Queen for nine days in 1553, was beheaded.
On February 13, 1542, Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s Vth wife, was beheaded.
If you can get to an English (or British) pub next week, order a beer with extra head and see if they get the joke. (Be prudent, however, as people will sometimes react in unexpected ways when asked for any kind of head at all.)
And so it goes
The Haus of Dcaligari 