One day in the latter half of the ninth century, a poor young woman on her way to market dropped her basket of eggs – shattering all of them She knelt beside the broken mess and began to weep. As luck – or divine timing – would have it, the local bishop happened to beContinue reading “St. Swithun”
Author Archives: dcaligari
Hopefully you didn’t pay for your education
Once again, everything you learned was a lie; today is actually Independence Day – The US Continental Congress declared independence from Great Britain on this day (in 1776); the formal Declaration of Independence was approved two days later on July 4.
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin’ under …
July 1, 1982 –Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five release the early rap classic The Message, on this date. It’s the first hip-hop hit with lyrics about struggle in the inner city. Unlike many early hip-hop hits, like Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight or Kurtis Blow’s The Breaks, which turned on thumping, up-tempo disco tracks, composersContinue reading “It makes me wonder how I keep from goin’ under …”
Earth vs The Flying Saucers premiered
July 1, 1956 –Columbia Pictures released the classic sci-fi movie, Earth vs The Flying Saucers, featuring special effects by Ray Harryhausen, on this date. The supposed satellite launches are actually stock footage of Viking rockets, high-altitude probes that were the predecessors of the Vanguard, intended to be the first satellite launcher. The later shots ofContinue reading “Earth vs The Flying Saucers premiered”
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes premiered
July 1, 1953 – The Howard Hawk musical comedy, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, starring Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe opened in Atlantic City on this date. This was Jane Russell’s only film with Marilyn Monroe. They got along well. According to Russell’s 1985 autobiography, she called Monroe “Blondie” and was often the only person on theContinue reading “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes premiered”
Canada – our neighbor to the North
As always, your friends from the ACME Corp would like to salute our friends in Canada on Canada Day. Canada is the second-largest nation in the world. It is not part of the United States – (it’s the U.S.‘ nicer sister, not dissing Mexico, the U.S.’ feistier sister.) A little jewel sitting at the topContinue reading “Canada – our neighbor to the North”
If you’re not barefoot, then you’re overdressed.
According to the Gregorian calendar, July is the seventh month. On the Roman calendar, it was the fifth month and it was called ‘Quintilis‘, meaning ‘fifth‘. Julius Caesar gave the month 31 days in 46 B.C. Being a dictator he could. Luckily for us he didn’t authorize the constant changing of underpants or most ofContinue reading “If you’re not barefoot, then you’re overdressed.”
Great Balls of Fire! premiered
June 30, 1989 –The quasi-biographical drama film about Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire! directed by Jim McBride and starring Dennis Quaid, Winona Ryder, John Doe, Alec Baldwin, and Mojo Nixon opened in the US on this date. Jerry Lee Lewis hates the film and the book from which the film was based, butContinue reading “Great Balls of Fire! premiered”
Use whatever soda floats your boat
Today is National Ice Cream Soda day. Remember to pour the soda over the ice cream (you get a thicker ice cream soda foam.) If you added a little Kahlua in first, even better. (Hey, everything ain’t for the kids.)
Carnal Knowledge premiered
June 30, 1971 –Mike Michols’ very adult drama, Carnal Knowledge, written by Jules Feiffer and starring Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen, Art Garfunkel, Ann-Margret, Rita Moreno, and Cynthia O’Neal, opened on this date. Mr. Jenkins, a theater manager in Albany, Georgia was convicted of obscenity-related charges in 1972 for showing the film in his establishment, dueContinue reading “Carnal Knowledge premiered”
