Author Archives: dcaligari

it delivers its prediction and then disappears In honor of the occasion, here’s a little history – Groundhog Day, February 2nd, is a popular tradition in the United States. It is also a legend that traverses centuries, its origins clouded in the mists of time with ethnic cultures and animals awakening on specific dates. MythsContinue reading “The groundhog is like most other prophets –”

February 1, 1972 –Neil Young releases his fourth solo album, Harvest, on this date. It goes on to become the best selling album of 1972 Despite being the title track of the Harvest album, the song has enjoyed far less fanfare than songs on the set like Heart of Gold, Alabama, and The Needle AndContinue reading “The public got to reap Harvest”

February is the shortest month, so if you’re having a miserable month, try to schedule it for February. According to the Gregorian calendar, February is the second month of the year, and also the shortest month. February has 28 days until Julius Caesar gave it 29, and 30 days every four years. According to tradition,Continue reading “Without Valentine’s Day, February would be well, January”

February 1, 2004 –During the MTV-provided halftime show of the Superbowl, former boy band member Justin Timberlake conducts an obviously pre-scripted move to expose Janet Jackson’s right bosom on this date, which revealed an oddly shaped ninjitsu-style throwing star as a pasty. The nation is shocked, simply shocked, that a pristine, noncommercial event such asContinue reading “The infamous wardrobe malfunction incident”

February 1, 1982 –42 years ago today, Late Night With David Letterman debuted on NBC-TV on this date, where it stayed for 11 years. Besides Bill Murray, one of Dave’s first guests was Don Herbert aka Mr. Wizard.

February 1, 1893 –Thomas A. Edison opened the world’s first motion picture studio, his Black Maria, (on account of its resemblance to a police patrol wagon,) in West Orange, New Jersey. The studio had a roof that could be opened to admit sunlight for illumination, and the building itself was mounted on a revolving pivotContinue reading “The first film studio”

Today is the last day of Dry January You may resume drinking with abandon tomorrow.

January 31, 1958 –Explorer-I, officially Satellite 1958 Alpha (and sometimes referred to as Explorer 1), was the first Earth satellite of the United States, having been launched at 10:48 pm EST on this date, as part of the United States program for the International Geophysical Year. The satellite was launched from LC-26 at Cape CanaveralContinue reading “The first successful US satellite launch”

January 31, 1976 –Ohio Players’ single from their album Honey, Love Rollercoaster climbed up the No. 1 on the Billboard Charts, on this date. This song is the subject of an urban myth. During an instrumental break, there is a scream that sounds a little out of place. It was rumored that the scream wasContinue reading “The Love Rollercoaster reached the No. 1 position”

January 31, 1919 –Life is not a spectator sport. If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you’re wasting your life. Jackie Robinson, born in Cairo, Georgia on this date, made history in 1947 as the first black baseball player to appear in aContinue reading “Jack Roosevelt Robinson”