Author Archives: dcaligari

April 10, 1872 –The first Arbor Day was celebrated in Nebraska City, on this date, and about one million trees were planted. The holiday was actually founded by an editor and agriculturalist from Nebraska City, J. Sterling Morton, who also served as President Grover Cleveland’s Secretary of Agriculture. (This year, Arbor Day is celebrated onContinue reading “Hug a tree today”

April 9, 1990 –The very short lived series Capital News, starring Lloyd Bridges, William Russ, Helen Slater, and Wendell Pierce, aired on ABC TV, on this date. The series consisted of one TV movie (also considered as the pilot) and twelve regular episodes, of which only three were shown on its initial run in theContinue reading “I don’t believe anyone saw this one”

April 9, 1975 –The very surreal comedy film concerning the Arthurian legend, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, written and performed by Monty Python, and directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, opened in London, on this date. During one of the first screenings of this movie in front of a live audience, co-writer andContinue reading “We learned gift plants could appease giants”

April 9, 1974 – The 12th prime-time animated Peanuts TV special, It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!, debuted on CBS on this date. When the Peanuts characters arrive at the mall at Easter time, the mall is decorated for the December holiday season with banners that proclaim: Only 246 shopping days until Christmas.

April 9, 1950 –Bob Hope made his network TV debut on this date, hosting the Star-Spangled Review extravaganza, on NBC. Among the guest stars were Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Dinah Shore, Beatrice Lillie and Carl Reiner. Hope holds two entries in The Guinness Book of World Records. One is for having the distinction of being theContinue reading “Bob Hope’s first TV appearance”

Today is National Gin and Tonic Day Once again I will remind you gentle readers that I am not a spokesperson for Bombay Sapphire (yet), I find it is a waste to use it, given it’s delicate botanicals in a G and T; but hey, what do I know. International Gin and Tonic Day, forContinue reading “O frabjous day!”

The eclipse begins at 2:10 Monday afternoon as the moon covers a small sliver of the sun. By 3:25 p.m., you’ll want to be outside looking up with your safety glasses on. That’s when nearly 90% of the sun will be covered, with only a slim crescent shining through. It all begins with a partialContinue reading “Bunkies, remember – DON’T look directly at the sun”

It may be the birthday of Siddhartha Gautama, (if you’re reading this in Japan and I’m sure I have many readers there) ACME would like to wish you Namo Amituofo – Otherwise, just calculate the first full moon day of the sixth month of the Buddhist lunar calendar, which would be the fourth month ofContinue reading “One Buddha – Many Birthdays”

April 8, 1968 –The TV special Petula airs on NBC on this date. Most people would not remember this special except at one point in the show, host Petula Clark grabs hold of Harry Belafonte’s arm while they are singing a duet. As bizarre as this may seem, the show marked the first time aContinue reading “The past is a different country”

April 8, 1979 –The 204th and final episode of All in the Family, Too Good Edith, aired on this date. The series would come back in the fall in the less successful offering, Archie’s Place.