Author Archives: dcaligari

December 31, 1995 –Cartoonist Bill Watterson ends his Calvin and Hobbes comic strip on this date. Calvin and Hobbes debuted in 1985 and featured the adventures of Calvin, a hyperactive, overly imaginative, bratty six-year-old, and his best friend, the stuffed tiger Hobbes (who is also an actual tiger.)

It’s the Seventh day of Christmas. Today’s gift count (84 gifts): you currently have Seven Swans a’ swimming, 12 geese a’ laying, 15 golden rings, 16 calling birds, 15 French hens, 12 turtledoves and 7 partridges in their respective pear trees. Today is also the Feast of St. Sylvester I who was one of theContinue reading “Maybe just go see the swans in the park”

Ringing in the New Year is the perfect opportunity each year to celebrate National Champagne Day. It is obviously observed on December 31st (although I’ve seen it listed as being celebrated on October 18th.) Drink Champagne for breakfast today! It’s a new year tomorrow. Wear your mask if you’re going to be out in aContinue reading “Only the unimaginative can fail to find a reason for drinking champagne”

December 30, 1946 –To me, punk rock is the freedom to create, freedom to be successful, freedom to not be successful, freedom to be who you are. It’s freedom.. Patricia Lee “Patti” Smith, singer-songwriter, poet, artist, Godmother of Punk, Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and inductee in the Rock and RollContinue reading “Patti Smith”

December 30, 1916 –Kids, you know I love discussing early 20th Century Russian history as much as the next person, but this item is so good, it has to span over the course of two days (but it will reside on December 30th – you’ll see why shortly. Grigori Rasputin, a self-fashioned Russian holy man,Continue reading “The death of Rasputin”

December 30, 1942 – Frank Sinatra opened at New York’s Paramount Theatre for what was scheduled to be a 4-week engagement (his shows turned out to be so popular, he was booked for an additional 4 weeks). An estimated 400 policemen were called out to help curb the excitement. It is said that some ofContinue reading “Sinatra first public appearance as a soloist”

December 30, 1949 –Stanley Donen/ Gene Kelly’s wonderful take on the Comden and Green musical, On the Town, starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, opened nationwide on this date. When On the Town premiered at Radio City Music Hall, the line to get in was the largest in that theater’s history.

Today is the Sixth Day of Christmas. Today’s gift count (56 gifts): you currently have Six geese a’ laying, 10 golden rings, 12 calling birds, 12 French hens, ten turtledoves and six partridges in their respective pear trees (begin thinking abut gardening tools and hiring an illegal immigrant.) According to the old ladies I knowContinue reading “Maybe you could just release them in the park”

December 29, 1946 –Baroness Sacher-Masoch (Marianne Evelyn Faithfull), English singer, songwriter, actress and inventor of the Mars bar tampon, was born on this date.

December 29, 1967 – Star Trek first aired The Trouble with Tribbles episode – arguably one of their most famous episodes – on this date. The scene in which Kirk is buried in an avalanche of tribbles took eight takes to get right. The tribbles were thrown into the hatch by members of the productionContinue reading “The iconic Trouble with Tribbles premiered”