Author Archives: dcaligari

December 27, 1979 –Knots Landing, CBS’ spinoff of Dallas, premiered on this date. The show went on for 14 seasons, making it one of the longest running prime time drama, in television history. Although it had outlasted all of its contemporaries (even Dallas) and was still in the top forty ratings, the network and theContinue reading “Knots Landing premiered”

December 27, 1947 –Hey kids, what time is it? A bleary eyed world, fresh from the horrors of a second World War awaken to the sight of a freaky marionette on NBC – Howdy Doody premiered on this date. This was the first nationally televised American children’s television show.

Once again, if you’re keeping score, you currently have, three French hens, four turtledoves and three partridges with their trio of pear trees (10 gifts.) The three French hens symbolize the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. The hens, being french, will not associate with the common turtle doves – leave plenty ofContinue reading “Apparently they make good pets”

Tonight’s the first night of Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa means “first fruit” in Swahili. Today is also St. Stephen’s Day. The citizens of the British Commonwealth denote the day by putting on trunks and gloves to beat each other bloody silly. Another reason to appreciate the American Revolution – a peaceful December 26th. If you are startingContinue reading “There are a plethora of events today”

Today is the start of Mulchfest 2022. MulchFest is an annual event held by the Department of Parks & Recreation that provides New Yorkers with the opportunity to bring their holiday trees to be recycled at designated sites across the five boroughs. For more information, visit the Parks Department’s Mulchfest page. Demand Euphoria!

A final reason Hanukkah feels better than Christmas – No pine needles to vacuum. You’ve probably run out of gifts at this point, wrap your family’s fresh laundry as the gift that shows you’ve done the laundry. At this point, look up a local oil recycler – it will do better for everyone as aContinue reading “Okay, you can stop eating oily food”

December 24, 1955 –NORAD tracked Santa for the first time in what will become an annual Christmas Eve tradition, thanks to a misprinted phone number in a Sear’s retail catalogue, on this date. For the first several years, it was run by the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Center. (Psst bunkies don’t worry – EvenContinue reading “They do more than just protect the country”

December 24, 1968 –Apollo VIII astronauts read passages from the Old Testament Book of Genesis and transmitting a message to all mankind calling for ‘peace on earth‘, during a Christmas Eve television broadcast. The three astronauts, James A. Lovell, William Anders and Frank Borman (our friend with the messy space suit,) had reached the Moon.Continue reading “Orbiting the Moon, for the first time”

December 24, 1953 – Jack Webb’s series Dragnet aired a special episode, The Big Little Jesus on this date. The episode was network television’s first half-hour color film. It was the only color show of the series. Those of you with very sharp eyes can tell with some prompting that this is not the colorContinue reading “Yes ma’am, It’s Christmas”

December 24, 1951 –Gian Carlo Menotti’s one act opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors premiered on this date. It has become a Christmas classic. The one surviving kinescope of this first production was thought to have been lost forever, accidentally destroyed by someone at NBC after it had been screened for an executive, but anotherContinue reading “Amahl and the Night Visitors premiered”