Author Archives: dcaligari

If you missed seeing Manhattanhenge last night, you could try again tonight at 8:21 pm ET. Those Illuminati are generous, aren’t they? (And hey, pay attention to the traffic lights.)

July 13, 1985 –38 years ago, I had only recently patented the long birthday weekend…. (We weren’t cool enough to get MTV in The Bronx at the time, so we had to settle for the local TV broadcast of Live Aid.) (Find time to watch this short documentary about Bob Geldorf and his feelings aboutContinue reading “Live Aid began it’s broadcast”

July 13, 1923 –The Hollywood Sign was officially dedicated in the hills above Hollywood, Los Angeles on this date. It originally reads “Hollywoodland” but the four last letters are dropped after renovation in 1949. Unfortunately it became a perennial favorite suicide location. Over the years, the sign had fallen into disrepair. A public campaign toContinue reading “An Icon is dedicated”

July 13, 1939 —When Frank Sinatra was just starting out as a singer, he carried his own P.A. system to the dives in which he typically performed. He got his big break when bandleader Harry James’ wife heard him sing as a waiter and recommended him to her husband. Sinatra made his first commercial recordingContinue reading “Sinatra’s first record”

July 12, 1962 –The Rolling Stones, (or more precisely, the group that they became) gave their first concert on this date. The concert was held in London at the Marquee Club. At the time, the band was called The Rollin’ Stones – they got their current name in 1963. One of the most successful groupsContinue reading “The first Rolling Stones’ gig”

July 12, 100 BCE –Julius Caesar was born on this date. He is famous for fighting the Garlic Wars and dying of the unkindest cut. His death so shocked the people of Rome that they buried him instead of praising him, although this may have been because he was a Proud Man. Interesting to noteContinue reading “A Boatload of celebrations”

It was great foresight on the part of our beloved city forefathers to lay out the city in such a way that this happens every year just around my birthday. Once again, the sun will be perfectly lined up with the east-west streets of New York. So get outside to catch the ‘Full Sun onContinue reading “Chasing the Sunset”

July 12, 1976 –Family Feud, hosted by Richard Dawson, debuted on ABC on this date. It later aired on CBS and then in syndication. There were some objections to Richard kissing strange women on national television. ABC tried to influence the kissing to stop, but Dawson rebelled and said he was going to do it.Continue reading “Family Feud premiered”

July 12, 1991 –John Singleton directorial debut, Boyz N the Hood, starring Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, Larry Fishburne, Nia Long, Regina King, and Angela Bassett, went into general release on this date. (John Singleton’s Oscar nomination for Best Director at the age of 24 made him the youngest director to ever receiveContinue reading “Boyz N the Hood premiered”

Well, it’s my 39th Birthday again – the 24th to be precise. (Thank you Mr. Benny). As some of you may remember, this was a rather strange year for me (I have let surgeons operate on me three times this year. In fact I have a secret tape of one of the medical teams.) IContinue reading “Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine”