The True North, strong and free

As always, your friends from the ACME Corp would like to salute our friends in Canada on Canada Day. Canada is the second-largest nation in the world. It is not part of the United States – (it’s the U.S.‘ nicer sister, not dissing Mexico, the U.S.’ feistier sister.) A little jewel sitting at the topContinue reading “The True North, strong and free”

The Summer looks out from her brazen tower …

According to the Gregorian calendar, July is the seventh month. On the Roman calendar, it was the fifth month and it was called ‘Quintilis‘, meaning ‘fifth‘. Julius Caesar gave the month 31 days in 46 B.C. Being a dictator he could. Luckily for us he didn’t authorize the constant changing of underpants or most ofContinue reading “The Summer looks out from her brazen tower …”

The novel Gone With the Wind was released

June 30, 1936 –It’s the 86th anniversary of publication of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind on this date. Despite spending 10 years of her life working on the tome, Mitchell didn’t really have much intention of publishing it. When a “friend” heard that she was considering writing a book (though in fact, it hadContinue reading “The novel Gone With the Wind was released”

Ring My Bell goes to the top off the charts

June 30, 1979 –Anita Ward single, Ring My Bell, started a two week run at No.1 on the Billboard chart, on this date. (This was her only charting hit.) This was one of the first hit songs to feature a synthesized drum. The hook was the synthesized drum of Frederick Knight, which produced a soundContinue reading “Ring My Bell goes to the top off the charts”

Dancing in the Dark filmed

June 29, 1984 –After a failed attempt shooting a studio video for Dancing In The Dark, Bruce Springsteen performs the song live at his concert in St. Paul, Minnesota, on this date. Directed by Brian DePalma, the video was filmed during Springsteen’s concert at the St. Paul Civic Center in Minnesota on June 29, 1984.Continue reading “Dancing in the Dark filmed”

Ringo shills for Pizza Hut

June 29, 1995 –Ringo Starr appeared in his first-ever TV commercial (in the US), for Pizza Hut, (featuring the newly reformed Monkees, on this date. It seems like a strange product for Ringo to promote; the rocker has been a vegetarian since 1965, and has allergies to onions, garlic, and several spices, which have preventedContinue reading “Ringo shills for Pizza Hut”