Author Archives: dcaligari

January 22, 1989 –Metallica’s first music video, for their single, One, makes its debut on this date. The video incorporates footage from the 1971 anti-war film Johnny Got His Gun. Metallica performed this song at the Grammy awards in 1989. This was the first year a Grammy was awarded for Hard Rock/Metal Performance, and theContinue reading “One”

January 22, 1997 –Lottie Williams became the first—and, so far, only— human ever reported to be hit by human-made space debris (also known as “space junk”) on this date. Williams was jogging in a park near her Oklahoma home very early in the morning, and she saw a brilliant fireball-type meteor. She felt a “gentleContinue reading “While strolling through the park one day …”

January 21, 1968 –A B-52 bomber crashes near Thule Air Base, contaminated the area after its nuclear payload ruptured on this date. One of the four bombs remains unaccounted for after the cleanup operation was completed. If you have the bomb, the US government would be happy to take it off your hands – noContinue reading “A brief request from your government”

To A City-Park Squirrel Dear little exile from woodlands dear,How can you keep your wilderness grace,How can you bound so merrily here,Shut in this narrow and formal place? Still your fancies are forest-free,Still as gallant you swing and glideFrom dusty tree to skeleton treeAs once you roamed through the woodlands wide. Surely you must, onContinue reading “Another made up celebration”

January 21, 1957 –Patsy Cline sang Walking After Midnight on Arthur Godfrey’s nighttime television show, quickly launching her career on this date. The song became a crossover hit, charting at #2 Country and #12 Pop, and established Cline as a Country singer capable of mainstream success. Mr. Godfrey did not fire her after her performance.

Let us opine upon one of my favorite occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (whom I mercilessly rib.) January 20, 1949 –President Harry S. Truman’s took the oath of office for the second time (the first time in which he is elected to the office,) on this date. It is the first to be televised. EightContinue reading “Harry S. Truman first ‘actual’ inauguration”

Today is the Feast day of St. Sebastian, patron saint of soldiers, plague-stricken, archers, Christian martyrs, athletes, (and homosexual icon – the saint is always depicted as a strapping youth, nude, save a haphazardly placed loin cloth, bound to the post, muscles, straining. Pierced by several arrows, still smiling – but we shan’t discuss thatContinue reading “We should not grudge our toil”

Today is National Disc Jockey Day is celebrated in remembrance of the death of Albert James “Alan” Freed, (AKA Moondog,) the man who coined the term “Rock ‘n’ Roll”. The first DJ, or Disc Jockey, was sixteen-year-old student Ray Newby, who played the first records over the airwaves at Herrold College of Engineering and WirelessContinue reading “Tonight the DJ saved my life”

January 20, 1993 – Although Tom Waits was notoriously against selling himself in commercials, he did let his principles slip slightly and provided voiceover work for dog food company Butchers Blend in 1981. After the commercial began to win awards and become recognized Waits regretted the decision; when asked about it years later he saidContinue reading “Tom Waits’ 1993 lawsuit”

Jimmy Naismith was born in Ramsay township in Ontario, Canada in 1861. He grew up and eventually went to McGill University in Montreal. He became their Athletic Director and in 1891 he moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, to take a post at the YMCA Training School. It was there that he was confronted with the problemContinue reading “Happy Birthday Basketball”