Author Archives: dcaligari

April 12, 1857 – Nothing around them had changed; and yet, for her, something more momentous had happened than if the mountains had been shoved aside. … It didn’t matter. She was not happy and never had been. Why was life so inadequate, why did the things she depended on turn immediately to dust?… YetContinue reading “But what the hell do you care, you don’t read anyway.”

Happy Walk In The Wild Side Day. Created by Thomas and Ruth Roy on their website Wellcat.com, it was created to recognize that “what others would think” is the dumbest reason not to do something, and rather denotes a lack of courage. This song provided Lou Reed his biggest hit, and it was his onlyContinue reading “Pluck your eyebrows, go in the backroom and become everybody’s darling –”

April 12, 1974 –Elton John song Bennie and the Jets (Penny on the desk) hit No. #1 in the US on this date. Elton wrote the music to this song as an homage to glam rock, a style defined by outrageous costumes that was popular in the early ‘70s, especially in the UK. Artists likeContinue reading “It must be a lucky day for Elton”

April 11, 1954 –According to a team of Cambridge University scientists, this date in history was the most boring day during the entire 20th Century. It appears to have been so boring that it had to be named National Cheese Fondue Day (and 8-track Tape Day) just so those people living through it didn’t killContinue reading “The Most Boring Day”

April 11, 1905 –A simple patent clerk, Albert Einstein, known mostly for looking at the town clock or passing trains, produces a not so simple paper discussing the Theory of Relativity which among other things postulates that E=MC². This astonished the world because previously E had always equated the fifth letter of the alphabet. AndContinue reading “Theory of Relativity”

April 11, 1973 –In one of the show’s most memorable moments, Stevie Wonder plays a funky, live version of Superstition on Sesame Street, on this date. The song was originally intended for Jeff Beck, who was brought in to play some guitar parts on the album in exchange for a song. At one of theContinue reading “Stevie Wonder on Sesame Street”

Happy Palm Sunday The name Palm Sunday comes from the tradition for worshippers being given palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem. As always, we here at ACME wish to quote that great theologian, my mother, during this holiday season: “I swear to God if you kidsContinue reading “Next years ashes that will be on your forehead are created from the burnt palms of today’s Palm Sunday.”

Today is National Gin and Tonic Day Once again I will remind you gentle readers that I am not a spokesperson for Bombay Sapphire (yet), I find it is a waste to use it, given it’s delicate botanicals in a G and T; but hey, what do I know. International Gin and Tonic Day, forContinue reading “No one is as happy as we are tonight!”

April 9, 1974 – It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!, the 12th prime-time animated Peanuts TV special debuted on CBS on this date. When the Peanuts characters arrive at the mall at Easter time, the mall is decorated for the December holiday season with banners that proclaim: Only 246 shopping days until Christmas.

April 9, 1928 –… It is sobering to consider that when Mozart was my age he had already been dead for a year. Tom Lehrer, singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, and mathematician,was born on this date. (Lehrer entered Harvard at age 15, having skipped several grades. Everyone applying for admission to Harvard was required to include anContinue reading “Thomas Andrew Lehrer”