Author Archives: dcaligari

December 31, 1958 –Rebels forces lead by Fidel Castro, marched triumphantly into Havana, Cuba on this date. Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista fled the country with 180 of his supporters and personal fortune of more than $300 million dollars amassed through graft and payoffs. Meanwhile, Michael grasps Fredo tightly by the head and gives a kiss,Continue reading “The New Year rings in all sorts of change”

December 31, 1995 –Cartoonist Bill Watterson ends his Calvin and Hobbes comic strip on this date. Calvin and Hobbes debuted in 1985 and featured the adventures of Calvin, a hyperactive, overly imaginative, bratty six-year-old, and his best friend, the stuffed tiger Hobbes (who is also an actual tiger.) Demand Euphoria!

It’s the Seventh day of Christmas. Today’s gift count (84 gifts): you currently have Seven Swans a’ swimming, 12 geese a’ laying, 15 golden rings, 16 calling birds, 15 French hens, 12 turtledoves and 7 partridges in their respective pear trees. The seven Swans A-swimming usually signifies the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (WisdomContinue reading “Champagne is one of the elegant extras in life.”

Stanley Donen/ Gene Kelly’s wonderful take on the Comden and Green musical, On the Town, starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, opened nationwide on this date. Frank Sinatra, who was very thin, had to wear prosthetic padding to fill out the seat of his uniform. In a TCM interview, Ann Miller said that Sinatra wasContinue reading “On the Town premiered”

Today’s gift count (56 gifts): you currently have Six geese a’ laying, 10 golden rings, 12 calling birds, 12 French hens, ten turtledoves and six partridges in their respective pear trees (begin thinking abut gardening tools and an illegal immigrant.) I’m sorry to have to say this but kill the gaggle of geese immediately (afterContinue reading “The Sixth Day of Christmas.”

The Iroquois Theater Fire in Chicago, Illinois, claimed 627 lives on December 30, 1903. It was the single-building fire in U.S. history with the most fatalities, claiming over 100 more fatalities than the Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston. The Iroquois Theater, at 24-28 West Randolph Street, was advertised as “absolutely fireproof.” The theatre opened onContinue reading “Remember to check the exits”

December 30, 1916 –Kids, you know I love discussing early 20th Century Russian history as much as the next person, but this item is so good, it has to span over the course of two days (but it will reside on December 30th – you’ll see why shortly. Grigori Rasputin, a self-fashioned Russian holy man,Continue reading “You can’t keep a bad man down”

Today’s gift tally (37 gifts): you currently have five golden rings, eight calling birds, nine French hens, ten turtledoves and five partridges in their respective pear trees (begin thinking preserves.) The five golden rings represent the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. Speaking of poultry – we’ve all been misinterpreting the song allContinue reading “Five Golden Rings”

December 29, 1967 – Star Trek first aired The Trouble with Tribbles episode – arguably one of their most famous episodes – on this date. To create the one tribble moving on its own, the prop supervisor bought a battery powered toy dog and stripped it down to the mechanical works. Once recovered with furContinue reading “The Trouble with Tribbles premiered”

It’s the Fourth day of Christmas and you’ve just received four calling bird, sometimes know as colly birds or collie birds (which are actually blackbirds). Today’s score: you currently have 22 gifts – four calling birds, six French hens, eight turtledoves and four partridges in their respective pear trees (when do these trees become aContinue reading “Seek out day old bread (You’ll need it in a major way.)”