Author Archives: dcaligari

December 14, 1900 –Max Planck published his theory of quantum mechanics, which is often considered one of the most radical scientific discoveries of the 20th Century, on this date. It’s even more radical than the belief in the collection of Turkish union dues or statements made by the ex-president. Max Planck was working in aContinue reading “Max Planck and Quantum Mechanics”

December 14, 1969 –Michael Jackson and the rest of The Jackson 5 made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on this date. The Jackson Five performed Sly and the Family Stone’s Stand, Smokey Robinson’s Who’s Loving You, and their first hit single I Want You Back.

The Halcyon Days of yore, begin today, a week before the winter solstice and end a week after. According to legend, this two-week period is associated with unusually calm seas; hence the common meanings of halcyon as ‘quiet‘ or ‘peaceful‘ and by extension, ‘prosperous.’

The gentlemen from Bensonhurst were so moved by our themes concerning Frank and Dino that after much stregga and threatened ‘kisses of death’, I have be persuaded (strong armed) by those gentlemen to have another Mobbed Up Christmas this year. (This is not to say that any of these singers are in anyway associated withContinue reading “It’s the eight year in a row”

December 13, 2008 –Beyonce’s song, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) hit #1 on the Billboard charts on this date. The video has become an internet phenomenon with thousands of homemade versions posted on YouTube. Beyoncé explained to The Sunday Times May 10, 2009 that the idea for the promo was a 1960s filmContinue reading “All the Single Ladies”

Mary Kenneth Keller, B.V.M. was an American Roman Catholic sister, educator and pioneer in computer science. She was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer science in the United States. Sister Mary Kenneth Keller earned her doctorate from the University of Wisconsin on June 7, 1965 — and was aced out of beingContinue reading “Sisters are doing it for themselves”

December 13, 303 –It the feast of St. Lucy (Santa Lucia) today. (Early depictions show Lucy offering her eyes on a platter; she is now the patron saint of Sicily and of Opticians.) Because her extreme beauty attracted too many admirers, Lucy gouged her own eyes out (she had body issues). Miraculously they grew back.Continue reading “It’s also a very delicious Sicilian Pastry”

December 13, 1975 – Richard Pryor hosted NBC-TV’s Saturday Night Live on this date. Fearing Pryor would say things that were too offensive for television at the time, the show was placed on seven-second delay for the very first time As mentioned in the opening sketch, Pryor requested that Garrett Morris say “Live from NewContinue reading “Saturday Night Live”

I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day. Today’s Holiday Theme is A Dean Martin’s Christmas (Dean died on Christmas day in 1995.) As we mentioned yesterday, Frank wasn’t the only member of the Rat Pack to singContinue reading “If you drink don’t drive. Don’t even putt.”

Christmas trees are known to have been popular in Germany as far back as the sixteenth century. In England, they became popular after Queen Victoria’s husband Albert, who came from Germany, made a tree part of the celebrations at Windsor Castle. In the United States, the earliest known mention of a Christmas tree is inContinue reading “It’s all the damn man in the can’s fault.”