Author Archives: dcaligari

The first Christmas card was created in England on December 9, 1843. Like most of us, Henry Cole, an Englishman, was too busy to write personal greetings for all of his Christmas greetings in 1843. Cole hired artist John Calcott Horsley to design a ready-to-be-sent card. The hand-colored card Horsley designed was lithographed on stiff,Continue reading “Send those holiday cards out folks”

Today’s episode of Monsterpiece Theatre is an adaptation of the action packed policier – Lethal Weapon 3. Holy Guacamole indeed! Demand Euphoria!

It’s apparently National Brownie day today, as opposed to ‘Send Kevin the loose bills in your pocket day.’ According to several sources, Brownies seem to have made their first appearance at the Parker House Hotel in Chicago in 1893 celebrating the Columbian Exposition World’s Fair in Chicago, (you may find their original recipe for theContinue reading “Life is short, eat brownies first”

I believe some of you are really going to need an old lady in church, saying the rosaries on a Tuesday afternoon in the back row of your church to explain this one to you: December 8, 1854 –Pius IX promulgates the doctrine of Immaculate Conception (Ineffabilis Deus) – the Virgin Mary is free fromContinue reading “I don’t believe I can explain this all to you”

December 8, 1966 – The Star Trek episode The Conscience of the King first airs on this date. In it, Captain Kirk crosses paths with an actor suspected of having been a planetary governor who ordered a mass-murder twenty years earlier. In this episode, we learn that Kirk was on Tarsus IV, and was oneContinue reading “Star Trek”

The postman wants an autograph. The cab driver wants a picture. The waitress wants a handshake. Everyone wants a piece of you. There is a better way to remember John Lennon on this sad anniversary Beatles Christmas Mash-up Here’s a recently uncovered private record Paul McCartney made for three friends – Demand Euphoria!

A very good friend of mine passed this recipe along to me many years ago. They are easy to make and a great dessert to bring over to someone house. They will be very impressed and be more inclined to invite you over again. Unfortunately, you will then be expected to make these brownies –Continue reading “Brownies (the best you’ve probably ever had)”

December 7, 1972 –Apollo 17, the sixth and last Apollo moon mission, was launched from Cape Canaveral on this date. It will land on the Moon December 11 and Flight Commander Eugene Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt, will be the last men to step on the Moon for decades to come. And soContinue reading “The last Moon men (so far)”

December 7, 1949 –It’s Tom Waits’ birthday today. Ol’ 55 – Jersey Girl – God’s Away On Business – Take One Last Look – And the Acme Corp. is always happy to sponsor that Christmas Classic, Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis (One of our loyal bunkies pointed out that there is no EuclidContinue reading “And it’s such a sad old feeling”

December 7, 1969 – Another Rankin/Bass production, Frosty the Snowman, premiered on CBS-TV on this date. This was Jimmy Durante’s final film (not counting documentaries and one short film appearance). The original recording of Frosty The Snowman by Gene Autry was his seasonal follow-up to his successful recording of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1949.Continue reading “He’ll be back again one day”