Author Archives: dcaligari

Harry Gordon Selfridge was born on January 11, 1864. Though American-born, he is best known as the founder of the British store Selfridge and Co., Ltd (think Macy’s, for those of you unfamiliar with the store). He receives little or no attention here in the United States. His name does not appear in any textbooks,Continue reading “The boss knows how it is done; the leader shows how.”

January 10, 1870 –Victor Noir, French journalist, was killed by Prince Pierre Bonaparte. Noir had called on him with a companion to present his editor’s challenge to a duel because of a journalistic dispute concerning Corsican politics. Bonaparte was so insulted to have been approached by mere “menials” (his phrase, apparently) that he slapped theContinue reading “An odd tribute started”

January 10 1948 –Donald Fagen, singer and front man of the rock band Steely Dan, was born on this date. After the death of Walter Becker, his friend and cofounder of Steely Dan, Fagen has continued to tour as Steely Dan.

January 10, 1984 –The “Where’s the Beef?” commercial campaign for Wendy’s with Clara Peller was first aired on this date. Clara Peller was 81 when she came out of retirement to star in the Wendy’s spot. Peller died on August 11, 1987, one week after her 84th birthday.

If winter comes, can spring be far behind? There are 69 days until Spring

It’s the birthday of the 37th President of the United States, Richard Milhous Nixon, (born in Yorba Linda, California) on this date in 1913. He had a childhood full of tragedy and disappointment. When Nixon was 12, his older brother had a vision of young Dick’s future and got a headache that turned out toContinue reading “The presidency has many problems, but boredom is the least of them.”

The only ‘recognized‘ monarchy to reign in the United States died on this date. Joshua Norton was a businessman in San Francisco in the 1800’s. In the 1840’s, just before the Gold Rush, he tried to corner the market on rice and failed. He went from being very wealthy to being destitute overnight and theContinue reading “Emperor Norton I of the United States, and the Protector of Mexico”

Elvis the King (who was born in 1935,) (As I always say – lay your hand upon the screen and feel his healing power pulsate through your nether regions.) and Davy Jones, who was born in 1947, somehow were both born on this date – (you may lay your hand upon the screen and feelContinue reading “What great cosmic forces convened for this”

January 7, 1943 –The world’s greatest inventor, Nikola Tesla, died alone in room 3327 of the New Yorker Hotel, of heart failure on this date in history. Despite having sold his AC electricity patents, Tesla died with significant debts on the books.

January 7, 2012 –The group LMFAO ‘s hit Sexy and I Know It reached No. #1 on the Billboard Charts on this date. This was LMFAO’s second consecutive #1 single on the Hot 100 following Party Rock Anthem. In doing so, Redfoo and SkyBlu became the first duo to achieve back-to-back chart-toppers since OutKast ruledContinue reading “Sexy and I Know It”