Author Archives: dcaligari

April 15, 1967 –The Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra very sweet and slightly weird song, Somethin’ Stupid, hit no. #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on this date. This was written by a songwriter named Carson Parks, who along with his musical partner Gaile Foote, released the song as Carson And Gaile onContinue reading “Somethin’ Stupid went No. 1”

April 15, 1865 –O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done … Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, died from a bullet wound inflicted the night before by John Wilkes Booth, an actor and Confederate sympathizer. The president’s death came only six days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered hisContinue reading “The Death of Abraham Lincoln”

April 15, 1912: 12:50 a.m. EST –A junior wireless operator at Cape Race, Newfoundland, received a report from the Virginian that they were trying to reach the Titanic ocean liner, but had lost communication. Titanic’s last signals at 12:27 a.m. were “blurred and ended abruptly.“ The ‘unsinkable‘ ship Titanic sank after being torn by iceberg,Continue reading “The RMS Titanic sinks”

Today is Good Friday, (also know as, Great Friday, Holy Friday or Long Friday.) On Good Friday, parishioners (the old ladies who populate church in the middle of most days) follow the officiant and observe the Stations of the Cross. And so it goes

The old ladies you usually pester with questions of a religious nature are busy today: they are doing the Stations of the Cross. Since you probably have not been to church since at least Christmas and more like than not, have completely forgotten your entire religious training (ACME will extend a Papal Dispensation to allContinue reading “Along the Via Dolorosa”

Passover starts tonight – please bone up on those four questions. Remember you will not be graded on a curve! While it’s not as bad as not finding the missing Easter egg, by all means, please find the Afikoman, (no one wants to accidentally eat a piece of exceptionally stale cracker.) Demand Euphoria!

April 14, 1865 –So, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln? On the evening of Good Friday, just after 10 p.m., President Abraham Lincoln received a cranial gunshot wound from well-known actor, John Wilkes Booth, while attending a performance of the play, Our America Cousin at the Ford Theatre on this date. Booth shouted out “sicContinue reading “President Lincoln is shot”

April 14, 1912 – 11:40 pm –Mr and Mrs Sturges are arguing about whether or not Mrs Sturges will return to Europe with her husband after the boat docks in New York. In the heat of the moment, Julia Sturges reveals to her husband Richard, that Norman, their son is not his but but ratherContinue reading “The RMS Titanic strikes an iceberg”

April 14th, 1956 –The first professional quality videotape machine was introduced by Ampex at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Chicago. Magnetic videotape recording had been introduced early in the 1950s, but were considered unfeasible to replace kinescopes for broadcasting. The machine was first used in a coast-to-coast network TV broadcast in the NovemberContinue reading “The first 2″ videotape machine introduced”

It’s sometimes called Holy Thursday, also known as Sheer Thursday (as in to purge yourself of sin), Covenant Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries. Remember to wash your feet or the feet of someone else, if you are so inclined. Among the other things going on remember: don’t go to a dinnerContinue reading “Happy Maundy Thursday!”