Author Archives: dcaligari

Back in 2013, former Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg went incognito as a taxi driver in Oslo. According to him, he did so to “hear from real Norwegian voters and taxis were one of the few places where people shared their true views.” Those who entered the faux-taxi largely enjoyed Stoltenberg’s stunt, but didContinue reading “Remember to check out that hack license”

November 8, 1975 – David Bowie makes his US television debut on the CBS variety show Cher, on this date. Bowie performed both on his own as well as with Cher, which included an odd and interesting six and a half minute duet medley.

Did you remember to set all of the clocks back? the DVD player (I no longer have a VCR,) the microwave, the automatic coffee pot in the kitchen? If you’ve already done so, you can watch this and look for the graffiti artist Bansky, rumour has it that he’s actually in the band; we’ll waitContinue reading “Oops, it may be earlier than you think”

November 7, 1943 –Roberta Joan Joni Mitchell, Canadian singer-songwriter and painter, one of the most influential female musicians of the late 20th century, was born on this date. Her many hit songs include Both Sides Now, Chelsea Morning, Big Yellow Taxi, River, California, and Free Man in Paris were all recorded before she was 32.

Maria Sklodowska was born in Warsaw, Poland, on November 7, 1867. Poland was controlled by Russia at the time, so Maria was referred to as Manya, causing her mother to die. This left Manya and her four older siblings in care of their father, who was caught teaching Polish and therefore prohibited from earning money.Continue reading “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood”

Camel humps are not filled with water. It’s a common belief that camels store the excess water in their humps – they do not, they store fat for the times when food sources get scarce. However, those beliefs are a myth that was embedded in some cultures and legends. Those beliefs were developed to explainContinue reading “That’s why they’re called “ships of the desert””

November 6, 1893 – Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the greatest Russian composer of all time, was having the worst month in his life. Rumors of his homosexuality had become so well known that a coterie of his former classmates got together and forced him to drink cholera tainted (arsenic) water. Shortly after meeting with his ‘oldContinue reading “Avoid reunions with ‘old friends’”

With 88 days between the equinox on September 23 and the solstice on December 21, we are considered halfway through the relevant seasons (Autumn or Fall in the northern hemisphere; Spring in the southern hemisphere) on this day. While you are considering that, keep this in mind: Make your plans, as you see fit.

Don’t forget to set your clocks back tonight – I’m never sure why you need to save daylight anymore, it seems to come whether or not you call.

November 6, 1989 –Today is the Feast of St. Katharine, the patron saint of the victims of long draw out campaign battles (see Pat Nixon, the Methodist saint.) Kitty Dukakis, wife of Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, was hospitalized after ingesting rubbing alcohol on this date.