Author Archives: dcaligari

March 28, 1930 –Istanbul was ConstantinopleNow it’s Istanbul, not ConstantinopleBeen a long time gone, ConstantinopleWhy did Constantinople get the works?That’s nobody’s business but the Turks. (I can’t help myself – I just love this song) Constantinople and Angora change their names to Istanbul and Ankara on this date.

Happy Palm Sunday The name Palm Sunday comes from the tradition for worshippers being given palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem. As always, we here at ACME wish to quote that great theologian, my mother, during this holiday season: “I swear to God if you kidsContinue reading “It’s the start of Holy Week”

March 27, 1912 –Washington DC is in the middle of it’s annual celebration of National Cherry Blossom Festival (even though we are still supposed to be practicing social distancing,) commemorating the gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City to the city of Washington on this date. The gift of 3,020Continue reading “Poems a lovely as a tree”

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.)

March 26, 1199 –All seemed right with the Medieval world. Richard the Lionheart was taking an evening stroll around the castle perimeter without his chain mail, investigating the progress of soldiers trying to destroy the fortress in which he was seeking refuge. Arrows were occasionally fired from the castle walls, but these were given littleContinue reading “Some days it’s not good to be the king”

March 25, 1942 –The late great Aretha Louise Franklin (The Queen of Soul,) born in Memphis, Tennessee, on this date, was a singer, songwriter and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings, Franklin is adept at jazz, blues, R&B and gospel music. Franklin has won eighteen Grammy Awards in total during her nearly half-century longContinue reading “… R, E, S, P, E, C, T”

March 25, 1947 –Reginald Kenneth Dwight, singer-songwriter, composer and pianist was born on this date. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him as the most successful male solo artist on “The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists“ And so it goes.

Now a days known as The Solemnity of the Annunciation, I’m not even going to try to explain this one to you. While you’re in church this afternoon, ask one of the old lady in the back saying her decades of rosary to explain it to you. (This is for extra credit,) today is alsoContinue reading “It’s the Feast of the Annunciation”

March 24, 1989 –Cold Fusion was announced 32 years ago yesterday. To celebrate this amazing advancement in energy, Captain Joseph Hazelwood downed, in rapid succession, five double vodka on the rocks and piloted the Exxon tanker Valdez. He ran the Valdez into a well-charted reef at Prince William Sound, spilling 11 million gallons of crudeContinue reading “Always celebrate responsibly”

The Death of the Czars:A. 6B. 1C. 2D. 5E. 4F. 3 We will be grading on a curve. A. Nicholas II Shot to death by revolutionaries – Russian Czar Nicholas II was murdered with his family and servants by the Bolsheviks at Yekaterinburg, July 17, 1918. This included his daughter Anastasia, who may not actuallyContinue reading “Here’s yesterday’s answer key”