Author Archives: dcaligari

January 25, 1995 –Hey, the world almost ended on this date and you probably didn’t even know it: Russia almost launched a nuclear missile at a Norwegian research rocket after mistaking it for a US missile. The event, known as the Norwegian Rocket Incident, highlighted remaining Cold War tensions, despite the fact that the warContinue reading “the Norwegian Rocket Incident”

January 24, 1947 –Well, I was interested in playing the piano from as early as I can remember. Warren William Zevon, singer-songwriter and musician, was born on this date. Remember kids – keep enjoying every sandwich.

January 24, 1975 –The Norman Lear developed TV adaptation of Lanford Wilson’s 1973 off-Broadway play, Hot L Baltimore, starring Richard Masur, Conchata Ferrell, James Cromwell, Al Freeman, Jr., & Charlotte Rae, premiered on ABC, on this date. The series garnered controversy due to its cast of characters, which included two prostitutes, an illegal immigrant, andContinue reading “Hot L Baltimore premiered”

Its National Peanut Butter day. Boldly celebrate the lowly legume Arachis hypogaea, (except for the 1.5% of US students allergic to peanuts.) Former President Bill Clinton says one of his favorite sandwiches is peanut butter and banana; also reported to have been the favorite of Elvis. Women and children prefer creamy peanut butter, while mostContinue reading “Spread love as thick as you would peanut butter”

If you told the evil computer in the Star Trek episode The Wolf in the Fold, ‘Pinocchio says “My Nose Will Grow Now”‘, it would destroy it much like calculating to the last digit of Pi. The Pinocchio paradox arises when Pinocchio says “My nose grows now” and is a version of the liar paradox.Continue reading “May I blow your mind?”

Bananas are curved because they grow towards the sun. Bananas go through a process called “negative geotropism.” Instead of growing towards the ground, they start growing towards the sun. The fruit grows against gravity, which gives the banana its familiar curved shape.

January 23, 1978 –Terry Kath of band Chicago accidentally killed himself on this date while pretending to play Russian Roulette in Woodland Hills. Kaith’s last words were ‘Don’t worry, it’s not loaded.‘ The circumstances of his death gave him the dubious distinction of being one of the first celebrities to be nominated for a DarwinContinue reading “Terry Kath”

Today is the birthday of Grand Duke Ivan III of Moscow, better known as Ivan the Great. He was born in 1440 and became Grand Duke of Moscow in 1462. Although Moscow was a lot of fun, it was not yet Russia. Ivan was determined to remedy that shortcoming as quickly as possible: he hadContinue reading “Ivan the Great”

January 22, 1989 –Metallica’s first music video, for their single, One, makes its debut on this date. The video incorporates footage from the 1971 anti-war film Johnny Got His Gun. Metallica performed this song at the Grammy awards in 1989. This was the first year a Grammy was awarded for Hard Rock/Metal Performance, and theContinue reading “One”

January 22, 1997 –Lottie Williams became the first—and, so far, only— human ever reported to be hit by human-made space debris (also known as “space junk”) on this date. Williams was jogging in a park near her Oklahoma home very early in the morning, and she saw a brilliant fireball-type meteor. She felt a “gentleContinue reading “While strolling through the park one day …”