Author Archives: dcaligari

It’s the anniversary of the passing of the the singer Kirsty MacColl. I can think of no better remembrance of her than playing this holiday classic. After their second album Rum, Sodomy & The Lash, The Pogues wanted to release a Christmas single. Instead of a cover song, lead singer Shane MacGowan and banjo playerContinue reading “The Fairytale of New York”

New Jersey was the third state admitted to the Union, on this date in 1787. It was the first state to sign the Bill of Rights to the Constitution. It derives its name from the isle of Jersey, just off England’s shore (and also near Britain). The official state bird of New Jersey is theContinue reading “Liberty and Prosperity”

December 18, 1626 –Christina (Kristina), Queen of Sweden, later known as Maria Christina Alexandra, Minerva of the North, Protectress of the Jews at Rome and sometimes Count Dohna, was born on this date. Like most royalty and some presidents, Christina did not have to carry money, a passport or consistently spell her name the sameContinue reading “The Girl King”

It is an ancient Roman festival that was held in honor of the god Saturn. It was an occasion for celebration, visits to friends, and the presentation of gifts, particularly wax candles (or mentholated ACME Bung Balm.) The Saturnalia was originally celebrated in Ancient Rome for only a day, but it was so popular itContinue reading “Saturnalia starts today.”

December 17, 1989 –Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, also known as The Simpsons Christmas Special, the first full-length episode of The Simpsons, premiered on this date. This special was not originally intended to be The Simpsons pilot. Production problems, particularly with the first produced episode, The Simpsons: Some Enchanted Evening, saw the show delayedContinue reading “The Simpsons Christmas Special”

God bless us, everyone!!! December 17, 1843 (there is some controversy concerning this actual date, some sources place it on the 19th of December.) – Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol on this date. Dickens wrote the novel after his first commercial failure. His previous novel, Martin Chuzzlewit had flopped, and he was suddenly strappedContinue reading “Humbug”

December 16, 1977 –Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta, went into general release on this date. Oh John, what a long strange trip it’s been since that polyester shirt. When Tony’s dad hits him in the back of the head during dinner, his retort of “just watch the hair!” and complained about being hit onContinue reading “Saturday Night Fever”

December 16, 1965 –NASA was in a piss-proud mood. Days before, Gemini 6 (Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra, space cowboys aboard) and Gemini 7 (Frank Borman and Jim Lovell, rocket men aboard) had successfully rendezvoused in space. Just before Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra were about to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, on this date, they radioedContinue reading “Christmas in Outer Space (part 1)”

December 16, 1951 –NBC-TV debuted Dragnet in a special preview on Chesterfield Sound Off Time on this date. (The show began officially on January 3, 1952.) The series opener ran in real time, and it contained several clock-on-the-wall shots to keep track of time. The story starts with the police frantically trying to meet aContinue reading “Dragnet preview”

In the 1930’s, an American toilet bowl brush manufacturer changed the look of artificial trees. The artificial tree was made by the Addis Housewares Company, producers of brushes used for cleaning toilets. During World War II, when real trees were hard to come by, Addis made these artificial trees on their brush-making machinery. Many ofContinue reading “Don’t think about this too much”