Author Archives: dcaligari

August 29, 1949 –The Soviet Union joined the nuclear club on this date when they detonated a nuclear weapon, code-named First Lightning (Pervaya Molniya) at a test site in Kazakhstan. American experts were shocked and dismayed because they had thought the Soviets were still years away from having a workable bomb. The resultant fear helpedContinue reading “It certainly got our attention”

August 29, 29/30AD (The date is a best guess, and the subject of much debate. Once again, Romans were too busy with their orgies and draining lead-lined wine goblets to accurately document events of the day.) John the Baptist (cousin of the itinerant carpenter of Nazareth) received a severe haircut from King Herod, because hisContinue reading “It’s always better to tip your belly dancer with money.”

August 28, 1982 –Two young people got married on this date. Some of the people who were at that wedding are still with us.More and more of them are unfortunately not.Some of them have gotten married (even to each other.)Others are not.Some of them had children.Some do not. Thirty nine years later, those two notContinue reading “It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.”

Another important PSA from ACME: Given what has gone on in the world the past year, people have learned to wear their mask while venturing outdoors and properly washing their hands when they return home, but how many Americans really know how to protect themselves against political assassination? Not many. And yet, each year, millionsContinue reading “Please stand by”

August 27, 1970 –The sci-fi musical (no one has ever seen,) Toomorrow, directed by Val Guest, starring newcomer Olivia Newton-John as a pop singer whose band gets abducted by aliens, premiered on this date. Producers Don Kirshner and Harry Saltzman butted heads, so Kirshner resigned before the film was completed and later remarked that ifContinue reading “Toomorrow”

It’s the feast day of St. Monica of Hippo. Monica, who was originally from Slothvile and moved to the better neighborhood of Hippo, was known as a virtuous woman. Much to her disappointment, she was also the mother of St. Augustine. She continually encouraged (nagged) her son (the lazy bum) about his debauched ways untilContinue reading “She was persistent”

In 18th century England, pineapples were a status symbol Although pineapples weren’t introduced in England until the 1600s, by the 1700s owning pineapples had become a huge craze. Those rich enough to own a pineapple would carry them around to signify their personal wealth and high-class status. And for those who weren’t rich enough toContinue reading “That’s one expensive piece of fruit”

If you find yourself in Rome, run, do not walk, to see the Santa Maria della Vittoria Church. It houses one of the most amazing pieces of art – The Ecstasy of St. Teresa by Bernini. Today is the Feast of The Transverberation of St. Teresa of Avila (this time, I’m not sure even anContinue reading “Truth suffers, but never dies”

August 26, 1955 – Satyajit Ray burst onto the international film scene, when his directorial debut Pather Panchali, starring Subir Banerjee, Kanu Banerjee and Karuna Banerjee, premiered in India on this date. Because of all the many delays in this film’s nearly three-year production, director Satyajit Ray became increasingly apprehensive that some event might occurContinue reading “Pather Panchali”

Today is National Banana Split Day, observed annually on this date A 23-year-old apprentice pharmacist at Tassel’s Pharmacy in Latrobe, Pennsylvania created the first banana split in 1904. David Evans Strickler enjoyed inventing sundaes at the store’s soda fountain. His first “banana-based triple ice cream sundae” sold for 10 cents, double the cost of allContinue reading “Stressed spelled backwards is desserts”