Category Archives: Uncategorized

November 11, 1922 –We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. WWII veteran, noted author, and (possible alien) Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was born on this date.

November 11, 397 –St. Martin of Tours, another in the series of anorexic visionaries, patron saint of France, soldiers (he is known as the he man’s saint), reformed alcoholics and winemakers, died on this date. When the armistice fell on the Saint Martin’s Day, November 11, 1918, the French people saw it was a signContinue reading “Raise your glass to St. Martin”

November 11, 1978 –Donna Summer started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with her version of Jimmy Webb’s MacArthur Park, which was also a hit for actor Richard Harris in 1968, (made No.5 in the UK). (Sorry for the earworm.) Donna Summer recorded her disco version in 1978 with herContinue reading “A cover of MacArthur Park went to the top of the charts”

At 5:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918 French Army clerk Henri Deledicq finished typing the peace treaty that would end World War I. He had put the carbon paper in backwards. Ten minutes later, in a railroad car in France, military leaders signed copies of an armistice that were completely unreadable. World War I endedContinue reading “Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori.”

November 11, 2001 –The Warner Bros. produced megahit based on the J.K. Rowling novel Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and just about every other English actor, premiered in NYC on this date. Alan Rickman was hand picked to play Snape by J.K. Rowling, and received special instructionsContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone premiered”

November 11, 1985 –One of the first major films dealing with AIDS, An Early Frost, starring Aidan Quinn, Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, and Sylvia Sidney, premiered on NBC-TV on this date. Aidan Quinn (Michael) remembers that NBC’s Standards and Practices department were a constant (in Quinn’s words, “hovering“) presence on the set. They regulated mattersContinue reading “An Early Frost premiered”

November 10, 1975 –Arista Records released Patti Smith’s debut album, Horses, on this date. The origin of the Horses album lies in the inception of a poem Patti Smith wrote called Oath when she was around 20. It began, “Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine.” She explained to Mojo magazine: “It was myContinue reading “Horses premiered”

Before you go – In a truly British fashion the sports wear company Barbour has once again somehow tied Paddington Bear, re-waxing of a coat (apparently the key to the entry into British aristocracy) and Christmas into a 90 second commercial – It’s cute and all, and I’m sure all our English cousins are dyingContinue reading “It’s also 65 days until someone’s birthday”

Rockefeller Center is getting ready to get into the Christmas spirit when the 82 feet tall, 50 feet wide and 14 tons, the approximately 90-year-old Norway Spruce will be cut down this morning. The tree has been donated by the Lebowitz family of Glens Falls, New York; the tree itself is coming from was foundContinue reading “It’s beginning to look a lot like …”

November 10, 1967 – The Star Trek episode Metamorphosis premiered on this date. In it, Kirk finds Zefram Cochrane, inventor of the warp drive, who has been missing for 150 years and his mysterious alien companion. A few scenes featuring Elinor Donahue had to be re-shot, because the original film negatives were damaged and couldn’tContinue reading “Star Trek: Metamorphosis premiered”