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November 3, 1957 – Laika the dog became the first living creature in space on this date, when she involuntarily fulfilling a canine suicide mission aboard the Soviet Sputnik 2. Soviet engineers expected Laika to die from oxygen deprivation—a painless death within 15 seconds—after seven days in orbit. However, some western researchers speculated, then laterContinue reading “The sad tale of Laika”

Happy National Sandwich Day. It’s celebrated on the birthday of John Montagu, Fourth Earl of Sandwich, creator of the sandwich. As the story goes, he was playing cards and did not want to leave the gaming table to eat. He asked for a serving of roast beef to be placed between two slices of breadContinue reading “Too few people understand a really good sandwich.”

November 3, 1954 – Gojira premiered in Japan on this date 68 years ago (Godzilla: King of the Monsters debuted in America on April 26, 1956) : With the ashes of World War II only recently cooled, Japan is plagued by a sudden wave of maritime disasters: Without warning, ships are exploding into flame andContinue reading “If we don’t stop Godzilla now, what’s to become of us?”

So those of the dearly departed who didn’t make the cut yesterday for All Saint’s Day, take heart; remember today is All Souls Day (the second day of Día de los Muertos.) In the late tenth or early eleventh century, Saint Odilo of Cluny decided that All Souls’ Day would take place after All Saints’Continue reading “Today is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed”

November 2, 1989 – BBC One aired the screaming funny conclusion to the Blackadder Goes Forth series, Goodbyeee starring Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, on this date. The decision to set Blackadder in the trenches of World War One did not come from Ben Elton, Richard Curtis orContinue reading “The finale of Blackadder Goes Forth premiered”

November 2, 1995 –Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders guest stars on the Friends episode The One with the Baby on the Bus, on this date. She sings Angel of the Morning and learns Smelly Cat from Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow).

The name November comes from the Latin “novem” which is the Latin for the nine. In the early Roman calendar, it was the ninth month. According to the Gregorian calendar, November is the eleventh month of the year. Go figure. The Roman Senate elected to name the eleventh month for Tiberus Caesar and since AugustusContinue reading “Make every day a day of Thanksgiving!”

November 1, 1967 –Warner Brothers released one of Paul Newman’s signature films, Cool Hand Luke on this date. Originally, the scene where Luke plays Plastic Jesus as an ode to his mother was scheduled for the beginning of the shoot, but after Paul Newman insisted on learning the instrument, director Stuart Rosenberg delayed it aContinue reading “Cool Hand Luke premiered”

October 31, 1926 –Harry Houdini died in room 401 of Grace Hospital in Detroit on this date. The escape artist was killed by diffuse peritonitis, after having undergone an emergency appendectomy. Contrary to popular belief, the fatal appendicitis could not have been caused by a punch to the stomach. And so it goes

October 31, 1970 –Led Zeppelin started a four week run, on this date, at No.1 on the Billboard album chart with Led Zeppelin III, the bands second US chart topper. Although critics were typically confused over the change in musical style and gave the album a mixed response, Led Zeppelin III has since been acknowledgedContinue reading “Led Zeppelin III went to the top of the charts”