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Umayyad partisans defeat the supporters of Ibn al-Zubayr and cement Umayyad control of Syria, in the Battle of Marj Rahit, on this date in 684 – but what the hell do you care. Today is National Bad Poetry Day in the United States. There’s a very fun website will generate on command a great dealContinue reading “Poetry is like fish: if it’s fresh, it’s good; if it’s stale, it’s bad”

August 18, 1969 –Playing on the unscheduled fourth day, Jimi Hendrix’s version of The Star-Spangled Banner at Woodstock was considered by some, at the time, to be controversial and disrespectful. Of about 500,000 people who were there over the weekend, only about 30,000 were left, and many of them remember waking up to this song.Continue reading “An unexpected moment from Woodstock”

Today is National Thrift Store Day – the day was created to promote shopping at secondhand stores in their home towns today, (keeping social distance in mind of course.) DonateNYC, is promoting National Thrift Store Day by encouraging everyone to shop secondhand in New York today. Hey, it’s not always the highest quality, but theContinue reading “I’ma take your grandpa’s style”

August 17, 2008 –American swimmer Michael Phelps became the first person to win eight gold medals in one Olympic Games on this date. Phelps win of the eight gold medals surpassed Mark Spitz for the most golds by an athlete at a single Games. And so it goes

August 17, 1968 –The Doors third studio album, Waiting for The Sun reached No. 1 on the Billboard Album Charts on this date. Although the album was commercially success, some critics found it pretentious and over-arranged.

August 17, 1986 –Pixar Animation Studios released its first film, Luxo Jr., directed by John Lasseter. John Lasseter’s aim was to have this computer animated short finished in time for SIGGRAPH, an annual computer technology exhibition attended by thousands of industry professionals. To do so warranted working around the clock, to the extent that LasseterContinue reading “Luxo Jr premiered”

August 16, 1974 –The Ramones played their first show in a local New York club, CBGB, on this date. The Ramones, along with other NYC acts such as Television, The Heartbreakers, Blondie, and Patti Smith quickly gained a following and helped Punk rock develop in New York City in the mid-1970s.

August 16, 2018 –Hey Nineteen, that’s Retha Franklin! Aretha Louise Franklin, the Queen of Soul, died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer on this date. In 1987, she became the first woman inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. In 2008, she was voted Greatest Singer Of All Time by the musiciansContinue reading “Aretha Franklin”

August 16, 1977 –Elvis Presley died (or not) in his home at the age of 42, while sitting on the toilet. While doing his business, he had been perusing The Scientific Search for the Face of Jesus. Presumably, Elvis‘ search was concluded shortly thereafter. Elvis has long left the building Remember, add more bran toContinue reading “The King is Dead!”

Each year on August 16th, many people at amusement parks and theme parks across the country participating in National Roller Coaster Day which is celebrated on this date. J.G. Taylor received one of the earliest patents (US patent #128,674) for an inclined railway in 1872. In 1878, Richard Knudsen received a patent (US #198,888) forContinue reading “Life is one incredible roller coaster ride.”