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September 12, 1878 –The magnificent phallic symbol was erected on the bank of the Thames on this date. It doesn’t really have anything to do with Cleopatra. The obelisk has a twin in New York’s Central Park, also named Cleopatra’s Needle. It has nothing to do with Cleopatra, either. There’s one in Paris. It’s notContinue reading “You probably never noticed”

September 12, 490 B.C. –It looked like it was going to be a pretty bleak day for Western Civilization. The Greeks, who were not yet Ancient or Classical, were facing a massive invasion of Persians. Persia was not yet part of the Axis of Evil, but was pretty nasty just the same. They had moreContinue reading “There’s a reason you shouldn’t run”

A pen is certainly an excellent instrument to fix a man’s attention and to inflame his ambition. John Adams (1797 – 1801) started smoking when he was 8 years old.

Hold fast the time! Guard it, watch over it, every hour, every minute! Unguarded, it will slip away. Hold every moment sacred. Give each one clarity and meaning, each one its true and due fulfillment. – Thomas Mann Over the past 20 years, I have found the following poems helpful in absorbing the enormity ofContinue reading “It started out a beautiful Tuesday morning…”

Believe it or not, Mike the Headless Chicken (April 1945 – March 1947) was a Wyandotte rooster (cockerel) that lived for 18 months after its head had been cut off. Thought by many to be a hoax, the bird was taken by its owner to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City to establishContinue reading “The original chicken without a head”

September 10, 1898 –Empress Elisabeth of Austria was not a particularly happy royal. Known as the Princess Diana of her day, she was estranged from her husband, Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria (because of the stifling nature of court life) she lost her daughter, Sophie, in 1857, and her favorite cousin, King Ludwig II ofContinue reading “Ultimately, you can be too rich and thin”

September 10, 1955 – Gunsmoke premiered on CBS-TV on this date. The television series ran from September 10, 1955 until September 1, 1975 on CBS for 635 episodes. It had the longest run of any scripted series with continuing characters in American primetime television. William Conrad was the first choice to play Marshall Matt DillonContinue reading “Gunsmoke”

The British Queen’s handbag is a body language communication device. It is used by her to relay secret and silent messages to her staff. For example, if she is finished speaking to a guest she will move it from one arm to another and her aides will politely end the conversation, or if she wantsContinue reading “You don’t want to know what her brooches signify”

September 9, 1890 –131 years ago today a little boy named Harland was born in Kentucky. When Harland was six, his father died and his mother was forced to go to work. Little Harland did most of the cooking for his younger siblings. By the age of seven he was a master of the localContinue reading “Stop licking your fingers. It’s disgusting.”

September 9, 1992 –During a performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, Nirvana played Lithium, ending in a grand finale where bassist Krist Novoselic tosses his instrument high into the air. When he tries to catch it, he misses, and the bass whacks him in the head. Nirvana wanted to play Rape Me at theContinue reading “I’m not gonna crack”