Category Archives: Uncategorized

As always, your friends from the ACME Corp would like to salute our friends in Canada on Canada Day. Canada is the second-largest nation in the world. It is not part of the United States – (it’s the U.S.‘ nicer sister, not dissing Mexico, the U.S.’ feistier sister.) A little jewel sitting at the topContinue reading “Toques off to our neighbor in the North!”

June 30, 1987 –The Royal Canadian Mint introduced the $1 coin, affectionately known as the Loonie, on this date. It bears images of a common loon, a bird which is common and well known in Canada, on the reverse, and of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. It is produced by the Royal Canadian MintContinue reading “Tomorrow is Canada Day”

June 30, 1989 –One of Spike Lee’s big early films, Do The Right Thing, went into limited release in the US on this date. The key scene when Danny Aiello and John Turturro talk alone, approximately midway through the film, was partly improvised. The scripted scene ended as the character Smiley approached the window. EverythingContinue reading “Waaaake upl Wake up! Wake upl Wake upl”

June 29, 1988 –The John Landis blockbuster film, Coming To America, starring Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, John Amos and a plethora of stars in funny cameo roles, opened on this date. After the make-up and clothing was applied for the Jewish character Saul, Eddie Murphy wanted to test the make-up and costumeContinue reading “Wipers!”

June 29, 1968 –Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips With Me by Tiny Tim (Herbert Khaury) peaks at #17 on this date. Proof positive, people did massive amounts of drugs in the ‘60s.

June 28 1914 –Archduck Franz Ferdinand was having an extremely bad day. He was touring Serbia with his wife, the Mallard Sophie. The purpose of his tour was to get Serbia to calm down, it having become extremely irritable for reasons known only to itself, possibly having to do with Austria’s occupation of the region.Continue reading “Modern history started today”

June 28, 1951 –A TV version of the popular radio program Amos ‘N’ Andy premiered on CBS on this date. Although criticized for racial stereotyping, it was the first network TV series to feature an all-black cast. I’m ambivalent about embedded the episode, but it’s out there on the internet. If you have the time,Continue reading “Well, just call me Jellyfish”

June 28, 1956 –The film version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical, The King and I premiered in New York City, on this date. At one point, Fox executives suggested that the story be changed so that the King would be gored by a white elephant, rather than become ill because of a personal humiliation.Continue reading “Etc., etc., etc.”

You no longer have to substitute any of the following for your purposes under “Fair Use“. Happy Birthday to You, the four-line ditty was written as a classroom greeting in 1893 by two Louisville teachers, Mildred J. Hill (born in Louisville, KY, on June 27, 1859) an authority on Negro spirituals and Dr. Patty SmithContinue reading “No ‘off brand’ songs for you”

June 26, 1819 –W.K. Clarkson of New York received a patent for what was then called a velocipede (even though Denis Johnson of London had patented his velocipede in December 1818.) Unfortunately, the patent record was destroyed by fire, so the actual design is not known. And so it goes