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In the midst of the First World War, Salvation Army volunteers in France found themselves stymied by inadequate supplies and ovens for baking. Unable to prepare the cakes and and pies they so badly wanted to bake for the troops, they came up with the novel idea of frying rather than baking the dough. TwoContinue reading “Breakfast (and warfare, for that matter,) were forever changed”

October 19, 1953 –After Julius La Rosa had finished singing Manhattan on Arthur Godfrey Time, the host (and general louse) Arthur Godfrey fired him on the air, announcing, “that was Julie’s swan song with us.“ Unaware the firing was coming (or what the phrase “swan song” meant), La Rosa tearfully met with Godfrey after theContinue reading “Arthur Godfrey Time”

October 19, 1974 –Billy Preston’s single, Nothing from Nothing went to No. #1 on the Billboard Charts, on this date. The B-side of the single was another song Preston wrote with his songwriting partner Bruce Fisher: You Are So Beautiful, which was later a hit for Joe Cocker.

Several sources, including the eponymously named Facebook page, lists today as International Gin and Tonic Day. Some cite April 9th as the date. I’m up for celebrating on both dates. (But don’t confuse it with World Gin Day which always falls on the second Saturday of June.) So celebrate the day with the British RoyalContinue reading “Life is exceedingly complicated”

25% of all mammal species on Earth are bats. There are 1,200 different species of bats. They range in size from a Bumblebee Bat – the world’s smallest mammal – all the way up to the Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Bat which has a wingspan of almost 6 foot.

October 18 is also Alaska Day, observed in the U.S. state of Alaska. Previously, they tried celebrating Alaska Day in Hawaii. The seething resentment of stealing their nation hadn’t abated in Hawaii, so sponsors thought better of the plan. (Note to readers who find themselves in Alaska today – once again, avoid the Palin clan;Continue reading “Checking out Russia from your front porch”

October 18, 1988 – Poverty, alcoholism, drug abuse, sex, menstruation, birth control, teenage pregnancy, masturbation, obesity, abortion, race, social class, domestic violence, and homosexuality – some of the topics dealt with on the series, Roseanne (which premiered on this date.) Sara Gilbert’s contribution to the show was considered so important to Roseanne that the show’sContinue reading “Roseanne”

Prehistoric penguins were once almost 6 feet tall. Scientists estimated this from a discovery of bones found at Seymour Island dating back to 37 – 40 million years ago. These gigantic penguins would have weighed up to 250 pounds.

Pasta is one of America’s favorite foods. Last year, 1.3 million pounds of pasta were sold in American grocery stores. The first American pasta factory was opened in Brooklyn, New York, in 1848, by a Frenchman named Antoine Zerega. Mr. Zerega managed the entire operation with just one horse in his basement to power theContinue reading “Today is National Pasta Day”

October 17, 1984 –The New York Times ran an article entitled CIA Primer Tells Nicaraguan Rebels How to Kill. The story describes the secret manual Psychological Operations in Guerrilla Warfare which the CIA furnished to the Contras in Nicaragua. The booklet instructed how to kidnap and assassinate civil officials, such as judges and police. MostContinue reading “The things you can read in the paper”