Almanac of Absurdities 8/31/2010

Big Time Crime day: In the early morning hours of this day in 1888 Mary Ann Nichols, a 43 year old Whitechapel Prostitute, was found gruesomely murdered, the first victim of the killer who came to be called Jack the Ripper. On this date in 1948, actor Robert Mitchum was busted in a Hollywood Drug Raid. He ended up doing 60 Days for Conspiracy to Possess Marijuana. Van Morrison’s Birthday.

Almanac of Absurdities for August 30

Queen Cleopatra of Egypt commits suicide rather than come under the authority of Octavian…after her attempt to seduce him, reportedly, failed. That was 30 BC. In 1918 Vladimir Lenin was shot and wounded after a speech. On this day in 1963, the “Hot Line” was installed between the White House and the Kremlin. It’s National Holistic Pet Day, whatever that means.

Almanac of Absurdities 8/29/10

On this day in 1966, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the Beatles wrapped up their final tour, and performed their final formal concert. There was that stand on top of the building in 1968, but that only kind of counts. A lot of good directors were born today: Preston Sturges, Richard Attenborough, and William Friedkin, and coincidentally director Joel Schumacher was born today too. Also Michael Jackson’s birthday.

Almanac of Absurdities for 8/28

Cool Birthdays today: George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, Marvel Comics Genius Jack Kirby, Leo Tolstoy and Jack Black. Martin Luther King held his 200-thousand person Rally in Washington DC and delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech on this day in 1963, and in 1898 on this day Caleb Bradham came up with a new name for his soft drink product: “Pepsi-Cola.”

Almanac of Absurdities 8/27/10

Today appears to be National Oil & Gas Industry Appreciation Day. I'm sure each of us will mark this important observance in our hearts in our own way, I know I will. It's Paul Rubens Birthday, and if you know that he's Pee Wee Herman, SCREAM REAL LOUD. And it's Tuesday Weld's birthday...even though it appears to be a Friday in this particular case.

Almanac of Absurdities for Aug 26, 2010

In a time of employment troubles for talented people, It's worthy to note that on this day in 1498, Michelangelo got a job. He was commissioned to carve the Pieta by a wealthy French Bishop. It's Albert Sabin's Birthday. He created the oral version of Salk's Polio Vaccine, and saved a generation of baby boomers from the heartbreaking disease. It's Women's Equality day. Most men would be lucky to be equal to most women

Almanac of Absurdities for 8/25/10

It's National Kiss and Make Up day. Look, just do it. Grow up.

Almanac of Absurdities for August 24, 2010

Sleepy resort towns Pompeii and Herculaneum are abruptly buried in volcanic ash on this day in the year 79 AD when Mt. Vesuvius erupted on a nice summer day. It's Orson Scott Card's Birthday, if you're hip to that, also Rupert Grint's Birthday, (Good young actor whose name would have been changed in old Hollywood.) as well as Kenny Baker,'s birthday, he was the actor inside R2-D2. National Waffle Day too.

Almanac of Absurdities 8/23/10

The US Premiere for the Beatles Color feature “Help” was held in New York City on this date in 1965. Birthdays: Martin Sheen, Barbara Eden, Shelly Long and Keith Moon. Pitcher Vida Blue was on the cover of Time on this day in 1971...at the same time CBS was pinning ratings hopes on “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.” and the first One Way Street was established in london on this date in the year 1617

Almanac of Absurdities 8/22

Almanac of Absurdities 8/22/10, Reportedly Austria sent Unmanned Balloons against Venice on this day in 1849, marking the first attempted air raid. In 1902, Theodore Roosevelt became the first President to ride in an automobile on this day. Might have been a Cadillac, they'd been in business exactly one year on that day. Birthdays for Composer Claude Debussy, and Ray Bradbury. No, don't sing it.

The Almanac of Absurdities for August 21, 2010

Fats Waller recorded “Ain't Misbehavin'” on this day in 1938. On this day in 1945, Manhattan Project Scientist Harry K. Daghlian dropped a Tungsten Carbide Brick on to a sphere of Plutonium, the so-called “Demon Core” and instantly received a fatal dose of radiation, (not instantly fatal, poor man) the first known fatality due directly to a Nuclear Weapon. Birthday of the Legendary and Beloved animator Friz Freleng.

Almanac of Absurdities for August 20, 2010

A Byzantine Aristocrat and Admiral by the absolutely remarkable name of Constantine Lips died on this day in the year 917 at the Battle of Acheloos, another remarkable name. Constantine Lips was never in a history test I took in high school, I would have remembered. Bulgaria beat the Byzantines, incidentally. Li'l Stevie Wonder's Fingertips Part Two was number one on this date in 1963.

Almanac of Absurdities for August 19, 2010

It's National Medical Dosimetrist day, which I think brings a few cc's more attention to an important area. Historically a big day for Witch Trials: The famed Samlesbury Witch trial began on this date in 1612, and the Salem Witch Trial began 80 years later to the day. Coincidence? Of course it is. It's Orville Wright's Birthday and it's also Aviation Day. Coincidence? I think Not!

The Almanac of Absurdities for August 18, 2010

The 19th Amendment was ratified on this date in 1920, giving American Women Citizens the Vote. It’s composer Antonio Salieri’s birthday, not to mention Martin Mull, Roman Polanski and Robert Redford. The Sundance Kid is 73, Imagine. It’s also Bad Poetry Day, but as far as I’m concerned, every day is bad poetry day.

Almanac of Absurdities for August 17, 2010

On this date in 1579, one Duke Francois Van Anjou arrived for his ill fated visit to London in an attempt to Woo Queen Elizabeth I. There are lots of after-the-fact stories about what went wrong…I’m not sure she actually caught him wearing a dress…but one way or another, it didn’t take. Birthdays include Mae West, Davy Crockett and Robert DiNiro. It’s National Thrift Shop Day.

Almanac of Absurdities for August 16, 2010

On this date in 1962, Brian Epstein was sent to fire Pete Best, so that Ringo Starr could take over the drums on the eve of the Beatles' phenomenal success. Bela Lugosi died on this day in 1956, throwing the production of “Plan Nine from Outer Space” into even more chaos. And it's the anniversary of Elvis Presley's death in 1977. And it's Director Jim Cameron's Birthday.

The Almanac of Absurdities for August 15 2010

On this day in 1969, Richie Havens came out on a makeshift stage in front of a sea of people and kicked off Woodstock: Mud, Sex, The Jefferson Airplane and Brown Acid. Today in 1911, Proctor and Gamble introduced a product called Crisco, and all that that implies. In 1939, the premiere was held for “The Wizard of Oz”. And It’s T.E. Lawrence’s birthday. Yes, Lawrence of Arabia. Quarter moon tomorrow.

2010 Almanac of Absurdities for August 14

We’ve got lots of amazing birthday people today…David Crosby is 66, Steve Martin is 62, and James Horner, the guy who wrote that pennywhistle tune for “Titanic” that everybody got pretty tired of, and scored a vast number of other films is 54. The number one song this week in 1965 was “I Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher. Let them say your hair’s too long. I don’t care, with you I can’t go wrong.

Almanac Entry for August 13, 2010

The Great Proletariat Revolution in China and all that entailed, began on this day in 1966, during which time in the United States, The Lovin’ Spoonful single “Summer in the City” hit number one. Backa my neck getting’ dirty and gritty! Birthdays today: Alfred Hitchcock, and Fidel Castro. And we are lucky enough that this is the Only Friday the 13th in the entire year 2010.

The Almanac of Absurdities for August 12, 2010.

Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond died of a heart atack on this day in 1964. He’d had his first about a year earlier right after he lost exclusive rights to Thunderball in a lawsuit. On this date in 1898, the Sovereign nation of Hawaii lowered its flag and accepted its fate as a territory of the United States of America. IBM's first personal computer, Model 5150 went on sale at just over 3 Thousand dollars with an 8088 chip and 64k of Ram on this date in 1981.

For August 11

The Almanac of Absurdities for August 11, 2010. This day, in the year 3114 BC was day one of the famed Aztec Calendar. The last day, apparently, is about two years off. Thelonius Monk's birthday today. Also Roy Scheider's. On this date in the year 897 history records the death of a certain Wilfred the Hairy, Count of Barcelona, gone but not quite forgotten.

The Almanac of Absurdities for August 10, 2010: This is the birthday of British Physicist Henry Cavendish, born in 1731. This early physicist, emblematic of the age of reason, discovered Hydrogen. Good thing, too, because since then we've discovered there's lots of it out there. Also the birthday of David Lee Roth, and the first day of Elvis Week. On this day in 1889 A patent was issued for the first Screw Cap.

The Almanac of Absurdities for August 9, 2010

The Almanac of Absurdities for August 9, 2010.  Today is International Day for Indigenous Peoples so stay right there for that, and we're cruising along in Psoriasis Awareness Month.  Jessie Owens became the first American in history to win four Olympic Gold Medals on this day in 1936.  And Robert Shaw, who almost killed James Bond (in From Russia With Love) and made Jaws unforgettable was born on this day in 1927. New Moon Tonight.