Almanac of Absurdities 11/30

On this date in 1957, a Meteorite crashes through the roof of a house in Sylacauga Alabama, and strikes Ann Elizabeth Hodges on the side while she snoozes on the couch. She is bruised by the impact, and is the only person on record to have been struck by an object from space. Wedding Anniversary for Lucy and Desi. Birthday for the actress who played “Apollonia” in the Godfather, Simonetta Stefanelli. She’s 56 today.

Almanac of Absurdities for 11/29

On this day in 1877, Thomas Edison demonstrates his Phonograph for the first time, and starts the record business, yet another of Edison’s crimes. 1890, first Army-Navy Football Game. Navy creams Army 24-zip. Birthdays: Christian Doppler of the Doppler Effect, Peter Bergman of the Firesign Theatre, and Denny Doherty of the Mamas and the Papas.

Almanac of Absurdities for 11/28

Big Steam day: On this date in 1814, The Times of London is printed for the first time on Steam Powered automatic presses, making newspapers available to a mass audience, and changing society as a result. 1843, the UK and France (briefly) recognize Hawaii as an independent kingdom. The US does not. Lots of birthdays: Randy Newman, Jon Stewart, Alfonso Cuaron, Paul Shaffer.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/27

On this date in 1895, Alfred Nobel, Inventor of Dynamite, signs his last will and testament, which gives his vast estate to the establishment of prizes for noble endeavors.
In 1924, the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in Manhattan. 1934, the Feds finally kill Baby-Face Nelson in a running gun battle car chase through Barrington Illinois. It’s Bruce Lee’s Birthday. Also Jimi Hendrix. That’s gotta mean something.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/26

On this date in 1977, the audio for Southern British Television is jammed for six minutes by a voice claiming to be “Vrillon”, representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command, orders the human race to “destroy all weapons of evil,” and warning us we have little time to learn to live in peace. Some argue it might not have actually been a hoax, but are shouted down. Birthdays: Bat Masterson, Tina Turner.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/24

Charles Darwin publishes “On the Origin of the Species” on this date in 1859. In 1963 Dazed and Grieving Americans watch Jack Ruby shoot Lee Harvey Oswald to death live on TV. In 1971, a man calling himself D. B. Cooper parachutes out of a Northwest Orient Airliner with $200K in ransom money. Some of the money was found in the woods, but he never was. Forry Ackerman’s Birthday, if you’re hip to that.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/23

On this day in 534 BC, Thespis of Icaria becomes the first actor to portray a character onstage. How they got this exact date, I have no idea, were there stone ticket stubs or what? In 1910, Johan Ander is the last person to be executed in Sweden. Guillotine. Birthdays: Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, The Great, Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, and Dr. Who, first broadcast on the BBC on this day in 1963.

Almanac of Absurdities for 11/22

47 years ago, John F. Kennedy was shot while riding in a motorcade in Dallas Texas, and his injuries proved fatal shortly thereafter. I was waiting to get into the cafeteria at Blanche Reynolds Elementary School in Ventura when I heard, how about you? In 1975, Juan Carlos is declared King of Spain following the death of Generalissimo Francisco Franco who remains dead to this day. If you don’t get it you’re too young.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/21

On this date in 1922, Rebecca Felton of Georgia was sworn in as a United States Senator. Her service ended the next day. She was the first woman Senator, The shortest-serving Senator in US history, and at nearly 88 years old, the oldest Freshman Senator ever. She is, to this date, the only woman to have served as Senator from the state of Georgia. She was a fervent white supremacist, and advocate of lynching.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/20/10, my 100th Post.

On this date in 1407, John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy agrees to a truce with Louis, Duke of Orleans. John, Duke of Barry, mediates. Three days later, Burgundy sends fifteen big guys in masks to kill Orleans. Nice. Wedding Anniversary for Elizabeth Windsor and Phillip Mountbatten, well-off, elderly couple with troublesome children. Birthdays: Joe Biden, Joe Walsh, and Microsoft Windows.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/19

In 1863, A cold day at the Graveyard in Gettysburg Pennsylvania, as dignitaries commemorate its opening. Abraham Lincoln gives a short speech which is remembered ever after for its eloquence and deep reverence for The United States of America. In 1930, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow rob their very first bank. Birthdays: Ted Turner, Allison Janney.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/18

On this date in 1307, Legend has it that Swiss Patriot William Tell shot an apple off his son’s head. The music that goes with that wasn’t composed for another 522 years. In 1928, the first sound-and-picture synchronized cartoon “Steamboat Willie” is released from the studios of Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, making this Mickey Mouse’s Birthday.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/17

"It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes." On this date in 1558, Mary I of England dies, allowing her 25-Year-Old half sister, Elizabeth Tudor to ascend the throne, beginning the justly-fabled Elizabethan Era. Oddly enough, on this same date in 1950, 15 year old Tenzin Gyatso is enthroned as the Dalai Lama of Tibet, a position he still holds in exile. Peter Cook’s Birthday.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/16

On this date in 1532, the army of Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro captures Inca Emperor Atahualpa. They use him as a puppet to aid their looting of the culture, and eventually garrote him, essentially bringing the great Incan Empire to an end. Oddly enough this is World Kindness Week. Birthdays: Voice Actor Daws Butler, Burgess Merideth and LSD.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/15

On this date in 1864, Union General William Sherman burns Atlanta and begins the notorious “March to the Sea.” In 1959, four members of the “Clutter” family are murdered in their home in Holcomb Kansas, the subject of Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood” Birthdays: Georgia O’Keefe, Petula Clark, and the National Broadcasting Company, NBC.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/14

On this date in 1957, authorities raid the Apalachin Meeting of over 100 top Mafiosi from the US, Canada and Italy. 60 are arrested, many escape through the woods wearing very expensive Italian shoes. In 1991, a disgruntled ex-Postal Employee in Royal Oak Michigan kills four and wounds several others before committing suicide, and giving the English Language the phrase “Going Postal”. Happy Birthday to the BBC

Almanac of Absurdities 11/13/10

On this date in 1002 AD, the St. Brice’s Day Massacre: King Aethelred II orders the execution of all Danes in England. 1942, Battle of Guadalcanal, a naval battle that effectively ended Japanese advancement in the war, described by President Roosevelt as the “turning point” of WWII in the Pacific Theatre. Birthdays: Robert Lewis Stevenson, Whoopi Goldberg and the AK-47 assault rifle.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/12

On this date in 1933, at Loch Ness in Scotland, Hugh Gray takes a photo of what he believes is some kind of sea monster. In 1941, German Troops outside Moscow shiver in 14 degree temperatures, as Soviet Defenders attack them on Skis. Maybe this invasion wasn’t such a good idea after all. Birthdays: Charlie Manson, Booker T (of the MG’s) and Neil Young.

Almanac of Absurdities for 11/11/10

Today is Armistice Day, marking the end of WWI on this day in 1918. Veterans Day. On this day in 1930, a patent was issued for a highly efficient refrigeration system with no moving parts that can be operated with any heat source. The patent was issued to Leo Szilard and his partner, Albert Einstein. The patent for the “Einstein Refrigerator” is apparently owned by Electrolux of Sweden, but only a few prototypes were ever made.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/10/10

On this date in 1898, the only recorded example of a violent municipal overthrow in US History occurs in Wilmington North Carolina. Heavily Armed White Supremacists with a wagon-mounted Gatling Gun took over the community by force and instituted its own chosen city government, at the cost of anywhere from 6 to 100 lives…all black. The Governor, and President William McKinley were well aware, but did nothing.

Almanac of Absurdities for 11/9

On this date in 1888, Mary Kelly’s body was found in Whitechapel, the final victim of the killer who came to be known as Jack The Ripper. No more is heard from him. On this date in 1967, the first issue of Rolling Stone Magazine is published, with John Lennon on the cover, dressed as Gripweed from “How I Won the War.” It’s Young Readers’ Day.

Alamanc of Absurdities for 11/8/10

On this date in 1942, the environment of “Casablanca” came to an end with Operation Torch. 400 French Patriots fighting their own countrymen, the Vichy controlled XIX Army Corps, take Algiers after a 15 hour battle, beginning the recapture of French North Africa from the Nazis. M. Ferrari no doubt raises the price of Cognac and Absinthe at the Blue Parrot. It’s Bonnie Raitt’s Birthday

Almanac of Absurdities for 11/7

On this date in 1907, 24 year old Jesus Garcia Corona drove a burning locomotive pulling a trainload of dynamite at top speed and managed to get the train six kilometers from the mining town Nacozari in Mexico, before it exploded. Jesus kicked out the fireman, who lived, but stayed aboard and was killed. We should all take a moment to be thankful for Brave Sons of Bitches when they unexpectedly appear.

Almanac of Absurditied 11/6

On this date in 1935, Edwin Armstrong presented a paper to the Institute of Radio Engineers outlining a broadcast scheme that would eliminate disturbances in signal by using Frequency Modulation. FM. In other words…No Static At All, cue Steely Dan. Birthday of Suleiman the Magnificent, John Philip Sousa, Glenn Frey of the Eagles and of Plutonium, first synthesized at Hanford on this date in 1944.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/5/10

It's Guy Fawkes Day, memorializing the failure of “The Gunpowder Plot” in 1605. Remember? Fifth of November? On this day in 1862, Abraham Lincoln removes General George McClellan as commander of the Union Army for the second time...and this time he sticks with it. Birthdays: Actress Natalie Shaefer, Roy Rogers & Art Garfunkel, and it's Sadie Hawkins Day.

Almanac of Absurdities for 11/4

On this day in 1922, British Egyptologist Howard Carter found the long-lost entrance to the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, a minor Pharaoh. Carter waited nearly a month for his sponsor, Lord Carnarvon, to arrive from England before opening it on the 26th, and finding a historic horde, and some say, triggering an ancient curse. It's Walter Cronkite's Birthday as well as that of Delbert McClinton who taught John Lennon how to play the harmonica.

Almanac of Absurdities for November 3

November 3 is the birthday of Scottish Chemist Daniel Rutherford, who, in 1772, isolated nitrogen out of the atmosphere, although he initially referred to the substance as “Phlogisticated Air.” Also the birthdays for Voice actor Jim Cummings, Lulu, and former-Comedian turned Right-Wing-Talking-Head Dennis Miller. It's World Communications Week.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/2/10

The Great Oulu Fire took place on this date in 1882 in Oulu, Finland. Started in the basement at the corner of Kirkkokatu and Pakkahuoneenkatu under a Pharmacy, where naturally, they stored Gasoline. I can only guess that the fire department was blocked by gigantic street signs, but the whole town went up in flames. It’s ELECTION DAY, GO VOTE. OTHERWISE CRAZY PEOPLE RUN THINGS.

Almanac of Absurdities 11/1

Opening Day! This day in 1604 marked the very first performance of William Shakespeare's Othello before an audience...and the same day in 1611 saw the first public showing of “The Tempest.” Dia De Los Muertos, Lyle Lovett's Birthday, and it's the first day of International Drum Month.