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.