Wednesday, January 27, 2010
On this day in 1961, Wayne Gretzky was born. His father built him an ice rink in the back yard to practice hockey… Which meant considerably less digging than if he was to practice high diving.
On this day in 1955, Eddie Van Halen was born… When middle aged rock stars play to fans young enough to be their kids… Often some are.
Tuesday, January 25, 2010
On this day in 1993, Sears Roebuck & Co. stopped printing catalogs, which meant that if curious boys wanted to see women in undergarments… They had to watch MTV.
On this day in 1947, Al Capone died of syphilis… Somehow the idea of safe sex probably seemed bizarre with an automatic machine gun on the dresser.
On this day in 1949, the 1st Emmy Awards were presented. That was back when nudity wasn’t featured in the programs… Or the award show dresses.
Monday, January 24, 2010
On this day in 1935, canned beer was sold for the 1st time in Richmond, Virginia… One small step for industrial packaging – One giant leap for tailgate parties.
On this day in 1978, a Russian satellite crashed near Yellowknife… Some say it was the Red Army team scouts trying to pick up transmissions of Hockey Night In Canada.
On this day in 1922, the Eskimo Pie was patented by Christian Nelson of Iowa… If Stephen King wrote a story called Eskimo Pie, chances are it would involve cannibalism.
Sunday, January 23, 2010
On this day in 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the 1st woman doctor… They say some men had difficulty disrobing for a female physician; others began unbuttoning in the waiting room.
On this day in 1977, Roots premiered on ABC, causing many viewers to search for their roots… And causing many of those to dye them.
On this day in 1943, the Detroit Red Wings scored an NHL record 8 goals in one period… The opposing goalie considered throwing himself in front of a bus, but was afraid it would pass between his legs, too.
Saturday, January 22, 2010
Actress Linda Blair was born on this day in 1959… They say when she read the script for The Exorcist, it really turned her head.
On this day in 1968, the comedy show Roman & Martin’s Laugh-In premiered. President Richard Nixon would appear on an episode with the scripted line “Sock it to me?”… President George W improvised most of his comedic lines.
On this day in 1987, a record flight of 37.2 miles was set over Edwards Air Force Base by a pedaled ultra light aircraft… You can get the same experience on an exercise bike while operating a Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
On this day in 1934, puppeteer Shari Lewis was born. She made a career of talking to inanimate objects… Some say she’d have been a natural to interview Al Gore.
On this day in 1899, Al Capone was born… They say when Al bought a new car, he was concerned about head and leg room… In the trunk.
On this day in 1928, Vidal Sassoon was born. He helped people to conserve shampoo… By charging $27.95 for 6 ounces.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
On this day in 1950, choreographer Debbie Allen was born. Her choreography influence can be seen at Super Bowl XXXV… Not so much with the cheerleaders, as the receivers after a touchdown.
On this day in 1979, Cher filed for divorce just 9 days after marrying Greg Allman… It was sad, because she’d given him some of the best hours of her life.
On this day in 1905, baseball outfielder Frank Huelsman was traded for the 6th time in 8 months… Most baseball cards aren’t traded that often.
Friday, January 15, 2010
On this day in 1943, The Pentagon was completed… If you work there, because of its shape you’re 20 % more likely to get a corner office.
On this day in 1974, Happy Days premiered. Back then, saying the phrase “sit on it” was considered racy by some… Today cable channels show people “sitting on it.”
On this day in 1880, the 1st phone directory was published in London… Some say critics panned it, saying “There were too many characters.”
Thursday, January 14, 2010
On this day in 1954, sex symbol Marilyn Monroe married ex-slugger Joe DiMaggio… Since then, no baseball player’s ever had a more attractive retirement package.
On this day in 1938, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs was released… Tabloids called the complex relationship a “love octagon.”
On this day in 1914, Henry Ford introduced the assembly line for making cars… Some say Liz Taylor used it a few decades later for marriage.
Wednesday, January 13, 2009
On this day in 1964, The Beatles’ 1st single was released in the US – I Wanna Hold Your Hand… When many parents of the day saw the Fab Four, they were thinking “I wanna cut your hair.”
On this day in 1934, openly gay comedian Rip Taylor was born… For those not familiar with him, just picture Richard Simmons’ fairy godmother.
On this day in 1854, Anthony Foss patented the accordion… Early music critics described it as “bagpipes in whisper mode.”
Tuesday, January 12, 2009
On this day in 1906, comedian Henny Youngman was born. He’s famous for the line “Take my wife, please”…. Which was later developed into the film with Demi Moore and Robert Redford called Indecent Proposal.
On this day in 1935, mind reader The Amazing Kreskin was born… He could work at McDonald’s and not have to ask if you’d like fries with that.
On this day in 1970, the 1st trans-Atlantic flight of the Boeing 747 landed at Heathrow airport. It had flotation devices aboard… For your best shot at flotation, skip the in-flight meal.
Monday, January 11, 2009
On this day in 1892, the 44-year-old painter Paul Gauguin married a 13-year-old Tahitian girl… He was sort of the Jerry Lee Lewis of the art world.
On this day in 1974, the 1st surviving sextuplets were born in South Africa… Technically in most species, that would be considered a “litter.”
On this day in 1977, Keith Richards was tried for possession of cocaine found in his car after an accident… There’s no truth to the rumour that Keith had been trying to snort the white line.
Friday, January 8, 2009
On this day in 1992, President Bush vomited during a tour of Japan, which was embarrassing… But it wasn’t like he misspelled “potato.”
Today… Elvis turns 75!
On this day in 1940 because of World War II, Britain began rationing bacon, butter and sugar… This may be why Dame Edna’s legs remained so slender.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
On this day in 1714, the typewriter was invented. It was a manual of course… And some folks who switched from typing on those to computers found themselves slapping the side of their monitors when they came to the end of a line.
On this day in 1970, farmer Max Yasgur was sued by his neighbours for hosting the 1st Woodstock, which caused $35,000 in damage… The bright side is that’s less damage than the musicians caused in their hotel rooms.
On this day in 1990, the leaning tower of Pisa was closed to the public because it was leaning too far… Some say it was leaning further to the right than Pat Robertson.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
On this day in 1759, Martha Dandridge Custis married George Washington… It can’t be easy being married to the most powerful person in the country… At least it didn’t look easy for Bill Clinton when he was in office.
On this day in 1412, Joan of Arc was born. She was later burned at the stake… And they say to this day, Shirley MacLaine won’t go near a BBQ.
On this day in 1964, The Rolling Stones 1st toured as a headline act… That was before Keith Richard’s guitar tech had to be handy with an IV drip, too.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
On this day in 1918, psychic Jeanne Dixon was born… Friends said that because of her psychic abilities, her birthday was impossible to celebrate with a surprise party.
On this day in 1914, the Ford Motor Company increased its daily wage from $2.34 for a nine-hour day to $5 for eight hours… During the last auto worker’s strike, they spent more than that on cigarettes.
On this day in 1878, Mexican folk hero Pancho Villa was born. He was known for terrorizing Americans… This underscored an early need for “homeland security.”
Monday, January 4, 2010
On this day in 1981, the Broadway show Frankenstein lost about $2 million when it closed opening night… They say the lead looked like Al Gore on steroids.
On this day in 1954, Elvis Presley recorded a demo in Nashville… They say he had to use a boom operator because his pelvis kept bumping the microphone stand.
On this day in 1643, Sir Isaac Newton was born, who discovered the law of gravity… Since then, Hollywood plastic surgeons have been breaking it.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
On this day in 1956, Mel Gibson was born. Many women would like a lock of Mel’s hair… Clogging their shower drain.
On this day in 1920, the New York Yankees purchased babe Ruth from the red Sox for $125,000… Today you’d be lucky to get his jersey for that.
On this day in 1888, the 1st drinking straw was patented by M.C. Stone… Apparently it started when he asked “What would happen if you wrapped paper around a narrow hole?”
Saturday, January 2, 2010
On this day in 1988, PM Mulroney and President Reagan signed the Canada-US Free Trade agreement… George W thought this would lower the price of Eskimo Pies in Texas.
On this day in 1959, the Soviets launched Luna 1, the 1st lunar probe. It missed the moon by 4,600 miles… Causing a marked drop in cosmonaut applications.
On this day in 1952, Pope Pius XII declared that TV was a threat to family life… Ironically, fighting over the remote remains one of the few activities still done as a family.
