Sunday, March 6, 2011

It's Dentists' Day today

Dr. John Greenwood, George Washington's personal dentist, constructed the first 'dental foot engine' 0n this date in 1790.



He adapts his mother’s foot treadle spinning wheel to rotate a drill


March 6, 1942- Ernst Lubitsch World War II comedy, To Be or Not to Be, starring Jack Benny, Carole Lombard and Robert Stack on this date.



Unfortunately, at its release, Pearl Harbor had been attacked, Germany was sweeping across Europe, and the film's star, Carole Lombard, was killed in a plane crash while on a war-bond selling tour. Therefore, neither critics nor public were in the mood to laugh, finding the picture tasteless and callous. Over the years, however, it recovered its production costs and became a classic.


March 6, 1998 - The Coen's Bros. off-kilter take on a Raymond Chandler detective story, The Big Lebowski, opened on this date.



The Dude never actual seen bowling in the movie.


Today in History -
Michelangelo Buonarotti was born on this date in 1475. He painted and sculpted so much that people finally decided it was time to stop procrastinating and have the Renaissance.



So they did.


On March 6, 1619, Cyrano de Bergerac was born. Mr. de Bergerac was a brilliant French satirist and playwright, a rapier wit, and, from all contemporary accounts, an accomplished musician, an enthralling conversationalist, and a charming ladies' man.



He is best known for his nose.


March 6, 1836 - Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier. The Alamo was seized by General Santa Ana - 3,000 versus 147, it wasn't much of a fair fight. The holdouts suffered unnecessary deaths, disobeying direct orders by remaining, and losing their arms and cannon to the Mexicans. Davy, Pioneer, Patriot, Soldier, Trapper, Explorer, State Legislator, Congressman was one of the last holdouts to die on this day.


Remember the Alamo.

March 6, 1918 -
In January 1918, US naval collier (a ship the transports,) Cyclops was assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service and sailed to Brazilian waters to fuel British ships in the South Atlantic.



It put to sea from Rio de Janeiro on February 16, 1918, and after touching at Barbados on March 3 and 4, was never heard from again. The loss of the ship without a trace is one of the sea's unsolved mysteries.


March 6, 1965 -
I'll see you at the opera tonight. I'll hold your seat till you get there. After that, you're on your own.

Margaret Dumont, Groucho's favorite comic foil, died on this date.







Although Groucho used to tell people that Dumont rarely understood the humor of their scenes together and would ask him, Why are they laughing, Julie? - Groucho had a deep affection and respect for her, privately calling her practically the fifth Marx brother.


March 6, 1970 -
In NYC’s Greenwich Village, a townhouse at West 11th St. exploded. SDS Weathermen members Diana Oughton, Ted Gold and Terry Robbins were killed at the site where a bomb was being manufactured.

Other members went underground and became known as the Weather Underground.


March 6, 1970 -
The Beatles released Let it Be in UK. Paul McCartney wrote this song supposedly after he had a dream about his mother who died when he was 14.



Since Let It Be was The Beatles last album, it made an appropriate statement about leaving problems behind and moving on in life.



John Lennon hated this song because of it's apparent Christian overtones. He made the comment before recording it, "And now we'd like to do Hark The Angels Come."



Lennon saw to it that Maggie Mae, a song about a Liverpool prostitute, followed it on the album.


March 6, 1981 -
After 19 years presenting the CBS Evening News, Uncle Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America, signs off for the last time.



Cousin Jon Stewart, has now taken on the mantel.



And so it goes.

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