Happy Paraskavedekatriaphobia

Boo!



It's Friday the 13th


Here is your Today in History -
On February 13, 1542, Henry VIII of England's Vth wife, Catherine Howard, was executed for adultery.



You would have thought, people would have figured out marrying Henry was not a career with a lot of advancement possibilities.


On February 13, 1883, German composer and posthumous Hitler idol Richard Wagner, best known for writing the soundtrack to Apocalypse Now, died.



Almost exactly eleven years later (February 12, 1894),

Hans von Bulow, German pianist and composer, and the first husband of Wagner's wife Cosima, also died.


February 13, 1917 -
Mata Hari (Margaretha Geertruida (Grietje) Zelle) a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan is arrested for spying.



(Her actual crime may have been just sleeping with some German officers which the French took a dim view of at the time.)


February 13, 1944 -
Jerry Springer, former Democratic mayor, prostitute frequenter, TV show host and freakshow ring master was born on this date.



(In 1998, Mr. Springer, purportedly participated in a 350 person orgy. Which would seem to make him the perfect host for The Jerry Springer Show.)


February 13, 1945 -
An estimated 135,000 people, mostly women and children, die in the firebombing of the 13th-century city of Dresden, a revenge bombing that had no real military justification.



Kurt Vonnegut was one of just seven American prisoners of war in Dresden to survive, in an underground meatpacking cellar known as Slaughterhouse Five.


February 13, 1950 -
- Whistling tunes we piss on the goons in the jungle.







Peter Gabriel, singer, was born on this date.


February 13, 1953 -
Transsexual Christine (formerly George) Jorgenson arrives in New York with much fanfare. She had had sex change operations performed in Denmark by Dr. Christian Hamburger, becoming the first successful surgical transgender.



Upon return, she becomes a cabaret actress. The excess parts of George goes on to become the other half of the famous East Germany TV Comedy Duo, Gunther and Smeckel.


February 13, 1959 -
Barbara Millicent Roberts, whose parents were George and Margaret Roberts from Willows, attend Willows High School and Stuyvesant High School. She has an on-off romantic relationship with her beau Ken Carson. Among her many careers were American Idol contestant, Ballerina, Fashion model, Movie producer, Movie star, Rock star, Radio City Music Hall Rockette, Aerobics instructor, Olympic gymnast, Olympic figure skater, Tennis star, WNBA basketball player, Dentist, Medical doctor, Nurse, Pediatrician, Surgeon, Veterinarian, United States Army officer,United States President, UNICEF Summit diplomat, Ambassador for world peace, Firefighter, Police officer, Canadian Mountie, Astronaut, Flight Attendant ( for both American Airlines & Pan Am ), NASCAR driver, Pilot, Cowgirl, Chef, Paleontologist, McDonald's Front Desk and Flight Attendent, etc.

Barbie was introduced today by Mattel in California. What have you done with your life?


February 13, 1961 -
Henry Lawrence Garfield (Henry Rollins), singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, stand-up comedian, author, actor, activist and publisher, was born on this date.



And he will kick your ass if you don't believe he is a sensitive soul.



And so it goes.