Another Presidential Thanksgiving Fact

Each year, the president of the U.S pardons a turkey and spares it from being eaten for Thanksgiving dinner.

The first turkey pardon ceremony started with President Truman in 1947, (however, the Truman Library and Museum disputes the notion that he was the first to do so or even if he pardoned the bird.)  In December 1948, Truman accepted two turkeys and remarked that they would "come in handy" for Christmas dinner.


November 20, 1921 -
The Famous Players-Lasky Company put the film, The Sheik, starring Rudolph Valentino and Adolphe Menjou, and directed by George Melford into general release in the US on this date.



The film helped established Valentino as the top male movie star and sex symbol of the day.


November 20, 1973 -
The third Peanuts holiday special, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, premiered on CBS-TV on this date.



Marcie reveals that "Peppermint Patty's" real name is Priscilla. (Peppermint Patty and Marcie are voiced by male actors.)


November 20, 1981 -
Milos Foreman's epic take on E.L. Doctorow novel, Ragtime, premiered on this date.



Though James Cagney was 81 years old when he filmed this movie, the real Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo was only 32 at the time in which the movie was set.


November 20, 1983 -
An estimated 100 million people watched on this date, the controversial ABC-TV movie The Day After, which depicted the outbreak of nuclear holocaust in the United States.



Nicholas Meyer claims he suffered severe flu-like symptoms throughout the making of this film. When doctors could find no reason for his illness, they eventually determined that Meyer was actually suffering from severe clinical depression, which the director attributes to having to face the horrors of nuclear war in such depth.


November 20, 1998 -
The wonderful Irish comedy, Waking Ned Devine, starring  Ian Bannen, David Kelly, and Fionnula Flanagan, opened in the U.S. on this date.



Writer/director Kirk Jones did not have time to cast the role of Father Mulligan before shooting began. On location, he asked gaffer Larry Randall if he would play the part. Randall agreed, and appears in the finished film.

If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and seek it out.


I can’t cook a Thanksgiving dinner. All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast.


Today in History :
November 20, 1913 -
The National Biscuit Co. sold its first Mallomars to a grocer in West Hoboken on this date.



Mallomars are only "in season" from September through March (it's to maintain tradition) and are manufactured in Toronto, but not sold anywhere in Canada, the home territory of Whippets.


November 20, 1917 -
T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) was held prisoner, whipped, and repeatedly raped by Turkish Army officers on this date. He apparently thoroughly enjoyed the experience.



50 Shade of Grey, indeed.


November 20, 1923 -
American inventor Garrett Morgan was awarded Patent No. 1475074 for the stoplight that included a third option in addition to "stop" and "go."



His invention was a major step forward in traffic safety. Besides the traffic light, Morgan is best known for his work on gas masks.


November 20, 1947 -
Princess Elizabeth married a ne'er-do-well Greek distant cousin, Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, in a ceremony broadcast worldwide from Westminster Abbey on this date.



She was so happy that day that it seems to escape her attention that she related to everyone at the church, include the groom's mother.



45 years later, on this date, Liz and Phil (and all the Mountbatten-Windsors) were in the middle of their Annus Horribilis when Windsor Castle caught on fire, causing extensive damage.


It's the 43rd anniversary of Generallismo Francisco Franco heroic fight to remain dead.



He is still working at it today.


November 20, 1976 -
Former-Beatle George Harrison appeared on Saturday Night Live on this date.



George Harrison seemed to have misunderstood Lorne Michaels offer of the $3,000 payment for his appearance; Michaels explained to George that the $3,000 was for all four of the Beatles - making the payment only $750 for him.


November 20, 1984 -
McDonald's made its 50 billionth hamburger at 12:10 P.M. in the Grand Hyatt Hotel, in New York City on this date.

It was eaten by Richard J. McDonald, one of the founders, who cooked burger No. 1 in San Bernardino, California, 36 years previously. That first burger and the 50 billionth are still lodged undigested in the colon of the corpse of Mr. McDonald.


November 20, 1985 -
Windows 1.0, a 16-bit graphical operating environment was released on this date. It was Microsoft's first attempt to implement a multi-tasking graphical user interface-based operating environment on the PC platform. Windows 1.0 was the very first version of Windows launched.

If you think I'm going to make fun of Bill Gates, you're mistaken.

Hooray for Big Brother!!!


November 20, 1986 -
The one billionth Little Golden Book was printed on this date.

The title was The Poky Little Puppy.

Perhaps, unwisely, this was the next book printed.



And so it goes.

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