It's that damn time of year

The amateur drinkers (in various shades of holiday undress) are once again back in Manhattan this year: they will be in Midtown and Lower Manhattan, stating at 10 AM. I can take comfort that some of them may die, choking on their own (or someone else's) vomit later in the day. (Ask me how I feel about Santacon.)



I have been actively telling friends who live in the East Village to begin collecting buckets of waste this past week to rain down upon the drunken revelers. I am in cranky old man mood this evening - be warned!


(Changing gears)


I believe some of you are really going to need an old lady in church, saying the rosaries on a Friday afternoon in the back row of your church to explain this one to you:

December 8, 1854 -
Pius IX promulgates the doctrine of Immaculate Conception (Ineffabilis Deus)  - the Virgin Mary is free from original sin (and not the other thing some of you think.)

Later, she achieves permanent fame when despite of her marriage, she finds herself in the family way by her acquaintance with a Supreme Being.


December 8, 1952 -
In some weird cosmic irony, the episode Lucy Is Enceinte first aired on CBS-TV ("enceinte" being French for "expecting" or "pregnant") on this date.



CBS would not allow I Love Lucy to use the word "pregnant", so "expecting" was used instead.


It's apparently National Brownie day today, as opposed to 'Send Kevin the loose bills in your pocket day.'  According to several sources, Brownies seem to have made their first appearance at the Parker House Hotel in Chicago in 1893 celebrating the Columbian Exposition World’s Fair in Chicago, (you may find their original recipe for the brownies on the hotel's website.)

My contribution to the days' festivities is my family's recipe (if you need to bring a dessert somewhere this holiday season; this is the one.)


The Canadian postal service has been giving Jolly Old St. Nicholas a helping hand. For more than 36 years, Canada Post has been helping Santa with his huge holiday volume of mail. Thanks to Canada Post's Santa Letter-writing Program, children can write to the jolly old fellow in virtually any language, including Braille, and receive a response in the same language.



Santa's correct address happens to be:

North Pole H0H 0H0
Canada
(Please note the zip code)

Or you can get an e-mail from Santa at - Santa's corner. You better hurry though, Christmas is just around the corner and the Canadian Postal workers still seem to be on strike, but I'm sure they'll work something out (and if you are a kid - what the heck are you doing reading this blog, it's not appropriate for you.  Although you could go into your parents room while they are sleeping and fill an envelope with those green pieces of paper in their wallets and send it to me at ...)


December 8, 1976 -
Asylum release the fifth studio album of the Eagles, Hotel California, on this date.



Hotel California would go on to sell 16 million copies in the U.S. and double that figure worldwide.


December 8, 1978 -
The EMI Film and Universal Pictures produced Michael Cimino film, The Deer Hunter, starring Robert De Niro, John Savage, Christopher Walken, John Cazale and Meryl Streep, premiered in Los Angeles on this date



Director Michael Cimino convinced Christopher Walken to spit in Robert De Niro's face. When Walken actually did it, De Niro was completely shocked, as evidenced by his reaction. In fact, De Niro was so furious about it he nearly left the set. Cimino later said of Walken, "He's got courage!"


Don't forget to tune into another holiday edition of The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour today


Today in History:
Henry Laurens, the Fifth President of the Continental Congress, became the first person to be formally cremated in the U.S. in 1792 on this date.

Things would have gone on in a more dignified manner if Mr Laurens was deceased at the time (just kidding - he was quite dead, especially after the cremation.)


December 8, 1793 -
Mme. du Barry, mistress of Louis XV, did not go quietly to that good death. On the way to the guillotine she continually collapsed in the tumbrel and cried "You are going to hurt me! Why?!" She became quite hysterical during her execution: "She screamed, she begged mercy of the horrible crowd that stood around the scaffold, she aroused them to such a point that the executioner grew anxious and hastened to complete his task."

Her last words to the executioner: "Encore un moment, monsieur le bourreau, un petit moment," (One moment more, executioner, one little moment) were her most famous.



How insensitive of her to be such a pain.


December 8, 1961 -
Conservative columnist Ann Coulter, was spawned on this day (Think the movie, Splice).

Let us remember that this woman suggested that ... Why do we let blind people and people in wheelchairs become citizens? I feel sorry for cripples, but that doesn't mean I want them in my country.


December 8, 1963 -
Frank Sinatra Jr. was kidnapped at Harrah's Lake Tahoe, Nevada on this date. After Frank Sinatra paid the $240,000.00 random, Jr. was set free a few days later. It has always been speculated that Sinatra, Jr. cooperated with his abductors in their plot.



Frank Sr. was not happy. As punishment Frank Jr. was forced to become a fat, dumpy, bald headed guy who had to conduct the big band for Frank Sr. and all was well.


December 8, 1980 -
John Lennon was shot by a lunatic, Mark David Chapman, outside Lennon's apartment in New York City mere hours after receiving the Beatle's autograph.



Chapman was carrying around his dog eared copy of Catcher in the Rye.



For those of you who remember the book, I leave it to you to draw any conclusions.


December 8, 1982 -
Norman Mayer barricaded himself inside the Washington Monument and threatens to blow it up unless all nuclear weapons are dismantled. He was shot by police after 10 hours.

That's what you get for sticking up the largest prick in DC.



And so it goes

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