Napoleon Was Once Attacked By a Horde of Bunnies,
The emperor had requested that a rabbit hunt be arranged for himself and his men. His chief of staff set it up and had men round up reportedly 3,000 rabbits for the occasion. When the rabbits were released from their cages, the hunt was ready to go. At least that was the plan! But the bunnies charged toward Bonaparte and his men in a viscous and unstoppable onslaught. And we were taught that Waterloo was the conqueror's greatest defeat…
The Government Literally Poisoned Alcohol During Prohibition
When people continued to consume alcohol despite its banning, law officials got frustrated and decided to try a different kind of deterrent—death. They ordered the poisoning of industrial alcohols manufactured in the U.S., which were products regularly stolen bootleggers. By the end of Prohibition in 1933, the federal poisoning program is estimated to have killed at least 10,000 people.
Lyndon B. Johnson Gave Interviews From the Bathroom
This, for lack of a better word, unapologetic president gave interviews while using the toilet. Presidential biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin describes the impetus: "he just didn't want the conversation to stop." Johnson also like to compared the size of his genitalia – which he nicknamed “Jumbo” – to that of his male aides during skinny-dipping sessions at the White House swimming pool.
Today's gift count (286): you currently have 11 pipers piping,
20 hyperactive effete British gentlemen, knocking furniture over, 27 Pole dancers (draw the shades, the neighborhood kids are staring into your windows), 32 organized dairy workers striking for better working conditions, 35 Swans making a racket, befouling your second bathroom (I hope you have a second bathroom), 36 geese a' laying, 35 golden rings, 32 calling birds, 27 French hens, 20 turtledoves and 11 partridges in their respective pear trees.
The eleven pipers piping are the first eleven faithful Apostles and why are you still signing for any packages delivered at your home?
January 4, 1941 -
The animated short Elmer's Pet Rabbit was released on this date: it marks the second 'official' appearance of Bugs Bunny and the first to have his name on a title card.
It was directed by the legendary Chuck Jones.
(Note that Bugs hasn't developed his characteristic buck teeth yet.)
January 4, 1958 –
The TV series, Sea Hunt, starring Lloyd Bridges premiered, in syndication on this date.
When Lloyd Bridges complained about the weight of his twin air tanks during topside re-takes, the art director designed twin tanks made of balsa wood and had them painted silver. Only in the earliest episodes is Bridges using real tanks for above-surface scenes.
January 4, 1969 -
Jimi Hendrix was banned from the BBC after going off-script when he and his band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, appear on the show Happening for Lulu, hosted by the singer Lulu.
Rather than sing a duet with Lulu, Hendrix and the band launched into an unplanned tribute to the recently disbanded Cream by playing Sunshine of Your Love. The show nearly ran over time and afterwards, the producers had Hendrix banned from ever appearing on the BBC again.
January 4, 1970 -
Chauffeur Neil Boland was accidentally killed on this date when The Who's drummer Keith Moon ran over him in his Bentley.
Apparently, Moon's car was under attack from some unruly teenagers, and when Boland jumped out to get them to move, Moon, in a panic, got behind the wheel to drive the car away himself. Unfortunately, the crowd had since pushed Boland under the car and the drummer had never passed his driving test.
January 4, 1975 –
Elton John cover of the Lennon - McCartney song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds reached the No. #1 spot on the Billboard Charts on this date.
The "Lucy" who inspired this song was Lucy O'Donnell (later Lucy Vodden), who was a classmate of John Lennon's son Julian when he was enrolled at the private Heath House School, in Weybridge, Surrey. It was in a 1975 interview that Lennon said, "Julian came in one day with a picture about a school friend of his named Lucy. He had sketched in some stars in the sky and called it Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds."
January 4, 1984 -
Night Court starring Harry Anderson premiered on NBC-TV on this date.
After Selma Diamond passed away following the completion of Season 2, she was replaced by Florence Halop, due largely to the fact that she had comedy timing and mannerisms similar to Selma. However, when Florence passed away after completing just one season (Season 3), it was decided by the producers to hire a younger actress for the role, and Marsha Warfield was hired as Roz.
Word of the Day
Today in History:
January 4, 1643 –
...There is no disputin', we're all indebted to Sir Isaac Newton ...
Sir Isaac Newton, English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian was born on this date (or on Christmas day 1642 Old Style.)
And imagine, he still had time to invent Fig Newton Cookies.
January 4, 1863 -
James L. Plimpton changed the skating world forever when he patented the forerunner of the modern roller skate with 4 wheels.
The skate accomplished what previous ones could not: it could maneuver in a smooth curve. Plimpton's skate was far superior to any other that had ever been invented.
January 4, 1885 -
A gravely ill 22-year-old named Mary Gartside was brought to Mercy Hospital in Davenport, Iowa with a sharp pain in her side, Dr. William Grant, decided to try an untested surgery rather than allow the young woman to die .
After giving her anesthesia, he cut into her side and removed the infected appendix. Gartside recovered fully from the surgery and the medical community learned that the appendix was not necessary for living (except for removed organ collectors.)
January 4, 1903 -
(Bunkies, don't watch the following videos, if they're going to bother you.)
Topsy was a domesticated elephant with the Forepaugh Circus at Coney Island's Luna Park. Because she had killed three men in three years (including a severely abusive trainer who attempted to feed her a lit cigarette), Topsy was deemed a threat to people by her owners and killed by electrocution on this date (Inventor Thomas Edison facilitates the entire affair.)
In an attempt to discredit Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla by showing how dangerous Alternating Current electricity was, Thomas Edison filmed the whole proceedings.
He would release it later that year under the title Electrocuting an Elephant (but that is another story.)
Raise your frozen Margaritas and toast dear old Stephen J. Poplawski. Mr. Poplawski was born in Poland on August 14, 1885, which was a fine place to be born if your wanted to be a farmer or fodder for the cannons of the next Austro-Hungarian Geopoliticial machination. He would have none of that and emigrated at age 9 with his parents to Racine, Wis (most children were usually beaten soundly when they suggested emigrating in the 1880's.) In 1918 he founded Stephens Tool Co. and in 1919 was hired by Arnold Electric Co. to develop an automatic malted milk mixer for use in restaurants (Racine being home of Horlick Malted Milk.)
Well, you don't think they give you a patent for a machine that makes frosty, delicious alcoholic drinks, do you?
January 4, 1943 -
Josef Stalin, evil bastard and abused child, appears as Time's 1942 Man of the Year.
January 4, 1960 -
John Michael Stipe, the lead mumbler for R.E.M. was born on this date.
Michael appears to have sold his beard to David Letterman, trying to make ends meet years after REM has broken up.
January 4, 1960 -
Albert Camus, French writer, died in an automobile accident at age 46 on this date. In his coat pocket lay an unused train ticket. Camus had intense Motorphobia (fear of automobiles), and thus avoided riding in cars as much as possible. Instead, he took trains everywhere, as much as possible.
He had planned to travel by train with his wife and children, but at the last minute accepted his publisher's proposal to travel with him.
If that isn't absurd, I don't know what is.
January 4, 1963 -
In a lot of ways, it was a huge relief, not being a member of a troupe, being able to make your own decisions and kind of live your own life.
Dave Foley, Actor/Comedian (The Kids In The Hall, News Radio) and Canadian was born on this date.
January 4, 1965 -
Thomas Stearns Eliot, (American-born) English poet, playwright, literary critic and noted Anti-Semitism, died in London, on this date.
I guess he finished measured out his life with coffee spoons?
January 4, 1965 -
During his State of the Union address, President Lyndon B. Johnson outlined his plans for the "Great Society" on this date. President Johnson had introduced his vision of a Great Society in a May 22, 1964 speech: “The great society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time.”
It outlined many social reform programs, including Medicare/Medicaid, the Civil Rights Act, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
January 4, 1972 -
Hewlett-Packard (HP) introduces the HP-35, the first handheld scientific calculator.
The device takes its name from its thirty-five buttons. It’s release marks the beginning of the end of the widespread use of slide rules.
Before you go: Don't forget we're still in the middle of Mulchfest (more about it later.)
One more thing - Here's another year-end 2020 Movie Mash-up, (this one is from CallMeSewer) -
I enjoy their postings every year (this just came out the other day.) I will hopefully get to post this coming years earlier in 2021.
And so it goes
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