On this day in 1961 the music world changed forever. In a Liverpool nightclub called the Cavern, record store manager Brian Epstein was there to hear the Beatles. Two months later, he was their manager and helped them land their first record deal in 1962. John, Paul, George and Ringo were well on their way to changing the world. Epstein took the four boys from blue jeans and leather jackets to clean-cut suits and ties, and launched them... 

…all the random things that happened today….. 1847 – “Oh, Susannah” was sung in public for the first time. Stephen Foster sold the rights to the song for a bottle of whiskey. 1963 – “The Great White Wonder” first appears in a record store in Los Angeles, CA. The “bootleg” of Bob Dylan songs is believed to be the first bootleg album. 1875 – “Professor Tidwissel’s... 

I guess I can’t complain too much that today is Monday – it’s a short week in the office, after all. But that’s really of little consolation. It’s still Monday and I still wish it wasn’t. Worse than that, it’s Monday morning, the worst morning of them all. On November 19, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln delivered one of the most important speeches in American History. The Gettysburg Address lasted... 

On this day in 1918, at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, World War I came to an end. History.com Veterans Day is largely intended to thank veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to United States national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served – not only those who died – have sacrificed and done their duty. Wikipedia.org Veterans Day takes on... 

I love Halloween. LOVE it! It’s probably my third favorite day; behind Christmas and my birthday. Now, if I could only figure out how to get gifts from people on Halloween… The term Halloween (and its alternative rendering Hallowe’en) is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the eve of “All Hallows’ Day”...which is now known as All Saints’ Day. It was a day of religious festivities in various... 

The holiday began in 1882, originating from a desire by the Central Labor Union to create a day off for the “working man”. Wikipedia Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the movement to secure state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature,... 

Happy Birthday, Madonna! Wow, it’s hard to believe that the Material Girl is 49. More August 16th Celebrity Birthdays: 1953: Kathie Lee Gifford, Paris, Florida, hostess, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee 1958: Angela Bassett, born in New York City, actress, What’s Love Got to Do With It 1960: Timothy Hutton, born in Malibu, California, actor, Turk 182, Ordinary People 1963: Steve Carell, American Actor 1980: Vanessa Carlton, American... 

AUGUST 14th The hilarious Steve Martin is 62 years old today. Born in Waco, Texas the young Steve Martin and his family moved to Garden Grove, California. In his teens, Martin worked at Disneyland. It was at the happiest place on earth where he entertained crowds of visitors with magic tricks, banjo music and comedy. He moved on to UCLA where he was able to break into “the business” as a comedy writer. This was the beginning... 

AUGUST 7th The Bee Gees hit the #1 spot for the first time on this day in 1971, with “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.” The trio of brothers went on to top the charts eight more times with such songs as “You Should be Dancing” and “Jive Talkin’.” The Bee Gees hold the third place spot for more #1 hits than any other group in history, behind the Beatles and the Supremes. History.com Other fun facts... 

JULY 9th It was on this day in 1956 that the world was honored with the birth of the legendary actor, Tom Hanks. He was born in Concord, California (about 25 miles from my Berkeley, CA stomping grounds) and remained there with his cook father after his parents divorced when he was a baby. It was in high school where Tom Hanks discovered his love for the stage and acting. He then moved on to a Shakespeare festival for three years, before... 

Just because it’s the summer and you have the day off work today, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn something: Though the Fourth of July is iconic to Americans, some claim the date itself is somewhat arbitrary. New Englanders had been fighting Britain since April 1775. The first motion in the Continental Congress for independence was made on June 4, 1776. After hard debate, the Congress voted unanimously, but secretly,... 

JULY 1st The first television commercial to be certified by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) aired on NBC during a Dodgers-Phillies game on this day in 1941. The FCC had only just begun issuing licenses the previous May, and gave the first one to NBC. The ad was for Bulova watches, who paid $9.00 for the spot. It was on this day in 1995, that the world lost Wolfman Jack, a legendary radio disc jockey. Born Robert Smith in Brooklyn,... 

It’s the day to honor the thousands of men and women who have lost their lives in the name of American Freedom. If you know me at all, you know that I do not support the current war in Iraq, but I DO SUPPORT THE TROOPS. The soldiers of our armed forces have some of the hardest jobs there are. I cannot imagine having to leave me family for extended periods of time, never knowing if I would make it home in one piece, if at all. My father... 

I am not a mother myself, but my mom is. So are my sister, and a bunch of my friends. Mother’s Day was never a huge holiday in my house growing up. Usually my mother just wanted me and my sister to leave her alone for the day. Now I just call her, which is fine by her. This year is my sister’s first Mother’s Day, so I sent her a great gift from PajamaGram.com. She called me on Friday when she got it and sounded really thrilled.... 

So it looks like my computer has bought the farm and is no longer with us. There are some sales going on around me, so hopefully I can find something this weekend. I must admit, I feel very lost without it. How sad is that? Keep your fingers crossed that I’ll be up and running again by Monday. March 30th in History… 1822 – Florida became a US territory 1842 – Dr. Crawford Long – 1st physician to use ether as... 

So apparently my home computer needed to get its life in order. It decided to crash last night, and now needs to go to rehab. He’ll probably take the bed left vacant by Britney Spears. Anyway, I’m doing my best to get things up and running again (I’m writing this from my computer at my office job), so bare with me. On this day in 1998 thousands of American men began to get their boners back, thanks to the FDA approving... 

February is a tag-on month. It didn’t even exist when the Romans first started what would become our calendar. The goal was to merge the moon’s 29 ½ day month with the sun’s 365 ¼ day year. The first attempt was made by Romulus, Rome’s founder, who included 10 months, adding up to 304 days. Apparently, Romulus was as good with numbers as I am. And by good, I mean horrible. Next, according to legend, came... 

JANUARY 5th It was on this day in 1998 that singer turned politician, Sonny Bono, was killed in a skiing accident at the age of 62. Born in 1935, Sonny Bono first rose to fame in the early 1970s as half of the singing duo Sonny and Cher, and as wife Cher’s straight man and costar on The Sonny and Cher Show. During his musical career as a singer and songwriter, Sonny received ten gold records but was most famously known for the 1965... 

MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope Santa brought you lots of stuff. Even if you were naughty. ***** United States…where all nations and traditions blend together. Indeed, our Christmas celebrations would indicate just that. We have carols from England and Australia and trees from Germany. Santa Claus, or St. Nick. in a red suit originated in Scandinavia and his arrival through the chimney to fill stockings is reminiscent of the Netherlands. His... 

DECEMBER 8th December 8, 1980 will go down in history as the day the world lost one of the most influential singer/songwriters it has ever known. On this day twenty-six years ago, John Lennon was shot and killed in front of his New York apartment building, The Dakota, as his wife Yoko Ono stood at his side. He was 40 years old. From close range, his murderer, Mark David Chapman, shot the former Beatle four times with a .38-caliber revolver....