Weirdness: October 2021

A neat little collection of (very) short horror stories

(Thanks for the link, Carol!)

The Sabin Wine Journeys blog

https://vawinejourneys.blogspot.com/

This is essential reading for anyone interested in exploring Virginia wines.

Ghosts at Mt. Vernon

https://www.mountvernon.org/preservation/mount-vernon-ladies-association/mount-vernon-through-time/ghost-stories/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Fact+or+Fiction%3F+Ghost+Sightings+at+Mount+Vernon&utm_campaign=mktg_content_ghost_stories10_31_21

https://www.mountvernon.org/preservation/mount-vernon-ladies-association/mount-vernon-through-time/ghost-stories/great-georges-ghost/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Fact+or+Fiction%3F+Ghost+Sightings+at+Mount+Vernon&utm_campaign=mktg_content_ghost_stories10_31_21

(Thanks for the links, Ed!)

Happy Birthday Edgar Oliver!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Oliver

Happy Nos Calan Gaeaf!

https://www.joincake.com/blog/calan-gaeaf/

Happy Birthday to The Lincoln Highway!

It was dedicated on this day in 1913.

https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/

Happy Nutcrack Night!

On Samhain it was traditional to throw nuts on the fire--if a nut burned brightly, it meant
that the thrower would be alive in twelve months time, and if it flared
up brightly, it meant marriage within twelve months

Happy Halloween!

The origins of Trick Or Treating

https://www.history.com/news/halloween-trick-or-treating-origins?fbclid=IwAR3f3AmYi9tq-cQH-3i-7ZZA8HHZ7uUVPRuiDNX8E-f0Wauat0Wd56HBbLA

(Thanks for the link, John!)

Today is the anniversary of the War Of The Worlds broadcast of 1938.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds_(1938_radio_drama)

Happy Birthday Ruth Gordon!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Gordon

Happy Birthday Grace Slick!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Slick

Happy Birthday Otis Williams!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otis_Williams

Happy Haunted Refrigerator Night !

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/haunted-refrigerator-night/

Happy National Candy Corn Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-candy-corn-day-october-30/

Happy Devil's/Cabbage/Tick-Tack/Mischief/Corn/Goosy Night / Trick/ Gate/ Beggars Night!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Night#:~:text=Devil's%20Night%20is%20a%20name,30%2C%20the%20night%20before%20Halloween.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mischief_Night

https://gizmodo.com/whats-the-night-before-halloween-called-it-depends-on-1652219297

Happy Allantide!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allantide

Halloween Week - Night of the Recent Dead

Celebrate the family members and friends who have passed in your lifetime.

Happy Birthday to The Internet!

https://webfoundation.org/2019/10/as-the-internet-turns-50-we-must-protect-it-as-a-force-for-good/#:~:text=Web%20Foundation%20%C2%B7%20October%2029%2C%202019,evolve%20to%20become%20the%20internet.

Happy National Oatmeal Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-oatmeal-day-october-29/

Happy Birthday Kate Jackson!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000462/

Happy Birthday Ralph Bakshi!

https://www.ralphbakshi.com/

Happy Birthday Bill Mauldin!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Mauldin

Halloween Week - Night of Remebrance of Forgotten Ancestors, Heritage, & Origins

Celebrates the distant ancestors who lived hundreds of years before you. Think about the countries they came from and what their lives were like.

Happy Frankenstein Friday!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-frankenstein-friday-last-friday-in-october/

Happy Birthday to Days of Wine & Roses!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Days_of_Wine_and_Roses

Released on this date in 1982.

Happy International Animation Day!

http://www.asifa.net/international-animation-day

Happy Birthday Fireball XL-5!

Premiered on this date in 1962.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055673/

Happy Wild Foods Day!

https://www.cooksinfo.com/wild-foods-day#:~:text=The%2028th%20of%20October%20is,stalking%20the%20wild%20asparagus%E2%80%9D%20jokes.

Happy Birthday Jonas Salk!

https://www.salk.edu/about/history-of-salk/jonas-salk/

Happy Birthday John Laurens!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Laurens

Happy Birthday Elsa Lanchester!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006471/

Happy Birthday to the Jack Benny Show!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042116/

Premiered on this date in 1950.

Halloween Week - Night of Remembrance of Family Pets (& Familiars)

Celebrates beloved pets who have passed away. This is also a good time to reflect on the conservation and protection of your favorite animals.

Happy Punkie Night!

https://halloween.fandom.com/wiki/Punkie_Night

A nice article on how Bela Lugosi continues to be an influence on goth culture

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/bela-lugosi-goth-subculture/?fbclid=IwAR1Jen7uOPam6VjIwmyl2Y4F0JbfA4gMuvUPx4BRVqaUae0YZu6KQFbtUUU

Happy National Black Cat Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-black-cat-day-october-27/

Happy Birthday Robert Picardo!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000585/

Happy American Beer Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-american-beer-day-october-27/

Happy Birthday to The Great Pumpkin!

Premiered on this date in 1966.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_the_Great_Pumpkin,_Charlie_Brown

Happy Birthday Lara Parker!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lara_Parker

Happy Birthday Garry Tallent!

https://www.garrytallent.com/

Happy Birthday John Cleese!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cleese

Today is the anniversary of the publishing of the first of the Federalist Papers in 1787

https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text

Happy Birthday to You Bet Your Life! (the radio show)

Premiered on this date in 1947.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Bet_Your_Life

Halloween Week - Night of Nurturers

Celebrates ancestors who have nurtured and taken care of those in need. Mothers are particularly celebrated

Witch Cakes!

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-are-witch-cakes?utm_source=Gastro+Obscura+Weekly+E-mail&utm_campaign=2e3dfed861-GASTRO_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_10_26&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2418498528-2e3dfed861-67137713&mc_cid=2e3dfed861&mc_eid=9337bd4ceb

A nice article about the current lineup of the Stranglers and their latest album

https://www.goldminemag.com/interviews/the-stranglers-contemplate-life-without-bandmate-dave-greenfield?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The%20Stranglers%20contemplate%20life%20without%20bandmate%20Dave%20Greenfield&utm_campaign=UA-3083859-2

A nice article about the reissue of All Things Must Pass

https://www.goldminemag.com/features/george-harrison-all-things-must-pass-revisited?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=George%20Harrison&utm_campaign=UA-3083859-2

A nice interview with Bobcat Goldthwait

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/oct/25/bobcat-goldthwait-interview-police-academy-joy-ride?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3kT1gbTJgxJubp3zN9dhAKk8UCZMPwXz2ZT1oKNvyrnZrn_wJzAkKa8Ns#Echobox=1635173168

A nice interview with Robby Krieger

https://rockandrollglobe.com/rock/other-voices-robby-kriegers-memoir-opens-the-doors/?fbclid=IwAR2R0tkXFrIZiRdYywcV8kn4-KxBoXdZ9j0hcuYsIwnByZ_RQLviHkT4LyM

Happy National Pumpkin Day!

https://nationaltoday.com/national-pumpkin-day/#:~:text=What%20day%20is%20National%20Pumpkin,and%20versatile%20gourds%20on%20earth.

Happy Birthday Natalie Merchant!

https://www.nataliemerchant.com/

Happy Birthday Doonesbury!

Began on this date in 1970.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/doonesbury/

Halloween Week - Night of Artists

Celebrate artists, writers, dancers and musicians in your family and throughout history.

A nice article on Skinwalkers

https://mysteriousuniverse.org/2021/10/skinwalkers-in-the-pentagon-strange-and-very-sinister/

Happy International Artists' Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/international-artists-day-october-25/

Happy Birthday Leo G. Carroll!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001991/

Happy Greasy Food Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-greasy-foods-day-october-25/

Happy World Pasta Day!

https://nationaltoday.com/world-pasta-day/

Today is the anniversary of the Charge of the Light Brigade

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade

Halloween Week - Night of Heroes & Martyrs

Celebrates ancestors and historical figures who have perished in war or who have died for their faith, their convictions, or freedom.

Today Begins Halloween Week - Tonight Is The Night Of The Seers

https://life.paperblog.com/it-s-halloween-week-let-s-celebrate-83593/

Celebrates ancestors and historical figures who have dealt with the supernatural, foreseen the future or are visionaries in their profession or talent.

Happy Birthday American Pie! (the song)

Released on this day in 1971.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pie_(song)

Happy Birthday to Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid!

Released on this day in 1969.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064115/

Happy National Bologna Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-bologna-day-october-24/

Today is the beginning of All Hallows' Read Week!

https://journal.neilgaiman.com/2010/10/modest-proposal-that-doesnt-actually.html

https://www.allhallowsread.com/

When people carved turnips for Halloween

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-people-carved-turnips-instead-of-pumpkins-for-halloween-180978922/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=socialmedia&fbclid=IwAR3GCeKqOZOwRopSEO9UOxRouZmz-ipa_IPYN_vFDQFyPrarxIxh1c3IPrE

Happy Birthday Thomas Pinckney!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Pinckney

Happy Birthday Jon Huertas!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005030/

Happy Birthday to The Magnificent Seven!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054047/

Happy Birthday Johnny Carson!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Carson

Happy Birthday Weird Al!

https://www.weirdal.com/

Happy Birthday Ellie Greenwich!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellie_Greenwich

Happy Make A Difference Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-make-a-difference-day-fourth-saturday-in-october/

Happy Birthday to It's My Life!

Released by the Animals on this date in 1965. One of my all-time faves.

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/It%27s_My_Life_(The_Animals_song)

Happy Birthday Annette Funicello!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annette_Funicello

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL CAPS LOCK DAY!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/international-caps-lock-day-june-28-or-october-22/

Happy International Champagne Day!

https://champagneday.champagne.fr/#:~:text=%E2%96%B7%20Champagne%20Day%202021%20%7C%20October%2022%202021%20%7C%20Champagne.com

Happy Birthday N.C. Wyeth!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._C._Wyeth

Happy Birthday to She Wore A Yellow Ribbon!

Premiered on this date in 1949.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041866/

Happy Birthday Bobby Fuller!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Fuller

Happy Birthday to The Sterile Cuckoo! (the film)

Premiered on this date in 1969.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sterile_Cuckoo

Happy National Nut Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-nut-day-october-22/

Old Ironsides is launched on this date in 1797

https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/

Happy Birthday Lux Interior!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lux_Interior

Happy Apple Day! (In the UK)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Day

Happy Birthday to Trinity Is Still My Name!

Premiered on this date in 1971.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068154/

Happy Birthday Manfred Mann!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_Mann_(musician)

Happy Birthday Samuel Taylor Coleridge!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Taylor_Coleridge

10 Days Until Halloween!

Nice article about various ghost tours in Virginia

https://www.wavy.com/news/virginia/learn-about-virginias-haunted-historic-past-on-ghost-tours-across-the-commonwealth/

Happy National Brandied Fruit Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-brandied-fruit-day-october-20/

Happy Birthday Wanda Jackson!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanda_Jackson

Happy Birthday Ranger Hal!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_Hal

Happy Birthday Carolyne Mas!

https://carolynemas.com/

Happy Birthday Margaret Dumont !

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241669/

Happy Birthday art Buchwald!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Buchwald

Happy Birthday Tom Petty!

https://www.tompetty.com/wildflowersandalltherest?ref=https://www.google.com/

Happy Birthday Bela Lugosi!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000509/

The Continental Association begins on this date in 1774

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Association

Happy Blood Moon!

https://www.inverse.com/science/full-moon-calendar-2021

Today is the anniversary of the Declaration of Rights & Grievances in 1765

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Rights_and_Grievances#:~:text=In%20response%20to%20the%20Stamp,No%20Taxation%20without%20Representation%E2%80%9D).

Happy Birthday Christian Febiger !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Febiger

Happy National Seafood Bisque Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-seafood-bisque-day-october-19/

Happy Birthday Trey Parker!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trey_Parker

Happy Birthday Tor Johnson!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_Johnson

Today is the anniversary of the start of the War of Jenkins' Ear

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Jenkins%27_Ear

Today is the anniversary of the Yorktown Surrender

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Yorktown_(1781)

Halloween house displays in NoVa

https://patch.com/virginia/oldtownalexandria/s/hvdf4/2021-decorated-halloween-house-guide-around-northern-virginia?utm_source=alert-breakingnews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert

Today is the anniversary of the first sighting of Bunnyman in Fairfax County

https://research.fairfaxcounty.gov/local-history/bunnyman

Happy Birthday Klaus Kinski!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001428/

Happy Birthday Cyrus Teed!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_Teed

Happy Birthday Dawn Wells!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0920171/

Happy Birthday Laura Nyro!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Nyro

Happy Birthday Chuck Berry!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Berry

Happy Birthday Cynthia Weil!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynthia_Weil

Happy Birthday to The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators!

Released on this date in 1966.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Psychedelic_Sounds_of_the_13th_Floor_Elevators

Today is the anniversary of the great London Beer Flood of 1814

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/The-London-Beer-Flood-of-1814/

Happy Birthday Mark Gatiss!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Gatiss

Happy Birthday Jean Arthur!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000795/

Happy National Pasta Day!

https://nationaltoday.com/national-pasta-day/

Happy Birthday Tom Poston!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Poston

Happy Birthday Hollywood Squares!

Premiered on this date in 1966.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059995/

Happy Dorothy Parker Day!

https://dorothyparker.com/dorothy-parker-homes/new-jersey

Happy Birthday Jim Seals!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seals_and_Crofts

Happy International Archeology Day!

https://www.nps.gov/articles/international-archaeology-day.htm#:~:text=Join%20archeologists%20and%20archeology%20lovers,is%20an%20official%20collaborating%20organization.

Happy National Liqueur Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-liqueur-day-october-16/

Happy Birthday Nico!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nico

Happy Dictionary Day!

https://www.merriam-webster.com/activities/dictionary-day#:~:text=National%20Dictionary%20Day%20is%20October,father%20of%20the%20American%20dictionary.

Happy Sweetest Day!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweetest_Day

A nice article about Manfred Mann

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/oct/14/60s-hitmakers-manfred-mann-ive-sung-this-10000-times-and-never-liked-it?utm_term=d037e761703f9fb731f1fe559dd9b1f7&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUK&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUK_email

(Thanks for the link, Ed!)

Happy Birthday Mark Lenard!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0501697/

Happy Birthday Fritz Feld!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0270915/

Happy National Mushroom Day!

https://nationaltoday.com/national-mushroom-day/

Happy Roast Pheasant Day!

https://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/articles/view/287/1/National-Roast-Pheasant-Day.html

Happy National Grouch Day!

https://nationaltoday.com/national-grouch-day/

Today is the anniversary of the Declaration & Resolves of the First Continental Congress in 1774

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_and_Resolves_of_the_First_Continental_Congress#:~:text=The%20Declaration%20and%20Resolves%20of,passed%20by%20the%20British%20Parliament.

Happy Birthday Justin Hayward!

https://justinhayward.com/

Happy Birthday John Ford Coley!

https://johnfordcoley.com/

Happy birthday Paul Simon!

https://www.paulsimon.com/

Happy Birthday Lenny Bruce!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenny_Bruce

Today is the anniversary of George Washington laying the cornerstone of the White House in 1792

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/white-house-cornerstone-laid

A nice little history of Spook Shows

https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/midnight-spook-shows-a-brief-history/

Happy National Gumbo Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-gumbo-day-october-12/

Today is the anniversary of the start of the "Paul Is Dead" phenomena in 1969

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/paul-mccartney-is-dead-conspiracy-897189/

Happy Birthday to The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show!

Premiered on this date in 1950.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042111/

Happy Farmer's Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-farmers-day-october-12/

Happy Birthday Love Happy!

Premiered on this date in 1949.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041604/

Happy Birthday Sam Moore!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Moore

Happy Birthday Melvin Franklin !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melvin_Franklin

Happy Birthday Aleister Crowley!

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aleister-Crowley

Happy It's My Party Day!

https://nationaltoday.com/party-day/

Happy Birthday Michelle Trachtenberg!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005502/

Happy National Sausage Pizza Day!

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-sausage-pizza-day-october-11/

20 Days Until Halloween!

Happy Birthday To Have And Have Not!

Premiered on this date in 1944.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037382/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Happy Birthday Saturday Night Live!

Premiered on this date in 1975.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072562/

Happy Birthday Mike Nelson!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_J._Nelson

Happy Birthday Eleanor Roosevelt !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Roosevelt

Happy Pulaski Memorial Day!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Pulaski_Memorial_Day

"Imagine" was released on this date in 1971

Happy Indigenous People Day!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Peoples%27_Day

Happy Birthday Zorro! (The TV show)

Premiered on this date in 1957.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050079/

Happy Birthday John Prine!

https://www.johnprine.com/

Happy Birthday Ed Wood!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Wood

Happy Birthday Diamond Dave!

https://davidleeroth.com/

Happy Birthday Kirsty MacColl!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsty_MacColl

More evidence of North America being discovered by the Norse well before Columbus

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/latin-text-america-0015901

The Silurian Hypothesis

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/what-if-we-arent-the-first-advanced-civilization-on-earth

I've been intrigued by this idea since I was a kid. Given the age of the Earth, I'm curious how long it would take for all easily findable evidence of an advanced (by our terms) civilization to disappear? Would ten million years do it? Or ten times that amount?