History of the Day: 9/27, 28

In 1822, Jean-François Champollion announced that he had deciphered the Rosetta stone. 186 years later, I've barely figured out basic txting.

In 1903, a train called the Old 97 crashed, inspiring a song aptly titled The Wreck of the Old 97. I think, along with poet laureate, there should be a presidentially appointed person who would, for instance, write The Ballad of Captain Sulley.  These days, when there's a wreck of any kind, it just inspires a Federal Investigation. 

Speaking of Federal Investigations, in 1964 the Warren Commission released its report, concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, assassinated President John F. Kennedy. Riiiiight. We all know it was Elvis' bat-baby, who travelled from the future to stop JFK's plans to colonize Mars, thus ending their idyllic way of life.

Speaking of weird, alien folks, the stage musical Hair opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London in 1968, where it played 1,998 performances until its closure was forced by the roof's collapsing in July 1973. When you get home, watch this, and be afraid.

Happy Birthday to Google! In mathematics, a google is 10 to the hundreth power, which is the current value of their stocks.

Another Happy Birthday to Samuel Adams, brewer of beer, and co-founder of the proto-terrorist group The Sons of Liberty (but they were American, so they're still heroes). In the words of Ben Franklin:

Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

He actually didn't say that. What he really said was:

Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards; there it
enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that
God loves us, and loves to see us happy.

Finally, happy 30th birthday to Brad Arnold of the band 3 Doors Down. Here is their song Kryptonite. And, if you want to know all there is to know about kryptonite, please refer to this nifty kryptonite handbook.  I wrote a song about the history of Korea to the tune of Kryptonite.  I called it Chosun People ... you know ... 'cause "Chosun" is the Korean name for Korea ... haha ... hee hee ... maybe?

Wednesday is September, 28th. On this day, in 1066, William the Conqueror invaded England beginning the Norman Conquest.

Happy Birthday to several notable individuals. Confucius was born in 551 B.C. He said, of his life:

At fifteen my heart was set on learning;
at thirty I stood firm;
at forty I had no more doubts;
at fifty I knew the mandate of heaven;
at sixty my ear was obedient;
at seventy I could follow my heart's desire without transgressing the norm.

At thirty-six, I wish I could just remember to pay my bills.  But I did write this cool song about him (and Lao Tzu and Buddha).

Thomas Crapper was born in 1836. It is erroneously believed that we get the word "crap" from his name, or that he invented the toilet (although he did work on sewage systems). But, man, does it make for a good story!

Nick St. Nicholas of the band Steppenwolf was Born to Be Wild in 1943. And Frank Zappa welcomed his bundle of joy, whom he affectionately named Moon Unit Zappa, in 1967. You can see her singing her dad's song, Valley Girl, here.

Today is the feastday of Good King Wenceslaus I of Bohemia. He died in 935, but not after inspiring the famous Christmas carol. The tune of said carol is based on a Latin Spring carol:

Tempus adest floridum, surgent namque flores
Vernales in omnibus, imitantur mores
Hoc quod frigus laeserat, reparant calores
Cernimus hoc fieri, per multos labores.

Sunt prata plena floribus, iucunda aspectu
Ubi iuvat cernere, herbas cum delectu
Gramina et plantae hyeme quiescunt
Vernali in tempore virent et accrescunt.

Haec vobis pulchre monstrant Deum creatorem
Quem quoque nos credimus omnium factorem
O tempus ergo hilare, quo laetari libet
Renovato nam mundo, nos novari decet.

Terra ornatur floribus et multo decore
Nos honestis moribus et vero amore
Gaudeamus igitur tempore iucundo
Laudemusque Dominum pectoris ex fundo. *

Renown jazz trumpeter, composer and band leader Miles Davis died on this day in 1991. - Miles Davis, American jazz trumpeter. Here is his song Nardis (covered by the Bill Evans Trio). He was a funny guy, but with a ruthless wit. Once, at a reception in honor of Ray Charles at the White House (during the Reagan administration), he was asked what he had done to be invited. He replied:

I've changed music four or five times. What have you done of any importance other than be white?

Which also reminds me that today is Ask a Stupid Question Day.

Finally, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Tonight we're gonna party like it's 5767 ...

And why? Because it's Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. This is slightly different than other new year celebrations because, in this one, God judges the year to come, not the year that has already been. How's that for pressure? For more on Rosh Hashanah, read this. Or you can listen to Gavin Friday's cover of Leonard Cohen's song Who by Fire which is, itself, a lyricization of the Unetanah tokef, a Rosh Hashanah prayer.

* Translation of Tempus Adest Floridum

The time of blooming is come, for the flowers are growing.
Spring customs imitate them in all things
That which the cold has wounded, the warmth restores
We see this happen through many hardships.
There are meadows full of flowers, with a joyful appearance
Where with pleasure one delights to perceive greenery
Grasses and plants subdued by winter
Flourish and grow in springtime.
These beauties show you God the Creator
Whom we also believe to be the maker of all things.
Accordingly, O time of merriment, in which one may rejoice
Since the world is renewed, it is fitting that we ourselves be renewed.
The earth is decorated with flowers, and with much beauty
Therefore, let us ourselves rejoice in honest customs and true love in a happy time
And let us praise the Lord from the bottom of our heart.