SPIDERMAN KISS: KIRSTEN DUNST BIRTHDAY

30 April 2012

 - MARY JANE -

Not too much happened today.

on 30 April 1982 Kirsten Dunst was born though....

CAPTAIN JAMES COOK DISCOVERS BOTANY BAY

29 April 2012

- FAREWELL TO MY RUM CULLS AS WELL -

1770  -

Captain James Cook discovers and names Botany Bay.

PASTOR JACK RUSSELL

28 April, 2012

- SIT UBU SIT, GOOD DOG -

28 April 1883 - Reverand John 'Jack' Russell dies - he was an Englisg pastor who first bred the Jack Russell Terrier.

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN (KFC) ARRIVES IN AUSTRALIA

27 April 2012

- THE COLONEL -

An historic moment in history. On this day in 1968 the first Australian Kentucky Fried Chicken opened its doors.

CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR ACCIDENT

26 April 2012

- GLOW IN THE DARK TENTACLE -

26 April 1986 - the Chernobyl nuclear accident occurrs

ANZAC DAY - LEST WE FORGET

25 April 2012

- AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ARMY CORPS -

On this day in 1915, Australian and New Zealand troops landed at Gallipoli during WW1

BARBRA STREISAND BIRTHDAY - YENTL TENTACLE

24 April 2012

- YENTLE-CAL -

24 April 1942, Singer Barbra Streisand was born.

THE BIRTH OF CINEMA: FIRST PAID SCREENING

23 April 2012

- THE MOVING TALKIES -

The first moving pictures to be shown in an actual movie theatre to a paying audience in America were presented on 23 April 1896, in New York City.



FACTS OF LIFE - CHARLOTTE RAE (MRS GARRETT)

22 April 2012

- YOU TAKE THE GOOD, YOU TAKE THE BAD...-

22 April 1926 - Charlotte Rae was born - (Mrs Garrett  from The Facts of Life)


Also born today - my great mate Lawrence Ratia
Married today - My Great Mate Karine Goring, married Michael Rogerson

THE RED BARON: FLYING ACE

21 April 2012

- SNOOPY? -

21 April 1918 - Notorious German flying ace, the Red Baron, is killed.

TENTACLE BATTLES ADOLF HITLER

20 April 2012

- TAKE THAT HITLER! -

1889 -  Adolf Hitler was born

LOCH NESS MONSTER

19 April 2012

- FI-NESS -

19 April 1934 -  The famous 'Surgeon's Photo' of the Loch Ness Monster is taken.

Loch Ness, or Loch Nis in Gaelic, is a large, deep freshwater lakein the Scottish Highlands, which extends for about 37 km southwest of Inverness. It is the second largest loch (lake) in Scotland, with a surface area of 56.4 km2, but is the largest in volume. It is 226 m deep at its deepest point. For centuries, witnesses have reported sighting a large monster with a long neck in Loch Ness, Scotland. Famous photographs have been proven to be hoaxes, but still the myth of the monster has persisted.

One such photograph was supposedly taken by surgeon Robert Kenneth Wilson on 19 April 1934. The photograph appears to show the long neck and head of an unidentified water creature rising from the lake's surface. The picture, which became famously known as 'the surgeon's photo', was touted as absolute evidence of the existence of the Loch Ness monster. Sixty years later, on 12 March 1994, a big game hunter by the name of Marmaduke Wetherell admitted on his deathbed that he had faked the photograph. Dr Wilson's name had only been included to add credibility to the photograph, which was in fact nothing more than a fake serpent neck attached to the back of a toy submarine.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COCO (CONAN O'BRIEN)

18 April 2012

- HAPPY BIRTHDAY COCO (THE GINGE ONE, NOT ICE'S WOMAN) -

On this day in 1963 esteemed talk show host Conan Christopher O'Brien was born!
Visit Team COCO here - CLICK

QANTAS - THE SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA

17 April 2012

- I STILL CALL AUSTRALIA HOME -

17 April 1935 - Australian airline QANTAS (Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services) operates its first overseas passenger flight QANTAS had one of my favourite adverts featuring Peter Allen's great song "I still call Australia home"..... Here's one of the adverts

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE CHAPLIN

16 April, 2012

- SILENCE-



16 April 1889 - Actor, writer, producer, composer, choreographer and Hitler-moustache-enthusiast, Charlie Chaplin was born.

LEONARDO's BIRTHDAY (DA VINCI - NOT THE NINJA TURTLE)

15 April 2012

- TMNT -

On this day in 1452 renaissance painter, architect, engineer and scientist, Leonardo da Vinci was born.

100th ANNIVERSARY OF TITANIC - JAMES CAMERON AND CELINE DION DAY?

14 April 2012

- WOULD YOU LIKE ICE WITH THAT? -

On the night of 14 April 1912, the HMS Titanic struck an iceberg late at night and began to sink (the sinking finished at approximately 2.20am the morning of the 15th).

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking - a day which is giving James Cameron an iceberg in his pants apparantly because he is all over the TV - anyone would think he invented the Titanic or something. And, to mark the 100th anniversary, we all get treated to Kate Winslet's boobs in 3D. Hurrah.

Next time you listen to the Titanic song - listen to the third or fourth verse and I swear Celine Dion sings "I believe that the hot-dog's go oooon"....also, if you are listening to her song 'Because you Loved Me" - I'm nearly 100% certain that the opening line is "For all those times you stirred my meat"....Celine was very hungry back in the 90's!



GUY FAWKES - FRIDAY THE 13th

13 April 2012

- FAWKE OFF -

It's Friday the 13th once again, and a pretty fitting image today of the mask from "V for Vendetta" which is actually a Guy Fawkes mask who was, coincidentally, born on this day in 1570.

More about Mr Fawkes:

Guy Fawkes (later also known as Guido Fawkes) was born on 13 April 1570, in Stonegate, York, England. He embraced Catholicism while still in his teens, and later served for many years as a soldier gaining considerable expertise with explosives; both of these events were crucial to his involvement in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

From 1563, legislation evolved which demanded citizens recognise the King as Supreme Governor of the Church. Refusal to submit was punishable by death. The Gunpowder Plot was an attempt by a group of Catholic extremists to assassinate King James I of England, his family, and most of the Protestant aristocracy in one hit by blowing up the Houses of Parliament during the State Opening. A group of conspirators rented a cellar beneath the House of Lords and filled it with 2.5 tonnes of gunpowder. However, one of the conspirators, who feared for the life of fellow Catholics who would have been present at parliament during the opening, wrote a letter to Lord Monteagle. Monteagle, in turn, warned the authorities. Fawkes, who was supposed to have lit the fuse to explode the gunpowder, was arrested during a raid on the cellar early on the morning of 5 November 1605. Fawkes was tortured into revealing the names of his co-conspirators. Those who were not killed immediately were placed on trial, during which they were sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered in London. Climbing up to the hanging platform, Fawkes leapt off the ladder, breaking his neck and dying instantly.

November 5 came to be known as Guy Fawkes Day. At dusk, citizens across Britain light bonfires, set off fireworks, and burn effigies of Guy Fawkes, celebrating his failure to blow up Parliament and James I.



IT'S A CIVIL WAR Y'ALL

12 April 2012

- CIVIL SHEPHERD -

12 April 1861 - When Confederates fired on the fort on 12 April 1861, it signalled the beginning of the US civil war

EARL OF SANDWICH - ONE B.L.T (BACON, LETTUCE, TENTACLE)

11 April 2012

- BLT (BACON, LETTUCE, TENTACLE) -

On this day in 1943, John Edward Hollister Montagu, the 11th Earl of Sandwich, was born.



BIG BEN - "THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID"

10 April 2012

- BIG TENTACLE -

On this day in 1858 -  Big Ben, the bell in the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster in London, is cast.

Big Ben is the name of the largest bell, properly called the Great Bell of Westminster, in the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster in London. Whilst the name Big Ben is often used to describe the clock tower as a whole, it actually refers specifically to the principal bell within the tower.

The bell was cast in London at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry on 10 April 1858, which was where America's Liberty Bell was also cast in 1753.



HAPPY BIRTHDAY EASTER BUNNY

9 April 2012

- YOU'RE AN EGG -

Last day of the Easter Long Weekend.

Method: tentacle amongst chocolate I won in the Easter Raffle

PIGGY BANK OF AUSTRALIA

8 April, 2012

- PIG IN A POKE -

On this day in 1817 - Australia's first bank, the Bank of New South Wales (later Westpac) was established.

 The Bank of New South Wales was founded in Sydney as the first bank in Australia on 8 April 1817 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. Branches were initially restricted to the colony of New South Wales, but were later opened at Moreton Bay, Brisbane, in 1850, Victoria in 1851, New Zealand in 1861, South Australia in 1877, Western Australia in 1883, Fiji in 1901, and Papua New Guinea and Tasmania in 1910. In 1982, the Bank of New South Wales merged with the Commercial Bank of Australia to form the Westpac Banking Corporation, which derived its name from from the fact that its major operations are in the Western Pacific.

HOLY TOLEDO - SPANISH PAINTER EL GRECO

7 April, 2012

- HOLY TOLEDO -

On this day in 1614, Spanish painter El Greco (born 1541) best known for the painting 'View of Toledo', died. El Greco, along with Georgio de Chirico are two of my favourite artists. And, a nice timely picture given it's Easter!


Method: Altered copy of El Greco's 'Christ Carrying the Cross'..I printed two copies, cut the arms out of one and placed them over the tentacle, and used parts of the background of the second picture to cover the cross that he was carrying.

LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS

6 April, 2012

- THE COMMODORE 64 GAME WAS MISSING A TENTACLE -



On 6 April 1896 the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece after having been banned for 1500 years.

Method: tentacle placed behind a pictyure of the olympic rings

MYSTERY: MELBOURNE CUP WINNING HORSE PHAR LAP

5 April, 2012

- BIG HEART -

On this day in 1932, Australia's best known race-horse, Phar Lap died under mysterious circumstances.

     Phar Lap, a giant chestnut thoroughbred gelding, standing 17.1 hands high, is regarded by many to be Australia's and New Zealand's greatest racehorse. A much loved Australian national icon, he was actually born and bred in Timaru, in the South Island of New Zealand, but never raced in NZ.

The name Phar Lap was derived from the shared Zhuang and Thai word for lightning. According to the Museum Victoria, medical student Aubrey Ping often visited the track in Randwick, talking with riders and trainers. He had learned some Zhuang from his father, who migrated to Australia from southern China. He reputedly suggested "Farlap" as the horse's name. Sydney trainer Harry Telford liked the name, but changed the F to a Ph to create a seven letter word, and split it into two words, so as to replicate the dominant pattern set by Melbourne Cup winners.

Phar Lap dominated the racing scene in Australia during a long and distinguished career. In the four years of his racing career, he won 37 of 51 races he entered, including the Melbourne Cup in 1930. In that year and 1931, he won 14 races in a row. For his final race in 1932, Phar Lap was shipped to Agua Caliente Racetrack near Tijuana, Mexico, to compete in the Agua Caliente Handicap, which was offering the largest purse ever raced for in North America.

Early on 5 April 1932, Phar Lap's trainer for the North American visit, Tommy Woodcock, found him in severe pain, with a high temperature. Within a few hours, Phar Lap haemorrhaged to death. A necropsy revealed that the horse's stomach and intestines were inflamed, and many believed he had been deliberately poisoned. A variety of theories have been propounded through the years. In 2006 Australian Synchrotron Research scientists said it was almost certain Phar Lap was poisoned with a large single dose of arsenic 35 hours before he died, supporting the belief that Phar Lap was killed on the orders of US gangsters, who feared the Melbourne-Cup-winning champion would inflict big losses on their illegal bookmakers.

Phar Lap's heart was a remarkable size, weighing 6.2 kg, compared with a normal horse's heart at 3.2 kg. Phar Lap's heart is now held at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. It is consistently the display visitors request most often to see, and pay their respects to the gentle, big-hearted giant of the horse racing world.

Method: flyer for Phar Lap exhibit, old card and a print from a magazine cover

A SAD DAY IN HISTORY: THE ASSASSINATION OF DR MARTIN LUTHER KING

4 April 2012

- I HAVE A DREAM -

On this day in 1968 - Civil rights activist, Martin Luther King was assassinated. His legacy lives on.

Method: the tentacle placed into my photobook on a picture I took in Harlem last Thanksgiving.

GODFATHER BIRTHDAY - MARLON BRANDO

3 April 2012

- A CONTENDER -

3 April 1924 - Marlon Brando was born

Method: Italian film poster of On the Waterfront (Fronte del Porto) with tentacle in place of the symbolic hook that Charlie was hung on

DALLAS TV - WHO SHOT JR?

2 April 2012

- WHO SHOT JR? -

 

2 April 2012 - The TV series Dallas premierred as a 5-part mini series (later became a weekly series and soon to be rebooted with a new series in 2012)

Method: Time magazine reprint and road sign on a blue folder.

STEPHEN WOZNIAk AND STEVEN JOBS FOUND APPLE COMPUTERS

1 April 2012

- THE ORIGINAL IPAD -

1 April 1976 -Stephen Wozniak & Steven Jobs founded Apple Computer



Method: Old Apple adcert with the tentacle sticking out through the hole in the Apple II