A Brief History On December 23, 2022, we at History and Headlines would like to wish all our great viewers and subscribers a hearty and happy Festivus! Digging Deeper So what is Festivus? It is a secular pseudo-holiday first introduced on the Seinfeld television sitcom back in 1997, supposedly to compete with religious and other winter holidays. No presents are needed and no religious affiliation is attached, and celebrants are welcome to make up their own rules, though there are a few general guidelines. Some of the staples of Festivus include “The Festivus Pole” and some sort of snacks and…
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A Brief History On December 23, 1997, the Seinfeld television comedy show introduced us to a new, secular holiday to be celebrated during the winter season, avoiding the religious friction of Hanukkah vs. Christmas vs. Saturnalia vs. Winter Solstice and the racially charged Kwanzaa. (Note: Kwanzaa was invented by a creep that was convicted of kidnapping and torturing 2 African American women.) December 23 is the day designated for the celebration of Festivus (For The Rest of Us!!!) Digging Deeper The brainchild of Seinfeld writer Dan O’Keefe, the idea of Festivus is to provide a “holiday” without any pressures to…
A Brief History On December 23, 962, Christian forces under Byzantine commander Nikephoros II Phokas stormed into the city of Aleppo in the Levant, earning the future Byzantine Emperor the title “Pale Death of the Saracens.” Digging Deeper The Byzantine Empire, headquartered in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) was basically the Eastern half of the Roman Empire and lasted until it was replaced by the Muslim Ottoman Empire in 1453. Nikephoros sacked Aleppo (currently the largest city in Syria and now wracked by a horrible civil war resulting in mass destruction and death in the city). Nikephoros took for himself 1400…
A Brief History On December 23, 2015, as we approach the end of 2015, we pause to recognize the biggest jerks, idiots, morons, and generally detriments to society, people that have distinguished themselves in some way other than for the betterment of mankind. (Note: The order listed does not indicate who is actually the biggest jerk.) Apologies to the millions of other deserving jerks that we left off the list. Maybe next year! Digging Deeper 10. Donald Trump, future President? In spite of repeated tasteless statements insulting fellow candidates, reporters and immigrants, Trump remains the front-runner for the GOP presidential…
A Brief History On December 23, 1972, the survivors of an airliner crash in the Andes Mountains were finally rescued after 73 days. Rescuers soon discovered the grisly evidence that the survivors had lived only because they had eaten those who had died. Throughout history, there have been instances where humans have eaten other humans, sometimes out of sheer desperation to survive, other times just because they wanted to. Here 10 more such incidents are listed. (No, Hannibal Lecter does not count, even if they do call him “Hannibal the Cannibal!”) In case you feel cheated out of a couple famous cannibals, consider…
