Thursday, August 10, 2006

"I humbly ask you to please cease and desist from any and all further efforts to seek to obtain parole for me" (written by David Berkowitz in a letter to his attorney - July, 2006)...

As you probably recall, David Berkowitz a.k.a. "Son of Sam" was resposible for taking 6 young lives during his random rampage in the metropolitan area of New York in the summer of '77. You can bet that the families of the 6 people and 7 that he wounded totally agree with his request... The 70's was a jittery time for most New Yorkers and "The Son of Sam" killing spree created self-imposed curfews by worried parents in the summer of 1977, a time of Farrah Fawcett posters, the beginning of the bottled water craze, roller disco, mopeds, health foods and coffee for a quarter a cup. The number one tune was the innocently lyrical Andy Gibb song, "I Just Want To Be Your Everything"... Postal employee David Berkowitz a.k.a. "The Son of Sam" was captured and arrested in Yonkers, New York on August 10th, 1977. From that day on the summer heatwave of 1977 got a breath of fresh air. David Berkowitz was sentenced to 6-consecutive terms of 25 years to life. He was denied parole on July 18th for the third time. His next parole hearing will be in 2008. Don't bet on him being a free man any time in our lifetime... Ten Timeline Memories... 1869] The motion picture projector was patented by O.B. Brown (ready when you are O.B.)... 1885] The 1st electric streetcar, to be used commercially, was operated in Baltimore by Leo Daft (you would have to be a bit daft to come up with something like that but besides subways, electric street cars with the electric rods on top of the cars, was our means of public transportation in New York until buses were used)... 1921] Franklin D. Roosevelt is stricken with polio at his summer home on the Canadian island of Campobello ("Sunrise at Campobello")... 1945] Following their second nuclear bombing, Japan announces they will surrender to the U.S... 1948] "Candid Microphone" which will become "Candid Camera" one year later, debuts on New York's channel 7 (WJZ-TV which will become WABC)... 1969] The bodies of the LaBianca's (Leno and Rosemary), victims of Charles Manson's murder spree, are found... 1984] Mary Decker trips on the heels of Zola Budd in the Olympics with an outsider winning the race and a gold medal... 1985] Madonna's "Like A Virgin" becomes the 1st LP by a female to be certified for 5 million in sales... 1994] President Bill Clinton claims presidential immunity when asking a federal judge to dismiss a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Corbin Jones (good idea Mr. President but no cigar)... 1995] Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols are charged with 11 counts in the Oklahoma City bombing... #1 on this date: 1966] "Summer in the City" - Lovin' Spoonful...1986] "Papa Don't Preach" - Madonna... Released on this date: 1968] "Magic Bus" - The Who... [To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]... Correction... Thanks to Bob Sherwood for noticing that I had Yao ("Yo") Ming on my USA basketball team. Last night, the USA's, highly-paid NBA All-Stars beat the Yao ("Yo")-less China team in a World Championship game... "Happy Birthday...happy birthday"... Angie Harmon (34), Antonio Banderas (46), Rosanna Arquette (47), Ian (Jethro Tull) Anderson (59), Ronnie Spector Greenfield (63), Eddie Fisher (78), Jimmy Dean (78), Rhonda Fleming (83) and Al (Four Aces) Alberts (84)... [Timeline countdown: 26 days until Labor Day, 30 days until NFL kickoff, 55 days until MLB playoffs and 143 days remaining in 2006] ...