This Week In Video History - September 27, 1999

While the rest of the world will be celebrating Vegetarian Day in gala fashion -- by roundly ignoring it while eating a cheeseburger and washing it down with a glass of pork fat and chicken drippings -- in Bhutan, Bhutanians will celebrate Dhimbhulhami Tsechhu, the festival of Pork Fat and Chicken Drippings. To whet your appetite, check out Babe and Birdy.

1452 Guttenberg's Bible became the first book ever to be published. Not quite as interesting as God’s Bible, Guttenberg’s version, The Second Greatest Story Ever Told, was adapted for the screen by director George Stevens’ brother Hiner.

1722 American Revolutionary and prolific drunkard Samuel Adams would celebrate his 277th birthday this week if he hadn’t died in 1803. However, his pickled liver is Chief Operating Officer of a brewery in Boston. For one of the most in depth and detailed looks at beer, watch the McKenzie Brothers’ comedy, Strange Brew.

1836 Charles Darwin returns to England aboard HMS Beagle, which had, by then, evolved into the HMS Fox Terrier. The repercussions of Darwin’s blasphemy -- the infamous Skopes Monkey Trial -- was dramatically re-enacted in the 1960 film, Inherit The Wind.

1850 Flogging in the US Navy was finally abolished. Flogging to In The Navy is still perfectly acceptable.

1934 This week, And God Created Woman…Brigitte Bardot was born in Paris. Sing Hosanna in the highest!

1946 Twenty-two Nazis were found guilty of war crimes at Nuremberg. Judgement At Nuremberg is required viewing for every human.

1958 The British Empire transfers Christmas Island to Australia. The penal colony continent celebrated the allocation by decorating eucalyptus trees with opossums and empty cans of Foster’s Lager (that’s Australian for “Beer”) and by taking gifts from people. For more bizarre Australian rituals, check out Muriel’s Wedding, Romper Stomper and Mad Max, the Santa Claus of The Land Down Under.

1988 Important scientific research proves conclusively that the Shroud of Turin was not Christ`s burial robe. A dry-cleaning ticket circa 33 A.D. indicates the Shroud actually belonged to Brian of Nazareth. His message of hope is conveyed in the biopic Life Of Brian.