Today's Alternative Anniversaries for Those Allergic to Boomer Nostalgia

Hate the oh-what-a-night nostalgia of JFK assassination anniversary stories? Then read this acidic Jack Shafer take about the coverage, wash it down with Nick Gillespie's skewering of Boomer narcissism, and browse through the recent JFK musings of our resident conspiracy-historian, Jesse Walker.

Or, if you prefer sidestepping the whole tawdry business altogether and making your own anniversary memories instead, choose among these sadly neglected Nov. 22 events from years gone by. For instance, this 1987 broadcast-hijacking by a Chicago man dressed as Max Headroom:

Terrifying.

Prefer a more momentous conspiracy, at the highest levels, involving murder and the mass confiscation of property? Then strap on your Dan Brown boots and luxuriate in the 1307 Papal Bull Pastoralis Praeeminentiae by the Goth French Pope Clement V, ordering Christian monarchs to persecute the Knights Templar. It's more creepy with a soundtrack:

Today is the 9th anniversary of the beginning of Ukraine's Orange Revolution, the 24th anniversary of all kinds of stuff relating to the collapse of communism (such as this massive rally on Prague's Wenceslas Square), the 38th anniversary of Spanish King Juan Carlos's ascension to the throne (Señor Franco, he still dead!), the 70th anniversary of Lebanon's independence from France, the 85th anniversary of the premier of Ravel's Boléro (celebrate with Bo Derek!), and the 155th birthday of Denver, Colorado.

As Professor Barack Obama taught us, we are the anniversary we've been waiting for, so there's no need whatsoever to accept other people's historical priorities. Nominate your favorite Nov. 22 alternatives in the comments, and I'll update the post with good ones.