A Brief History On October 10, 1492, the famous first voyage of Christopher Columbus and his small fleet of three ships almost came to an end right at the point of “discovering” the New World. Digging Deeper Columbus had set sail on August 3, 1492, expecting to sail to the Far East.  He estimated the voyage to be about 2,700 miles and to take two months.  By the time his voyage had passed the two month mark, his crew became restless and desperate to return home.  Columbus faced down a mutiny on his flagship, the Santa Maria, that would probably…

A Brief History This article presents a chronological list of notable events that happened on October 9th.  For each date below, please click on the date to be taken to an article covering that date’s event. Digging Deeper On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus, the Italian adventurer sailing into the unknown in the name of the Spanish Crown, landed in the Bahamas, the landing that became known as the “discovery” of America (or, “The New World” if you prefer). On October 9, 1701, the town of Saybrook, Connecticut was the setting for the founding of The Collegiate School of Connecticut,…

A Brief History On October 9, 2023, the second Monday in October, we once again celebrate National Kick Butt Day, a day not for kicking other people but for kicking yourself into gear to accomplish some personal or professional achievement. Digging Deeper Of unknown origins, National Kick Butt Day seems to have started around 2004, originally aimed at those in the advertising and marketing fields.  While you can find some suggestions online how to spend this special day, we offer some suggestions of our own.  You of course are welcome to offer your suggestions as well. Grow your brainpower by…

A Brief History This article presents a chronological list of notable events that happened on October 8th.  For each date below, please click on the date to be taken to an article covering that date’s event. Digging Deeper On October 8, 1480, Ivan III, Grand Prince of Moscow, stood up to the Tatars led by Akhmat Khan of the Great Horde, the successor to the “Golden Horde,” in an epic stand known as the “Great Stand on the Ugra River,” one of the high points of Russian military history. On October 8, 1806, British forces fighting the French at Boulogne employed…

A Brief History On October 8, 1982, actor Fernando Lamas died, probably best remembered for the Billy Crystal impression saying the phrase, “You look marvelous!”  Many other actors and celebrities have been attributed quotations they did not really say, and today we look at a few of those. Digging Deeper PT Barnum, showman and huckster, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Julius Caesar, Roman dictator, “Et tu, Brute?” Albert Einstein, physicist and genius, “If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.” Greta Garbo, actress, “I vant to be alone…”…