Monday, October 12, 2009

Answer of the Day
How do the Spanish celebrate Columbus Day? It's understandable that Christopher Columbus' arrival in the New World is celebrated by those living in the Americas, the continent the explorer was credited with discovering. In the United States, Columbus Day is celebrated annually on the Monday closest to this date. Since his crew arrived in the Bahamas on this date in 1492 (on the Julian calendar), the day is commemorated there as Discovery Day. In Spain, the date is called Hispanic Day or Day of Spanish Consciousness and it honors Columbus and the Spanish conquerors of Latin America. In Mexico, this is called the Day of the Race and in Hawaii, October 12 is called Discoverers' Day, honoring all discoverers, including Pacific and Polynesian navigators.

Quote
"By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination." — Christopher Columbus

Word of the day
froward

Stubbornly contrary and disobedient; obstinate.

(© Houghton Mifflin Company)

Today's History

Reciting 'The Pledge of Allegiance'

• Oktoberfest: tradition of beery celebration began with the wedding reception of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1810)
• The Pledge of Allegiance: was first recited in US public schools (1892)
• the day of six billion: the official UN-designated approximate day that the world population hit 6 billion; it was 12 years after the population reached 5 billion (1999)

Today's Birthdays

Hugh Jackman

• Elmer Sperry (1860-1930): inventor of the gyroscope, gyrocompass, arc lamps and other electrical devices; physicist Samuel Elmer Imes (1883-1941) shared this birth date
• Dick Gregory (77): comedian and activist
• Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007): famed Italian tenor; musicians Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), Nappy Brown (1929-2008) and Sam Moore (74), Chris Botti (47) and Martie Maguire (40) were also born on this date
• Chris Wallace (62): broadcast journalist
• Hugh Jackman (41): stage and screen actor, Wolverine in X-Men; other actors born on this date include Susan Anton (59), Carlos Bernard (47) and Kirk Cameron (39)