Thanksgiving Day in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October. The first Canadian Thanksgiving Day was observed on April 15, 1872, to celebrate the recovery of the prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) from a serious illness.
Daily Calendar for Monday, October 9, 2023
Indigenous Peoples’ Day, observed in the United States on the second Monday in October, recognizes the culture, contributions, and history of Native Americans. Ways to celebrate include attending community events, supporting indigenous businesses and art, and expanding knowledge via museums and other resources. The holiday is celebrated in certain areas in lieu of Columbus Day (a federal holiday) because of the devastation that European exploration brought to indigenous peoples of the Americas. Learn more about Indigenous Peoples’ Day here.
On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on a small island in the Bahamas, convinced that he had reached the East Indies. The anniversary of his landing in the New World was first formally celebrated in 1792, by the Columbian Order (Society of St. Tammany) in New York City. Now, it is celebrated nationally on the second Monday in October.
In A.D. 1000, long before Columbus, Eriksson led a Viking voyage westward from Greenland and reached the coast of North America, in what is now Newfoundland. He named his discovery Vinland. Although Eriksson is not officially credited with the European discovery of America, ever since 1964 U.S. presidents have had the option of proclaiming October 9 as Leif Eriksson Day.
Question of the Day
How much is a rick of firewood? Is it half a cord?
No, rick is actually a description of the way wood is stacked. A cord of wood measures 4x4x8 feet, or 128 cubic feet. A rick is piled in a 4x8-foot stack. Rick also refers to a stack of any other material, such as hay, left out in the open air.
Advice of the Day
Start adding horseradish and raw onion to your sandwiches to help prevent winter colds.
Home Hint of the Day
To correct the dents that furniture leaves in carpets, place an ice cube in each dent and allow it to melt overnight. While the carpet is still damp, fluff up the fibers with your fingers.
Word of the Day
Moon’s phases
The continually changing appearance of the Moon, caused by the different angles at which it is illuminated by the Sun. First Quarter: The right half of the Moon is illuminated, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. Full: The Sun and the Moon are in opposition; the entire disk of the Moon is illuminated as viewed from Earth. Last Quarter: The left half of the Moon is illuminated, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. New: The Sun and the Moon are in conjunction; the entire disk of the Moon is darkened as viewed from Earth.
Puzzle of the Day
How does a pig write home?
With a pig pen filled with oink.
Born
- Lewis Cass (politician) –
- Camille Saint-Saens (composer) –
- Myron Herrick (politician) –
- Leonard Wood (physician) –
- Charles Rudolph Walgreen (merchant) –
- Jacques Tati (director) –
- E. Howard Hunt (author) –
- John Lennon (musician) –
- Jackson Browne (musician) –
- Tony Shalhoub (actor) –
- Scott Bakula (actor) –
- Steve Ovett (runner) –
- Brandon Routh (actor) –
- Zachery Ty Bryan (actor) –
- Tyler James Williams (actor) –
Died
- Oskar Schindler (businessman) –
- David Dukes (actor) –
- Charles Guggenheim (filmmaker) –
- Jan Hooks (actress) –
Events
- The Collegiate School, later renamed Yale University, is founded in Connecticut.–
- Joshua Stoddard received a patent for a calliope–
- The nation’s first working underground oil pipeline was completed between Oil Creek and Pithole, Pennsylvania–
- American Humane Association organized–
- The Washington Monument opened to the public–
- 7.7 earthquake struck Kodiak Island, Alaska–
- Deadly fire leveled Baudette and Spooner, Minnesota–
- First electronic blanket manufactured, Petersburg, Virginia–
- In Bolivia, Che Guevara is killed while leading a Cuban-sponsored guerrilla force–
- Cape Kennedy restored to original name of Cape Canaveral” in Florida”–
- A meteorite struck a car in Peekskill, New York–
- Starting on September 28, Lloyd Scott, a 41-year old former firefighter and professional football player from Rainham, London, dived through the depths of Loch Ness for 12 days to complete on this day the world’s first ever underwater marathon. Lloyd wore an 80-kilogram diving suit throughout the 26-mile adventure–
- The new U.S. $20 bill, with its faint tinge of peach color in the background, made its way into bank vaults and consumers’ pockets–
Weather
- Damaging hailstorms hit Montana, causing $7.5 million in crop damage–