513 years ago, or so, Cristóbal Colón, with financial backing from Italian investors and the crown of Spain, set out to find a sea route to the Orient. Columbus Day is October 12. Some like him, and some don’t, but there is little denying that the Niña, the Pinta, and the Sta. Maria’s voyage to the West Indies was a pivotal point in history.
It was a pivotal point, indeed.
I don’t care much for him, but I especially don’t like all the events that happened after he “discovered” the Americas.
No arguing with that Walden.His voyage would be right up there at the top of any list of Pivotal events.
Now Cran,
I hope you are not referring to Bob Dylan and the Chiff Board in that statement 
Slan,
D.
Did Columbus see land on Oct 12, 1492, according to the Julian Calender?
Oct. 10th is the observed holiday…
on every calender I have, it is indeed marked as the 12th.
I have a sneaking suspission that the US observes it on the 10th so that we can celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving 
Well yes maybe, a Happy Columbus Day to you all in the States, in Canada we know that the Norse (Vikings) got to North America a lot earlier than Chris, who came farly late to the New World.
L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site
Newfoundland and Labrador
http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/spm-whs/itm2-/site1_E.asp
MarkB
'Twas the Paddies that found the place!!!
SAINT BRENDAN’S VOYAGE
(Christy Moore)
A boat sailed out of Brandon, in the year of nine-o-one
'Twas a damp and dirty morning, Brendan’s voyage had begun
Tired of tinnin’ turnips and cuttin’ curly-kale
When he got back from the creamery, he hoisted up his sail
He made the lonely furlong, to the north, south, east and west
Of all the navigators, St. Brendan was the best
When he got low on candles, he was forced to make a stop
He tied up in Long Island, put America on the map
Did you know that Honolulu was found be a Kerry man
Who went on to find Australia, then China and Japan
When he was reaching seventy he began to miss the crack
And turnin’ to his albatross, sez he, “I’m headin’ back.”
Chorus:
Is it right or left to Gibraltar, what tack do I take for Mizen Head
I’d loved to settle down be Ventry Harbor, St. Brendan to his albatross he said
To make it fast, he bent the mast and built up mighty steam
Round Terra del Fuego and up the warm gulf stream
He crossed the last horizon, Mt. Brandon was in sight
When he cleared the customs, into Dingle for the night
When he got to Cordon Bleu, he went to douse the draught
He headin’ West to Kruger’s to murder pints of stout
Around be Ballyferriter and up the Conor Pass
He free wheeled into Brandon, the Saint was home at last
The entire population came the place was chocker block
Oh, love nor money couldn’t get your nose inside the shop
The fishermen hauled up their nets, the farmers left their hay
For the Kerry people know that Saints don’t turn up every day
Everything was goin’ grand till Brendan did announce
His reason for returning, was to try and set up house
The girl were flabbergasted at St. Brendan’s neck
To seek a wife so late in life and him a total wreck
Wore down by rejection, this pierced his humble pride
By God, sez Brendan, “if I run, I’ll surely catch the tide.”
Turn’s in his sandals, he made straight for the dock
And haulin’ up the anchor he cast off from the rocks
As he sailed passed Innishvickallaune there stood the albatross
“I knew you’d never stick it out, 'tis great to see you boss.”
“I’m bailin’ out,” sez Brendan, “I badly need a break,”
A fortnight is about as much as any aul’ Saint could take."
Slan,
D.
Some folks apparently aren’t too happy with Columbus Day, they want it to be called Indigenous](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Peoples_Day%22%3EIndigenous) Peoples Day.
Either way I still gotta work.
we used to get today off, now we get Martin Luther King day off. Now, I think MLK was a great person, and have no problem with a day in his honor.
But -
I’d much rather have a day in October off (even though today’s weather isn’t too great) than another day off in January (I remember having 2 feet of snow on a MLK day in the past).
In fourteen-hundred and ninety-two
He came from old Itallee
A-walkin’ through the streets o’ Spain
Peddlin’ hot tomalé
He knew the world was round-o
His beard hung to the ground-o
Could navigate and calculate
That son of a gun Columbo
(remaining verses too profane to reproduce here 
)
djm
Christopher Columbus was a seaman second class
When I told him that the Indes could be found
By sailing to the west instead of sailing to the East.
I advised him that I thought the world was round.
Then I sent him down to ask good queen Isabella
To pawn her jewels for all their worth.
Next day he sat sail, and as everyone knows…
He fell off the edge of the Earth.
– Allan Sherman, “Good Advice”
What? I missed Leif](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leif_Erikson_Day%22%3ELeif) Erikson Day? Why don’t people tell me these things!
We get both of them off.
(YTDAW!)
Sure, plenty of different folk sailed to the Americas before Cristobal, but the rest of the world wasn’t ready to acknowledge it or whatever.
So I celebrate his discovery. He was a decent businessman on the European model but he kinda fell apart in the end.
The calendar has, of course, been reformed since 1492.
I am a pacifist and do not condone violence for any reason, but this was posted in a Native American community I belong to, and I found it kind of funny:
