Today is the first day of October

October is the tenth month of the year and its name is therefore derived from octo, the Latin word for eight. October is often preceded by September and followed by November.

There are 31 days in October, many of which are Wednesdays. (Wednesday is the fourth day of the week and its name is therefore derived from wednes, the Latin word for hump.)

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Car Care Month, National Helmet Safety Month, National Energy Awareness Month, National Stamp Collecting Month, National Roller Skating Month, and National Rodent Prevention Month. It also International Dinosaur Month.

As a result of U.N. resolutions passed two years ago, October is no longer Soiled Linens Month (September) or International Smegma Appreciation Month (February).

There are thirty shopping days left until Halloween.

Today in History -

October 1, 1847 -


Maria Mitchell, a distant relative of Benjamin Franklin, using a telescope, discovered "Miss Mitchell's Comet" (Comet 1847 VI, modern designation is C/1847 T1) on this date. Some years previously, King Frederick VI of Denmark had established gold medal prizes to each discoverer of a "telescopic comet" (too faint to be seen with the naked eye). The prize was to be awarded to the "first discoverer" of each such comet (note that comets are often independently discovered by more than one person). She duly won one of these prizes, and this gave her worldwide fame, since the only previous woman to discover a comet had been Caroline Herschel. She was also asked by her Nantucket neighbors to stop peeking into their bedrooms at night.

There was a temporary question of priority because Francesco de Vico had independently discovered the same comet two days later, but had reported it first; however, this was resolved in Mitchell's favor. The prize was awarded in 1848 by the new king Frederick VII.

She was the first professional woman astronomer in the United States, noted for her discovery that sunspots are whirling vertical cavities and not, as previously thought, clouds.

October 1, 1890 -
The Yosemite National Park and the Yellowstone National Park are established by the U.S. Congress. Picnic baskets have never been safe since then.




October 1, 1903 -


The Boston Americans play the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of the modern World Series.

October 1, 1908 -


Rabid Antisemite and American Isolationist Henry Ford puts the Model T car on the market at a price of $825.

October 1, 1920 -
Walter John Matthau, award-winning actor best known for his role as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple and his frequent collaborations with fellow Odd Couple star Jack Lemmon,was born on this date.



October 1, 1935 -
Julie Andrews, award-winning English actress, singer an author, was born on this date.




October 1, 1955 -


The Honeymooners half hour episodes premiere.



October 1, 1962 -
Johnny Carson hosts his first Tonight Show with Joan Crawford as his guest. On his first show, Carson was introduced by Groucho Marx; Johnny's first words, reacting to applause as he walked onstage for the first time: "Boy, you would think it was Vice President Nixon."

Although no footage is known to remain of Carson's first broadcast as host of The Tonight Show on 1 October 1962, photographs taken that night do survive, as does an audio recording of Carson's first monologue. One of his first jokes upon starting the show was to pretend to panic and say, "I want my Na-Na!"


October 1,1971 -
Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida opens



And so it goes

Also - Happy Anniversary to Cara and Matt.