History Schmistory: September 26. I’m a Rocket Maaaaaan!
Friday, September 26, 2025
2008: Swiss Pilot and inventor Yves Rossy becomes the first person to fly across the English Channel in a winged jetpack of his own invention. Soon after, he flies over the Swiss Alps. Lucky he didn’t burn out his fuse up there alone…
His next mission? “To infinity and beyond!”
![By Rama (Own work) [CeCILL (http://www.cecill.info/licences/Licence_CeCILL_V2-en.html) or CC BY-SA 2.0 fr (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/fr/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/800px-Yves_Rossi_mg_4627.jpg)
By Rama (Own work) [CeCILL (http://www.cecill.info/licences/Licence_CeCILL_V2-en.html) or CC BY-SA 2.0 fr (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/fr/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons
History Schmistory: September 25. Always take the garbage out!
Thursday, September 25, 2025
1930:Â Marco’s favorite 20th century poet/songwriter/cartoonist/performer Shel Silverstein is born, presumably where the sidewalk begins.
History Schmistory: September 24. @cs.com, y’all!!
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
1979: Compu-Serve launches the first consumer internet service, which includes the first electronic mail service. They’re apparently still waiting for the interstate parties to catch on…
You checked your CS mail lately? Yeah neither have we. It’s been years. It’s probably all dusty and moldy and filled with venomous spiders.
CompuServe ad in Byte magazine, January 1983.
History Schmistory: September 23. Mario Kard?
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
1889: Nintendo is founded as a playing card company by Fusajiro Yamauchi, and soon introduces Hanafuda, a flowery card deck with a number of applicable games, including Tyson’s Punch-Out! 🙂
![I, Aldaron [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/800px-Koi-Koi_Setup.jpg)
I, Aldaron [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons
Cryptozoology Break! Kongamato
Monday, September 22, 2025
In the Jiundu swamps of western Zambia, a legendary pterodactyl-like creature known as Kongamato (“overwhelmer of boats”) had been terrifying the natives for generations. This elusive creature was known to capsize boats and deliberately pursue and destroy any poor soul who laid eyes on it. A few early 20th century explorers reported seeing and often being attacked by these crazy ugly flying monsters. Similar sightings were reported from as far away as Mount Kilimanjaro. Today, the real truth about the Kongamato remains a mystery…
You say Kongamayto, I say Kongamahto, let’s get the heck outta here!
History Schmistory: September 22. Act now!
Monday, September 22, 2025
1598: Playwright Ben Jonson, a contemporary of Billy Shakespeare, is arrested for killing an actor in a duel. Naturally, the actor only had his prop gun.
![By Joost J. Bakker from IJmuiden (Space Pilot X Ray Gun Uploaded by Oxyman) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/800px-Space_Pilot_X_Ray_Gun_made_by_Taiyo.jpg)
By Joost J. Bakker from IJmuiden (Space Pilot X Ray Gun Uploaded by Oxyman) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
History Schmistory: September 21. The original prequel?
Sunday, September 21, 2025
1937: J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit is published. No Hobbits were harmed during the making.
![By Jeff Hitchcock (Flickr: Butterfly Catcher) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/800px-Hobbit_Hole.jpg)
By Jeff Hitchcock (Flickr: Butterfly Catcher) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
History Schmistory: September 20. Spain’s Ba-a-a-ad Boys.
Saturday, September 20, 2025
1920: Spain establishes the Spanish Foreign Legion, an elite unit of the Spanish Army. It’s mascot? A goat… Really?
![By Julio César Cerletti GarcÃa (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mybuffo/13993260346) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Mascot_of_the_Spanish_Legion.png)
By Julio César Cerletti GarcÃa (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mybuffo/13993260346) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
History Schmistory: September 4. La La Land!
Saturday, September 20, 2025
1781: Los Angeles, California is founded as El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora La Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula, (The Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels of Porziuncola), which seems like a silly name for a city, until you see this…
Photo by Eyreland (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Here are some more ridiculously long city names. Shouldn’t there be a limit? How irritating would it be to have to send a package to Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu?
History Schmistory: September 19. We’re not safe here.
Friday, September 19, 2025
1957: The US begins testing underground nukes. Burrowing animals across the globe react in horror.
