History Schmistory: August 6. Rastafar-from English
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
1962: Jamaica becomes independent from Britain.
Monkeys vs Apes…
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
As the world goes Ape-y for the new Planet of the Apes movie, it is important to know why we call them apes and not monkeys. One easy distinction is that almost all species of monkey have tails while apes do not. Also, though many apes enjoy swinging through the trees like Tarzan, they actually live on the ground, whereas monkeys are arboreal (tree dwellers) and spend most of their time jumping through the tree-tops, more like squirrels.
“Hey, I’m just a monkey!”
History Schmistory: August 5. The Original “Harry”
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
1100: Henry I is crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey. This particular Henry was not significant enough for Shakespeare, and conveniently skipped.
Revolutionary Dayz
Monday, August 4, 2025
As we observe (or some of us anyway) the details of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak’s trial, many are reminded of how remarkable Egypt’s non-violent overthrow was. Really. If it was in France it would have been a bloody mess…
–One more time with feeling!
Ludicrous Latin: Ventis secundis, tene cursum.
Monday, August 4, 2025
Favorable winds, stay the course. …Or, as we would put it:Â
History Schmistory: August 4. It was good to be Queen -Mother
Monday, August 4, 2025
1900: Queen Elizabeth, ‘the Queen Mother’ is born. Not to be confused with Elizabeth II, who will most likely live forever.
![By Allan warren (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/389px-H.M._The_Queen_Mother_Allan_Warren.jpg)
By Allan warren (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
Ludicrous Latin: Lorem sed nulla tam turpi damnata
Sunday, August 3, 2025
“Alright, but you’re so darn* ugly.”
History Schmistory: August 3. La Scala-kazam!
Sunday, August 3, 2025
1778: La Scala Opera House opens in Milan, Italy, with a show by F. Murray Abraham’s character in Amadeus.
![By ungenannt [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/800px-Milano_Teatro_alla_Scala_Postkarte_001.jpg)
By ungenannt [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Speaking of mediocre composers, here’s a Marco classic!
History Schmistory: August 2. Bay of Henry?
Saturday, August 2, 2025
1610: Explorer Henry Hudson enters the bay later named after him, the Hudson Bay. Since his crew mutinied and left him for dead, an apology card was also in order. It’s in a bottle, floating out there somewhere. Sorry Hud!
![By Neemster (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Henry-Hudson-posterimage.png)
By Neemster (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
