Team Marco Polo

History Schmistory: October 11. “Doing It Right”

Saturday, October 12, 2024 by teammarcopolo

1929: JC Penney opens store #1252 in Milford, Delaware. But this was not just any ordinary JC Penney, this was THE JC Penney that officially put them in every state in the US, a first for any American chain store. Many Delaware state officials later confessed that they were just tired of doing it wrong.

By the way, did you know the CÂ in JC Penney stands for Cash? As in founder, James Cash Penney… That was his real name. Seriously, this was the Great Depression, pennies could get you a lot back then. Today, he would be the equivalent of Donald Trump being namedÂ DonaldÂ Cash Money.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/54/James_Cash_Penney_%28ca._1902%29.jpg

History Schmistory: October 10. What about Spaceland Security?

Thursday, October 10, 2024 by teammarcopolo

1967: The Outer Space Treaty, signed by over sixty nations including the US, the UK and the Soviet Union, becomes official. It serves as a binding promise to keep space open for everyone to explore, and to not use it toÂ store and/or fire weapons of mass destruction. Many feel the agreement only makes it easier for outside forces to take advantage of the opportunity.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Astronaut-EVA.jpg

Cryptozoology Break! The Kraken

Wednesday, October 9, 2024 by teammarcopolo

Once the most feared creature in the Nordic Seas, the Kraken was often described by bewildered fisherman as a disproportionately large squid, or octopus, or other ferocious tentacled sea monster. The stories were usually scoffed by landlovers until the Kraken was popularized by French science fiction author, Jules Verne, in his classic novel, Twenty ThousandÂ Leagues Under the Sea.Â Eventually, in the late 19th century, the not quite so giant,Â giant squid were being discovered washed up on the shore, some at 40+ feet in length, confirming at least in part the nautical horror stories of the past. The giant squid remains an incredibly elusive creature, having only recently been documented alive, but the tall tales of the Kraken, a gargantuan ship-swallowing sea monster, have gradually been adapted into medium tales of a pretty darn big squidÂ who dukes it out with whales.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Giant_octopus_attacks_ship.jpg

History Schmistory: October 9. “Nice shirt! I love reggae!”

Wednesday, October 9, 2024 by teammarcopolo

1967: Only a day after his capture, Argentine-Cuban Revolutionary, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, is executed in Bolivia for attempting to start a revolution there. T-shirt pricesÂ skyrocket.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/CheHigh.jpg

A Name You Should Know: Emma Lazarus

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 by teammarcopolo

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Emma_Lazarus.jpg

One of the first successful Jewish American authors, Emma Lazarus was a poet and essayist who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, writing numerous powerful works against anti-semitism, supporting immigrants rights, and even arguing for the creation of a Jewish homeland before the Zionist movement came into being. But she is best known for her immortal American poem, “The New Colossus” which appears on a bronze plaque at the base of the Statue of Liberty. You know the one, ‘give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,’ that one. Unfortunately, many politicians currently wish to have it removed, along with the torch… to be replaced with a stop sign 🙂

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Emma_Lazarus_plaque.jpg

History Schmistory: October 8. Today never happened.

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 by teammarcopolo

1582: Italy, Portugal, Poland and Spain adopt the Gregorian calendar, officially eliminating this day from existence.

History Schmistory: October 7. A Painful “Memory”

Monday, October 7, 2024 by teammarcopolo

1982: Cats, the musicalÂ opens on Broadway and runs for almost 18 years, just above the average life-span of your typical household cat.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Koty_musical.jpg

History Schmistory: October 6. Around the World in 4,833 days.

Sunday, October 6, 2024 by teammarcopolo

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/67/Jason_Lewis_Expedition360_Greenwich_2007.jpg

2007: Modern day adventurer,Â Jason Lewis completes his human-powered circumnavigation of the globe, having hiked, biked, roller bladed, kayaked, swam and pedaloed his way around the entire planet! The trip was supposed to take around 3-4 years, but he had a few hang ups, like capsizing in two oceans, going to jail, being robbed at machete point, breaking both of his legs, dodging the bullets of a civil war, and being attacked by malaria, blood poisoning, altitude sickness and a crocodile, just to name a few. All told, when reaching his original starting point, Jason Lewis had traveled nearly 46,000 miles in 13 years. As far as we’re concerned he deserves a lifetime lazy-pass. Though he probably wouldn’t even use it.