History of the Day: 10/14

In 1066, William the Conqueror lived up to his name and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings on Senlac Hill, thus completing the Norman conquest. This is primarily important because it inspired the Bayeux Tapestry. You can watch a summary of the battle based on the tapestry, or (and this is really cool) create your own story using the Historic Tale Construction Kit.

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne was first published on this day in 1926. You've probably heard of The Tao of Pooh, which uses the bear of little brain to teach about Taoism. But perhaps you haven't read The Pooh Perplex, a treatise on literary theory. Or maybe you'd like to read this eye-opening article which diagnoses the denizens of the hundred acre wood (hint: Tigger has ADHD ... no surprise). And did you know that all Western philosophy was merely a preamble to Pooh Bear? Or if, like me, you don't have time for all that, you can just listen to Kenny Loggins House at Pooh Corner.

In 1943, the prisoners of the Sobibor death camp in Poland revolted, resulting in the death of 11 guards. On the bright side, 600 escaped. However, only 50 survived the war. But it a shining example of the negation of the prisoner's dilemma.

Reagan declared war on drugs in 1982. I mean, it worked so well during Prohibition, why not, right? Hmmmm ... president declares war on a foe without a face or a specific location that we can't really target ... ringing a bell ... ah, it'll come to me.

Massachusetts just keeps getting better. On this day in 1656, they enacted the first punitive legislation against Quakers. Speaking of Quakers, happy birthday to William Penn, who was born in 1644. Compared to the near fascism of the Puritans across the road, his all-but anarchist colony of Quakers (and anyone else who wanted to come) was a breath of fresh air. It's hard to choose a quote from him, 'cause they're all so good, so I picked this one for the poetry:

No pain, no palm;
no thorns, no throne;
no gall, no glory;
no cross, no crown.

And this excerpt from John Greenleaf Whittier's beautiful poem in honor of Penn:

The tyrant on his gilded throne,
The warior in his battle dress,
The holier triumph ne'er have known
Of justice and of righteousness.

How all unlike the bloody band
That unrelenting Cortez led,
To princely Montezuma's land,
And ruin round his pathway shed!

With hearts that knew not how to spare,
Disdaining milder means to try,
The demon crimson sword alone was there;
The Indians' choice to yield or die.

Speaking of poets, today is the birthday of E.E. Cummings, the man who thanked heaven that someone was crazy enough to give him a daisy. He also said, "A cat is a cat is a cat," which brings me to this poem from Cummings' cat (by way of Henry Beard again):

Calico Cat’s
declawed
who used to
rip the silkysoft Persian
carpet

and shred onetwothreefourfive chipmunksjustlikethat

there was a handsome puss
and what I want to know is
how would you like your nails pulled out
Mister Vet

Bing Crosby died on this day in 1977. Prior to him, men had to sing in high tenor or falsetto so people could hear them in large halls. But Crosby came about at the same time as the microphone, and made it sexy to sing baritone. He was the Beatles of his era. Here he is singing Let Me Call You Sweetheart.

Finally, today is the feastday of St. Andadrisma who REALLY didn't want to get married, so she prayed for leprosy.