Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River on this date in 1609. What's so amazing is that millions of Indians had never discovered the Hudson River during all those centuries they were washing their buffaloes in it.

     On this day in 1723 Dr. Daniel Turner became the first American physician to receive and honorary doctoral degree. An honorary doctor is not the same as a real doctor. An honorary doctor cannot collect a fee for dispensing incorrect medical advice -- a real doctor can.

     Today is Patriot Day, marking the terrorist attack on the Pentagon and World Trade Towers on this date in 2001.
     The hardest part of that was knowing the terrorists perished in the fire like everyone else. The best part was knowing that, for the 19 terrorists, the heat was only beginning.

     On this day in 1945 Japanese Premier Hideki Tojo tried to commit suicide by swallowing his chopsticks. But U.S. troops, who just happened to be in the neighborhood kicking down Tojo's front door, were armed with the new M semi-automatic air-cooled 30-calibre stomach pump, and saved Tojo's life until he could be properly executed.

     Construction began on the Pentagon on this day in 1941. A building like the Pentagon didn't cost so much in 1941. In fact, for as little as $75 you could buy a $600 hammer.

     Singer Jenny Lind made her American debut in New York on this day in 1850. Jenny was managed by P.T. Barnum, who also managed Jumbo the elephant. Barnum called Jenny "the Swedish Nightingale," which was silly, but it did keep people from confusing her with Jumbo.

     David H. Lawrence was born in England on this day in 1885. He wrote Lady Chatterly's Lover, a novel filled with explicit sex. In those days Lady Chatterly's Lover was called a dirty book. Later it became pornography. Now it's called English-Lit 101.
     Which means nobody reads it anymore because it's too boring.

     "The Carol Burnette Show" debuted on television on this day in 1968. Carol was young and strong and had a voice that could scare the loincloth off of Tarzan.
     In fact, when Carol started doing her Tarzan yell, Tarzan swung back to the jungle and spent his golden years raising monkeys for Michael Jackson.

     Anthony Perkins died on this day in 1992. He was famous for his movie portrayal of Norman Bates, who dressed up like his mother and murdered people -- sort of a cross between Jack the Ripper and Dame Edna.

     The late coach Tom Landry was born on this date in 1924. He was the only head coach the Dallas Cowboys ever had until they got somebody else.
     When Tom was head coach, the Cowboys were America’s Team. Now they can barely field a team if they have to count bail money under the salary cap.

     Not many people know it, but tonight is the wedding night for billions of bumblebees. Unlike some human people, bumblebees have only one wedding night. Then, the groom dies and the queen sacks out for the winter.
     They're called bumblebees because they bumble a lot -- but not on their wedding night.

     On this day in 1609 Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River. Which, you must admit, was quite a coincidence.