Today is the Ides of March. Members of the Roman Senate assassinated Julius Caesar, the Dictator of the Roman Republic, on this date in 44 B.C.E.

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I discovered many islands inhabited by numerous people. I took possession of all of them for our most fortunate King by making public proclamation and unfurling his standard, no one making any resistance. The island called Juana, as well as the others in its neighborhood, is exceedingly fertile …
—Christopher Columbus’ Report on His First Voyage, March 15, 1493

From October 1492 to February 1493, Christopher Columbus and his expedition members explored the Caribbean, kidnapped about two dozen indigenous people as specimens, and grabbed birds, plants, and interesting rocks (gold) as other sorts of specimens. On this date in 1493, the expedition arrived back in Spain and Columbus dashed off a report in Spanish to the King and Queen of Spain, which was sent to Rome to be translated into Latin and printed. A copy from 1493 currently sits in the collection of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (video below the fold):
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Today is Pi Day. It is a day to reflect on the many ways we use math, both consciously and … pie!
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Shares of Microsoft Corporation became available 30 years ago today when that company executed its initial public offering. The price was $21 per share, and it was so successful that Bill Gates was suddenly worth approximately $350 million. If you had purchased 100 shares that day and held onto them, 25 years later you would have been the owner of 28,800 shares worth $750,000 after nine stock splits. At top is its logo from the era.

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“At Fillmore East,” the live album by the Allman Brothers Band, was recorded 45 years ago tonight at that New York City venue. “Whipping Post” from that album (below the fold):
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