October 14th is the 288th day of the year. There are 78 days remaining until the end of the year

Today is Columbus Day, Native American Day, Thanksgiving (Canada), National Real Sugar Day, National Online Bank Day, National Dessert Day, National Chocolate-Covered Insects Day and Be Bald & Be Free Day

ON THIS DAY WITH NICOLET
— On this date in 1926, Winnie the Pooh, by A. A. Milne, was first published.

— On this date in 1972, Michael Jackson’s “Ben,” a song about a boy and his love for a pet rat, hits #1 in the US.

— On this date in 1978, Jimmy Carter helped launch the craft beer revolution by removing taxes for beer brewed at home for personal use.

— On this date in 1988, Mike Tyson countersues Robin Givens for divorce and annulment

— On this date in 1994, Pulp Fiction opens in theaters

— On this date in 2003, Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman became known as the scapegoat for the Cubs losing Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series to the Florida Marlins. This has become known as the Steve Bartman incident.

— On this date in 2006, Opening for Rascal Flatts at Madison Square Garden, Eric Church goes off-kilter, playing a little “Crazy Train” and staying on stage past his allotted time. He is kicked off the tour and replaced by a talented newcomer named Taylor Swift.

THINGS U NEED 2 NO
A Columbus Day poll found Americans are still more likely to say we SHOULD celebrate it.  43% approve, 23% disapprove, and everyone else doesn’t know or doesn’t care.  69% agree he played an important part in American history.  But 20% now say he was mostly a “villain.”

Here are this past weekend’s box office results.
1. “Terrifier 3,” $18.3 million. (The film cost $2 million to produce.)
2. “The Wild Robot,” $13.5 million.
3. “Joker: Folie à Deux,” $7.1 million.

Casio is releasing a new furry A.I. pet named “Moflin” that develops its own personality depending on how you interact with it.  They go on sale in Japan next month for around $400.  They’re being marketed as a “mental health companion,” not a toy.

We now know how much “an arm and a leg” is worth, because someone was awarded $90 million after they were run over by a subway train in New York City a few years back, and lost a literal arm and a leg.

24% of Americans still have landlines. Landline users are most likely to own a home, live in the Northeast, exercise, and carry health insurance

Students perform worse on tests . . . if they’re in a room with high ceilings? 

Hackers are breaking into robot vacuums. The vacuums are chasing pets and yelling insulting comments at owners in a teen voice. People in Minnesota, El Paso, and Los Angeles have experienced the disturbing hack. The rise of cloud-connected smart devices like these is what’s leading to security breaches and privacy concerns.

The North American Wife Carrying Championship took place over the weekend in Newry Maine. Men carried their wives through a 278 yard muddy track. The winner won their wife’s weight in beer and five times her weight in cash 

Jack Nicholson, Spike Lee, and Billy Crystal are set to join the Basketball Hall of Fame as SuperFans. The ceremony will take place in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Hall recognizes fans for their passion and knowledge of basketball. 

Kevin Costner has released a new song to support hurricane relief. “Find Your Way”’s proceeds are going to Hope Force International. Costner hopes the song provides comfort to those affected by the recent natural disasters.