Noah, Kennedy was wrong, as surely was Queen Isabella of Spain. Think of the money she could have saved and lavished on more balls, luscious dinners etc, providing more work for serfs. Or she could have spent it on much-needed defense projects, protecting the country against the Moors.

But no, she went and funded Columbus' crackpot idea of an expedition instead. And he was wrong, the Indies were not that way and he did not prove that the earth was not flat. Why, he risked losing all five ships over the world's rim.

And what did he achieve? Jack shit. Where is the benefit to mankind? Just potatoes, tobacco, curare and a few piddly medicines. The Spaniards never got the quantity of gold they expected, so it was all a failure. Who can say the world is a better place now for the discovery of America? Osama Bin Laden for one would disagree.

Or perhaps it was all a hoax, and America does not exist. After all, temptation to tell can be bought if the price is right. I bet you there's bugger all West of Ireland and Columbus just made the whole thing up.