Saturday, December 18, 2010

What famous people were born February 29th?


Search: february 29

Why: Because:
Answer: Popes, prime ministers, and politicians... and 2 serial killers! Here are some:
  • 1468Pope Paul III (d. 1549)
  • 1736Ann Lee, American founder of Shakers (d. 1784)
  • 1840John Philip Holland, Irish inventor of the submarine (d. 1914)
  • 1896Morarji Desai, Prime Minister of India (d. 1995)
  • 1896 – William A. Wellman, American film director (d. 1975)
  • 1904Jimmy Dorsey, American bandleader (d. 1957)
  • 1904 – Wolfe+585, Senior, aka Hubert Blaine Wolfe­schlegel­stein­hausen­berger­dorff, Sr. (Wolfe+585, Senior), aka Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Frederick Gerald Hubert Irvin John Kenneth Lloyd Martin Nero Oliver Paul Quincy Randolph Sherman Thomas Uncas Victor William Xerxes Yancy Zeus Wolfe­schlegelstein­hausenberger­dorffvoraltern­waren­gewissenhaft­schaferswessen­schafewaren­wohlgepflege­und­sorgfaltigkeit­beschutzen­von­angreifen­durch­ihrraubgierigfeinde­welche­voraltern­zwolftausend­jahres­vorandieerscheinen­wander­ersteer­dem­enschderraumschiff­gebrauchlicht­als­sein­ursprung­von­kraftgestart­sein­lange­fahrt­hinzwischen­sternartigraum­auf­der­suchenach­diestern­welche­gehabt­bewohnbar­planeten­kreise­drehen­sich­und­wohin­der­neurasse­von­verstandigmen­schlichkeit­konnte­fortplanzen­und­sicher­freuen­anlebens­langlich­freude­und­ruhe­mit­nicht­ein­furcht­vor­angreifen­von­anderer­intelligent­geschopfs­von­hinzwischen­sternartigraumen, Senior, German-born American typesetter who has the longest personal name ever used (death year unknown)
  • 1908Balthus, French-Polish painter (d. 2001)
  • 1924 – Carlos Humberto Romero, President of El Salvador
  • 1928Joss Ackland, English actor
  • 1928 – Tempest Storm, American burlesque performer
  • 1936Jack Lousma, American astronaut
  • 1944 – Dennis Farina, American actor
  • 1956 – Aileen Wuornos, American serial killer (d. 2002)
  • 1960 – Richard Ramirez, American serial killer
  • 1960 – Tony Robbins, American motivational speaker
  • 1972 – Pedro Zamora, Cuban-born American Real World housemate and AIDS activist (d. 1994)
  • 1976 – Ja Rule, American rapper and actor
Source: Wikipedia

The More You Know: Speaking of leap years, just last week, Eli and I were discussing Christmas and when Jesus was born (March? September?) and December 25th and all that jazz, and we got into the Gregorian calendar, which was implemented because the leap years on the Julian calendar were all screwed up.
At the time of Gregory's edict in 1582, the vernal equinox had moved backward in the calendar, until it was occurring on about 11 March, 10 days earlier.
That means that Christmas would have been drifted all around, too.

BUT THEN! Allie mentioned something about Coptic Christmas, which is currently held on January 7th, in accordance with the old Coptic (Alexandrian) / Julian calendar. It even moves! By the year 2100, Coptic Christmas will be on January 8th.