Happy Birthday to.....

MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. - born 15th January 1929

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."  

JOHN CARPENTER, director/composer - born 16th January 1948

"In England, i'm a horror movie director.  In Germany, i'm a filmmaker.  In the US, i'm a bum."

I been Resting In Peace.

ok...Miss Check... i'm challenging u to a 960.

1st to check wins...

Thanks for the post, Connor & Smudge.  

ANDY KAUFMAN, comedian/actor - born 17th January 1949

"What's real?  What's not?  That's what i do in my act, test how other people deal with reality."  

Jim Carrey was born on this day too.  I'm in pain but I'll drag myself to a pc to post a video.  ..... brb

Thanks, Connor & Smudge 

And this nice wee connection too - funny how they shared the same birthday:

Benjamin Franklin
Nationality: American

Profession: United States Founding Father
Why Famous: US Founding Father Benjamin Franklin worked his way up from working class origins to prominence as a writer and publisher of newspapers before becoming a voice for American interests in Europe and Ambassador to France. He one of the Committee of Five that drafted the US Declaration of Independence and became the US's first Postmaster General in 1776. An abolutionist toward the end of this life, he freed his two slaves. As a scientist and inventor Franklin conducted famous electricity experiments, invented the lightening rod, bifocals and the Franklin stove.

Born: January 17, 1706
Star Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Died: April 17, 1790 (aged 84)

Married Life

• 1730-09-01 US Founding Father Benjamin Franklin establishes a common-law marriage with Deborah Read

Historical Events in the Life of Benjamin Franklin

• 1725-01-04 Benjamin Franklin arrives in London [OS=Dec 24 1724]
• 1726-07-23 Benjamin Franklin sails back to Philadelphia
• 1726-10-11 Benjamin Franklin returns to Philadelphia from England
• 1731-11-08 In Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin opens 1st library in the north American colonies
• 1732-12-19 Benjamin Franklin under the name Richard Saunders begins publication of "Poor Richard's Almanack"
• 1741-02-16 Benjamin Franklin's General Magazine begins publishing
• 1742-06-11 Benjamin Franklin invents his Franklin stove
• 1752-05-10 Benjamin Franklin tests the lightning conductor with his kite-flying experiment
• 1753-11-30 Benjamin Franklin receives the Godfrey Copley medal "on account of his curious Experiments and Observations on Electricity"
• 1773-09-11 Benjamin Franklin writes "There never was a good war or bad peace"
• 1775-07-26 United States Post Office (U.S.P.O.) created in Philadelphia under Benjamin Franklin
• 1776-06-11 Continental Congress creates committee (Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston) to draft a Declaration of Independence
• 1776-10-26 Benjamin Franklin departs for France on a mission to seek French support for the American Revolution
• 1784-01-26 Benjamin Franklin expresses unhappiness over eagle as America's symbol
• 1785-05-23 Benjamin Franklin announces his invention of bifocals
• 

Thats a nice beer belly on Franklin... nice post cool_rush

Thanks for the post, Coolio.  What an interesting person Franklin was - i didn't know he was a scientist as well.  Where did he find the time??

Love that quote about Freedom too - spot on.

JOHN BOORMAN, director - born 18th January 1933

"When actors are being defensive and defending their position, that is when you get less than good acting."  

One of the coolest films ever made is Point Blank (1967), starring the magnificent Lee Marvin...

Dolly Parton... born 19th Jan 1946 (71)

Before Fame

She grew up alongside eleven brothers and sisters in a one-room cabin in Appalachia, Tennessee; she learned to sing at church.

The real story behind I will always love you... Gotta love her hair

Dolly is wonderful.  

EDGAR ALLAN POE, writer - born 19th January 1809

"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night."  

The Raven

BY EDGAR ALLAN POE

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, 

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— 

    While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, 

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. 

“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door— 

            Only this and nothing more.” 

    Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December; 

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. 

    Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow 

    From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore— 

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore— 

            Nameless here for evermore. 

    And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain 

Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; 

    So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating 

    “’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door— 

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;— 

            This it is and nothing more.” 

    Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, 

“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; 

    But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, 

    And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, 

That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;— 

            Darkness there and nothing more. 

    Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, 

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; 

    But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, 

    And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?” 

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”— 

            Merely this and nothing more. 

    Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, 

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. 

    “Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice; 

      Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore— 

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;— 

            ’Tis the wind and nothing more!” 

    Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, 

In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore; 

    Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; 

    But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door— 

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door— 

            Perched, and sat, and nothing more. 

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, 

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, 

“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven, 

Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore— 

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!” 

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

    Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, 

Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore; 

    For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being 

    Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door— 

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door, 

            With such name as “Nevermore.” 

    But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only 

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. 

    Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered— 

    Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before— 

On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.” 

            Then the bird said “Nevermore.” 

    Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, 

“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store 

    Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster 

    Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore— 

Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore 

            Of ‘Never—nevermore’.” 

    But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling, 

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door; 

    Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking 

    Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore— 

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore 

            Meant in croaking “Nevermore.” 

    This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing 

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core; 

    This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining 

    On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er, 

But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er, 

            She shall press, ah, nevermore! 

    Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer 

Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. 

    “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee 

    Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore; 

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!” 

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!— 

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, 

    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted— 

    On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore— 

Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!” 

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil! 

By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore— 

    Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, 

    It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore— 

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.” 

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

    “Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting— 

“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore! 

    Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! 

    Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door! 

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!” 

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

    And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting 

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; 

    And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, 

    And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; 

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor 

            Shall be lifted—nevermore!

Buzz Aldrin

                       ~~~~ born 20th January 1930

Before Fame

His nickname comes from his eldest sister's mispronunciation of the word brother. Appropriately enough, his mother's maiden name was Moon.

Also starred in Toy Story (1995)

Lead Belly

Full Name: Lead Belly [Huddie William Ledbetter]
Nationality: American

Profession: Blues Musician
Why Famous: Notable for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced. Although he most commonly played the twelve-string, he could also play the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and accordion. 

In some of his recordings, such as in one of his versions of the folk ballad "John Hardy", he performs on the accordion instead of the guitar. In other recordings he just sings while clapping his hands or stomping his foot.

Born: January 20, 1888
Star Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Mooringsport, Louisiana, USA

Died: December 6, 1949 (aged 61)

=

Thank you to Connor, Smudge, and Mr McMurphy (it's medication time btw...)