July 21st Birthdays:


Paul Julius Freiherr von Reuter (Baron De Reuter) (Israel Bere Josafat) (1816-1899) German entrepreneur, converted to Brit. Created the Reuters News Agency using telegraphs and carrier pigeons. Set policy of objective news reporting. IPO in 1984. Bylaws for the Corp. restricted private ownership of more than 15% of stock (Rupert Murdoch was forced to sell off a bunch...) In 2008, Reuters merged with Canada's Thompson Corp.The real business of Reuters was financial reporting and data. News reporting now comprises 10% of the Corp. income.



Sam Bass (1851-1878) Train robber and outlaw of the Western Frontier. Passed into legend when betrayed at Round Rock Texas. Gang member Frank Jackson, 20 years old, helped a mortally wounded Bass esape. Bass gave Jackson his money, weapons, and superior horse. He insisted Jackson flee, and died on his 27th birthday. Jackson was never captured, the money was never found, and rumors of sightings do abound.



C. Aubrey Smith (1863-1948) English cricket player turned character actor. Often the Upper Class English Gentleman and/or Officer.


Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) - author / Papa. Grew increasingly paranoid that the FBI and J.Edgar were out to get him. He was treated at the St Mary's clinic, alledgely for hypertenion. Then the Mayo clinic. Secrecy surrounds his stay at the clinic, but it was later determined that he recieved electroshock therapy at least 15 times. And 11 times at  St, Mary's. Three months later, he committed suicide. On July 1st, 2011, his good friend A.E.Hotchner published an op-ed in the New York Times. A Freedom of Information request had confirmed intense FBI survelience of Hemingway. Hotchner now believes his friend may not have beem going mad, and that the survelience contributed to Hemingway's suicide.


Hart Crane (1899-1932) – Perhaps the most influential poet of his generation. Onboard a Mexian steamer headed for New York, he was badly beaten after making sexual advances to a male crew member. He jumped overboard in the Gulf of Mexico. His body was never found.



Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980) - communications and media theorist and author. The medium is the message. And the massage. This being his 100th Birthday, hopefully his work will be rediscovered. Here's a special tribute:






Mollie Sugden (1922-2009) – actress/Mrs. Slocombe/have you seen her pussy?


Kay Starr - singer

         
         
Don Knotts (1925-2006) - actor / Barney Fife / Mr. Furley/Mr. Limpit



Helen Merrill – singer with a 4am smokey bar room kind of voice.





Kaye Stevens - actress and singer. Became popular after subbing for one night for Debbie Reynolds in Las Vegas. Went with Bob Hope to entertain the boys in Vietnam. What she saw was so disturbing she became an alcoholic, wasn't able to clean up for 20 years.




Janet Reno – former Attorney General of the US. Authorized FBI assult on Branch Davidians at Waco, Tx. Brought anti trust suit against Microsoft. Oversaw capture & conviction of the Unabomber, the Oklahoma City bombing, 1st World Tade Center bombing, etc.



John Negroponte - 1st US Director of National Intelligence. Very questionable and slimeball dealings in what we used to call Latin America, etc.


Paul Wellstone (1944-2002) US Senator, progressive, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Against both Iraq wars. Was making noise about investigating the Bush administration's election and possible 9/11 involvement when he was killed in a questionable plane crash, days before his potential re-election which would have kept Democrat control of the Senate. In documents released in 2010, the FBI admitted to wiretapping the Senator - allegedly to protect him from death threats. The documents also showed FBI interest dating back to a 1970 anti-war demonstration.



Edward Hermann – actor/Gilmore Girls