Today is December 21, 2009 and the 355th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 10 days left in the year 2009. According the Mayan calendar, there are 1095 days till the end of the current cycle. We are exactly 2 years away from this date. This is also the Winter Solstice. After today, our days in the northern hemisphere will start getting longer. Here are five people that share a birthday on this day:
Calico Jack Rackham (1682-1720)
English pirate born in Bristol, England that sailed the Caribbean seas. He is known for the style of Jolly Roger he flew from his ships – the archetypical flag most people recognize with pirates – and that he employed two female pirates in a time where women aboard a ship was considered bad luck. He got his name from the type of clothing he wore. He became a captain after being voted in by the crew. The previous captain was considered a coward for not attacking a larger ship. Rackham often stayed close to shore and plundered smaller ships, which is what led to he and his crew being captured and executed.
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
U.S. musician and composer who had a career that spanned more than thirty years. He produced almost all of the sixty albums with his band, The Mother’s of Invention and his solo works. He also composed orchestrations and designed album covers. While Zappa lived an outrageous lifestyle, he was strongly against drugs – having tried marijuana only a couple of times. He often would dismiss band members for using illegal drugs. In the 1980’s he fought against music censorship that was being pushed through congress. He died of prostate cancer in 1993 and was posthumously inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. His music is considered some of the best ever created in the rock medium.
Ray Romano (Born 1957)
Romano is an Italian-American actor and comedian born in Queens, New York. He is best known for his television sitcom based upon his comedy act, called “Everybody Loves Raymond”, for which he has won an Emmy and several other awards. Additionally, he is the voice of Manny in the “Ice Age” movie series and is currently appearing on the TNT’s “Men of a Certain Age”.
Florence Griffith Joyner (1959-1998)
American Sprinter born in Los Angeles, California. She was known as “Flo-Jo” and holds records for the 100 meter and 200 meter sprint. Her career was dogged by allegations of drug use which was speculated to be the cause of her premature death. In 1985, she won the silver medal at the Olympics for the 200 meter in her hometown of Los Angeles and in 1988 won 3 gold medals and a silver for her participation in the Seoul Olympics. She died in her sleep after being suffocated with her pillow while having a seizure.
Kiefer Sutherland (Born 1966)
Canadian actor born in London, his name is actually, Kiefer Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland, the son of actor Donald Sutherland. He is most famous for his Fo television series “24”, for which he has won Emmy and Golden Globes, portraying agent Jack Bauer. His grandfather was Tommy Douglas, the man responsible for bringing universal health care to Canada. In all, Sutherland has appeared in over 60 movies and television series and has directed television, movies, and music videos.
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