The Tease of Things I Don't Need

2009: Day 189

In 1497 a fleet of four ships commanded by Vasco da Gama left Lisbon, headed, ultimately, to India, attempting to establish a useful water trade route. Examining the particulars of the voyage it seemed to be hardship meandering into various degrees of disaster, including conflicts with local leaders and trying to return home during the worst time for such a voyage, ignoring what seamen in that part of the world advised. Only 60 of his 180 companions returned to Lisbon and many of the survivors were considerably worse for wear, including suffering from scurvy.

Though they wouldn't learn of it until a second voyage in 1502, even the ones who'd stayed behind in India to establish a trading post had been subsequently killed.That this would have been a surprise to da Gama seems unlikely, considering that when he'd left he'd essentially skipped out of Calcut without formal announcement, since the local ruler, who'd tried to extort all of de Gama's goods as "collateral." Still, for da Gama and his relatives it was a godsend. Lands, titles and wealth were theirs.

On this date in 1838 future general and airship manufacturer Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin was born.

Oil magnate John D. Rockefeller was born today in 1839.

In 1889, the first edition of The Wall Street Journal is published.

Everyone's favorite Grave's Disease-suffering, deceased comic actor, Marty Feldman, was born today back in 1934. Call him Eyegor.

Singer Steve Lawrence celebrates his 74th birthday today.

Actor Jeffrey Tambor (1944) turns 65 today.

In 1947 the first broadcasts that a UFO had crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico were made.

Austrian celebrity chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck began his march to fame and power 60 years ago today.

Award-winning actress and former fashion model Anjelica Houston turns 58 today.

Bacon, bacon, bacon, baco-o-o-o-o-o-n! It's Kevin Bacon's 51st birthday today. I think he still wants to play Shaggy in a new Scooby Doo movie. (Given the trends, isn't that due for a cinematic reboot?) I've seen him do the walk, and he definitely has that down. It couldn't be worse than what was done already, eh?

Beecher! Actor Lee Allen Tergesen, who played Tobias Beecher on HBO's Oz, celebrates his 44th birthday today, presumably as a free man.

Actor Billy Crudup (1968) - who I've seen in a variety of things, but since it's still 2009 I'll only reference that he played Doctor Manhattan in this year's Watchmen film - turns 41 today.

Musician, singer/songwriter and second generation Scientologist Beck (aka Beck Hansen, born Bek David Campbell) turns 39 today. I don't know that I've heard anything from him since 1998's Mutations. I know he's been recording and putting out albums since then, but I just can't remember hearing anything since then.