Drewsky1211

Charles Curtis died on this day 88 years ago, aged 76. - Curtis was 3/8 Native American, having ancestors who belonged to the Osage, Potawatomi, and Kaw tribes. - Curtis was admitted to the bar in 1881 and started a law firm, and in 1892 he would be elected to the US House of Representatives, representing Kansas' 4th and 1st congressional districts. - In 1906, Curtis would be elected by the Kansas legislature to replace the resigned Joseph Burton in the Senate, serving out his term. He ran for Kansas' other seat in 1914 and won, and became the Senate Majority Leader when Republicans won the Senate in the 1924 election. Among his actions was introducing an early prototype for an Equal Rights Amendment. - Curtis would run for president in the 1928 election. He lost to Herbert Hoover in the Republican primary, who chose him as his running mate- they won 444-87 in the Electoral College. Curtis was the only non-White Vice President until Kamala Harris was inaugurated in 2021, and remains the only Native American VP to this day. - Among the things Curtis did as Vice President was open the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles: - After his vice presidency, Curtis remained in Washington, DC to continue his work as a lawyer, dying 3 years after leaving office. At 69, he was the oldest incoming VP at the time (and would be succeeded in this feat by 71-year-old Alben W. Barkley in 1949).

Seth Green is 50. Probably most notable as the voice of Chris Griffin in Family Guy:

Also known for playing Toad in the 1993 Mario movie:

2/7/2024 36 Wheatus — Teenage Dirtbag 36 Sophie Ellis-Bextor — Murder On The Dancefloor 32 Daft Punk — One More Time +1 28 S Club 7 — Reach 28 The Supermen Lovers & Mani Hoffman — Starlight 26 Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue — Kids 24 Zombie Nation — Kernkraft 400 +1 24 Sonique — Sky 24 Moloko — The Time Is Now 23 Kylie Minogue — On A Night Like This 23 Sweet Female Attitude — Flowers 23 iiO — Rapture 22 Samantha Mumba — Gotta Tell You 22 Artful Dodger & Romina Johnson — Movin’ Too Fast 21 Destiny’s Child — Bootylicious 20 Sash! — Adelante 20 Mis-Teeq — All I Want 20 Sophie Ellis-Bextor — Take Me Home 20 Gordon Haskell — How Wonderful You Are 19 Outkast — Ms. Jackson +1 19 Blink-182 — All The Small Things +1 17 U2 — Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of 16 Steps — Chain Reaction / One For Sorrow 15 Donell Jones — U Know What’s Up 12 Baha Men — Who Let The Dogs Out -6

Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden died on this day 187 years ago, aged 58. - Gustav was the son of King Gustav III, and acceded to the throne when he was 13 following his father's assassination in 1792. - In 1796, 15-year old Gustav was sent to Russia to arrange a marriage between him and soon-to-be emperor Paul's daughter Alexandra- this failed due to Gustav's insistence to allow Alexandra to continue worshipping the Russian Orthodox Church. He would end up marrying Frederica of Baden in 1797, and they had four children together. - Gustav would wage war against Napoleon and his forces in 1805, ultimately losing Pomerania to them. In 1808, Russia would invade Finland (then owned by Sweden) after forming an alliance with France, and he had to cede a third of the territory to the former. - Because of the loss of Finland, disgruntled soldiers led a coup against Gustav in 1809 and arrested him- Gustav voluntarily abdicated in favor of his son (also named Gustav), but the Swedish Parliament declared he forfeit the throne for his descendants as well (many members were also soldiers). He would be succeeded by his uncle (and former regent) Charles XIII, and would then be exiled to Germany. - After divorcing Frederica in 1812, Gustav moved to Switzerland, where he lived in a hotel for the remained of his life under the alias "Colonel Gustafsson".

Garth Brooks is 62.

2/6/2024 36 Sophie Ellis-Bextor — Murder On The Dancefloor 32 Daft Punk — One More Time +1 29 Wheatus — Teenage Dirtbag 28 Gordon Haskell — How Wonderful You Are 27 The Supermen Lovers & Mani Hoffman — Starlight 26 S Club 7 — Reach 25 Kylie Minogue — On A Night Like This 25 Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue — Kids 24 Sonique — Sky 24 Moloko — The Time Is Now 23 Zombie Nation — Kernkraft 400 +1 23 iiO — Rapture 22 Sweet Female Attitude — Flowers 22 Artful Dodger & Romina Johnson — Movin’ Too Fast 21 Destiny’s Child — Bootylicious 20 Sash! — Adelante 20 Samantha Mumba — Gotta Tell You 20 Mis-Teeq — All I Want 20 Sophie Ellis-Bextor — Take Me Home 20 Outkast — Ms. Jackson +1 20 Blink-182 — All The Small Things +1 18 U2 — Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of 18 Donell Jones — U Know What’s Up 18 Steps — Chain Reaction / One For Sorrow 17 Baha Men — Who Let The Dogs Out -2 13 Usher — Pop Ya Collar 11 S Club 7 — Two In A Million / You’re My Number One 06 Michael Jackson — You Rock My World 0 Bomfunk MC's — Freestyler -4

Falco died on this day 26 years ago, aged 40. - 1957: Vienna, February 19th, Johann "Falco" Holzel is born. - 1981: At the age of 24 Falco is signed to a record label. He sings his breakout single "Der Kommissar": - 1985: Falco releases his chart-topping single "Rock Me Amadeus", becoming the first German-language song to top the Billboard Hot 100 the following year: - 1992: Falco's final album during his lifetime, Nachtflug, is released. - 1996: "Rock Me Amadeus" is parodied as "Dr. Zaius" on the Simpsons episode "A Fish Called Selma": - 1998: Falco plans his comeback album Out of the Dark (Into the Light). On February 6th of that same year, Falco dies in a car crash. - ...You may have noticed I formatted these facts in a similar vein to the American version of "Rock Me Amadeus":

Rick Astley is 58. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlXDyO4fyD4 (Go ahead and click the link, you won't get rickrolled, I swear)

2/5/2024 34 Sophie Ellis-Bextor — Murder On The Dancefloor 28 Wheatus — Teenage Dirtbag 28 Kylie Minogue — On A Night Like This  27 Daft Punk — One More Time +1 26 Sonique — Sky 25 Blink 182 — All The Small Things  +1 23 The Supermen Lovers & Mani Hoffman — Starlight 23 Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue — Kids 22 S Club 7 — Reach 22 Gordon Haskell — How Wonderful You Are  22 U2 — Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of 22 Artful Dodger & Romina Johnson — Movin’ Too Fast  22 Zombie Nation — Kernkraft 400 +1 21 Steps — Chain Reaction / One For Sorrow 21 iiO — Rapture 21 Sweet Female Attitude — Flowers 21 Outkast — Ms. Jackson +1 21 Baha Men — Who Let The Dogs Out -1 20 S Club 7 — Two In A Million / You’re My Number One 20 Donell Jones — U Know What’s Up 20 Sash! — Adelante 20 Moloko — The Time Is Now 20 Samantha Mumba — Gotta Tell You 20 Usher — Pop Ya Collar 20 Mis-Teeq — All I Want 20 Sophie Ellis-Bextor — Take Me Home 20 Michael Jackson — You Rock My World 20 Bomfunk MC’s — Freestyler 15 Destiny’s Child — Bootylicious 06 D12 — Purple Pills  0 True Steppers, Dane Bowers & Victoria Beckham — Out Of Your Mind -5 Also helping Outkast out- even though Ms. Jackson isn't my favorite song from Stankonia. It's this:

Pervez Musharraf died on this day a year ago, aged 79. - Musharraf was born in Delhi in then-British India, but his family moved to what would imminently become Pakistan a few days before its independence in 1947 (they were Muslims, and they sought to leave the Hindu-majority India). They would move to Turkey shortly after, with Musharraf returning to Pakistan in 1957. - Musharraf served as a soldier, serving in the Second Kashmir War (1965) and Indo-Pakistani War (1971). By the late 1980s, he had received the nickname "Cowboy" due to his love of Western culture, particularly rock music and American clothing brands. - In the 1990s, Musharraf had become a four-star general, and following the Kargil Conflict in 1999, he led a coup that ousted Nawaz Sharif as president, and became the leader of Pakistan's military junta government. - Musharraf would hold a parliamentary election in 2002, but remained in complete control of the presidency. He would attempt to improve relations with both India and would support the US during the War on Terror, but his administration would soon by marred by attempts at nuclear proliferation. Several assassination attempts were also made on his life. - In 2007, Musharraf declared a state of emergency to keep himself in power, but this eventually faltered and he resigned in August 2008 when impeachment proceedings against him began. He would exile himself to the UK, but returned to Pakistan in 2013. - By that time, Musharraf had become a suspect in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, and he was also charged with treason for the arrests of federal judges during the 2007 state of emergency. He escaped to the United Arab Emirates in 2016, and was sentenced to death in absentia in 2019 (which was voided the following year). - Musharraf was diagnosed with amyloidosis in 2018, and died from the disease five years later. He had debuted on the DeathList in 2004 (and was that year's last survivor), and made a total of three appearances on the list.

Cristiano Ronaldo is 39.

2/4/24 22 Daft Punk — One More Time +1 22 Wheatus — Teenage Dirtbag 21 Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue — Kids 21 Sophie Ellis Bextor — Murder On The Dancefloor 21 Baha Men — Who Let The Dogs Out 21 Sonique — Sky 21 iiO — Rapture 21 Blink 182 — All The Small Things +1 21 Zombie Nation — Kernkraft 400 +1 21 Outkast — Ms. Jackson +1 20 S Club 7 — Two In A Million / You’re My Number One 20 Donell Jones — U Know What’s Up 20 Sash! — Adelante 20 Artful Dodger & Romina Johnson — Movin’ Too Fast 20 Moloko — The Time Is Now 20 Sweet Female Attitude — Flowers 20 S Club 7 — Reach 20 Samantha Mumba — Gotta Tell You 20 Bomfunk MC’s — Freestyler 20 True Steppers, Dane Bowers & Victoria Beckham — Out Of Your Mind 20 Kylie Minogue — On A Night Like This 20 Martine McCutcheon — I’m Over You 20 Usher - Pop Ya Collar 20 U2 — Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of 20 Ronan Keating — Lovin’ Each Day 20 Mis-Teeq — All I Want 20 D12 — Purple Pills 20 Destiny’s Child — Bootylicious 20 Sophie Ellis Bextor — Take Me Home 20 Supermen Lovers & Mani Hoffman — Starlight 20 Steps — Chain Reaction / One For Sorrow 20 Michael Jackson — You Rock My World 20 Gordon Haskell — How Wonderful You Are 17 Steps - The Way You Make Me Feel 5 Westlife — What Makes A Man -6

2/4/2024 33 Barry Ryan — Eloise +4 3 The Kinks — Waterloo Sunset -6

Pope Sisinnius died on this day 1316 years ago, aged 58. - Sisinnius was born in what is now modern-day Syria, and his father's name was John. Not much else is known of his life before he became pope. - After Pope John VII's death in October of 707, Sisinnius was elected pope. However, there was a three-month delay between his election and consecration due to the Byzantine Empire's representative needing to confirm him to the emperor. - Sisinnius would consecrate a bishop for the island of Corsica, and ordered Rome's walls to be reinforced with limestone due to past raids. - The above two actions were Sisinnius' only things he did as pope, because he died after a three-week papacy (the fifth-shortest of any pope). Sisinnius had suffered from severe gout that affected his ability to feed himself, and during that time period, 58 was considered to be old age (instead of mid-life nowadays). - Sisinnius would be succeeded as pope by Pope Constantine.

Alice Cooper is 76.

2/3/2024 38 The Kinks — Waterloo Sunset 20 The Beach Boys — God Only Knows +4 12 Barry Ryan — Eloise -6

Woodrow Wilson died on this day 100 years ago, aged 67. - Wilson's actual first name was Thomas, and he went by his middle name- derived from his mother's maiden name. While his grandfather James was an abolitionist, his father Joseph supported the Confederacy during the Civil War. - Wilson is the only US president to receive a PhD degree, awarded to him by Johns Hopkins University in 1886. He would later serve as a professor of history and political science, and would be promoted to the president of Princeton University in 1902. For these reasons, he has been nicknamed "The Schoolmaster" by some. - Wilson's tenure at Princeton got New Jersey's Democratic Party officials to encourage him to run for governor, and he won the 1910 election. Wilson quickly became a rising star in the party, and was the Democratic nominee for president in 1912- winning in a landslide due to the Republicans splitting between Theodore Roosevelt and the incumbent William Howard Taft. - Wilson's presidency is known for introducing the Federal Reserve, failing to stay out of World War I after three years of isolationism (leading to the League of Nations, which earned him the 1920 Nobel Peace Prize), and screening the first movie shown at the White House- The Birth of a Nation (Wilson was horribly racist and openly tried to remove Black people from federal jobs). - In 1919, Wilson suffered a severe stroke that left him bedbound- his wife Edith would determine which documents would be given to him, and some jest she was the first female US president. By 1920, news of his condition reached the public, and although he wished to seek a third term, his political party quickly disassociated with him to find a healthier candidate. He was unable to attend Warren G. Harding's inauguration, although the two of them had tea together the day before. His health would not improve over the last three years of his life.

Sean Kingston is 34.

2/2/2024 36 The Beach Boys — God Only Knows +4 33 The Kinks — Waterloo Sunset 23 Barry Ryan — Eloise 12 The Kinks — All Day And All Of The Night -6

Philip Seymour Hoffman died on this day 10 years ago, aged 46. - Hoffman made his acting debut in a 1991 episode of Law and Order. The following year, he appeared in Scent of a Woman, and in 1996 had a role in Hard Eight. - Hoffman's breakout role was as Dusty the storm chaser in 1996's Twister. Other memorable roles of his from this time were as Brandt in The Big Lebowski (1998) and Freddie in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999). - Hoffman would be nominated for a Tony Award in 2003 for Long Day's Journey Into Night, and in 2005, he won the Oscar for Best Actor for starring as Truman Capote in the biopic Capote. - Hoffman would star opposite Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible 3 as the main villain, Owen Davian, in 2006. He would be nominated for a second Oscar in 2008 for his role as Gust Avrakotos in Charlie Wilson's War. - Towards the tail end of the 2000s decade, Hoffman began to voice act- most notably, he was the titular Max in the 2009 Australian indie film Mary and Max: He also guest starred in the PBS Kids show Arthur as an expy of himself. - Hoffman was nominated for a total of four BAFTA Awards during his career, and his final role was as Plutarch Heavensbee in both parts of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay. - Hoffman struggled from drug abuse throughout his life, which was what caused his somewhat young demise.

Judith Viorst, author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, is 93.

Here's my belated one for 2023: January: David Crosby February: Raquel Welch March: Tom Sizemore April: Harry Belafonte/Jerry Springer May: Tina Turner June: Ted Kaczynski July: Sinead O'Connor/Tony Bennett August: Bob Barker September: Steve Harwell/Michael Gambon October: Matthew Perry November: Henry Kissinger/Rosalynn Carter December: Norman Lear/Sandra Day O'Connor

2/1/2024 39 Barry Ryan---Eloise 35 The Beach Boys---God Only Knows +4 31 The Kinks--- All Day And All Of The Night 21 The Kinks---Waterloo Sunset -6 14 The Spencer Davis Group--- Gimme Some Lovin'

Augustus II of Poland died on this day 291 years ago, aged 62. - Augustus was German, and the son of the elector of Saxony. He succeeded his older brother John George IV in that position, as Frederick Augustus I, in 1694. - In 1697, Augustus became the king of Poland following the death of John III- he was elected into the monarchy, and had to convert to Catholicism (as he was a Lutheran). He waged war on Sweden (ruled by his cousin Charles XII), only for them to invade Saxony in 1706 and oust him from the throne, replacing him with king Stanislaw I. - Sweden's king would be exiled after being defeated by the Russians in battle in 1709, and Peter the Great would help restore Augustus to the throne. Poland effectively became a client state to Russia during this time, with Peter making demands that made the Polish nobility favor him, and threatened Augustus with military invasion if the goals he set for him were not met. - In his spare time, Augustus was a patron of the arts, particularly of statues and ornate architecture. He also had an affinity for porcelain items, whether it be plates, vases, or figurines. - Augustus' epithet is "the Strong", obviously due to his strength. He was reportedly able to break horseshoes with his bare hands, and held and participated a competition where live animals were slingshot into the air- over 600 foxes and 500 rabbits were killed that day. - Augustus also sired many illegitimate children- reportedly almost 400. He had only one legitimate child- his son and successor Augustus III. - Augustus lost his strength in later years, as he developed and died from type 2 diabetes.