August 7th is the birthday

… of Nathanael Greene, born on this date in 1742. Greene was a major general in the American army during the Revolutionary War and was the primary architect of American success in the south.

… of Billie Burke, known to most of us as Glinda the Good Witch of the North, born on August 7th in 1884. Ms. Burke was nominated for an Academy Award in 1938 for her performance in Merrily We Live. Earlier she had been a musical star on Broadway and was married to Florenz Ziegfeld 1914-1932 (his death). That’s her in the photo.

… of archaeologist Louis Leakey, born August 7, 1903. Leakey was instrumental in research on human evolutionary development in Africa.

… of Ralph Bunche, born on this date in 1904.

Like his world, Dr. Bunche was a man of many faces and talents, full of paradox and struggle. By training and temperament, he was an ideal international civil servant, a black man of learning and experience open to men and ideas of all shades.

At the United Nations, he had been a key diplomat for more than two decades since his triumphal success in negotiating the difficult 1949 armistice between the new state of Israel and the Arab states.

As the architect of the Palestine accord, he won the Nobel Peace Prize of 1950.

The New York Times obituary for Bunche, 1971

… of comedian, satirist, voice actor, and maker of some of the great commercials, Stan Freberg, 85 today. His satirical version of Dragnet still resonates with anyone who ever watched that cop show.

… of the Amazing Randi, 83 today. James Randi, born Randall James Hamilton Zwinge, retired as a magician at age 60. Since he has investigated claims of the paranormal and supernatural — what he calls “woo-woo.”

The James Randi Educational Foundation was founded in 1996 to help people defend themselves from paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. The JREF offers a still-unclaimed million-dollar reward for anyone who can produce evidence of paranormal abilities under controlled conditions. Through scholarships, workshops, and innovative resources for educators, the JREF works to inspire this investigative spirit in a new generation of critical thinkers.

We need your help to create a world where everyone has access to the tools of science and critical thinking, and charlatans can’t get rich by deceiving people. You can make a difference by becoming a member, taking action with us to stop paranormal and pseudoscientific frauds, or joining us at the Amaz!ng Meeting, the world’s premier gathering of skeptical thinkers.

James Randi Educational Foundation

… of Don Larsen, only pitcher to throw a perfect game (or no-hitter) in the World Series (1956), 82 today.

… of Gary Edward “Garrison” Keillor, born in Anoka (not Lake Wobegon), Minnesota, 69 years ago today.

… of Steve Martin, born in Waco, Texas (but grew up near Disneyland), 66 years ago today.

… of Newman. Actor Wayne Knight is 56 today. He was also the bad guy computer programmer in Jurassic Park.

… of Oscar winner, for Monster, Charlize Theron, born in South Africa, 36 years ago today.

Patrick Bouvier Kennedy was born 48 years ago today to the President and Mrs. Kennedy. The child died two days later.