And Now For Something Completely Juvenile.

It's my birthday today, so "Pffthh pffthh pffthh pfffthh to me!!"

I don't share a birthday with very many 'famous' people that I am familiar with, except for the delightful Stephen Fry, actors Rupert Grint (yes, he WAS a perfect Ron Weasley, but wonder what he'll be up to in 10 years time), and Kenny Baker, the man inside R2D2.

A number of important and earth-shattering events happened on August 24. Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79, Windows95 was released (duh! 1995), Pluto was downgraded from full-fledged 'planet' (2006), Thomas Edison patented the movie camera (1891), Mark David Chapman was sentenced to prison (1981), Charles Darwin was asked to travel on the HMS Beagle (1831).

August 24th is also International Day Against Intolerance, Discrimination and Violence Based on Musical Preferences, Lifestyle and Dress Code, a cause I can definitely get behind. The date was picked because it was the day in 2007 that Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend were attacked in the UK, and she was killed, all because they were dressed in Goth fashion. The Romanian Humanist Association took up the cause and created the Black Cat Campaign, and it is observed on August 24 since 2009.

As for local events, today marks the breaking of the record (standing since 1925) for most days in a year (in Central Austin) when the temperature is 100°F (37.7°C) or more - with 70 days -- but the record will continue to be broken every day for possibly the next month. July just broke the record for the hottest month... ever... and August is topping it.

Tomorrow I am celebrating by taking the day off work (sleeping well past 4:30AM -- Yaaay) and going in the afternoon to Waterloo Records to see one of my current favorite bands, Dawes. That's about it. Oh yeah, and staying in the A/C as much as possible (hope they don't form a waiting line outside in the heat of the day when it's 105°).

Gah! No end in sight. Looks like a cloudy day coming up next week, but I'll believe it when I see it. via weather.com