Konnisha wa!! Well...I'm back from Japan. I've been back for some time now but I haven't gotten over my terrible jet lag yet completely and didn't want to worry about posting. Now that I have semi-gotten under control my sense of what day and time it is I thought I would finally update the blog. Look for a post a week. I'm going to continue using the emails I sent everyone to base my posts off of. My blog posts might contain a few surprises here and there that I didnt' talk about in my emails and of course what you all want to see PICTURES!
Alrighty then on with the post...
Showers, Squid and the Sea of Steve Oh My!
Many of you wrote to me while I was in Japan asking why showering was interesting in Japan. Well... I don't know if this is true of all Japanese homes but in Erin's apartment she has an entire room devoted to just the shower and bath. This room is about 25 square feet. Now you first walk into the sink and laundry room. To the right of this room is the bath and shower. To enter the shower you have to step up about a foot and open a water tight door. Once inside you see the tub against the wall. This is a larger tub almost like a one person hot tub in the USA but not as big. The shower is actually a long hose with the shower head at the end.
This entire room has drains in the floor everywhere. The cool thing is actually on the tub itself. You turn it on like you would a television set to get hot water. Once you press the blue button (shown in this picture) a Japanese voice comes on and says something but I don't know what she says. On this dial you can set the temperature of the water, 30 to 40 degree Celsius is about right for a shower. 
Then you turn a knob to make the water come out of either the tub or the shower nozzle and you have a shower while standing on the floor of this large room. I always felt like I needed to lean over the tub though because I didn't want to get water all over the floor. I had to keep reminding myself that the whole room is a shower and I didn't have to do this.
Now what is most interesting about this tub contraption is when you make a bath. The tub actually sings to you as it is filling up with water. Since it is computerized the tub automatically knows when it is full of water and the Japanese lady comes on and says the "tub is done gushing" in Japanese (I had to ask what she said this time). Actually she says, "It is nearly done gushing" first so that you can prepare to come in and then a few moments later she comes on and says, "It is done gushing." According to Erin, Japanese first clean themselves by taking a shower and everyone in the family does so. 
Then they run the bath and each person takes a turn in the tub and they share the same water. It is a place to relax and become warm. Erin however told me that I could take a bath with soap if I wanted to. I just can't get over how amazing the tub is. It sings to you as it is filling up and automatically shuts off. So amazing. I think the best is being able to set the temperature of the water to your exact liking. Tomorrow I think I'll go for a 37 degree Celsius shower. But you know Wednesday it might be warmer outside so I think I'll have a colder shower of 32 degrees. In America you could never do this but here it is as simple as pressing a button.
Now on with today (Monday, July 3). Today I experienced life completely on my own in a foreign country. Erin had to go to work and Felix had to meet a client of his. In the morning Felix showed me how to get to and from the train station so that I was comfortable making that trip. He also showed me how to go to a supermarket and a 99 yen store. 
At the 99 yen store I bought a couple of sandwiches and those rice sandwiches (onijiri) that were really good for lunch. After that, Felix gave me a map, a cell phone (in case I did get lost) and he waved goodbye.
Then it was just me, a blonde headed, backpack wielding, sandal footed, no Japanese speaking, man meandering about. It was amazing! Now I truly know what it feels like to be alone and how hard everyday tasks are if you can't understand a language. It really has made me appreciate life so much more.
Now completely on my own, I headed for the train station because it seemed so easy when I went with Erin and Felix. However by myself it took a little more concentration of the map and trying to find where I was by matching the Japanese Kanji and Katakana characters. 
This really wasn't too difficult and I got off of the first train at Nishinomiya, the main station. Here written nicely in English but not every station was this kind.
I wanted to familiarize myself with the area around Nishinomiya station since it is a main station that I came to and it leads to almost every other station I would need.
I went out about on the streets making sure that I remembered each right and left turn I made so that I could go back. I tried to find a shop of some kind but mostly this area was residential. They did have a KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) that I walked by. I looked at the pictures on the menu and I really don't think that they serve that kind of stuff in Kentucky. After walking around there for awhile I went back to the train station and took the Omeda Express train.
Now they have many types of trains. Express trains go fast and skip a lot of in between stations and just go to major ones. Then they have local trains that stop at each station and some other trains that I haven't been on and probably won't ever go on because I might end up in Tokyo if I'm not careful and I don't want to do that.
Ok so I thought that Omeda was the place that I went to yesterday where I purchased a bunch of T-shirts at a covered street mall area but it turns out it was in the complete opposite direction. However, for me, Omeda looked just like this other place because it too had a covered street mall area just off of the train station. I wandered about this area trying to find the UniQlo store that I found all those 500 yen shirts at but I couldn't find it.
As I was walking down the covered street, I looked down a side street and saw some flashing lit up signs. This seemed like an interesting street to go check out so I headed off that way. As I was walking, I began to notice that these signs had Japanese woman on them in scantily clad clothing and seductive poses. I thought that hmm this is very strange maybe an advertisement of some sort. Then about in the middle of this street I came to a building that on the side was writing in English "Sexy Live Show." Oh my! I have found the dark side of Japan. Really though it wasn't that bad but I quickly made my way back to the covered street mall.
Here I found a shoe store that was selling these really interesting wooden sandals. I bought two pairs of these as gifts for other people because they look so cool. A block of sanded down wood molded to a shape for your foot. Very very cool. Erin said she loves them too.
After that, I headed back to the train station because it was nearly lunch time and I wanted to eat my sandwiches. Once back at the Omeda station I couldn't find the Express train back to Nishonimiya. I waited and waited at the place that I was sure that I got off of but no train ever said Express Nishonimiya. Now I started to get a little concerned because I thought I had become disoriented especially after going through that "Sexy street." I finally followed my gut instinct and just took a local train in the direction that I was sure that I came from because I didn't want to get on an Express train and then be really far away if I was wrong.
I made the right choice. However because I took the local train it meant that I had to stop at all the local stations in between Omeda and Nishonimiya. I got off at one of these in between stations and decided that I would find a park to eat my sandwiches at. This became an adventure because I didn't know where a park was located at and I didn't know how to ask directions to a park. Heck I can only say Konnisha wa (Hello), domo arigato (thank you), ohayo (good morning), sumi masen (excuse me), hai (yes), and iee (no) but you never so no in Japanese because it just isn't polite. If someone asks you if you like something and you really don't like it, you say things like "maybe next time" or "I'm not sure" but you never say no. Anyway that was a long way to say that I couldn't ask directions to a park.
Ok so I just walked in a straight line and hoped that I would run into something... anything that resembled a park. I walked and I walked. I walked some more. Japanese people walked by and smiled and bowed their heads at me. I continued to walk by apartments and stores and canals. No parks. Finally I saw an area of trees ahead of me. I thought large trees must equal a large area of some sort maybe even a park so I went over to it. It turns out this was some kind of school yard. They had a large area to play soccer on but it wasn't grass but dirt. They did have a bench so I sat there and ate my sandwiches.
Then I headed back to Erin's apartment. Felix called and said that he was back there and I needed a little nap because I woke up at 3am (due to jet lag) and couldn't sleep for about an hour and the birds woke me up early after I went to sleep again at about 5am. I'm a light sleeper. Once I got to the apartment though I wasn't tired so Felix and I went to the post office because he had to pay bills. Then we went to the market and bought some dinner for tonight. He got some fish that looked like a zebra and this weird looking package with some sort of yellowish white thing in it that I had no idea what it was.
Back at the apartment I started writing this email and he prepared the fish and this yellowish white thing that turned out to be a vegetable but I still didn't know what it was. Then Erin came home and we had this small dinner. It was very good and the yellowish white thing turned out to be very delicious. Erin said it might be translated to English as a pickled radish. I love it soo much. Mmm very good and very tasty.
After this dinner I began typing away at this email and then decided that I would take a nap finally. I had Erin show me how to run a bath first. This is how I knew that it sings to you and was very relaxing. Then I took a long nap until about 8pm.
At eight, we decided to go to a sushi restaurant. Now this was quite an experience. The sushi goes around on a moving track and you pick off little colored plates of what sushi you want. The colored plates determine the price that you pay. A gold colored plate is the most expensive and yellow was the least amount. The prices arranged from 600 yen plates to 100 yen plates. Felix and Erin picked out many dishes for me to sample and they were all good. The raw tuna was really good. It melts in your mouth. I also had raw squid. Yes raw rubbery slimy squid. Ha! It wasn't too bad. Just like rubber. Quite an experience. I had to give it a go.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Back from Japan
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Sunday in Kobe
The next morning was Sunday and I awoke to pouring rain. Maybe pouring isn't the correct term however because it dumped. We went out in the rain with umbrellas to go to a church service. Erin and Felix go to an amazing church here called Kobe Union Church. The service is in English so I could understand. The pastor is actually from Hawaii. I met a French guy at church. He was extremely excited parler to me and he is from Nice, France.
The town of Kobe, where the church is located, is very mountainous. It reminded me of Alaska with all the green and mountains.
After church Erin and I went to a supermarket to just give me the experience of what they are like.
In Japan they drive on the opposite side of the road and thus the driver is on the right. It takes some getting used to especially when crossing the street because you have to look the other way first before crossing.
The trains are very fast and interesting because they go everywhere.
Then we went to a China town and I bought a Jackie Chan style shirt. I also had some Taiwanese ice-cream. Absolutely amazing. The man mixed the ice-cream with a large spoon and it was like taffy because it stretched out as he lifted it up.
Though the heat isn't too bad here. Erin tells me that since it's been raining it hasn't been extremely hot yet. The humidity is not bad either. I little humid and wet feeling most of the day. I would compare it to Seattle with maybe a little more humidity and instead of misty rain, it pours here.
Oh oh OH!!!! Coming home we went to a supermarket to pick up some food for tonight and they had watermelon pop-cicles. Shaped like a watermelon slice and with a unique flavor. The black seeds of the watermelon were actually little pieces of chocolate. I wish I could send the flavor to you all.
I did sooo much today that I missed talking about like eating at Mos Burger and about taking a shower. They were all good and interesting. I'll have more tales to tell everyone once I get back.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Flying to the land of the rising sun
I can't hardly believe it....I'm in Japan!
(The following is a glorified version of my emails with pictures and more descriptions. If you aren't receiving my emails from Japan and would like to then please leave a comment with your address and I'll add you to my ever growing list)
My cousin Erin took this picture on her phone. We're on a bus from Osaka, Japan to her apartment in Nishinomiya, Japan! This is after my long loooooong flight and after worshipping being on the ground!
(left to right) Felix, Steven and Erin
My flights were great. There is nothing like flying. Everytime I go I get one of those warm fuzzy feelings the first time we take off. Here's a picture of my United Airlines plane that I took from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles at 6am in the morning.
I landed in Los Angeles at 6:48am due to a time change. Nearly an hour flight. Then I had a seven hour layover until my flight to Japan. Seven hours is a long time. I thought about going to the beach but the Los Angeles airport was such a zoo and I worried that I wouldn't be able to find my way back if I took a bus to the beach. I decided instead to take a free shuttle ride to the hotel Marriott and to just rest in their nice air conditioned lobby.
Once I arrived at the Marriott I walked around the building and somehow found a way to their swimming pool and outdoor commons area. This was perfect! They had lounge chairs that folded down flat and I just slept their most of the day in preparation for my 15 hour time change difference in Japan.
I took the free shuttle back to the zoo I mean airport with three hours to get my boarding pass and go past security. Luckily I needed every second because when I arrived I saw this.
Now multiply this by a quadrupleton and that's how many people were in front of me. This picture is towards the end once I could actually see the electronic signs for Japan Airlines that reassured me I hadn't stood in that line in haste for some other company.
Standing in line to receive my boarding pass took nearly two hours.
Then going through security took another 45 minutes. Finally I arrived at my gate to see the giant Japanese Airline plane that I would be sitting on for over 12 hours. Oh yeah double decker baby!
The flight was interesting. On the back of the seats was an LCD screen that you could play games on and view cameras from outside the plane and also see your flight progress including outside air temperature.
I had a window seat. There were three seats on the edges and 5 in the middle of the plane.
We flew up the coast of the western US
They fed me very well on the plane. Three main course meals and the bread was amazing! It was sweet and different from US bread because the texture was more chewy. All the bread in Japan is more chewy and wow I love it sooo much.
I sat next to an older Korean guy that was very talkative. However, I couldn't understand a thing that he said but somehow we both managed by gesturing a lot. I taught him how to play solitaire on the little LCD screen on the back of the airline seats. They had a remote control that also functioned as a game controller. Somehow by pointing and by playing a game on my screen he figured out that red goes on black and visa versa and that king, queen, etc comes next. The game made this more easier to learn because obviously it wouldn't allow you to put a card where it didn't belong. Then he showed me how to eat and what to do with all the sauces and things that you pour on the noodles and salads.
I slept periodically on the flight but I wanted to make sure that I didn't sleep through passing over the International Date Line. Once I passed over it I did a little cheer and took a picture.
I was the only person to give a little wOOt and I think everyone else must either travel over it a lot or were sleeping so they didn't care. I however thought it was fun to pass into the future like that. In so doing though, I effectively lost a day of my life. In some sense I lost two days of my life because flying all day from 6am to 2pm on Friday and then after crossing the line it became Saturday at about 2pm. So about 12 hours of my life are gone. I'll never experience those until I regain those hours coming back the opposite way.
My first view of Japan.
I landed in Japan at about 6pm and then Erin and Felix met me there after I went through customs and foreign passport inspection. The flight was long. 12 hours with little leg room.
Then we took a long bus ride to Nishinomiya station. I dropped off all my luggage at her lovely apartment and then we went to a little Japanese restaurant around the corner. I had some ginger-pork and a little croquette which is actually French. Also miso soup and a salad. Then I fell asleep. I don't have jet lag too bad because I slept during my 7 hour layover in Los Angeles.
The sun sets in the land of the rising sun.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Kon-nishi-wa I'm going to Japan
Remember last summer when I wanted to go somewhere, anywhere in the world besides Mexica and Canada? Well... now that dream, that desire, that yearning of mine is no longer because now it is complete tangible reality!
That's right, I'm going to Japan!
I can't quite believe it myself. I just purchased tickets and I will leave the country on June 30th.
So why Japan, some of you may ask? Well... I had originally planned to go to Russia to visit my friend Andrey who was a foreign exchange student at my college. He kindly asked me to come visit him in his mother country. So before school was out for the summer I put in a request to get my passport and got information ready to send in a VISA. The kind courthouse clerk assured me I would recieve my passport in four to six weeks. Then I waited. Waited. Still w-a-i-t-e-d. I checked the mailbox everyday but nothing was addressed to me but credit card applications. Six weeks passed, still no passport. I was getting extremely worried becuase they had my original birth certificate. What if it's lost?
Then a bombshell hit. I was watching the five o'clock news. "Breaking news! Severe thunderstorms and wind gusts wreck havok on Interstate 80. We'll now go live to the scene." The camera pans across the road showing multiple tractor trailers off the road and many of them were overturned but there was one in particular the camera decided to zoom in on. It was a United States Postal Service truck, overturned on its belly and ripped open. Mail and packages were spewn about, covered in mud or blowing away. I thought for sure that my birth certificate and passport were among the victims fleeing the scene or drowning in a puddle of rain and mud. I even convinced myself that one paper in particular was my birth certificate.
Fortunately, my passport arrived addressed to me clear of mud and rain about half-a-week later. Thank goodness for the slogan, "Neither rain, nor snow, nor heat, nor gloom of night" shall keep Steven's birth certificate and passport away from him. Now I have it. It was time to tell Andrey and then apply for my VISA.
Then another bombshell hit.
Andrey informed me that he is going to get married this summer. He had told me he was going to get married before but he didn't think he would be getting married until the fall or even later. Now he is getting married in the summer. However, he still told me to come to Russia. So I kept Russia hopes alive until I visited the Russian VISA application page. Almost seven weeks to get a passport and now I will have to wait to get a VISA and it requires so much information. I emailed him back and told him that I wouldn't be able to go until July or August. Then he wrote back and said that August is his wedding date and July wouldn't be so great because he is taking summer college classes and is busy most of the day. It was then that I thought that maybe I should think of going somewhere else.
The sun rises in the East.
Japan! The thought came to me. My cousin Erin is teaching English there and lives near Osaka, Japan with her new husband Felix. During her wedding last summer she urged everyone to come visit them while they will still be living there during her two year English teaching stint. This was my one and only chance if there ever was one to visit Japan.
I quickly emailed her and called my Uncle David and Aunt Brenda (her parents) about traveling to Japan. Everyone thought it would be great and I didn't need a VISA just a passport. My cousin Erin thought it would be wonderful too but she said to come during the first part of July because in August both Erin and Felix will be coming back here to visit family and friends and because Felix's younger brother, James who happens to be my age, will also be visiting them during that time. That would allow me to meet him and to have a traveling partner, although he doesn't speak Japanese either (that I know of). I think it will be fun to have a Chinese and an American wandering around Japan while neither of us can speak the language.
All this happened two days ago and yesterday I purchased the plane tickets. It was a quick decision but one that I have been wanting to make for a long time.
I am going to Japan! Whoo hoo!
Notes:
Felix married my cousin Erin. He and his family are from Hong Kong but Felix now lives in Japan with my cousin Erin. Felix is his American name. I'm not sure of his Chinese name.
Kon-nishi-wa means Hello in Japanese
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
My two cents on the quarter
First let me apologize to the readers of my blog for not posting in over a month and I know it's been over 4 weeks but I'm still working on the surprise so Hakuna Matata. Until then here is a post for you to devour. So now without further ado.....
Edit: Surprise!!! Brand spankin' new, awesome and incredible design for your viewing pleasure. Hakuna Matata no longer.
CHEYENNE -- Gov. Dave Freudenthal unveiled the final design for Wyoming's state quarter Friday, and the initial reaction from some residents was a resounding, “duh.”
“Did anybody think we were going to do something different than the bucking horse?” asked Cheyenne resident Eileen Calhoon after viewing a picture of the design.
The quarter will feature a silhouette of the state's trademark bucking horse and rider beside the words, “The Equality State.”
The state's name arches over the top of the coin, along with the year it entered the union, 1890. The bottom edge bears the coin production year -- 2007 -- and the Latin expression, "E Pluribus Unum." Read the entire article here
Duh? I frankly was not one who had a resounding duh! My resounding came in the form of, "What the _____!
“Did anybody think we were going to do something different than the bucking horse?”
Om yeah, ME... ME ME ME ME!
Oh I just can't believe it! Wyoming's state quarter is going to be so boring.
Just look at other state quarters. One of the first state quarters that came out is still one of my favorites. Connecticut's quarter is so beautiful and I can get lost in all those intricut tree limbs...Wow. 
But from what I have just read, Wyoming's state quarter will look something like this.
The most insipid design ever, wouldn't you agree? Come on Wyoming let's be serious. There is already a state with a horse and rider on their quarter. Delaware was the first state and their design of a horse and rider has much more depth than just a silhouette and they had less time to come up with a design. We've had more than seven years and the University of Wyoming logo is all we could come up with!!!
Please I could throw something together in less than ten minutes that would represent Wyoming better. The majestic Grand Tetons are something to behold by all people. I am especially fond of the mountains and so here is what I envision Wyoming's State quarter to be engraved as.
But Wyoming is dumb and the residents spoke with a resounding, "Duh" that they want to see the bucking horse and rider. Well, well "Duh" Wyoming residents, why not be honest and show true aspects of your great "Equality State?"
That's right. I think this quarter represents Wyoming perfectly. Now this quarter is something I would be mighty proud to flash off as I buy some chewin' tobaccey along with my fellow Wyominites because our great state gave women the right to vote before the 19th Amendment. Because of this our state became known as "The Equality State." Or was that really how we got our nickname? Could it be....?
Mmmmm.... Wouldn't you just love to fondle that quarter? Hey it even has a cowboy on it. No wait two of them. *Drools* That's more than what we get with the approved design of the bucking horse and one rider logo. "Duh" that is so cool.
Ahh ok ok, now that I have gotten this off of my chest I decided to exercise my civic right. I contacted Governor Freudenthal right away to let him know what I thought of the design he approved.
Governor Freudenthal,
I recently read an article in my local newspaper that you have approved the design for the Wyoming state quarter. I have to say that though the bucking horse and cowboy is an image that represents Wyoming culture well, I was a little disappointed that the design doesn't have any interesting qualities. Frankly it is flat out boring and rather dull compared to other state's quarters. Personally, I would like to have our quarter be something that others pick up and say, "Wow that's amazing!" but with the current design I believe others including myself will just pass it off as nothing exciting.
My suggestions to improve the quarter now would be to give it more depth. I would start by giving full detail to the horse and cowboy and to add a background. An engraving of the majestic Teton Mountains, Old Faithful or of Devils Tower behind the bucking horse and cowboy would add a richness and fullness to the design, not to mention being a place to freely advertise these great features of our state to tourists. This will surely give the Wyoming quarter more life and I hope that you will consider it.
Sincerely,
Steven Held
I sent that email on Monday and two days later I received a reply.
Dear Steven Held,
I received your email about the state quarter design. I want to thank you for contacting me and I appreciate your concerns. Unfortunately I have already approved the design in question and it is now with the U.S. Treasury for final approval.
My offices sponsored a state quarter design drive and most of the Wyoming residents sent in ideas centered around the bucking horse and rider with only a few recommendations of such landmarks like the Grand Tetons and Old Faithful. With such overwhelming support I decided to make the bucking horse and rider a part of our state quarter.
However, you have brought up a good argument to combine those elements of Wyoming. I might be able to take your ideas to the U.S. Treasury before their artists strike the final proof. The U.S. Treasury is still awaiting special approval to use the bucking horse and rider logo since it is a state trademark and University of Wyoming logo and the image can't be used on the quarter without express written consent by these institutions.
Steven, I'll see what I can do but I must also keep the other residents of Wyoming in mind and they want to see the bucking horse and rider logo.
Sincerely,
Governor Dave Freudenthal
Residents who said, "Duh" wouldn't you rather have this be your state quarter?
I hope so.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Gesundheit
What’s so special about a sneeze?
The other day, I sneezed and someone said, "God bless you!" And I thought why do we say that? Why do we say God bless you, Gesundheit or salud only for a sneeze and not a thing for other involuntary activities such as coughing or burping?
A long time ago, people thought that when someone sneezed, they might accidentally sneeze their soul out of their nose. To keep the soul in the body people would bless them. I think that it would be nice if we said, "God bless you!" all the time, not just when we sneezed. How about when someone does anything wrong or out of the ordinary. Like that time I broke the window as a kid or just a few hours ago when a blue car cut me off, I could've said "God bless you!" instead of honking at him. I mean seriously, the guy could've lost his soul by the way he was driving.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this other than the fact that I'm delaying studying for my finals and for the fact that I haven't posted in almost a month. Anyway, it is still nice to bless someone when they sneeze. It's especially uplifting when walking down the street and a total stranger will sneeze and I will automatically say, "God bless you." They usually smile and say, "Thank you".
Even strangers appreciate someone who is concerned about their souls. Ah-chooooooooooooo!
Side note:
Look for the Sea of Steve to change a few things in the upcoming weeks, maybe two weeks, hopefully not three and if I go to four then assume that I will not be doing it. What is it? Here is a tiny bitty peak.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
My 21st
Today I turn 21! I cannot believe it. I've lived 21 years. Wow....
Now for something interesting, besides my birthday of course, that will happen today. Are you guys ready? Ok, set your watches and alarms to go off at one o'clock today. Make sure that you are ready at 1:02PM and 3 seconds. Why you ask? Because at exactly that time it will be 01:02.03 of 04/05/06! Isn't that awesome!? Too bad I'm not turning 7! Ok..ok if that wasn't amazing enough then you may like reading through this list famous people that were born on April 5th. I hadn't realized all the artists and composers before.
1588 Thomas Hobbes England, philosopher (Leviathan)
1595 John Wilson composer
1598 Laurentius Erhard composer
1626 Jan van Kessel Flemish painter
1643 Charles V Leopold Duke of Lorraine/fieldmarshal in Austria
1649 Elihu Yale England, philanthropist founded Yale
1698 Georg Gottfried Wagner composer
1725 Giacomo Casanova Italian writer/philanderer/adventurer (uncertain)
1727 Pasquale Ankossi composer
1732 Jean-Honoré Fragonard France, painter
1752 Sébastien Erard piano/harp manufacturer
1784 Ludwig [Louis] Spohr Germany, violin virtuoso/composer (Faust)
1788 Franz Pforr German painter/cartoonist (Lukasbund)
1795 Sir Henry Havelock British soldier (War in Afghánistán 1838-39)
1799 Vincenzo Fioravanti composer
1811 Jules Dupré landscape painter
1818 Lewis Baldwin Parsons Brevet Major General (Union volunteers)
1820 Nadar [Félix Tournachon] French painter/cartoonist/author/ballonist
1822 James Nagle Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1866
1824 Sydney Thompson Dobell poet (The Roman)
1825 David Rumph "Neighbor" Jones Major General (Confederate Army)
1827 Joseph Lister England, physician (founded aseptic surgery)
1828 Pietro Plantania composer
1830 Alexander Muir Lesmahagow Scotland, poet (The Maple Leaf Forever)
1832 Jules-François Camille Ferry French statesman
1837 Algernon Charles Swinburne England, poet (Atalanta in Calydon)
1838 Alpheus Hyatt US, invertebrate paleontologist
1839 Robert Smalls Beaufort SC, black congressman 1875-87 (Representative-SC)
1839 Stanislaw Pilinski composer
1845 Jules M Cambon French Governor-General of Algeria/ambassador
1853 Alfonso Randano composer
1854 Vicente Goicoechea Errasti composer
1856 Booker Taliaferro Washington pioneer educator (1st black on US stamp)
1857 Alexander-Jozef von Battenberg ruler of Bulgaria (1879-86)
1859 Wilhelm Harteveld composer
1862 Louis Ganne composer
1868 J F "Flooi" Du Toit cricketer (one Test South Africa 1892)
1869 Albert Roussel Tourcoing France, composer (Rapsodie Flamande)
1869 Karl Wagenfeld Low German writer (Daud un Düwel)
1871 Jeanne Bougeois [La Mistinguette], artist (French revue)
1876 Viktor Patrick Vretblad composer
1882 Don Blackie cricketer (Australian off-spinner in 1928-29 yes, age 46)
1885 Dimitrie Cuclin composer
1886 Jacques Handschin Swiss musicologist (Der Toncharakter)
1890 Fie Carelsen Dutch actress (Malle Gervallen)
1893 Clas Thunberg Finland, speed skater (Olympics-gold-1924, 28)
1893 Pál Szabó Hungarian farmer/author (Talpalatnyi Föld)
1899 William Hornby Steer barrister/judge
19-- Chao Li Chi actor (Falcon Crest)
19-- Cindy Weintraub New York NY, actress (Terry-Baker's Dozen)
19-- Shawn Stevens Morristown NJ, actor (Oliver Martin-Days of Our Lives)
19-- Willy Chirino Spanish singer
1900 Spencer Tracy Milwaukee WI, actor (Father's Little Dividend, Adam's Rib)
1901 Chester Bowles Massachusetts, ambassador/writer (Conscience of a Liberal)
1901 Melvyn Douglas [Hesselberg] Macon GA, actor (Hud, Ghost Story)
1901 Alexander Alexeieff Russian/French painter/graphic artist
1903 Thomas Baron Pitfield composer
1905 Bill Raisch one armed actor (Fred Johnson-Fugitive)
1905 Jef Maes composer
1906 Arthur Guy Clutton-Brock English agronomist
1907 J Zeldenrust Dutch pathologist/anatomist
1908 Bette Davis Lowell MA, famous eyes (Of Human Bondage, Jezebel)
1908 George Schick Prague Czechoslovakia, conductor (Chicago Symphony)
1908 Grady Sutton Chattanooga TN, actor (Pruitts of South Hampton)
1908 Herbert von Karajan Austria, Berlin Philharmonic conductor/Nazi
1908 Mary Hemingway writer (Ernest Hemmingway Biography)
1909 Alberto Romero "Cubby" Broccoli New York NY, film producer (James Bond)
1909 Gerald Bond cricketer (one Test South Africa vs England 1938, 0 & 0-16)
1911 Goddard Lieberson Hanley Staffordshire England, recording exec
1911 Gordon Jones Alden IA, actor (Mike the Cop-Abbott & Costello)
1912 John Le Mesurier Bedford England, actor (Jabberwocky, Dad's Army)
1913 Alan Cheales dominican priest
1914 Frederick Angus Armstrong journalist
1916 Gregory Peck La Jolla CA, actor (To Kill a Mockingbird, MacArthur)
1916 Baroness Delacourt-Smith of Alteryn
1916 Bernard Baily comic artist
1917 Richard Yardumian Philadelphia PA, composer (Come Creator Spirit)
1917 Robert [Albert] Bloch US, sci-fi author (Hugo, Psycho)
1919 Sir Douglas Henley British auditor-general
1920 Arthur Hailey Luton England, novelist (Hotel, Airport)
1920 Barend Biesheuvel Dutch premier (1971-73)
1921 Lady Fisher founder (British Women Caring Trust)
1921 Robert Q Lewis New York NY, TV host (Masquerade Party, Robert Q Lewis Show)
1921 Les Jackson cricket bowler (England twice, 1949 & 1961)
1922 Christopher Hewett Worthing Sussex England, actor (Mr Belvedere, The Producers)
1922 Gale Storm Bloomington TX, actress (My Little Margie, Gale Storm Show)
1922 Tom Finney British soccer star
1922 Harry Freedman composer
1923 Nguyen Van Thieu president of South Vietnam (1965-75)
1923 Stanley Orme chairman (British Labour Party)
1923 Ernest Mandel Belgian philosopher/economist
1923 Michael V Gazzo Hillside NJ, actor (Cookie, Fear City)
1924 Mart Kempers Dutch graphic artist/sculptor
1925 Oldrich Flosman composer
1926 Roger Corman Detroit MI, producer/director (Little Shop of Horrors)
1926 Milton O Thompson astronaut (Dynasoar, X-15)
1927 John Gilbert MP
1928 Will Gaines jazz dancer
1928 David Farquhar Andress composer
1928 Michael Bryant London England, actor (Sakharov, Girly)
1928 Peter Moore Principal (London Business School)
1928 Tony Williams Elizabeth NJ, singer (Platters-Only You, Harbor Lights)
1929 Nigel Hawthorne actor (Tartuffe, Pope John Paul II)
1929 Hugo Claus Flemish writer/director (Cool Lover, Sugar)
1931 Denis Lawton director (London University Institute of Education)
1934 Frank Gorshin Pittsburgh PA, impressionist/actor (Riddler-Batman)
1934 Tina Maria Stone runner (1 year distance record of 15,472 miles)
1934 Stanley Turrentine jazz saxophonist (Wonderland)
1935 Donald Lynden-Bell British astronomer
1935 Peter Grant rock band manager
1936 John Albert professor (Master of University College Oxford)
1936 John White composer
1936 Michael Livesay British Admiral/president (RN College Greenwich)
1937 Colin Powell Bronx NY, General/advisor to President George Bush (Nat Security Affairs)/Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989-93)/Secretary of State (2001- )
1937 Stuart May senior partner (Theodore Goddard)
1938 Colin Bland cricketer (South African bat Maybe the best cover field)
1938 Ronald Anthony White Jr singer
1939 David Winters London England, choreographer (Steve Allen Comedy Hour)
1939 Lonnie White vocalist (Smokey Robinson & Miracles-Shop Around)
1939 Andrew Buxton CEO (Barclays Bank)
1940 Aliza Kashi Israel, actress/singer (Merv Griffin regular)
1941 David LaFlamme New Britain CT, electric violinist (It's a Beautiful Day)
1941 Michael Moriarty Detroit MI, actor (Ben Stone-Law & Order, Bang the Drum Slowly, Q, Stuff)
1941 Dave Swarbrick rocker (Fairport Convention)
1941 Eric Burdon England, rocker (Animals-House of the Rising Sun)
1941 Roman Balayan Nerke Azerbaijan, director (Filer, Biryuk)
1942 Allan Clarke Salford Lancashire England, rock vocalist (Hollies-The Air That I Breathe)
1942 Arthur Barrett cricketer (West Indies leggie early 70's)
1943 Jonathan Lynn Bath England, actor (Danny-Doctor in the House)
1943 Max Gail Detroit MI, actor (Barney Miller, Whiz Kids, DC Cab, Normal People)
1944 Dave Holland heavy metal rocker (Judas Priest-Breakin' the Law)
1944 Ann [Elizabeth] Maxwell US, sci-fi author (Jaws of Menx)
1944 Crispian St Peters rocker
1944 James Buckley CEO (Baltic Exchange)
1944 Nicholas Caldwell rocker (Whispers)
1944 Peter T King (Representative-Republican-NY)
1944 Willeke van Ammelrooy Amsterdam, actress (Cidke de Rat, Antonia)
1946 Jane Asher Paul McCartney's former girlfriend/actress (Deep End)
1946 Jennifer Penney ballerina
1946 Larry Frederick Wendt composer
1946 Robert E McKee CEO/managing director (Conoco-UK)
1949 Dr Judith Arlene Resnik Akron OH, astronaut (STS 41D, 51L-Chal disaster)
1950 Agnetha Fältskog Jonkoping Sweden, rocker (ABBA-Waterloo)
1950 Franklin R Chang-Diaz Costa Rica, PhD/astronaut (STS 61C, 34,46,60,75)
1950 Mildred Douglas Surinames/Dutch singer (Mai Tai)
1951 Everett Morton rocker (English Beat)
1951 Roosevelt Ferguson Arkansas, murderer (FBI Most Wanted List)
1953 John Buchanan cricketer (Queensland batsman 78-79, Shield coach 1995)
1954 Christopher S Nelson New Orleans LA, actor (Sons & Daughters)
1954 Stan Ridgeway rocker (Mosquito-Garage Sale)
1955 Janice Long British radio host (Crash FM)
1955 Renate Bruemmer astronaut/cosmonaut
1957 Vince Gill Norman OK, country singer (When I Call Your Name)
1958 Cammie Lusko Los Angeles CA, Guinness' World Strongest Woman
1958 Johan Kriek South Africa, tennis player (US Indoor 1982)
1963 Jimmy Osmond singer (Donny & Marie Show)
1964 Martha Faulconer Indianapolis IN, golfer (1993 ShopRite LPGA-5th)
1964 Robert "Bob" Kaehler Burlingame CA, rower (Olympics-5th-1992, 96)
1966 Brent Hughes New Westminster Canada, NHL left wing (Buffalo Sabres)
1966 Larry Norman Toronto Ontario Canada, canoeist (Olympics-92, 96)
1966 Scott Dill NFL tackle/guard (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings)
1968 Gianna Amore Warwick RI, playmate (August, 1989)
1968 Tasia Valenza New York NY, actress (Dottie Thornton Martin-All My Children)
1970 Erlan Sagymbayev hockey forward (Team Kazakhstan Olympics-1998)
1970 Tim Jacobs NFL running back (Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins)
1971 Bob Kuberski NFL defensive tackle (Green Bay Packers-Superbowl 31)
1971 Finidi George soccer player (Ajax)
1971 Stuart Peele Australian rower (Olympics-96)
1972 Shigemasa Ito WLAF offensive linebacker (Rhein Fire)
1973 Ed Hobbs WLAF RB (London Monarchs)
1973 Emile Palmer WLAF DT (London Monarchs)
1973 Estefania Knuth Barcelona Spain, LPGA golfer (1992 French International)
1973 Spencer Folau NFL/WLAF offensive tackle (Baltimore Ravens, Rhein Fire)
1973 Tony Banks quarterback (St Louis Rams)
1973 Yutaka Kawaguchi hockey defenseman (Team Japan 1998)
1974 Mike DuHaney New Haven CT, soccer defender (Olympics-gold-96)
1974 Rick Terry NFL defensive tackle (New York Jets)
1975 Nikki Dryden Calgary Alberta, 800 meter swimmer (Olympics-6th-92, 96)
1976 Ike Hilliard NFL wide receiver (New York Giants)
1976 Ryan Drese San Francisco CA, baseball pitcher (Olympics-bronze-96)
1977 JoAnn Sevin Dubois PA, air pistol (Olympics-1996)
1977 Sevilay Ozturk Miss Turkey-Universe (1996)
What?! Miss Turkey-Universe! Ok that just screams for some editing.1977 Sevilay Ozturk Miss Turkey-Universe (1996)
1985 Steven Michael Held, Artist and blogger extraordinaire
Ah there we go.
