Birthday

In his latest fundraising pitch, President Barack Obama writes, "My upcoming birthday next week could be the last one I celebrate as President of the United States, but that's not up to me -- it's up to you."

An email with the subject line "SO COOL" was sent this morning to Obama's supporters by the president's reelection team. The email, from Obama for America national finance director Rufus Gifford, encourages supporters to send in cash for a chance to celebrate Obama's birthday--with the president himself at his Chicago home.

From a talk TWS contributor Geoffrey Norman gave a couple years ago, in which he explained Thomas Jefferson, the Southerner, to a room full of Vermonters:

I’ve been asked to stand up here and explain Thomas Jefferson, a Virginian, to a room full of Vermonters.  And having presented my credentials, it’s probably time to get on with it.

Looking for an inspiring twelve minutes? Watch the 2011 Marine Corps birthday message: 

While regular calendars note February 2 as Groundhog Day, it’s worth recalling that, on the literary calendar, today is the birthday of Dublin-born novelist James Joyce. On on this day in 1922, age at 40, he published Ulysses (which he pronounced “Oolissays”). February 2 was a lucky date in his mind. (He also thought blue and white most auspicious hues.)