Rant #2,096: Congratulations

Today is March 6, and in my neck of the woods, we are awaiting what amounts to a weather apocalypse, a massive storm that is predicted to hit us tonight and into tomorrow.

We just had a nor'easter come in here this past Friday, which brought rain, snow, hail, sleet, flooding and tremendous winds to this area, and now, we await Weather Apocalypse 2018 Part 2.

And this is all after this past February was rated the warmest February on record.

Go figure.

So as we prepare to get more snow and wind and heaven knows what else from the heavens, even during an apocalypse, people are created and people are born--heck, sometimes, I guess, there isn't anything else to do--and although the following people weren't born during apocalypses--"apocalypse" is my word of the day--they were, in fact, born today ...

And an interesting group it is.

In 1475, Michelangelo was born. The Italian painter and sculptor had an incredible influence on modern art, and is looked at, even more than 500 years after his birth, as an icon in the art world.

Way back in 1619, Cyrano de Bergerac was born. The French author and playwright was the inspiration for a famous play, and there is even an asteroid named after him.

Ring Lardner, the well-known American journalist and author, was born today in 1885. Although known mainly as a sportswriter, Lardner also wrote many satirical entries, and his contemporaries were the likes of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Lefty Grove, the Hall of Fame baseball pitcher, was born on this date in 1900. Playing with the old Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox, Grove won 300 games during his illustrious career.

In 1906, arguably one of the greatest American comedians was born in Paterson, N.J., to immigrant parents. Lou Cristillo was his actual name, but he became famous as Lou Costello, one half of the Abbott and Costello comedy team.

Ed McMahon was born on this day in 1923. It was really hard to define what he was during his career--he was a comedian, an actor, and one of TV's first honest to goodness personalities--but he was best known as Johnny Carson's co-host on the "Tonight Show."

Gordon Cooper was born today in 1927. An engineer and a pilot, he was best known for his work as an astronaut, one of the originals astronauts in the Project Mercury program, and the last American astronaut to fly alone on a mission.

In 1940, Willie Stargell was born on this day. One of the most feared hitters of his day, the Pittsburgh Pirates icon twirled his bat as he prepared to hit the ball pitched to him, and he hit 475 of them over the fence in his Hall of Fame career.

Mary Wilson was born on this day in 1944. The sultriest of the Supremes, she was pretty much a backup singer to Diana Ross on the group's boatload of hits, but kept the group flame burning way after Ross left the trio.

John Stossel was born on this day in 1947. He overcame a stutter to become a well-respected TV journalist, mainly on ABC.

In 1972, Shaquille O'Neal was born, and the world of basketball hasn't been the same since. Mainly playing with the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers, this NBA Hall of Famer parlayed his Hall of Fame career into a successful career in the movies and on television.

And the list goes on and on and on ...

I mean, how can you argue with a day that saw the birth of Michelangelo, Lou Costello and Shaquille O'Neal?

Yes, today is apocalyptic as far as births are concerned, and hopefully, won't be so apocalyptic that tomorrow's storm will be one for the record books.

The interesting thing is that right as I am typing this, babies are being born, and who knows, the next great astronaut, statesman, athlete or artist might be a newborn right at this moment.

You never know. Who knew that the above-named people would become so renown?

A birth apocalypse is better than a weather apocalypse any day.

Let's hope for one today and tomorrow.