h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Elektra has drawn our attention to Abraham Lincoln's birthday,and to many fun facts about this remarkable man. Mindful of Awix's comment regarding the vampire movie, that he didn't really know much about this historical figure, I thought I'd share some of these interesting facts.

- Lincoln refused to hunt or fish. As an animal lover, he would probably have been a PETA member. His cat ate at the White House dinner table, and his dog was named Fido.

- Lincln was the only president to hold a patent - for a device to free grounded steamboats.

- Lincoln read the Bible daily, but he never joined a church.

- Lincoln didn't drink, smoke, or chew. (Or, premusably, go out with girls who do.)

- Lincoln didn't have a middle name, and hated being called 'Abe'. He preferred 'Abraham'.

- Lincoln didn't have email, but he was into IM'ing his generals - by telegraph.

- Lincoln participated in seances.

- Lincoln' kept his importnat papers in his stovepipe hat. That hat was famous: in Springfield, kids used to string a line across the street, from window to window, to knock it off. In 1864, somebody took a shot at Lincoln - and put a hole in his hat.

- Both Lincoln and his assassin, actor John Wilkes Booth, were in the same photograph at the second inauguration. Of course, there were quite a few other people in the picture, as well:

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/abraham-lincoln-john-wilkes-booth-photo.81783/

Happy birthday, Mr Lincoln. We appreciate you.

PS Oh, yes: And Lincoln liked to tell naughty jokes.

Here is Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln telling a naughty joke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvZqn-YN-gU

- and he shares birthday with Robyn Hoode

wish we had more like him today around the world leading countries

You're right about that, Prof.

truly great men and women are few and far between the centuries

I keep threatening to buy a Stovepipe hat... a 12" tall one... Which, I see from my searches, is often now called a 'Lincoln hat' (I assume after the person and not one of the places thusly names) Truely spectacular headware, and the people which wear it, is justification enough for greatness, in my umble opinion

Yeah. Or get one of those ridiculous tall hats from the 1840s or so, like the one sported by daniel day-Lewis in 'Gangs of New York'.

Ooo... not sure I know that one... My sorry collection only consists of my black bowler, and two black trilbys (for everyday wear, natch), and a strange sort of hippy hat, which takes all my hair inside it, and has mirror glass on it and a couple old flat caps (one more in the French style, one more in the UK 'up north' style) William wouldn't let me buy the pith helmut with a 6 inch iron spike on the top ACtually, I think he's really got something against me wearing tall* hats... as I'm already a few inchs taller than him MMMMM... 14" stovepipe

My daughter just brought me a Panama hat from her travels through the Americas and now I'm told they are actually from Equador. Oh well, at least it fits me. I wear size 62+ (yes, I know, big headed)

I'm either a 59 or 60, depending on the type of hat, and how tight I want/need the fit to be

Hat sizes, head sizes, brain sizes and intelligence sizes are five different countries - and I am the living proof of that

How true.... I could probalby do actual* things with my brain... if the vast majority of it wasn't constantly concerning itself with thinking about eitehr food or sex... really... there's so little space left over to think about much else at all

Yeah, it's the story of my life too

I should have been a great research scientist... Or so my undergraduate and postgraduate tutors kept telling me... unwravelling the interconnectiveness of regulatory and non-regulatary, coding and noncoding areas of DNA involved in disease... But... I got distracted.... by women... and men... and alcochol and drugs... and bacon, and cheese, and bread, and the persuit of baguettes... and... oh... that's a nice pair of shoes you've got on...

don't forget the 's

2legs almost blew his cover and revealed what an intelligent entity he really is

Whilst I have breath, and cheese in my body, that just ain't gonna happen I sort of blew it after my Masters degree... should have went straight onto a PhD, but didn't... then years went by.. and thence it be too late Mind.... I'll probably be famous one day.... for my unique diet and sexercise research, I'm currently involved in... on the hush hush mind... badger's the word one day.... One glorious day.... I'll remember what I came into this room for Until which time.... I'm sure there's entertainment to be occupied by

I sort of blew it after my Masters degree...I'll probably be famous one day.... for my unique diet and sexercise research

A wanton cut 'n' paste there

still doesn't seem a quote totally out of context for 2legs

sorry Dmitri, you know sometimes I just can't help myself