SOCRATES Greek philosopher and icon of Western philosophy. His actual birth date is, of course, unknown. So we'll add him to today. The expression of same-sex love was not unusual in Athens at this time, and Socrates was physically attracted to beautiful young men. This aspect of his personality is most vividly conveyed in the opening pages of Charmides and in the speech of the young and ambitious general Alcibiades at the end of Symposium. Socrates' love of Alcibaides, which was more than reciprocated, is held as an example of chaste pederasty. Phaedrus states:

“For I know not any greater blessing to a young man who is beginning in life than a virtuous lover, or to a lover than a beloved youth. For the principle, I say, neither kindred, nor honor, nor wealth, nor any motive is able to implant so well as love. Of what am I speaking? Of the sense of honor and dishonor, without which neither states nor individuals ever do any good or great work… And if there were only some way of contriving that a state or an army should be made up of lovers and their loves, they would be the very best governors of their own city, abstaining from all dishonor and emulating one another in honor; and it is scarcely an exaggeration to say that when fighting at each other’s side, although a mere handful, they would overcome the world.”

KING GEORGE III of Great Britain, born (d. 1820); The first English-born Hanoverian king and the reigning monarch during the American War of Independence, George III was the subject of much gossip during his youth. The gossip is interesting in that the young king actually walked into a preexisting rumor, very much a character in chapter two, as it were. George’s father, Frederick, the Prince of Wales, had been much taken with the charming Earl of Bute, whom he found an agreeable whist companion. When Frederick died, Bute, who had constantly risen in court ranks, stayed on, presumably as the lover of Frederick’s widow.

Enter the adolescent George, at eighteen very much the opposite of Hamlet. Rumor had it that he not only did not want to drive the usurper from his mother’s bed, but that he wanted to be there in her place. Bute’s elevation to secretary of state under George only heightened court gossip. How much of this is true, no one knows. That mother and son were both taken with the handsome Bute is true, but one and one do not always add up to three.

ROSALIND RUSSELL, American actress born (d. 1976); not Gay, of course…but god…if there was ever a better Auntie Mame I don’t know who it would be. (certainly not Lucille Ball…and I love Lucy.)  The Women, Auntie Mame, His Girl Friday, Gypsy. The Trouble With Angels ...there was no one better than Roz. And it's my almanac....I can include anyone I want!

The killing around Tiananmen Square started soon after midnight. It was a different army from the unarmed one which had tried to enter the square on Friday night and failed. This one was told to kill, and the soldiers with their AK- 47 automatic rifles and the armoured personnel carriers with their machine guns opened fire indiscriminately, in the air, directly at the huge crowds, at small groups, everywhere.

Lined up in rows across the Avenue of Eternal Peace, they advanced slowly, shooting all the while, then they would halt and kneel and fire directly into the crowd. They did the same at the southern end of the square by Zhengyang Gate. When both ends of the square were cleared, they switched off the lights and encircled the thousands of students who had crowded together on the Revolutionary Heroes' monument. Dawn broke and riot police moved in with truncheons. Everyone expected the army. But no one expected such ferocity, such armour, such numbers. There were more than 100,000 soldiers. It is unknown to this day how many demonstrators were killed in the square.