All my life, I’ve been disappointed with “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” It just doesn’t make any sense. What exactly am I supposed to get from it? I don’t suppose it matters. But back in 1783, Washington Irving was born on this day, so I’ll let it pass. Someone else I’m not a big fan of: Leslie Howard. He was born in 1893. The great Bay Area columnist Herb Caen was born in 1916. And Marlon Brando was born in 1924.

Doris Day is 89 today. Que Sera, Sera? I don’t think so! I didn’t even know she was still alive. Marsha Mason and Wayne Newton are 71. Tony Orlando is 69, so tie that around your old oak tree! Alec Baldwin is 55. He doesn’t look a day over, I don’t know, 55? And Eddie Murphy is 52.

The birthday prize goes out to the grrrrreat Jane Goodall who is 79 today. I’m sure you all know about her groundbreaking work on chimpanzees. But you may not know the story about the Far Side cartoon above. When it came out, Goodall was in Africa. Her people went crazy and sent an angry letter. But when Goodall came back and saw the cartoon, she thought it was funny as hell and the whole controversy was over. However, all money made from that cartoon goes to the Jane Goodall Institute.

Happy birthday Dr. Goodall! May we be able to say that many, many years into the future.