It's World Television Day. Hooray.

Today is World Television Day, a pseudo-holiday every bit as stupid as it sounds. Are we supposed to watch it to celebrate? Imagine what this kid is like at Holiday Island High.

Speaking of television, this is also the 72st birthday of actress Marlo Thomas, who starred in the TV series That Girl 40 years ago. At right is Andrea as Ms. Thomas's That Girl character (Anne Marie) in an early MTV alter ego.

Many of the events detailed in part two of "Nine-Eleven and Counting" took place eight years ago, starting today. It was also about this date that Daria received a unique present from her sister Quinn in another tale. Daria's birthday is today according to yet still another fandom mythology, and still yet another. This is the last day this year that Daria's birthday can possibly occur, if she is a Scorpio.

Speaking of lame pseudo-holidays, this is also World Hello Day, Daria Morgendorffer is of course ready to welcome one and all. On the good nerdy side of the holiday spectrum, this is artist René Magritte's 111th birthday anniversary (he is mentioned in only one Daria fanfic), Voltaire's 315th birthday anniversary (he's mentioned in four Daria fanfics), and the 29th year since the infamous Lake Peigneur eco-disaster in Louisiana, which was actually pretty weird and almost funny. In the U.S.A., it's National Adoption Day. Did you ever wonder if Daria was... you know... adopted by space aliens disguised as humans?

An interesting essay by CINCGREEN, "Daria, Batman, Darth Vader and the Braves," is at the author's Fortress.

PPMB

• Balletdictorian, by Kristen Bealer (part 2): "...and we didn't do any fancy stuff or anything! We just stood in front of the mirror barefoot and did a bunch of dumb stretches!" It was dinnertime, and Jodie had had all day to build up a long list of complaints. Unfortunately, she was reciting them to herself. Her mother, Michelle, was reading the Wall Street Journal in between bites of dinner. Andrew was feeding Rachel. Neither had heard a word she'd said.
• Falling into College 71: Merging Goals, by Richard Lobinske (COMPLETE!): "Remember how you wanted to get in on the IPO at that dot-com company?" "Yeah," Jake grumbled. "I was a month too late for the stock options." "Look at what those stocks are worth, now." "Buzzdome went belly-up two years ago." "Exactly, the stocks are worthless. What Jodie is offering is payment up front, not empty promises."
• Living Legends, by Trscroggs (EVEN MORE COMPLETE!): “Recently my cover identity had the chance to read a piece of spy-thriller parody by one of the other students.” Blue locked eyes with Pointman as she continued. “The actions of the main character were almost a one-to-one match with the events of the Morocco mission.”
• Shield Maiden, by Richard Lobinske (COMPLETE!): “Three for evac, Roger.” Andrea scanned the dusty Iraqi town for the telltale green smoke. Soon, she spotted it rising from a small square. “Visual on green smoke. Landing in thirty seconds. Over.” “Thirty seconds, Roger. We’ll try to keep their heads down, but expect small arms fire. Over.”