Why such a point of characters' birthdays?

[caspenzoe]

No: HPFGUIDX 110965

> > Caspen
> > So, basically, you and James think that she's just picking 
birthdays
> > at random  to satisfy and/or manipulate her fans?
> 
> 
> Thren:
> 
> I really disagree with this interpretation, and I'm usually the 
first
> one to point out that anything she lets out is a way to keep us
> interested. But the characters are so real, and the world so rich- 
why
> shouldn't they have birthdays? God knows she seems to have back
> stories and itty bitty details (like middle names) for each 
character,
> why not birthdays? I also don't think that they're picked as 
randomly
> as all that, ....">

That's not my position. I don't really have one; just asking.

So, Thren, if you don't think that "they're picked as randomly
as all that, ...," why, and how do you think they are picked? Given 
the amount of time and attention that other seemingly (to some) 
trivial details get here (someone posted a whole theory at least 
involving, if not based upon, Hermione's announced, whether random 
or not, birthday here, not too long ago), what are we to make, if 
anything of this latest announcement of Percy's birthday (Happy 
Birthday Percy, despite your recent flirtations with the dark side, 
or at least ignorance! Yay!)?  

Caspen