Happy birthmonth, astronaut Tang Hongbo!

Tang Hongbo, born in October 1975, is an astronaut for the People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) in China.  He went into space as part of the crew aboard Shenzhou 12, which launched in June 2021, to the space station Tiangong.  He conducted an EVA with Liu Boming which lasted for nearly 7 hours.  He spent over 92 days in space.

The Fixx releases "Shuttered Room" 1982

The Fixx, a new wave band from Great Britain, released their debut album Shuttered Room in August 1982.  It had previously been released in England in May of that year.

It generated two singles, the first of which, Stand or Fall reached #7 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock charts, but only #76 on Billboard's Hot 100.  The second single Red Skies reached #13 on the Mainstream Rock charts.

I'm a little surprised this album didn't do better, because I really like their sound, and they got a lot of airplay on MTV.  I actually heard them as the background music of a commercial I just saw.  Weird!

"Dumbo" released 1941

Walt Disney Studios released its fourth animated feature, Dumbo, across America October 31, 1941.  It became a major hit with audiences, and gave the studio its first success after the failures of Pinocchio and Fantasia.  It has come under fire for its racist stereotyping of African-Americans in recent years.

Despite that, Dumbo won an Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture.  The song Baby Mine was nominated for Best Original Song.  It also won Best Animation Design at the Cannes Film Festival.

In 2017, Dumbo was selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Billy Joel performs the national anthem at Game 3 of the World Series 2015

My man Billy Joel performed the National Anthem a cappella at Game 3 of the World Series October 30, 2015.  He sang it straight, with no grandstanding, no flourishes, and no gimmicks.  He's da man!  

Happy birthday, astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson!

Robert "Hoot" Gibson, born October 30, 1946 in Cooperstown, New York, is a veteran of five space shuttle missions.

His first mission was as pilot on Challenger (STS-41-B) in February 1984.  It was the first flight to involve an untethered spacewalk.  He spent almost 8 days in space and completed 128 orbits.

His second flight was aboard Columbia (STS-61-C) as commander in January 1986, the last shuttle mission before the Challenger disaster. He spent over 6 days in space and completed 98 orbits.

Gibson's third mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-27) as commander in December 1988.  It was a classified payload for the US Department of Defense. He spent over four days in space and completed 68 orbits.

His fourth flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-47) as commander in September 1992.  He carried the first Japanese astronaut, Mamoru Mohri, and the first African-American woman, Mae Jemison into space.  He spent almost 8 days in space and completed 126 orbits.

His fifth and final mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-71) in June-July 1995 to the Russian space station Mir.  It was the first space shuttle docking with Mir.  He spent almost 10 days in space and completed 153 orbits. 

He married fellow astronaut Rhea Seddon in May 1981.  He retired from NASA in November 1996 and became a pilot for Southwest Airlines.  

Lunar Orbiter 1 crashes onto the moon 1966

Lunar Orbiter 1, launched in August 1966, impacted the moon after a successful mission, on October 29, 1966.  It reached lunar orbit on August 14 and took pictures of the surface to look for safe landing sites for future moon missions.  It photographed over 5 million square kilometers, through September 14. 

It finally impacted the lunar surface October 29.

Happy birthday, Winona Ryder!

I remember first seeing Winona Ryder (born October 29, 1971 in Winona, Minnesota) in Heathers and reading all the rave reviews about her acting, especially after her performance in Mermaids, which I did not see.  

I guess I became a bigger fan when I saw her in Alien: Resurrection and then in the Star Trek reboot as Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson.  But what cemented it for me was her performance in Stranger Things.  I think she did an amazing job and is underappreciated for her work.  

She has been nominated for two Academy Awards and has been nominated for Golden Globes for her performance in Stranger Things.  For Alien: Resurrection she got a nomination for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress and a nomination as Worst Supporting Actress from the Stinker Bad Movies Award.

"Stargate" premieres 1994

I found this movie to be surprisingly good!  Stargate, released October 28, 1994, is a science fiction movie mixed with ancient Egypt overtones.  It starred Kurt Russell (swoon!), James Spader, who is actually tolerable in it, and Jaye Davidson.  French Stewart, from Third Rock from the Sun, made his movie debut as Lt. Ferretti. Roland Emmerich directed the blockbuster.  

For a while, it set the record for highest-grossing release in October, bringing in well over $71M.  Of course, the critics didn't like it. But they don't like anything.

Stargate won a Saturn Award (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films) for Best Science Fiction Film.

Happy birthday, Turkish actor Berk Oktay!

I suppose I fell in love with Berk Oktay when I found pictures of him on Pinterest.  The impossibly handsome actor was born October 28, 1982 in Ankara, Turkey. I found more images of him in the Turkish drama Savasci, which I believe means 'warrior' in Turkish.  It was probably the images of him being bound and gagged that first caught my eye.  

Happy birthday, astronaut Michael Baker!

Astronaut Michael Baker, born October 27, 1953 in Memphis, Tennessee, has been to space four times.  

His first trip was aboard Atlantis (STS-43) as pilot in August 1991.  He spent almost 9 days in space, making 142 orbits.

His second flight was aboard Columbia (STS-52) as pilot in October-November 1992.  He celebrated his 39th birthday during the mission.  He spent almost 10 days in space and made 159 orbits.

His third mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-68) as commander in September-October 1994. He spent over 11 days in space and made 182 orbits.

His fourth and final mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-81) as commander to the Mir space station in January 1997.  It was the second flight to Mir to involve an exchange of US astronauts. He spent over 10 days in space and made 160 orbits.

Iapetus, moon of Saturn, discovered 1671

Iapetus, the third largest moon of Saturn, was discovered by Giovanni Cassini, October 25, 1671.  It is unique for several reasons.  First, it has a dark region, known as Cassini Regio, which is contrasted with the brightness from ice on the rest of the moon.  Ice covers most of the moon.

Second, Iapetus has an inclined orbit, more than any of the regular, i.e. largest, moons.  The rings of Saturn would be clearly visible because of its inclined orbit.  

Third, it has an equatorial ridge that runs through the center of  Cassini Regio.  Mountains in this ridge rise over 12 miles of the surrounding plains, making them among the tallest mountains in the solar system.  Mons Olympus on Mars is the tallest in the solar system. 

The source of the dark material and why the equatorial ridge exists only in Cassini Regio are unknown.

The spacecraft Cassini passed by at a range of 1,227 km (762 miles) on September 10, 2007. 

The Pointer Sisters appear on "The Carol Burnett Show" 1975

My girls the Pointer Sisters appeared on the Carol Burnett Show October 25, 1975, performing How Long? They appeared in a sketch with Harvey Korman playing a Wolfman Jack character called Sheep-man, which he plays hilariously.  The finale was a song and dance arrangement of  Get Me to the Church On Time, with Carol Burnett and Vicki Lawrence.  The Pointer Sisters showed off their extraordinary talents and beautiful vocals to the upbeat, uplifting performance.  I miss them so much!

Remembering actor Leslie Jordan (1955-2022)

Actor and comedian Leslie Jordan, born April 29, 1955 in Memphis, Tennessee, passed away today after a medical emergency caused him to lose control of his vehicle and crash into a building.  He was declared dead on the scene.  

Leslie won the hearts of everyone who watched him.  He has over 135 action credits according to imdb.com.   The first role I remember him in fondly is his performance in Sordid Lives, and his depiction of Tammy Wynette.  I was pleasantly surprised and happy to see him in a season of American Horror Story.  During my research, I realized he was also in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday.  These do not seem to be his strongest talents, but I'm glad to see he stepped outside of the box.  

I was again surprised and delighted to see he starred in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager: False Profits in 1996.  I remember watching the episode and not realizing he was playing one of the Ferengi!  Must watch again!  

He won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance in the Will & Grace episode Beverly Leslie.

Although he stood only 4'11", he stood tall on screen and had a habit of stealing scenes in any work he was acting in.  

He is already missed.

Bob Kane, co-creator of Batman, born 1915

Bob Kane, born October 24, 1915 in New York City, is best known for his creation Batman.  He had worked in animation and began working in comics in 1936 as a freelance penciler and inker.  After the huge success of Superman, Kane wanted to create his own series and worked with ghost writer Bill Finger for additional ideas, and Batman was born.  Batman's first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in Detective Comics, which would eventually morph into DC Comics.   

Batman has become a worldwide icon, appearing in comic books, television series, and feature films. 

Bob Kane retired from DC Comics in 1966, to focus on fine art, and created television animation characters such as Courageous Cat and Cool McCool.  He passed away in November 1998 in Los Angeles.  He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in October 2015 for his work in motion pictures. 

" Ice Station Zebra " released 1968

The Cold War-era movie, Ice Station Zebra, released October 23, 1968, was based on the Alistair MacLean novel of the same name.  It follows the events after a satellite ejects a capsule, containing images captured by an experimental camera from the British, using special film developed by the US, and stolen by the Soviets.  The pictures are those of American missile silos and Soviet missile sites, and the capsule lands near the British outpost Ice Station Zebra. 

Both the Americans and the Soviets are in a race to recover the capsule and the images before the other.  

The movie starred Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown, and Ron Masak, who passed away just days ago.  

Although it opened to mixed reviews and a 49% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Cinematography, and Best Special Effects.

I enjoy this movie and have watched it twice.  It's one I don't find on television often but it's always great to watch.  

Carrie Fisher, everyone's favorite princess, born 1956

I remember hearing the news that Carrie Fisher had passed away. So many of us Star Wars fans mourned the loss of our Princess Leia, whom we had loved since she appeared in Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977.  Born October 21, 1956 to Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, she played Leia in five Star Wars movies.  She passed after her work on The Last Jedi had been completed.

Carrie appeared in Soapdish, When Harry Met Sally, Sibling Rivalry (movies I enjoyed watching), and Agatha Christie's Appointment With Death, which is one of my least favorite mysteries and movies.

She was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards (no Oscars?).  I knew she wrote novels that were turned into movies, but I just learned she also did a lot of screenwriting and editing.  Wow!

She passed away December 27, 2016. 

The Johnny Bright Incident 1951

The Johnny Bright Incident, October 20, 1951, was a dark day in college sports, when a white player attacked an African-American player so violently, the man was knocked unconscious and his jaw was broken.

Johnny Bright, born June 11, 1930 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was a top college football player while he attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Bright received a track and field scholarship from Drake and lettered in football, track, and basketball during his schooling.

In his sophomore year, he lead the nation in total offense, and the Drake Bulldogs finished the season 6-2-1.  In his junior year, he set an NCAA record for total offense (2,400 yards) in 1950, again leading the Bulldogs to a 6-2-1 record.  He was considered a Heisman Trophy candidate and was leading the national again in rushing and total offense during his senior year.

The Bulldogs had won their five previous games when they traveled to Stillwater, Oklahoma to take on Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University).  Apparently, it was no secret that A&M players were targeting Bright claiming that he "would not be around at the end of the game". During the first seven minutes of the game, Bright was knocked unconscious and had his jaw broken by three blows from defensive tackle Wilbanks Smith.  

The incident was captured by Des Moines Register cameramen John Robinson and Don Ultang, and showed clearly the blow that broke Bright's jaw was delivered well after he had handed off the ball. They had been watching him when rumors of his targeting became too much to ignore. The six-frame sequence won Robinson and Ultang the 1952 Pulitzer Prize for Photography.

A&M's president Oliver Willham denied anything had happened even when presented with overwhelming evidence.  Smith was not penalized and NEVER apologized.  HE maintained he was not racist nor was it a racially motivated incident.

Yeah, right.  The incident provoked changes in NCAA rules regarding illegal block and the use of helmets with face guards.  The wikipedia article doesn't mention if there were any changes to rules concerning physical assault on other players.

Of course, Oklahoma A&M was not going to take any action against Smith, because they won the game.

Remembering Astronaut Lodewijk van den Berg (1932-2022)

Our heroes seem to be dropping all around us.  First Angela Lansbury, then Apollo astronaut James McDivitt, and now, first Dutch-born astronaut Lodewijk van den Berg passed away October 16 at the age of 90. He was born March 24, 1932 in the Netherlands, but was a naturalized American citizen when he went into space and no longer a Dutch citizen.

He went into space aboard Challenger (STS-51-B) in April-May 1985 as a payload specialist.  He was responsible for the Vapor Crystal Growth System experiment.  After returning to Earth, he continued work on crystal growth, even when he was 72.

An asteroid was named after him and is known as 11430 Lodewijkberg.  He passed away in Florida, but no cause of death has been cited.

"Airport 1975" released 1974

I suppose the success of Airport in 1970 was the main impetus behind the making of this movie, to which the only connection to Airport 1975 is George Kennedy as Joe Patroni.  Airport 1975, released October 18, 1974, was a box office blockbuster, becoming the third largest grossing film of 1974 behind The Towering Inferno and Earthquake, which starred both George Kennedy and Charlton Heston (Alan Murdock in Airport 1975).

Critics were not impressed, and the movie has been inducted into the Razzie Awards' Hall of Shame (along with its two sequels).

Dana Andrews plays Scott Freeman, the pilot of a twin-engine private Beechcraft Baron, who has a heart attack in flight and crashes into the cockpit of a 747, killing two crew members and blinding the captain.  Airport 1975 was heavily parodied in Airplane!, a comedy taken from Zero Hour! which also starred Dana Andrews.

The cast was star-studded with big names like Gloria Swanson, Karen Black, Efram Zimbalist, Jr., Susan Clark, Linda Blair, and Helen Reddy.

Reddy garnered the only award nomination as she was nominated for the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer - Female.

Remembering Astronaut James McDivitt (1929-2022)

Astronaut James McDivitt, born June 10, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois, passed away October 13, 2022 at age 93.  He was selected as an astronaut by NASA in September 1962 as a member of Astronaut Group 2.  His first mission in space was commander of Gemini IV.  It was the first time a rookie was in command of a NASA flight.  He traveled with Ed White, who conducted the first EVA for the U.S.

McDivitt's second flight was on Apollo 9 as commander in March 3, 1969, with David Scott and Russell Schweickart for 10 days.

He left the Astronaut Corps after Apollo 9, and was assigned backup commander of Apollo 12, and made mission commander of Apollo 15.  He retired in June 1972.

He was honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Air Medal, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal.  

Janet Jackson releases "Control" 1986

Janet Jackson released Control, the fourth single from her third album Control.   It won the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video in 1988.  It reached #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Play charts.

It is listed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 songs that shaped rock and roll.

Lucy (spacecraft) launched 2021

Lucy

Lucy mission patch

Lucy, a spacecraft launched October 16, 2021, will eventually pass by and photograph eight asteroids.  Today and in two years time, it will swing by Earth and pick up speed to help it reach asteroid Donaldjohanson, named after the scientist who discovered the Lucy hominin fossils in Ethiopia, in 2025.

In 2027, Lucy will arrive in the L4 Trojan cloud, a cluster of asteroids that orbit ahead of Jupiter in the same path.  Lucy will visit four Trojans, Eurybates and its moon Queta, Polymele, Leucus, and Orus.

Lucy will return to Earth in 2031 for another gravity boost and in 2023, will visit Patroclus and its satellite Menoetius in the L5 Trojan cloud, which follows Jupiter. After that, NASA will decide whether or not to extend Lucy's mission.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Lola Sanchez, Confederate Spy

Lola Sanchez, born in 1844 in Armstrong, Florida, and her two sisters became spies for the Confederate Army during the Civil War.  Their father had been falsely accused being a Confederate spy and imprisoned by the Union Army.  Officers from the Union Army occupied the Sanchez residence.  

On May 21, 1864, Lola overhead the officers planning a raid on the Confederate forces.  After telling her sisters what she heard, she decided to notify Captain John Jackson Dickison, a commander of Confederate force 2nd Florida Cavalry in Camp Davis, only a mile and a half from their home.  Lola's sisters covered for her in her absence that night.  

Lola met with Capt. Dickison and told him what she heard.  She returned home, having been gone for only an hour and a half.

Capt. Dickison set a trap and waited for the arrival of a Union transport and gunboat. On May 22, they ambushed the Union forces when they arrived.  The confrontation became known as the Battle of Horse Landing.

Lola and her sisters continued spying for the Confederate army throughout the Civil War.  

 

Shenzhou 13 launched 2021

Shenzhou crew (L-R): Ye Guangfu, Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping

Shenzhou 13 mission patch

Shenzhou 13, the eighth manned Chinese spaceflight, was launched October 15, 2021 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.  Its crew consisted of Commander Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu. Wang became the first Chinese woman to conduct a spacewalk on November 7, when she and Zhigang performed extravehicular activities.

Zhigang and Guangfu performed a second EVA on December 26.  The crew returned to Earth on April 16, 2022 after more than 182 days in space.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Roberto Clemente, first Latino inducted into Nat'l Baseball Hall of Fame

Roberto Clemente, born August 18, 1934 in Puerto Rico, played eighteen seasons in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955-1972.

He joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve in September 1958 and served a six-month active duty in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Washington DC.  He gained an early release from Sate Senator John Walker for the 1959 season.  He continued to serve during off-seasons through 1964, as a private first class.

During his career, he made All-Star 15 times, helped the Pirates to two World Series championships, was National League MVP in 1966, World Series MVP in 1971, won 12 Gold Glove Awards, and was the NL batting champion 4 times.  

He was involved with charity and humanitarian work throughout his career in Latin America and the Caribbean during the off-seasons.  On December 31, 1972, the plane he was riding in crashed off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, while carrying relief supplies and aid packages to the victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua.  An award in his honor the Roberto Clemente Award, is given to the player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team".

He was posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, becoming the first Latin-American to be inducted.  He was inducted into the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Puerto Rican Veterans Hall of Fame in 2018. He has also been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Cyndi Lauper releases "She's So Unusual" 1983

Cyndi Lauper released her debut album She's So Unusual October 14, 1983 to rave reviews.  It sold six million albums in the U.S. making it six times platinum, and sold over 16M world wide.  It got six Grammy Award nominations, winning Best New Artist and Best Album Package.  

It generated six singles: Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Time After Time (her first number-one hit), She-Bop (my favorite), All Through the Night, Money Changes Everything, and When You Were Mine.

She's so Unusual was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2019 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Roundhay Garden Scene, oldest known surviving film, 1888

Filmed by Louis Le Prince at Oakwood Grange in Roundhay, Leeds on October 14, 1888, Roundhay Garden Scene is believed to be the oldest surviving film in existence.  

The three-second film features Adolphe Le Prince (Louis's son), his parents-in-law, Joseph and Sarah Whitley, and Annie Hartley, a friend of Adolphe and his wife.  Sarah Whitley died only 10 days after the scene was filmed, making her earliest born person to appear on film.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Martha E. Bernal, first Hispanic woman to earn a PhD in psychology

Martha Bernal, born April 13, 1931 in San Antonio, Texas to Mexican immigrants.  Overcoming racism about her ethnicity she received her Bachelor's Degree from Texas Western College, now University of Texas at El Paso in 1952.  After getting her Master of Arts degree in 1955 from Syracuse, she transferred to Indiana University where she was faced with sexism.  She wanted to quit her studies but a teacher persuaded her to finish her doctorate, which she did in 1962, becoming the first Latina in the U.S. to obtain a PhD in psychology.

She contributed significantly to the field, especially for her work on children's behavioral problems, and to develop organizations that focused on ethnic groups to combat issues of racism, sexism, discrimination, etc.

She passed away in September 2001 after losing her fourth battle with cancer.

 

Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called To Say I Love You" reaches #1 1984

One of Stevie Wonder's greatest hits and one of my favorite songs, I Just Called to Say I Love You reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 October 13, 1984 and remained there for three weeks.  It topped the charts all over the world, giving Wonder his first ever #1 in the UK.

The song was featured on the soundtrack to The Woman In Red, a comedy starring Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, and Kelly LeBrock.  I Just Called to Say I Love You won both the Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Original Song.  

Cash Box described it as "a tender and romantic love letter which captures the ever-present and Wonderous feeling of love and optimism."  It doesn't get much better than this.

Lyrics:

No New Year's Day to celebrate
No chocolate covered candy hearts to give away
No first of spring, no song to sing
In fact, here's just another ordinary day

No April rain, no flowers bloom
No wedding Saturday within the month of June
But what it is, is something true
Made up of these three words that I must say to you

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart

No summer's high, no warm July
No harvest moon to light one tender August night
No autumn breeze, no falling leaves
Not even time for birds to fly to southern skies

No Libra sun, no Halloween
No giving thanks to all the Christmas joy you bring
But what it is, though old, so new
To fill your heart like no three words could ever do

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care, I do
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care, I do
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart

Of my heart
Of my heart (baby, of my heart)

Blue Origin NS-18 launched 2021

Blue Origin NS-18 crew (L-R): Chris Boshuizen, William Shatner, Audrey Powers, Glen de Vries

Mission patch

Blue Origin launched its second sub-orbital manned spaceflight New Shepard (NS-18) from west Texas, October 13, 2021. Its tourist crew consisted of Audrey Powers, Chris Boshuizen (third Australian-born in space), Glen de Vries, and actor William Shatner (Captain Kirk from the Star Trek universe). 

At 90 years, Shatner became the oldest person to go into space. The mission lasted just over 10 minutes, before returning to the west Texas landscape.  De Vries died in a plane crash just a month after the mission.

NASA confirms DART Mission Successful!

A little over two weeks ago, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) impacted Dimorphos, a small asteroid moon of the larger asteroid Didymos, in an attempt to deflect its orbit.  Yesterday, NASA confirmed that the impact changed Dimorphos's orbit from 11 h 55 min to 11 h 23 min, a total of 32 minutes.  The director of NASA said the result of the impact slowed Dimorphos's orbit, but NASA press release states that its orbit has been shortened, i.e. faster.

This confirms that NASA has the ability to change the course of an asteroid should one threaten Earth in the future.  act 

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Patrick Flores, first Mexican-American Catholic bishop

Patricio (Patrick) Flores, born July 26, 1929 in Ganado, Texas, became the first Mexican-American Catholic bishop.  After graduating from high school in Galveston, he studied at St. Mary's Seminary in La Porte, TX and St. Mary's Seminary in Houston.

He was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Galveston-Houston May 26, 1956. Pope Paul VI appointed Flores as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio in March 1970, and then as bishop of the Dioceses of El Paso in May 1978. 

In August 1979, Pope John Paul II appointed Flores as archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.  He retired at the age of 75 in December 2004.  He passed away in January 2017 of congestive heart failure and pneumonia.  

Remembering actress extraordinaire Angela Lansbury (1925-2022)

The amazingly talented, beautiful, intelligent, and all-around perfect Angela Lansbury passed away today in Los Angeles, California at the young age of 96, just 5 days shy of her 97th birthday.

Her first on-screen appearance was in Gaslight in 1944 which garnered her first Academy Award nomination.  The next year, she received her second nomination for her performance in The Picture of Dorian Gray.  Her final nomination came in 1962 for her performance in the Manchurian Candidate, a powerful piece of filmmaking, and she delivered a knockout performance.  One of the Academy's biggest snubs.  But in 2013 she received the Academy Honorary Award.  Good for her!

She kept busy during her career, appearing in some of my favorites, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Death on the Nile, The Mirror Crack'd, Pirates of Penzance, Beauty and the Beast, and Nanny McPhee.  One of her most beloved roles was that of Jessica Fletcher in the immensely popular television series, Murder, She Wrote.  

She was nominated for twelve Golden Globes for her performance as Jessica Fletcher and nominated for 6 more. She won 4 Golden Globes for Murder, She Wrote, plus an additional 3 wins and 8 more nominations.

She received 18 Primetime Emmy Nominations, 12 for Murder, She Wrote, pretty much a nomination for every season of the show.

She has won 5 Tony Awards, the first of which was for originating the role of Mame in the musical of the same name.

She also received a Grammy Award nomination for the soundtrack for Beauty and the Beast.

She will be so missed.  🙁😦

"Santo Vs The Vampire Women" released 1962

The only reason I know about this movie is because it was featured in a Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode, where it was riffed by Mike Nelson (who celebrates his birthday today!) and the bots. Santo vs. las Mujeres Vampiro (Santo. vs. the Vampire Women) was released in Mexican theaters October 11, 1962.

The main character Santo was the title of professional wrestler Rodolfo Guzman Huerta, born September 1917.  He appeared in numerous movies portraying El Santo (The Saint).

In this movie, Santo must battle a group of female vampires who have wakened from a 200-year sleep.  The queen vampire must find a successor and has her sights set on a professor's daughter.  The professor employs Santo to keep her safe.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Linda Garcia Cubero, first Hispanic woman graduate of US Air Force Academy

Linda Garcia Cubero, born in 1958 in Shreveport, Louisiana, is the first Hispanic woman to graduate from any military service academy when she graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1980. 

She served the next seven years as a commander briefer, and received the Joint Service Commendation Medal for her work with the Pentagon's intelligence task force.  She served as a mentor to Hispanic Air Force cadets and awarded the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Pioneer Award in 1991.

She left the Air Force as Captain in 1987. 

ABBA releases "Arrival" 1976

The Swedish super-group (and one of my favorite bands!) ABBA released their fourth studio album, Arrival, October 11, 1976, and it became one of their best-selling albums.  It was the first LP album that I ever purchased and it was money well spent.  It spawned three singles: Dancing Queen (which has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame); Knowing Me, Knowing You; Money, Money, Money.

The album went gold in U.S. and was the best selling album in the U.K. in 1977.

Happy birthday, MST3K actor and writer, Mike Nelson!

Michael J. Nelson, born October 11, 1964 in St. Charles, Illinois, has been nominated for two Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Variety or Music Program, that program being Mystery Science Theater 3000, one of my favorite shows of all time.

According to imdb.com, he was working as a waiter at T.G.I. Fridays  and doing stand-up comedy when he was offered a job typing for MST3K.  He was allowed to make comments on the movies they were watching, and they were so impressed with his wit, they made him a staff writer.  Later, he became the head writer.  

Joel Hodgson picked him as his replacement when he left the show.   One reason cited was because he looked great standing next to bots Crow, Tom Servo, and Gypsy.

Five Tribes unite to endorse Democrat gubernatorial candidate Joy Hofmeister

 

In an unprecedented move, five of Oklahoma's largest Native American tribes will endorse Democrat Joy Hofmeister in her bid for governor against Kevin Stitt.  In a joint statement the Five Tribe leaders said: 

“When it comes to working with the tribal nations in Oklahoma, (Hofmeister) understands our sovereignty is not a partisan issue or a threat, but instead is a chance to forge new partnerships while strengthening those that already exist because Oklahomans thrive together when we all work together,”

Stitt is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, but apparently has poor relationships with tribes and their leaders.  He's been labeled the "most anti-Native American governor in state history".

A campaign manager for current said Hofmeister has always been bought and paid for by "special interests."  As if Native Americans are special interests.  They constitute a huge percentage of Oklahoma's population and need to be heard and represented.  

A recent SoonerPoll shows Hofmeister with a 3 point lead over Stitt.

https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/five-tribes-to-unite-to-back-joy-hofmeister-for-governor/

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Matthew Lopez, first Latino playwright to win Tony for Best Play

Matthew Lopez, born March 24, 1977 in Panama City, Florida, is the first Latino to win a Tony Award for Best Play.  At the 74th Tony Awards held September 26, 2021 he took home the award for his play The Inheritance, which was nominated for 11 Tonys and won 4 of them.

Lopez was inspired by the E. M. Forster novel Howard's End for his play, which has also won an Olivier Award among many others for best play.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Emile Kuri, first Hispanic recipient of an Oscar

Emile Kuri, born June 11, 1907 in Cuernavaca, Mexico, was a set decorator who won two Academy Awards for Best Art Direction and was nominated fore six more.

In 1942, he was nominated for Best Art Direction for Silver Queen, becoming the first Hispanic to be nominated for an Academy Award in any category. He won the Academy Award in 1949 for The Heiress, and again in 1954 for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  

He received nominations for Carrie (1952), Executive Suite (1954), Executive Suite (1954), The Absent-Minded Professor (1961), Mary Poppins (1964), and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971).

Kuri passed away in October 2000.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Christopher Loria, retired Hispanic astronaut

Christopher Loria, born July 9, 1960 in Newton, Massachusetts, is a retired NASA astronaut.  He was scheduled to pilot the Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-113) in November 2002, but a serious back injury grounded him. In the fall of 2004, his injuries were determined to be inoperable and this resulted in his being medically disqualified from future space flights. He requested to be re-assigned to the Marine Corps.  He retired as an astronaut in 2005.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: René Echevarria, Cuban-American writer for Star Trek

Rene Echevarria, born in St. Petersburg, Florida, is a Cuban-American, who has written and produced episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  He submitted an unsolicited script to The Next Generation, which eventually became the episode The Offspring, where Data creates an android daughter.

He also co-wrote Trials and Tribble-ations for Deep Space Nine and was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. He was the executive producer of Terra Nova, which I enjoyed but it only lasted for one season. 

He has been nominated for two Primetime Emmys for his work on The 4400.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Gabriela Mistral, first Latina to win the Nobel Prize in Literature

Lucila Godoy Alcayaga, born April 7, 1889 in Chile, is best known by her pseudonym Gabriela Mistral, and is the first Latin-American to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.  When she was 15, she published her first poems in a local newspaper.  

Following several personal tragedies, Mistral channeled her grief into her writing and she produced her first literary work, which was placed first in a national literary contest in Santiago, Chile.  

She released her first book, Desolacion, with aid from Frederico de Onis, the Director of Hispanic Institute of New York in 1922. 

In November 1945, she became the first Latin American and fifth woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Gabriela passed away from pancreatic cancer in New York City in January 1957.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Tom Fears, first Mexican-American drafted into the NFL

Thomas Fears, born December 3, 1922 in Guadalajara, Mexico, became the first Mexican-born player to be drafted into the National Football League.  His family moved to Los Angeles when he was six.  He attended LA's Manual Arts High School where he first played football.  He enrolled at Santa Clara University but studied only one year before being drafted to serve the next three years in military service in WWII.  Although he sought to become a fighter pilot, he was shipped to Colorado Springs to play football for a service team.

When he was released, he was drafted by the Rams in 1945 as a defensive back, but remained in school, and transferred to UCLA.  His abilities allowed him to become a wide receiver in 1948.  In his first three seasons, he led all NFL receivers in catches, and broke the league's single-season record with 77 catches in 1949.

During the October 18, 1953 game against the Detroit Lions, he fractured two vertebrae, which would limit his ability for the next to years.  

On January 27, 1957, he was hired as head coach of the New Orleans Saints expansion team, becoming the first Latino head coach in the NFL.  His term was not long, and after three dismal seasons, he was replaced.

He passed away in January 2000 after a six-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.  He is the first Mexican-born NFL player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

NASA, SpaceX Crew-5 launched today!

SpaceX Crew 5 (L-R): Anna Kikina, Josh Cassada, Nicole Mann, Koichi Wakata

SpaceX Crew 5 mission poster

About noon today, NASA/SpaceX's Commercial Crew Program launched its fifth crew to the International Space Station.  Its crew consists of Commander Nicole Mann (NASA), Pilot Josh Cassada (NASA), Anna Kikina (Roscosmos), and Koichi Wakata (JAXA), who is on his fifth spaceflight.  They plan to dock with the ISS tomorrow.

They are scheduled to stay in space for approximately six months and return to Earth in March.

"The Ten Commandments" debuts 1956

Cecil B. DeMille's epic movie The Ten Commandments, was released into theaters October 5, 1956. The film followed the life of Moses and his journey with God, freeing the Israelites from Egypt, and delivering the Ten Commandments to the people.

Charlton Heston played Moses and Yul Brynner starred as the pharaoh Rameses.  It featured many other big names such as Yvonne De Carlo, Judith Anderson, and Vincent Price.

It won an Academy Award for Best Special Effects and nominated for six more, including Best Picture. Charlton Heston was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance as Moses.

The Ten Commandments was added to the National Film Registry by the US Library of Congress in 1999.