Happy birthday, Cassian Andor actor Diego Luna!

Uber-sexy actor Diego Luna, born December 29, 1979 in Mexico City, Mexico, has set the universe alive with his portrayal of Cassian Andor in Star Wars: Rogue One and then on Disney's Andor.  He has won numerous awards from the Latin and Spanish communities, and has received a Golden Globe nomination for his work in Andor!

Bion 10 (Kosmos 2229) launched 1992

 

Bion 10, or Kosmos 2229, a Russian spacecraft as part of a multinational effort, was launched December 29, 1992.  It carried two monkeys, plants, cell cultures, insects, and amphibians. The Rhesus monkeys were trained to activate food and juice dispensers, to operate a foot pedal to study muscles responses, and to make hand and head movements in response to visual stimuli.

The countries involved were Canada, France, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, China, Russia, Ukraine, US, Uzbekistan, and the European Space Agency.

The spacecraft orbited Earth for almost 12 days, before landing successfully on January 10, 1993.

Happy birthday, Denzel Washington!

One of the sexiest and talented actors in Hollywood, Denzel Washington, was born December 28, 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York.  He has won numerous awards for his acting, including two Oscars, the first African-American actor to win twice.  He is the second African-American to win an Oscar for Best Leading Actor.  

I enjoyed his work in Philadelphia and Unstoppable but my favorite movie of his is The Book of Eli.  I just found out he did all of his own stunts in the fight scenes.  The one in the video clip below shows how bad-ass he is! 

Happy birthday, actress C.C.H. Pounder!

I love actress C.C.H. Pounder, born December 25, 1952 in Guyana.  I liked her in Millennium but really became a fan of hers when she appeared in Warehouse 13.  She starred in an episode of The X-Files, Duane Barry, for which she earned a Primetime Emmy nomination.  

She also received numerous awards and nominations for her work on The Shield. I enjoy watching her in NCIS: New Orleans, and most recently her cameo in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. 

Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode "Santa Claus" airs 1993

Mike and the bots were subjected to the campy, Spanish movie Santa Claus, December 24, 1993 on Mystery Science Theater 3000.  In this film, Santa Claus must deal with an imp from the devil who tries to brainwash Earth's children.  Viewers can really feel their pain!

Fortunately, Kevin Murphy appears briefly as the real Santa Claus!

One of the best lines: 

Narrator: [in film] Children from the USA...

Crow T. Robot: ...are too spoiled and lazy to help Santa!

Happy birthday, Samuel L Jackson!

Sexy and talented actor Samuel L. Jackson, born December 21, 1948 in Washington, DC is one of my favorite actors.  He has won numerous awards for his acting and has been nominated for an Oscar.  He's appeared in many of my favorite movies, too.  He has played Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Mace Windu in the Star Wars movies, and he is the voice of Frozone in the Incredibles movies.

Other movies that I enjoy watching him in are Deep Blue Sea, Jurassic Park, and 1408.

Luna 13 launched 1966

Luna 13, a Soviet spacecraft, was launched to the moon December 21, 1966.  It became the third spacecraft to successfully land on the moon.  The first was Luna 9 in February 1966. The second was NASA's Surveyor 1 in May 1966.

It landed on December 24 in the Ocean of Storms (Oceanus Procellarum) between the Krafft and Seleucus craters.  Luna 13 took 5 panorama pictures, each taking 100 minutes to transmit.  

Contact was lost December 28 when the batteries were depleted.

"The Music Man" debuts on Broadway 1957

Meredith Willson's musical The Music Man made its debut on Broadway December 19, 1957 at the Majestic Theater.  It is the story of a con-man who bamboozles the residents of a backwater Iowa town into investing in instruments and uniforms for a boys band. 

The Music Man won five Tonys in 1958: Best Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Male in a Musical for Robert Preston, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for Barbara Cook, Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for David Burns, Best Conductor and Musical Director for Herbert Greene.

Iggie Wolfington was also nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. The Music Man was also nominated for Best Choreography, Best Direction of a Musical, and Best Stage Technician.

"The Towering Inferno" released 1974

Three days after its premiere in Los Angeles, The Towering Inferno was released in theaters December 19, 1974. Irwin Allen produced the film, combining two novels: The Tower by Richard Martin Stern; and The Glass Inferno by Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson.  The disaster flick starred an all-star cast including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, and Gregory Sierra.

It opened to mostly positive reviews and became a box-office smash, becoming one of the biggest grossing films of 1975.  It won three Academy Awards: Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Song for We May Never Love This Way Again.

John Williams was nominated for his original score.  Fred Astaire was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.  He didn't win the Oscar but did win a Golden Globe for his role. 

"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" released 1968

A favorite children's movie for numerous generations, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opened in theaters across the US December 18, 1968. It starred Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howe, and Benny Hill.  Although it opened to mostly critical success, it suffered at the box office (10th most popular movie of 1968), it lost United Artists $8M due to its high production costs. The main song Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.

It was based on a book written by Sir Ian Fleming, who created super-spy James Bond. 

First Pink Panther episode "Pink Phink" airs 1964

The first Pink Panther episode, Pink Phink, aired December 18, 1964.  The animated short would win Best Animated Short at the 37th Academy Awards.

It features the Pink Panther and a painter known as "Little Man" battling for the color of a house.  Little Man wants it blue, but the Pink Panther undoes his hard work by re-painting everything pink.  

The studio DePatie-Freleng Enterprises is the first studio to win the award for their first short. Pink Phink is the only short from the studio that won any Academy Awards. The Pink Panther shorts used the music from Henry Mancini's Academy Award nominated soundtrack to the Pink Panther movie series staring Peter Sellers. 

Book review - "Hornswoggled" by Donis Casey

I bought Hornswoggled, excited to find a new mystery author, from Oklahoma. The first in the series wasn't available at this store so I settled for #2.

A woman has been found stabbed and hidden in a pond under some tree roots.  Her husband, the town barber, is suspected but he has an air tight alibi.  He was in Kansas City when his wife was murdered, and arrived back in Boynton, Oklahoma after her body was found.  

A few months later, the grieving barber has his sights set on Alafair's daughter Alice.  And the feeling is mutual.  Alafair does not trust the charming, handsome, wealthy barber and is determined to find out who killed his wife, before her daughter could possibly become his next victim.

I enjoyed the book mainly for its historical setting in Oklahoma, the first decade after statehood. Casey included many details of what life was like in 1913, living on a farm with a small town nearby.

Sometimes those details bogged the story down. I didn't mind the section where Alafair is churning butter but when a long paragraph is devoted solely on how each member of the Tucker clan (13 in all) like their eggs, the story grinds to a screeching halt. I had to put the book down for a short while, before convincing myself to pick it back up again and finish it.

I grew up reading the Hardy Boys in grade school before I graduated to Agatha Christie and others. I realized Frank and Joe rarely solved a mystery. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Other sleuths figure out the mystery by looking at all the clues and figuring out who the bad guy is. Hornswoggled is the same vein as the Hardy Boys. Alafair realizes whodunit isn't anyone she suspected until it was too late.

Still, I would recommend this to people who enjoy cozy mysteries, early Oklahoma, or pre-WWI history buffs

"Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi" released 2017

The second installment of the third Star Wars trilogy, episode 8 The Last Jedi opened across the US December 15, 2017, after its premiere in Los Angeles December 9.  It opened to positive reviews from critics and audiences alike.  

I enjoyed the movie as well and will watch it again, but I had some issues with it.  First and foremost was the god-awful wig Laura Dern wore throughout the film.  It was so off-putting and I hate the hair style, the purple color notwithstanding.  

The second problem was the secondary plot of Finn (John Boyega) and Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) trying to disable the First Order's tracking device. Although they had many exciting adventures, their secret mission failed and did nothing to continue the plot. 

Unfortunately, many racists had problems with John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, both people of color, having major roles in the Star Wars saga.  The problem was so bad that Tran left social media. 

Come on, guys!

The Last Jedi was nominated for four Academy Awards, it won three Saturn Awards (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films): Best Writing: Rian Johnson, Best Actor: Mark Hamill, and Best Editing for Bob Ducsay.  It was nominated for 10 more Saturns.

John Williams' soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy.

ABBA releases "Happy New Year" 1980

Happy New Year, the fourth single released from Super Trouper, ABBA's seventh studio album, was released December 15, 1980.  Its original release was limited but when it was re-released in 1999 for the new millennium, it reached #27 in Sweden and #15 in the Netherlands.

It was re-re-released in 2008 and made it to #4 in Sweden, and #5 in 2009. According to wikipedia, the song is a staple of the new year in Vietnam.

Vega 1 to Venus and Halley's Comet launched 1984

Vega 1, Soviet spacecraft to Venus and Halley's Comet, was launched December 15, 1984.  Its twin Vega 2 was launched six days later.  It reached Venus June 11, 1985, releasing its descent module two days prior.  The landing module contained a surface lander and a balloon explorer.

Vega 1 made a gravitational assist using Venus's gravity to continue its mission to Halley's Comet.  The first images of the comet were received March 4, 1986 and made its closest approach on March 6. Vega 1 sent images for the next two days.  The last contact made with the spacecraft as it headed into deep space was January 1987. 

Book review - "In the Kingdom of Ice" by Hampton Sides

Warning: Contains spoilers!

In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette, Hampton Sides chronicles the adventure of Captain George De Long and thirty-two men, who set out to explore the North Pole in 1879.  De Long had his heart set on reaching the pole via ship, going on the flawed information from previous explorers.  

Sides manages to grip the readers' feelings when the group realizes they will never reach their goal and head back toward civilization.  That's when the real hardships begin.  Maybe we have a morbid fascination with someone else's catastrophes and can't stop reading.  Or perhaps the story opens a world to which we will (thankfully) never see.  

I was disappointed when Captain De Long's body was discovered, since he had been the central figure throughout the book.  So when he died trying to return home, it was heartbreaking.  The fact that any of them survived is a miracle.

I enjoyed reading this book.  I like how Hampton Sides presented his research on the subject, which seems to be quite extensive, given the time-frame of the story and lack of communication and records keeping.  

However, a lot of the book seemed to be rather non sequitur, but Sides managed to show why certain passages were necessary and how they related to the story.   

Although there are a lot of scientific details, the book did not get bogged down in data dumps, which is why this book is an entertaining read.

Happy birthday, bodybuilder and gay activist Bob Paris!

Bob Paris, born December 14, 1959 in Columbus, Indiana, is a championship bodybuilder, a gay activist, writer, and public speaker.  

I first discovered Bob when I was into bodybuilding, and right away, he came out, becoming one of the first, if not THE first, athlete to come out while still actively competing in his sport.  Of course, the damage to his career was significant, losing about 80% of his bookings and endorsements.  

He and his husband at the time Rod Jackson co-authored a book, Straight From the Heart.  I purchased it and got Bob's autograph and my picture with him! 

I'm glad to hear that he is doing well! An inspiration for all of us. 

"Clue" released 1985

The madcap, slapstick comedy Clue was released in US theaters December 13, 1985.  It was based on the popular board game Clue, which has been around since 1949.  It boasted a stellar cast: Eileen Brennan, Madeline Kahn, Lesley Ann Warren, Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull, Michael McKean, Kellye Nakahara, and Jane Wiedlin.  

Nakahara is best known for her recurring role as Nurse Kellye in M*A*S*H.  Jane Weidlin is best known as a guitarist/vocalist for the Go-Go's.  The movie had three different endings and each theatre received a different only one of the three.  

Clue was not a box office success and received mixed reviews, but it has endured and has developed a cult following. A remake is in the works and a writer was hired to rewrite the script in 2022.

"Scorpion Nest" gets 5-star review/rating on Amazon!

Scorpion Nest, the third in my Psionic Corps series, has TWO 5-star ratings on Amazon and a 5-star review! 

From funlovingal60:

Loved this book! I am a white heteralsexual woman. This book is great if you like to read this material! Great job!

Thank you, fun!

Purchase your copy here: https://purpleswordpublications.blogspot.com/

"A Faire Day for Murder" gets a 4-star review on Goodreads!

A Faire Day for Murder got a 4-star rating and a review from reviewer Nicci! 

I absolutely loved Ian and the other characters. The setting being a renaissance faire is just perfect. I want to know more about the psionic officers. Keep em coming Alan Scott!!

A Faire Day for Murder got a 5-star rating from Philomena!

Thank you so much, ladies!

Purchase your copy from Purple Sword Publishing: https://purpleswordpublications.blogspot.com/

"Not Necessarily The News" wins 3 CableACE Awards 1983

Not Necessarily the News, a favorite of mine and an HBO satire show, won 3 CableACE awards at the 5th ceremony held December 12, 1983.  The show was on air from 1983-1990 and won 14 CableACE awards during its run.

The satire won for General Entertainment or Variety: Comedy, Single Program - General Entertainment or Variety: Comedy; and Best Writing in a Variety Program.  Stuart Pankin was nominated for Best Actor in a Variety Program.  Anne Bloom and Audrie Neenan were both nominated for Best Actress in a Variety Program. John Moffitt was nominated for Directing in a Variety Program.

The same evening, Angela Lansbury won the award for Actress in a Theatrical or Musical Program.

The CableACE Awards (ACE = Award for Cable Excellence) was created in 1978 as cable television's answer to broadcast television's Primetime Emmys.  The Emmys did not honor cable television until 1988 and soon cable shows began dominating the Emmys. The CableACE Awards waned in popularity and the last awards were handed out in 1997. 

Soyuz MS-20 launched 2021

Soyuz MS-20 participants (L-R): Yusaka Maezawa, Alexander Misurkin, Yozo Hirano

Soyuz MS-20, launched December 8, 2021 to the International Space Station, carried one cosmonaut and two Japanese space tourists into space.  Its occupants were Commander Alexander Misurkin (Roscosmos), Yusaku Maezawa (art collector), and Yozo Hirano (Maezawa's production assistant). 

It is the first flight of the Soyuz program that did not take any crew members for rotation on the ISS, and was dedicated entirely for a commercial flight.

They returned to Earth December 20, after more than 11 days in space. 

Ben Hur, first adaption of the Wallace novel, 1907

The first adaption of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, by Kalem Company made its debut December 7, 1907.  It is also a landmark case of copyright infringement by an American studio.  

Sidney Olcott was principal director with assistance from Frank Oakes Rose.  Filming took place over 4 days in October 1907.  William S. Hart starred as Messala, a role he had played in the Broadway production of Ben Hur, from November 1899 to May 1900.

Other actors who are listed as cast, but unverified, were Herman Rottjer as Ben-Hur(?), Gene Gauntier, and Harry T. Morey.

The estate of Lew Wallace, who passed away three years before the motion picture was released, sued Kalem Company since it was produced without the estate's permission.  According to screenwriter Gauntier, it was common practice in the early silent era to ignore copyrights and dismiss proprietary rights of original authors of intellectual properties. The court ruled against Kalem in May 1908, and later the US Supreme Court upheld the ruling on appeal.  

I enjoyed this 15 min short, but had to keep the imdb.com page open to understand what is going on, since there are no stills with words except when the scene changes.  One thing I noticed is the camera is always stationary.  It does not move from side to side or up and down.  Whatever is directly in front of the camera is what gets filmed.  During the chariot race, the viewer only sees the chariots when they pass in front of the camera.  With the low quality of the film and the brief glimpses of the driver, the viewer cannot tell who the drivers are or what their placement in the race is.

Still, it is great to watch.  

Hayabusa 2 capsule returns to Earth 2020

The surface of Ryugu

Hayabusa 2, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) probe launched in 2014, returned to Earth with samples from near-Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu December 5, 2020.  After its sampling mission was completed in November 2019, Hayabusa 2 fired its ion engines and returned to Earth.

It released the sample capsule on December 5, 2020 and the capsule landed at the Woomera Test Range in Australia.  JAXA has shared a portion of the samples with NASA and NASA will share samples from asteroid Bennu, when OSIRIS-REx returns in 2023.

Luna 8 launched 1965

 

Luna 8, launched December 3, 1965, was the Soviet Union's eleventh attempt to achieve a soft landing on the moon.  For three days, Luna 8 performed satisfactorily and seemed that it would succeed.  Prior to landing, a command ordered the cushioning air bags around the landing probe to inflate.  A plastic mounting bracket apparently pierced one of the two air bags, causing the spacecraft to spin.  A retrorocket firing nine seconds long, managed to help stabilize Luna 8 but it did not have enough retrorocket burn to reduce its velocity.

Luna 8 crashed onto the moon's surface December 6 on the west side of Oceanus Procellarum.  

Happy birthday, Rick Savage, Def Leppard bass guitarist

Richard "Rick" Savage, born December 1960 in Yorkshire, England, is bass guitarist and a founding member of Def Leppard.  He and Joe Elliott are the only two remaining original members of the band.  

In 1976, Savage was working to form a band, and the group auditioned Joe Elliott.  Later they hired guitarist Steve Clark and changed their name to Def Leppard.  He has performed on every album.

In 1994, Savage contracted Bell's Palsy, which is a temporary paralysis of facial muscles. 

Discovery (STS-53) launched 1992

STS-53 crew

Back row (L-R): David Walker, Robert Cabana, Michael Clifford

Front row (L-R): Guion Bluford, James Voss

STS-53 mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-53) launched December 2, 1992, carrying a classified payload for the Department of Defense. Its crew consisted of Commander David Walker, Robert Cabana, Guion Bluford (final flight), Michael Clifford (first flight), and James Voss.

One of the unclassified payload was the Orbital Debris Radar Calibration Spheres (ODERACS), which put objects of known size and shape into orbit.  The experiment was used to calibrate radars and telescopes for measuring orbital debris.

The crew returned to Earth December 9.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Cusco releases "Apurimac III", a blend of Native American music and new age

The German new-age band Cusco released Apurimac III: Nature-Spirit-Pride, which all tracks are related to Native American cultures of North America.  Cusco incorporates their electronic style with Native American music with drum beats, chants, and flute.  

The album peaked at #7 on the Billboard Top New Age Albums chart.  It's a great way to introduce Native American music to new listeners.

Here is Ghost Dance from the album:

Shenzhou 15 launched today!

Shenzhou 15 crew (L-R): Fei Junlong, Deng Quingming, Zhang Lu

China successfully launched Shenzhou 15 earlier today, its tenth manned mission of the Shenzhou program, and the fifteenth flight overall, to the Tiangong Space Station.  Its crew consists of Commander Fei Junlong, Deng Quingming, and Zhang Lu.  

They will meet with the crew of Shenzhou 14, who launched in June 2022 and plan to return in December.  The Shenzhou 15 crew is planned to conduct 3-4 EVAs, in addition to their scientific experiments and payload work.  They are scheduled to return in May 2023.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Enoch Kelly Haney, Seminole Chief, Oklahoma politician, sculptor

Enoch Kelly Haney, born November 12, 1940 in Seminole, Oklahoma, served as the principal chief of the Seminole Nation in Oklahoma, and served in both houses of the Oklahoma Legislature.    He was also an artist and his creation The Guardian is the bronze statue that sits atop the Oklahoma State Capitol. 

He graduated from Prairie Valley High School in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, and earned an Associate of Arts degree from Bacone College in Muskogee.  He obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Oklahoma City University and served in the Oklahoma National Guard.

He was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1980 to 1986 and then was elected to the Oklahoma Senate from 1986 to 2002.  He went on to be the Chief of the Seminole Nation in Oklahoma from 2002 to 2005.  

He passed away in April 2022.

Silver Convention's "Fly Robin Fly" reaches #1 1975

More disco!  Silver Convention's Fly, Robin, Fly reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, bumping off KC and the Sunshine Band's That's the Way (I Like It), which had sat at the top of the charts for a week.  They are the first German act to have a #1 song on American music charts.  Fly, Robin, Fly won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance in 1976. 

It stayed at #1 for three weeks, when it was replaced by That's the Way (I Like It).

Chadwick Boseman "Black Panther" born 1976

Chadwick Boseman, born November 29, 1976 in Anderson, South Carolina, first made waves in his performance as Jackie Robinson in 42, but garnered millions of more fans when he appeared as T'Challa, or Black Panther, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

He first appeared as T'Challa in Captain America: Civil War and went on to play the character in his own movie Black Panther.  He performed as T'Challa in Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, and the TV series What If...?

He many awards for his performance as T'Challa and for his performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Unfortunately, Boseman passed away in August 2020 after a long battle with colon cancer. 

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Deb Haaland, first Native American US Cabinet Secretary

Deb Haaland, born December 2, 1960 in Winslow, Arizona, is the first Native American to be appointed to the US Cabinet.  She assumed the office of Secretary of the Interior under President Biden in March 2021, after being confirmed by a vote of 51-40.  

Haaland is a member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe, and earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Mexico, and later earned her Juris Doctor in Indian Law from UNM's School of Law.  She ran for Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico in 2014 with Gary King, but lost the election.

She ran for the US House of Representatives for New Mexico in 2018 and won the election.  Haaland was one of first two Native American women to be seated in Congress, with Sharice Davids, a representative from Kansas.  

Haaland had the support of many Democrats in Congress for the position of Secretary of the Interior before Biden announced her nomination.  She wore traditional Laguna Pueblo regalia for her swearing-in ceremony.  

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: William Wirt Hastings, first US Representative from Oklahoma

 William Wirt Hastings, born December 31, 1866 in Benton County, Arkansas, moved with his family to the Cherokee Nation, in Indian Territory.  He attended Cherokee tribal school and graduated from Cherokee Male Seminary in 1884.  He graduated from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee in 1889 and began his law practice in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. 

He was first elected to the US House of Representatives, making him the first Native American representative in Congress from Oklahoma. He served for three terms from March 1915 to March 1921.  He was defeated by Alice Mary Robertson in 1920, but re-elected in 1923 and served for five more terms to January 1935.  He did not seek re-election in 1934 and returned to his practice in Tahlequah. 

He passed away in April 1938 in Tahlequah.

The Pointer Sisters perform in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 1998

My girls, the Pointer Sisters, lovely as always, performed at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, November 26, 1998.  Ruth, June, and Anita rendered an awesome, upbeat rendition of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer!

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Tony Hillerman, author of Navajo mystery novels

Tony Hillerman, born May 27, 1925 in Sacred Heart, Oklahoma, is a best-selling author of mystery novels featuring Navajo Nation police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.  He is noted for including Navajo culture into his writings.

He served in WWII in the 103rd Infantry Division, and was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart.

His first novel The Blessing Way, featuring Joe Leaphorn was published in 1970.  His fourth novel People of Darkness introduced Jim Chee.  Starting with his seventh novel Skinwalkers, Leaphorn and Chee begin working together. 

His second novel Dance Hall of the Dead won the 1974 Edgar Award.  His novels have won many more awards.

Hillerman passed away in Albuquerque, New Mexico in October 2008.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Ola Mildred Rexroat, only Native American WASP

Ola Mildred "Millie" Rexroat, born August 28, 1917 in Argonia, Kansas, is the only Native American to serve in the Women's Airforce Service Pilots.  

Her mother was from the Oglala and Rexroat started public school in Wynona, Oklahoma in 1923.  She attended WASP training in Sweetwater, Texas and was given the task of towing target planes for aerial gunnery students at Eagle Pass Army Airfield.

When the WASPs were disbanded in 1944, she joined the Air Force and worked as an air traffic controller at Kirkland Air Force Base in New Mexico, during the Korean War. She continued to work as an air traffic controller for the FAA for 33 years.

She passed away in South Dakota in June 2017, just two months shy of her 100th birthday.

"Santa Claus" released 1959

The Mexican fantasy film Santa Claus was released in the US November 24, 1959.  It features Pitch, a demon, sent to ruin Christmas by killing Santa Claus and making children do evil.  He manages to sabotage Santa's visit to Mexico City by trapping him in a tree with a vicious dog underneath.  However, Merlin the magician intervenes and defeat Pitch, allowing Santa to complete his task.  

The film has been deemed the worst and the best of the worst.  It did win the Golden Gate award for Best International Family Film at the San Francisco International Film Festival in 1959.

Santa Claus was featured in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 Christmas Eve 1993, giving it a cult status.  

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: James Young Deer, first Native American actor, director, writer, and producer

James Young Deer, born April 1, 1876 in Washington, DC as part of the Nanticoke tribe of Delaware, is the first Native American filmmaker/producer in Hollywood.  He joined the US Navy in 1898 and fought during the Spanish-American War, but was subject to racism.  

He began acting in 1909 in New York in short films such as The Falling Arrow and Young Deer's Bravery. In 1910 he was hired to direct for a French-based studio in Jersey city, whose movies were criticized that their movies were not realistic portrayals of the Old West.  Young Deer went to LA to make "Indian-themed" films.  It has been noted that his films portrayed the Native Americans in a favorable light, opposed to the "cliches of hostile Indian warriors or wagon train attacks".

Over his career, he acted in, wrote, or directed about 150 silent movies at Pathe's West Coast Studio. 

After about a year in England, he returned to the US, but westerns were less popular at that time.  He passed away in New York City in April 1946, and is buried as a veteran of the Spanish-American War.  

In 2008, the Library of Congress added White Fawn's Devotion, a film Young Deer wrote and directed, to the National Film Registry.

China launches Chang'e 5 to the moon 2020

After three years of delays from the original launch schedule, China successfully launched Chang'e 5 November 23, 2020 (UTC).  On November 28, it arrived at the moon and the Lander/Ascender separated from the Orbiter/Returner, landing December 1, near the volcanic complex Mons Rumker in the Northern Oceanus Procellarum..  It took samples of the lunar soil

The Ascender lifted from the lunar surface December 3 and docked with the Orbiter/Returner on December 5, transferring the samples to the return capsule.  The Ascender crashed back onto the moon, and the Orbiter/Returner returned to Earth December 16.

China is the third country to send a spacecraft to the moon and return with samples.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Minnie Spotted Wolf, first Native American woman to enlist in US Marine Corps

Minnie Spotted-Wolf, born in 1923 in Heart Butte, Montana of the Blackfoot tribe, was the first Native American woman to enlist in the US Marine Corps.  She enlisted in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve in July 1943.  During her service, she served on bases in California and Hawai'i, working as a heavy equipment operator and a driver for general officers.  She left the Corps in 1947 and spent 29 years as a teacher.  She passed away in 1988.

A section of US Highway 89 in Montana was dedicated to her in 2019.

Star Trek episode "Plato's Stepchildren" debuts 1968

Plato's Stepchildren, the tenth episode of the third season of Star Trek (original series) aired on November 22, 1968.  In this episode, the crew of the Enterprise encounter a planet where the inhabitants possess powerful telekinesis, except for one, who is a little person.  Michael Dunn, from Oklahoma, starred as the little person and whipping boy of the others.

It is also purported to be the first interracial kiss on television between Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) and Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), but apparently Nancy Sinatra kissed Sammy Davis Jr. the year before.  However, some television stations in the south US would not air it.  

KC and the Sunshine Band's "That's the Way (I Like It)" reaches #1 1975

Hey, I'm a child of the seventies, back when disco was king!  These are the songs we cranked up loud whenever they came on the radio.  KC and the Sunshine Band's single That's the Way (I Like It) reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 22, 1975.  It stayed at #1 for a week, then got replaced by Silver Convention's Fly, Robin, Fly the following week.  Three weeks later, That's the Way (I Like It) reached #1 for a second time for a week.

It was released June 10, 1975 from their second studio album KC and the Sunshine Band.   

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Clarence "Taffy" Abel, first Native American to play in the NHL

Clarence "Taffy" Abel, born May 28, 1900 in Sault St. Marie, Michigan, has achieved a lot of firsts for Native Americans.  His wikipedia page says he is was a member of the Ojibwe tribe, but the video below says he was from the Sioux tribe of the Chippewas.  

He was the first Native American to be a US Olympic flag bearer for the US at the 1924 Winter Olympics where he was a silver medalist in ice hockey.  In 1926 he signed with the New York Rangers, becoming the first Native American to play in the National Hockey League.  He was part of the team when they won the Stanley Cup in the 1927-1928 season.

He went to the Chicago Black Hawks and helped them win the Stanley Cup in the 1933-1934 season.  He retired afterwards.

He passed away in August 1964. 

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Joseph Clark, first Native American to graduate from US Naval Academy

Joseph "Jocko" Clark, born November 12, 1893 in the Cherokee Nation, in Indian Territory, is the first Native American to graduate from the US Naval Academy.  Jocko attended Willie Halsell College, Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College (now OSU), before being appointed to the Naval Academy.  He graduated as ensign when he graduated in 1917. 

He served aboard the USS North Carolina during WWI.  After the war, he graduated as a naval aviator from NAS Pensacola in Florida in March 1925.  

He was stationed on the USS Yorktown when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.  In 1944, Clark was promoted to Rear Admiral.  Subsequently, he was assigned to command the USS Hornet and commanded his task group in conjunction with Task Force in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. 

He served during the Korean War and was promoted to Vice Admiral commanding the 7th fleet before retiring from the Navy in December 1953, with the rank of Admiral.  He passed away in July 1971. 

"The Creeping Terror" released 1964

The Creeping Terror, released November 20, 1964, has been dubbed the second worse movie ever, after Plan 9 from Outer Space.  But Plan 9 had a coherent plot, albeit a campy one.  Vic Savage directed, produced, and starred in the movie.  It follows an alien, resembling a shag carpet, that eats people, terrorizing a small rural town.  

According to wikipedia.com, the special effects creator was not paid for his work, so he stole the original costume for the alien monster the day before shooting started so Savage and his crew had to throw together a poor recreation of the costume.  

Savage experienced difficulty securing funding so even though filming started in 1962, it wasn't finished until 1963.  The movie is almost completely narrated, with very little dialogue.  There are several theories on why there was so little speaking.  

Savage was sued several times prior to the film's release and disappeared, never to be seen again.  It is rumored that he died of liver failure in 1975.  

William Thourlby, who played Dr. Bradford, was the face of the Marlboro Man advertising campaign in the 1950s. 

The Creeping Terror was featured in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1994. 

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: The Daughter Of Dawn, first silent film with all Native American cast

The Daughter of Dawn, released in October 1920, is probably the first and only silent film to feature an entirely Native American cast.  It was shown only a few times and then vanished from history in the 1920s.  

In 2005, a private investigator offered the film to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art for $35,000.  In 2007, the Oklahoma Historical Society purchased it for $5000.  They digitized the film and re-released it in 2013.

The film took place in the Wichita Mountains in southern Oklahoma, and focuses on a love triangle between a Kiowa chief's daughter, a Kiowa and a Comanche, during conflicts between the Kiowa and Comanche tribes.

Over 300 people from the Kiowa and Comanche tribes acted in the film. 

It starred Hunting Horse, Oscar Yellow Wolf, Esther LeBarre, White Parker, and Wanada Parker, both children of Quanah Parker.  

In 2013, The Daughter of Dawn was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. 

Hayabusa lands on the asteroid Itokawa

Hayabusa, the Japanese spacecraft launched in May 2003, landed on the asteroid Itokawa November 19, 2005.  It had arrived at the asteroid just two months before.  Just as it landed, Hayabusa fired tiny projectiles at the surface and collected the spray.  Small specks were collected to be sent back to Earth for analysis. 

Hayabusa returned to Earth June 13, 2010 in Australia.  

Happy birthday, astronaut Nicholas Patrick!

Nicholas Patrick, born November 19, 1964 in Yorkshire, England, has spent almost a month in space.

His first mission was aboard Discovery (STS-116) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in December 2006. He spent almost 13 days in space, 7 of those docked at the space station.  

His second and final mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-130) as mission specialist to the ISS in February 2010.  He conducted 3 EVAs with fellow astronaut Robert Behnken for a total of more than 18 hours.  He spent almost 14 days in space and completed 217 orbits.