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, 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.
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!
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.
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!
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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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, 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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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