Happy birthday, astronaut James Dutton!

James Dutton Jr., born November 20, 1968 in Eugene, Oregon, went into space aboard space shuttle Discovery (STS-131) as pilot to the International Space Station in April 2010.  He retired from the US Air Force as Colonel in 2014.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Jesse Chisholm, Cherokee developer of the Chisholm trail

Jesse Chisholm, born around 1805 in present-day Tennessee, was a Cherokee with Scottish ancestry who developed what became known as the Chisholm Trail.  He moved to Indian Territory with his mother, and became involved with a gold-seeking party, who blazed a trail to explore the area around present-day Wichita, Kansas.

He married Eliza Edwards in 1836 and he became a trader, working and serving as an interpreter between the Republic of Texas and local Native American tribes. He also worked between the US government and Native American tribes in Texas after Texas joined the US.  

After the Civil War, he settled near present-day Kingfisher, Oklahoma and traded into Indian Territory.  He built up a military trail into a road capable of carrying heavy wagons for his goods.  

Later, this trail was used by ranchers driving cattle from Texas to Kansas.  They named it the Chisholm Trail.

Jesse Chisholm passed away in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma in 1868.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Louis Tewanima, first Native American (Hopi) to win an Olympic medal

Louis Tewanima, born in 1888 in what is now Arizona, participated in two Olympic games and won the silver medal in the 10,000 meter run at the 1912 Olympic Games in Sweden.  He became the first Native American (Hopi) to win an Olympic medal and set a US record which stood until 1964, when another Native American, Billy Mills (Lakota Sioux) broke it.

Tewanima had previously represented the US at the 1908 Olympic games in London where he placed ninth in the marathon.  After the 1912 Olympics he returned to his reservation and spent the rest of his life herding sheep and raising crops.

In 1906, Tewanima was kidnapped by the US Government and sent to Fort Wingate in New Mexico, and then to Carlisle Indian School in 1907 where he met Jim Thorpe.

He passed away in Second Mesa, Arizona in January 1959.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Co-Rux--Te-Chod-Ish, first Native American recipient of Medal of Honor

Co-Rux--Te-Chod-Ish (Mad Dog), born in 1847 in Nebraska in the Pawnee Tribe, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Indian Wars.  He joined the US Army in Columbus, Nebraska as an Indian Scout.  In July 1869, he was thrown from his horse while chasing after a Cheyenne Dog Soldier near the Republican River.  He was badly injured when another member of his own unit shot him by mistake.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor on August 24, 1869.  He passed away in February 1913 and is buried in Oklahoma.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Ely Samuel Parker, first Native American (Seneca) promoted to brigadier general in US Army

Ely Samuel Parker, born in Indian Falls, New York in 1828, was bilingual being fluent in English and Seneca. He worked for a legal firm in Ellicottville, New York, and applied to take the bar examine.  Unfortunately, Native Americans were not considered US citizens, and he was not permitted to take it. 

After a chance meeting with Lewis Henry Morgan, Parker helped Morgan with information on the Seneca for Morgan's book on the Iroquois.  With Morgan's help, Parker earned an engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

He worked as a civil engineer until the start of the Civil War.  President Grant appointed Parker to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, become the first Native American to hold that position. Parker tried to raise a regiment of Iroquois volunteers to fight for the Union, but was turned down.  He tried to enlist in the Army but was turned down since he was Native American.

Grant got Parker a commission to captain in May 1863. Later, Parker was appointed as military secretary to Grant with the rank of lieutenant colonel.  He helped draft the surrender documents for Robert E. Lee's surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse in April 1865. 

Parker was promoted to brigadier general of the US Army March 2, 1867, becoming the first Seneca to achieve that rank. 

He passed away in  August 1895.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Lauro Cavazos, first Hispanic member of US Cabinet

Lauro Cavazos, born January 4, 1927 in Kingsville, Texas, enlisted in the US Army in 1944 and served state-side in an infantry unit in the last days of WWII.  He enrolled at Texas College of Arts and Industries (now Texas A&M University-Kingsville) and majoring in journalism..  He transferred to Texas Technological  College (now Texas Tech University) and earned a BA and MS in zoology.  Later he earned a PhD in physiology from Iowa State University in 1954.

He was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi.

He became the president of Texas Tech University, becoming the first alumnus and first Hispanic to serve as Texas Tech president.  He served from 1980-1988, when President Reagan appointed him as Secretary of Education, making him the first Hispanic member in the US Cabinet.  He remained at the post until 1990, when he resigned.

After his resignation, he served as the Professor of Public Health and Family Medicine.  He passed away in March 2022. 

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Laura Harring, first Latina to win Miss USA

Laura Elena Harring Martinez, born March 3, 1964 in Los Mochis, Mexico, is the first Latina to win Miss USA.  She grew up in Mexico before she and her family relocated to San Antonio, Texas when she was ten.  At twelve, she suffered a head injury when she was caught in a crossfire from a driveby shooting at twelve.

After studying theater and dance in Europe, she moved to El Paso and began competing in beauty pageants.  She won Miss El Paso USA, Miss Texas USA, and then Miss USA 1985 becoming the first Hispanic woman to do so.  

She went on to have a successful acting career, most notable is her role as Rita in Mulholland Drive.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: France L Silva, Medal of Honor Recipient

France Silva, born May 8, 1876 in Hayward, California, joined the Marine Corps in September 1899 in San Francisco and was assigned to the USS Newark.  In May 1900, Private France Silva was a member of the Legation Guards when the Newark sailed for China to help land allied troops to assist civilians during the Boxer Rebellion.

On June 23, 1900, the Regiment, under the command of Major Littleton Waller entered the Tianjin to protect the civilians and forced the Chinese forces to retreat.  Private Silva, along with several other marines and two sailors, earned the Medal of Honor in their defense of the civilian compound at Beijing.  He became the first US Marine of Mexican-American and Hispanic heritage to receive the Medal of Honor.

Silva passed away in April 1951 in Red Bluff, California.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Raul Cilloniz, Eduardo Dibos, first Hispanic NASCAR drivers

Raul Cilloniz and Eduardo Dibos, both born in Peru, were the first South American NASCAR drivers.  They raced in the 1959 Daytona 500, the inaugural race.  Cilloniz finished 12th, only eight laps behind the winner Lee Petty.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Katy Jurado, first Mexican-American actress to win a Golden Globe

Katy Jurado, born Maria Cristina Estela Marcela Jurado Garcia January, 16, 1924 in Mexico City, is the first Latin American actress to win a Golden Globe for her work in High Noon in 1952. She is the first Latin American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Broken Lance in 1954.

She began her film career in 1943 appearing in the Mexican film No mataras.  She appeared in 16 more films over the next seven years in what has been named the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema.  

Jurado made her American cinema debut in Bullfighter and the Lady.  Although she was not interested in appearing in American films, she worked on numerous American western films.  She appeared in High Noon with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly.  She starred in Arrowhead with Charlton Heston and Jack Palance.

Jurado was married to Ernest Borgnine for four years, and had a romantic relationship with Western novelist Louis L'Amour.

She continued acting until 2002 when she appeared in her final film Un secreto de Esperanza, which was released after her death from kidney failure and pulmonary disease in July 2002.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Ignacio Molinet, first Hispanic player in the NFL

Ignacio "Lou" Molinet, born November 30, 1904 in Chaparra, Cuba, is the first Cuban and first Latin American to play in the National Football League. He attended Peddie School in New Jersey, and then enrolled in Cornell University, where he lettered twice in both basketball and football.  After his parents died after his sophomore year, he remained in Cuba.  

The Frankford Athletic Association contacted him to play for the Frankford Yellow Jackets, who were the defending NFL champion at the time, so he returned.  

In 1927, he rushed for 75 yards and passed for another 35 yards.  He caught several passes, and he scored a touchdown in a win over the Buffalo Bison. However, the Yellow Jackets fell below 0.500 and placed 7th in the standings.  Molinet returned to Cornell after only one season in the NFL, and finished his degree.

He passed away in August 1977.

Luna 19 launched 1971

Luna 19, launched September 28, 1971 by the Soviet Union, was sent to the moon to carry out studies of gravitational fields, the radiation environment, and solar wind. Luna 19 entered a parking orbit around Earth and headed toward the moon October 2. 

Luna 19 studied the moon until contact was lost November 1, 1972.

Remembering Dame Maggie Smith (1934-2024)

Dame Maggie Smith, one of the most accomplished actresses of all time, passed away yesterday from undisclosed causes.  She began her acting career at 17 as Viola in Twelfth Night at the Oxford Playhouse in 1952. She made her television debut in Oxford Accents in 1954. Smith made her Broadway debut playing in the New Faces of '56 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre from June to December 1956.  In 1956, she appeared in her firsts film in an uncredited role in Child in the House.

Dame Smith won her first Academy Award in 1969 for Best Actress for her performance in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.  Her second Oscar was in 1978 for Best Supporting Actress for her work in California Suite.

She won four Primetime Emmy Awards, three of them for her role in Downton Abbey. She won a Tony Award in 1990 for her work in Lettice and Lovage.  She is one of few performers to win the Triple Crown of Acting: Oscar, Tony, Emmy.

Her final film The Miracle Club was released last year.

This clip from the Carol Burnett Show is one of my favorites to show her comedic talent.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Romualdo Pacheco, first Hispanic governor in US

Jose Romualdo Pacheco, born in Santa Barbara, California October 31, 1831, became the first Hispanic governor in the United States when he was served as governor of California in February 1875.  He is also the only Hispanic to server as Governor of California and the first Latino to represent a state in the US Congress.

After serving as an apprentice on a trading vessel during the Mexican-American War, he entered politics in 1850.  With prominent family connections, he sought the position of judge in San Luis Obispo and won at the age of 22.  He was elected to the state senate in 1857 and was re-elected twice.

When the Civil War broke out, he was appointed the rank of brigadier general by Governor Leland Stanford to disarm military companies in Los Angeles that weren't loyal to the Union.

Pacheco served as state treasurer of California from 1863-1867, then became Lieutenant Governor of California under Newton Booth. When Booth was elected to the US Senate in 1875, Pacheco served as governor from February to December 1875. 

He ran for a seat in the US House of Representatives and defeated the incumbent Peter Wigginton by one vote.  Wigginton contested the election and managed to overturn Pacheco's victory in 1878. Pacheco went into business until winning a House seat in September 1879 and was re-elected in 1880. 

After leaving Congress and living on a cattle ranch in northern Mexico until he was appointed as US Minister to various countries in Central America in 1890.

Pacheco returned to California in 1893 and died in 1899.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Luis Negrón, Lambda Literary Award winner

Luis Negron, born in Guyama, Puerto Rico in 1970, is a writer, living in Santurce, Puerto Rico.  His debut short story collection, Mundo Cruel, was published in 2010.  Its stories focus on gay life in Santurce, and has been printed five times in Spanish, and an English translation was published in 2013.  

Mundo Cruel won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction at the 26th Lambda Literary Awards in 2014.

Luna 16, first lunar sample return mission, lands 1970

Luna 16, the first successful lunar sample return mission, landed on Earth September 24, 1970. The main spacecraft was launched September 12 and landed on the dark side of the moon. Within an hour of landing, Luna 16 deployed an automatic drill.  It reached a depth of 35 cm and withdrew about 101 grams sample of lunar soil. The upper stage lifted off from the moon on September 21 and parachuted down, successfully landing in Kazakhstan September 24, 1970.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Eddie Palmieri, winner of first Grammy for Latin music

Eddie Palmieri at the piano

Eddie Palmieri, born December 15, 1936 in New York City, is a Latin-American musician who won the first Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording ever awarded in February 1976 for his album Sun of Latin Music.  He assembled his first band when he was 14 in 1950 and after playing in several bands, he released his first album La Perfecta in 1962.  Sun of Latin Music is his 19th album. 

In late 2005, Palmieri teamed up with Brian Lynch and recorded the CD The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project: Simpatico that included many jazz artists.  It won the Grammy for Best Latin Jazz recording in 2007.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Thomas Gomez, first and only Hispanic actor nominated for Best Supporting Actor

Thomas Gomez, born July 10, 1905 in New York City, was the first actor of Hispanic descent (and to date, the only Hispanic actor) to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.  His first film appearance was in Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror in 1942.  In 1947, he appeared as Pancho in Ride the Pink Horse with Robert Montgomery. His performance was nominated for Best Supporting Actor Oscar, becoming the first Hispanic actor to receive this nomination.

He appeared in The Conqueror with John Wayne, Agnes Moorehead, and William Conrad.  Gomez continued to act in movies and television, including an episode of Bewitched, appearing with Agnes Moorehead and Robert Montgomery's daughter, Elizabeth.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Pablo Morales, Olympic gold medalist

Pablo Morales, born December 5, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois to Cuban immigrants, won gold medals in swimming at the 1984 and 1992 Olympics.  He also set world records in the 100 m butterfly in 1984 and 1986.

At the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Morales won a gold for the 4x100 m relay and two silver medals for the butterfly, setting the world record. Unfortunately, he did not qualify for the 1988 Olympics, and retired from the sport. 

He returned to swimming and qualified for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, where he won the gold in the 100 m butterfly.

Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Q Who" wins 2 Primetime Emmys

Star Trek: The Next Generation was nominated for eight Primetime Emmy awards, with the episode Q Who receiving three of the nominations.  Q Who won two of the awards at the 41st annual ceremony held September 17, 1989.  Q Who was the first appearance of the Borg.

It won Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series. The episode was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Special Visual Effects.

Episode Elementary Dear Data was nominated for Outstanding Costume Design for a Series and Outstanding Art Direction for a Series.  

Unnatural Selection was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series.

Episode For the Child was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore).

Episode For a Matter of Honor was nominated for Outstanding Achievement for Makeup for a Series.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Salvador Felices, first Puerto Rican Major General in US Air Force

 

Salvador Enrique Felices, born August 13, 1923 in Santurce, Puerto Rico, was the first Puerto Rican to reach the rank of major general in the United States Air Force.  He joined the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Puerto Rico. He entered West Point, the US Military Academy in New York, and took flying lessons.  He received his pilots wings in June 1946 and graduated as a second lieutenant.

He flew 19 combat missions during the Korean War as combat operations officer with the 344th Bombardment Squadron.  In June 1968, he was named commander of the 306th Bombardment Wing and flew 39 combat missions during the Vietnam War. 

In 1969, he became the commander of the 823rd Air Division at McCoy AFB in Florida. He was promoted to major general on April 2, 1973 and became vice commander of the Sixteenth AFB in Spain.  He retired from the Air Force in 1974. He passed away from natural causes in July 1987.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Joe Gandara, recipient of Medal of Honor

Joe Gandara, born April 25, 1924 in Santa Monica, California to Mexican immigrants, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2014.  He joined the army in February 1943.  In June 1944, Private Gandara and his detachment came under fire in Amfreville, France, from a German force, and were pinned down for four hours.  Private Gandara volunteered to advance solo toward the enemy's position.  He fired his machine gun from the hip and destroyed three hostile machine guns before he was killed.  

He was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in a March 18, 2014 ceremony as part of a review through the Defense Authorization Act which called for a review of Jewish American and Hispanic American veterans from WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War to ensure no prejudice was shown to those deserving the Medal of Honor.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Katya Echazarreta, first Mexican-American woman in space

Katya Echazarreta, born June 15, 1995 in Guadalajara, Mexico, is the first female Mexican-American astronaut.  She was selected as part of Space for Humanity's Citizen Astronaut Program.  She went into space aboard Blue Origin NS-21 launched in June 2022 for a sub-orbital flight, lasting 10 minutes, 5 seconds. 

"Alien" wins 3 Saturn Awards 1980

Ridley Scott's iconic monster movie, Alien, was nominated for seven Saturn Awards, and took home three trophies at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror's seventh annual ceremony, July 26, 1980.

Alien won Best Science Fiction Film, Best Director for Ridley Scott, and Best Supporting Actress for Veronica Cartwright.

It was also nominated for Best Actress for Sigourney Weaver (shoulda won), Best Writing for Dan O'Bannon, Best Makeup, and Best Special Effects.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture was nominated for 10 Saturns, but took home only one award for Best Special Effects.

Disney's The Black Hole was nominated for Best Science Fiction Film, Best Writing, Best Music, and Best Special Effects. 

The Muppet Movie won Best Fantasy Film and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century won Best Costumes.

Explorer 4 launched 1958

Explorer 4, launched July 26, 1958 from Cape Canaveral, was the first of two planned satellites from the Department of Defense's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to study the Van Allen radiation belts.  It reached a height of 163 miles.  Soon after orbit insertion, Explorer 4 developed a tumbling motion with a period about 6 seconds, which made interpretation of the data collected from the satellite very difficult.

Explorer 4 performed until the low-power and plastic scintillator detector failed on September 3, 1958.  The Geiger-Muller tubes and the cesium/iodide crystal detectors operated until September 19.   The high-power transmitter worked until October 5, likely due to the exhaustion of the power batteries.

Explorer re-entered Earth's atmosphere October 23, 1959.

"Star Trek: First Contact" wins 3 Saturn Awards 1997

Star Trek: First Contact, the second appearance of the Next Generation crew, was nominated for 10 Saturn Awards from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. It took home three of the prizes at the annual ceremony held July 23, 1997.

Brent Spiner won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Data, and Alice Krige won Best Supporting Actress for her performance as the Borg Queen.  Deborah Everton won for Best Costumes.

Patrick Stewart was nominated for Best Actor as Jean-Luc Picard.  There were no nominees for Best Actress from the movie, which is a crime, since Alfre Woodard was awesome!  She deserved a nomination as much as Helen Hunt, Frances McDormand, and Penelope Ann Miller.  With the given nominees, I would have preferred to see Penelope Ann Miller win for her work in The Relic.

Star Trek: First Contact was nominated for Best Science Fiction Film. Jonathan Frakes was nominated for Best Director.  Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore were nominated for Best Writing. Michael Westmore, Scott Wheeler, and Jake Garber were nominated for Best Make-up. Jerry Goldsmith was nominated for Best Music (another tragedy that he didn't win). John Knoll with Industrial Light & Magic was nominated for Best Special Effects.

Independence Day had 11 nominations and won three.  The Relic, one of horror favorites, received two nominations.  Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie had one nomination.  Twister got four nominations.

The Pointer Sisters release "He's so Shy" 1980

My girls released He's So Shy, the first single from their Special Things album, July 23, 1980. The was written initially as She's So Shy by Tom Snow and Cynthia Weil for Leo Sayer, but Richard Perry, the Pointer Sisters' producer, thought it had greater potential if the gender of the song was adjusted.  

The Pointer Sisters' single went to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1980 and held the spot for three weeks.  They performed He's So Shy on an episode of The Love Boat, which aired February 7, 1981.

"Jaws 3-D" released 1983

Another bad movie that I enjoy watching Jaws 3-D was released into theaters July 22, 1983.  It had a stellar cast with Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, Simon MacCorkindale, Lea Thompson, and Louis Gossett, Jr.  Roy Scheider absolutely wanted no part of this movie. Quaid plays the grown up son Michael Brody of Scheider's previous role of Police Chief Martin Brody of Amity Island.

Jaws 3-D takes place in SeaWorld Orlando, where a young great white shark manages to enter from the sea and begins attacking and killing park employees. Mike Brody is a chief engineer for SeaWorld with his girl friend Kay Morgan as the senior biologist.  After they capture the shark, they realize that a much larger shark has also infiltrated the park.

Although it fared well at the box office, it did not enjoy the same success as its predecessors.  It was largely criticized, receiving an 11% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.  Jaws 3-D was nominated for five Razzie awards in 1984: Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Supporting Actor Louis Gossett, Jr.  The dolphins were also nominated for Worst New Star which is unfair, considering the material they had to work with.  Also, who said their acting was terrible?

Chandrayaan-2 launched 2019

Chandrayaan-2, launched July 22, 2019, is the second mission to the moon, developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The spacecraft launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre and reached lunar orbit on August 20, 2019.  

The Vikram lunar lander with the Pragyan rover attempted to land on the lunar surface September 6, but the lander crashed due to a software error.  The lunar orbiter continues to operate from orbit around the moon.

Chandrayaan-3 was launched in 2023 and successfully made a lunar landing.

Comedian Dan Rowan born 1922

Dan Rowan, born July 22, 1922 in Beggs, Oklahoma, is best known for his comedy show with partner Dick Martin, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.  He graduated from Pueblo, Colorado after being orphaned and then taken in by a foster family.  

In 1940, he hitchhiked to Los Angeles and got a job in the mailroom at Paramount Pictures.  During WWII, Rowan served as a fighter pilot in the 8th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group of the US Army Air Forces.  He shot down two Japanese aircraft before being shot down himself and being seriously wounded.  He received the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal, and the Purple Heart.

After the war, he returned to California and teamed up with Dick Martin and created a successful nightclub act.  They took their act to television and Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In debuted in 1967.  The show lasted until 1973.  He won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Variety or Musical Series in 1969 with Martin, Paul Keyes, and Carolyn Raskin.

He passed away in 1987 from lymphoma.

Rohini-1, first Indian satellite, launched 1980

India officially entered the space age following the successful launch of Rohini-1 (Rohini Satellite 1 or RS-1), July 18, 1980. It was manufactured by the Indian Space Research Organization. India became the seventh country with its own ability to launch satellites. It was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Center.  It carried instruments such as a sun sensor, magnetometer, and temperature sensors.

It was planned to have a lifespan of 100 days, but it remained in orbit for 20 months.

Happy birthday, astronaut Josh Cassada!

Josh Cassada, born July 18, 1973 in San Diego, California, went into space as pilot of SpaceX Crew-5 to the International Space Station in October 2022.  Prior to becoming astronaut, he conducted research at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and became a naval officer.  He completed his flight training and flew in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

He was selected as an astronaut in 2013.  He spent over 157 days in space and participated in Expedition 68.  He returned to Earth in March 2023.

Soyuz TMA-05M launched 2012

Soyuz TMA-05M crew (L-R): Yuri Malenchenko, Sunita Williams, Akihiko Hoshide

Soyuz TMA-05M, launched July 15, 2012, carried the members of Expedition 32 crew to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Yuri Malenchenko, Sunita Williams, and Akihiko Hoshide. The crew participated in Expedition 32 and Expedition 33, before returning to Earth November 19, 2012.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin!

Alexander Grebenkin, born July 15, 1982 in the former Soviet Union, is currently aboard the International Space Station.  He arrived on SpaceX Crew-8, launched on March 4, 2024.  He completed Expedition 70 with his fellow SpaceX crew members and is currently involved in Expedition 71. He is scheduled to return to Earth in August 2024.

Three Dog Night releases "Liar" 1971

Three Dog Night released Liar, the follow-up single to their mega-hit Joy to the World July 10, 1971.  It was the second single from their fifth studio album Naturally.  Liar was written by Russ Ballard and his band Argent released it in 1970 on their self-title debut album but it did not chart.

In the US, Three Dog Night's Liar reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at #4 in Canada.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Dmitri Petelin!

Dmitry Petelin, born July 10, 1983 in the former Soviet Union, went into space aboard Soyuz MS-22 to the International Space Station in September 2022. He participated in Expeditions 67-69, and spent over a year in space. Soyuz MS-22 was damaged when it docked with the ISS.  It was finally determined that the spacecraft could not return with a crew.  

Soyuz MS-23 launched without a crew in February 2023 and Soyuz MS-22 returned to Earth unmanned in March 2023. Petelin and the rest of the Soyuz MS-22 crew returned to Earth in Soyuz MS-23 in September 2023.  A six-month assignment was stretched to over a year.

Billy Joel releases "A Matter of Trust" 1986

Billy Joel released the second single, A Matter of Trust, from his The Bridge album, July 9, 1986.  It became a top ten hit in the US and was used in the Soviet Union as part of a state-sponsored promotion for his 1987 USSR tour.

It reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The video is the only one to feature Billy Joel on a guitar, rather than a piano.

Lyrics:

Some love is just a lie of the heart
The cold remains of what began with a passionate start
And they may not want it to end
But it will, it’s just a question of when
I’ve lived long enough to have learned
The closer you get to the fire the more you get burned
But that won’t happen to us
Because it’s always been a matter of trust

I know you’re an emotional girl
It took a lot for you to not lose your faith in this world
I can’t offer you proof
But you’re gonna face a moment of truth
It’s hard when you’re always afraid
You just recover when another belief is betrayed
So break my heart if you must
It’s a matter of trust

You can’t go the distance
With too much resistance
I know you have doubts
But for God’s sake don’t shut me out

This time you’ve got nothing to lose
You can take it, you can leave it
Whatever you choose
I won’t hold back anything
And I’ll walk away a fool or a king
Some love is just a lie of the mind
It’s make believe until it’s only a matter of time
And some might have learned to adjust
But then it never was a matter of trust

I’m sure you’re aware love
We’ve both had our share of
Believing too long
When the whole situation was wrong

Some love is just a lie of the soul
A constant battle for the ultimate state of control
After you’ve heard lie upon lie
There can hardly be a question of why
Some love is just a lie of the heart
The cold remains of what began with a passionate start
But that can’t happen to us
Because it’s always been a matter of trust

Happy birthday, Jennifer Saunders!

Jennifer Saunders, born July 8, 1958 in Lincolnshire, England, is best known for her comedy duo act with Dawn French (French and Saunders), and for her sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, which was born from a French and Saunders skit.

She wrote every episode of Ab Fab and I think she one of the funniest, most talented comedic writer ever.  Absolutely Fabulous won four BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards and nominated for ten more.

She auditioned for the voice of Ursula in Disney's The Little Mermaid, but Steven Spielberg liked her voice and cast her for the Fairy Godmother in Shrek 2.

Nozomi, Japanese spacecraft to Mars, launched 1998

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched its first spacecraft to another planet July 3, 1998. Nozomi ("wish" or "hope") was intended to orbit Mars and study the atmosphere and solar wind.  During its first flyby of Earth for a gravitational assist, Nozomi suffered a malfunctioning valve which depleted much of its fuel and left Nozomi with insufficient acceleration to reach Mars.  Two more course corrections used more propellant than planned, leaving Nozomi even more depleted.

JAXA planned to put Nozomi into a heliocentric orbit for four years and make two Earth flybys to gain momentum and reach Mars at a slower velocity.

In April 2002, Nozomi was approaching Earth for another gravity assist when solar flares damaged its onboard communications and power systems.  An electrical short in a power cell caused the remaining hydrazine fuel to freeze.  Fortunately the fuel thawed out by the time it reached Earth, due to its proximity to the sun, and made a successful flyby in December 2002.

Another Earth flyby occurred in June 2003, but in December 2003, efforts to orient Nozomi to prepare for a main thruster orbital insertion at Mars failed.  The mission was abandoned.  The small thrusters were fired on December 9, 2003 so Nozomi would approach Mars to a distance of 1000 km and would not impact the surface.  The spacecraft remains in a heliocentric orbit.

"WALL-E" released 2008

Pixar's classic animated film about a lonely robot left with the monumental task of cleaning up Earth after being completely trashed and abandoned, WALL-E was released into US theaters June 27, 2008.  It's science fiction, action, and romance all rolled into one.

It is widely considered one of the best animated movies of all time.  It won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, the Golden Globe for Best Animated Film, Boston Society of Film Critics Best Animated Film, BAFTA's Best Animated Film, a Saturn for Best Animated Film, two Grammys, and one Scream Award.

In 2021, WALL-E became the second Pixar film to be selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Atlantis (STS-71) launched 1995

STS-71 crew

Seated (L-R): Vladimir Dezhurov, Robert Gibson, Anatoly Solovyev

Standing (L-R): Norman Thagard, Gennady Strekalov, Gregory Harbaugh, Ellen Baker,Charles Precourt,Bonnie Dunbar, Nikolai Budarin

STS-71 mission patch

Atlantis (STS-71), launched June 27, 1995, was the first Space Shuttle to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir.  Its crew consisted of Commander Robert Gibson, Pilot Charles Precourt, Ellen Baker, Gregory Harbaugh, and Bonnie Dunbar.  It delivered two cosmonauts, Anatoly Solovyev and Nikolai Budarin, to Mir to participate in Expedition EO-19, and return with members of EO-18. 

The mission included filming with an IMAX camera, the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II), and to conduct biomedical investigations.  Some of these experiments covered cardiovascular and pulmonary functions, human metabolism, neuroscience, hygiene, sanitation, radiation, and behavioral performance.

Atlantis undocked from Mir on July 4, and returned to Earth with the original crew, Gennady Strekalov, Vladimir Dezhurov, and Norman Thagard.  The shuttle's crew spent almost 10 days in space.  

Celebrating Pride Month: Frank Kameny, grandfather of the Queer Liberation Movement

Frank Kameny, born May 21, 1925 in New York City, was an early gay advocate and one of the most significant figures in the history of the American gay rights movement. He enlisted in the US Army in May 1943 and, after finishing basic training, sent to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study mechanical engineering. Kameny was withdrawn from the program to prepare for an invasion of France.  He was sent to the frontlines where he served as an infantry private.

After the war, he enrolled at Harvard University and graduated with a Master's degree in 1949 and a doctorate in 1956 in astronomy.  In August 1956, he was "detained" in San Francisco after being accused of "lewd and indecent acts".

A year later, Kameny was hired by the US Army Map Service, but when they heard of his arrest in San Francisco he was fired. He appealed his firing through the courts and even the US Supreme Court, but never won a case.  He devoted himself to activism.

Kameny's pushback against the government's policy on gay employees was the first of its kind, arguing that discrimination on the basis of sexuality is no different from discrimination based on race or religion.  

In 1961, he co-founded the Washington DC branch of the Mattachine Society. He campaigned to overturn DC sodomy laws in 1963, and was finally successful in 1993. He also worked to remove the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder from the American Psychiatric Association.

He represented and defended government employees who had their security revoked or suspended due to allegations of "perversion" or immoral acts". 

Kameny ran for US Congress in 1971 in DC's first election for a non-voting Congressional delegate, the first gay to run for Congress, but lost unfortunately.  After his defeat, he created the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Washington, DC, which still lobbies the government and pushes for equal rights.

Kameny passed away in October 2011.

Celebrating Pride Month: Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame

The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame was created in June 1991, originally as the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. It is dedicated to LGBT people, organizations, and communities in the US who have made significant contributions to the quality of life or well-being of the LGBT community in Chicago.

The HoF does not have a physical facility, but maintains a website for people to visit at any time.  In 2016, its name was changed to Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame. 

Some of the inductees are:

Chuck Renslow, co-founder of Gold Coast, one of the first gay leather bars in the world.

Dom Orejudos, dancer, choreographer, and artist of masculine gay male erotica

Proud Black Lesbians and Gays

Lionheart Gay Theater and Company, which hosts LGBT themed works

Greg Harris, gay politician

Larry McKeon, first gay Illinois state senator

International Mr. Leather

Many straight people and transgender people are honored each year.

Happy birthday, astronaut Raja Chari!

Raja Chari, born June 24, 1977 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and raised in Cedar Falls, Iowa, went into space aboard SpaceX Crew-3 to the International Space Station.  He graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1999, and attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB in Enid, Oklahoma. In December 2020, he was selected for the Artemis Team, to help pave the way back to the moon.

He was commander of the SpaceX Crew-3 in the Endurance, launched November 11, 2021 to the ISS.  He participated in Expeditions 66-67 and conducted 2 EVAs, lasting a total of almost 14 hours, during his stay.  Chari returned to Earth in May 2022 after 174 days in space. 

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" wins eight Saturn Awards 2016

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the continuation of the Star Wars series, was nominated for a whopping 15 Saturn Awards, the most nominated film by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, and won eight at the annual ceremony held June 22, 2016.

The film won: 

Best Science Fiction Film

Best Writing for Lawrence Kasdan, J. J. Abrams and Michael Arndt

Best Actor for Harrison Ford

Best Supporting Actor for Adam Driver

Best Music for John Williams

Best Editing for Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

Best Make-up for Neal Scanlan

Best Special Effects for Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach,Neal Scanlan, and Chris Corbould

The Force Awakens was nominated for:

Best Director for J. J. Abrams

Best Actor for John Boyega

Best Actress for Daisy Ridley

Best Supporting Actress for Carrie Fisher and Lupita Nyong'o

Best Production Design for Rick Carter and Darren Gilford

Best Costume Design for Michael Kaplan

Happy birthday, Cyndi Lauper!

Singer/actress/songwriter/activist Cyndi Lauper, born June 22, 1953 in Queens, New York, has won a Tony, an Emmy and a Grammy!  Just one more to go, Cyndi!

Cyndi released her first album She's So Unusual in October 1983.It debuted on the charts in December 1983 and peaked at No. 4 in June 1984. It was the one of the best-selling albums of 1984.  She won a Grammy for Best New Artist and She's So Unusual won the Grammy Award for Best Album Package.  

She had an uncredited cameo in The Goonies, but then had a starring role in the movie Vibes with Jeff Goldblum in 1988. Cyndi had a reoccurring role on Mad About You, for which she received two Primetime Emmy nominations and won one in 1995 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.

In 2013, she won the Tony Award for Best Original Score for the composing the music for Kinky Boots.  It was the first time a woman had won the award by herself.

She has become an outspoken advocate for gay rights and women's rights.

Celebrating Pride Month: Laurel Hubbard, first openly transgender Olympic athlete

Laurel Hubbard, born February 9, 1978 in Auckland, New Zealand, became the first openly transgender athlete selected to compete the Olympic Games. 

Prior to her transition, Laurel set junior records in weightlifting in 1998, but stated she had ceased lifting in 2001 saying it became to much to bear, trying to fit into a world that wasn't set up for transgendered people.

She transitioned to female in 2012 and in 2017 competed in international weightlifting for the first time at the Australian International & Australian Open, winning the gold medal in the heaviest +90 kg category.  She was the first trans woman to win an international weightlifting title for New Zealand.

In 2019, she won two gold medals at the Pacific Games in Samoa.  In 2020, she won the gold medal in the women's +87 kg even at the Roma 2020 World Cup.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) set the requirements for transgender weightlifters to compete at the Olympics.  On June 21, 2021, the New Zealand Olympic Committee determined Hubbard met all the requirements and selected her to be the first open transgender athlete to compete in the 2020 Olympic Games, set for Tokyo in 2021.  

Unfortunately, she was also the oldest weightlifter at 43, to compete at the Olympics and she placed last in her group.

Happy birthday, Chris Pratt!

Hunky, adorable Chris Pratt, born June 21, 1979 in Virginia, Minnesota, has appeared in many blockbuster action movies.  His first big acting job came in 2002 when he starred with Treat Williams in Everwood.  Then in 2014, he landed the role of Peter Quill in the Guardians of the Galaxy, which has spawned two sequels.  As Quill, he has appeared in other MCU movies with the Avengers in Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder.  He appeared in the second Jurassic Park trilogy.

He won a Saturn Award in 2015 for his performance in Guardians of the Galaxy. He is currently voicing the character of Garfield in The Garfield Movie.

And he's has more performances in progress.  

Go, sexy!

Celebrating Pride Month: Les Mouches Fantastiques, first LGBT magazine in North America

 

Les Mouches fantastiques (The Fantastic Flies) was the first LGBT publication in North American history, being published between 1918-1920. It was an underground magazine based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It started from a writing circle established by Elsa Gidlow (poet) and Roswell George Mills as its primary contributors. It included poetry and non-fiction about gay and lesbian issues, such as identity, politics, and editorials.

Only five issues of Les Mouches fantastiques were ever published, but it had a wide distribution, receiving correspondence as far away as Havana, Cuba. It was discontinued when Gidlow and Mills moved to New York City in 1920.