Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze" certified gold 1972

Summer Breeze, released by Seals and Crofts August 1972, was certified gold December 14, 1972.  It reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was described by Bruce Eder of AllMusic as "one of those relentlessly appealing 1970s harmony-rock anthems...appropriately ubiquitous on the radio and in the memory". 

Celebrating Pride Month: Laverne Cox, first transgender nominated for Primetime acting award

Laverne Cox, born May 29, 1972 in Mobile, Alabama, is the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category.  She was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance in Orange Is The New Black. She was the first transgender person to win a Daytime Emmy Award in Outstanding Special Class Special for her work as executive producer for Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word.

On June 9, 2014, Cox became the first transgender person to appear on the cover of Time magazine.  She is the first transgender person to have a wax figure in Madame Tussauds.

 

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: John Cho, Star Trek actor

John Cho, born June 16, 1972 in Seoul, South Korea, immigrated to Los Angeles, California when he was six years old. Cho starred as Hikaru Sulu in the reboot of the Star Trek series.  He also appeared in the American Pie series and Harold & Kumar series.  

He starred in Searching, the first mainstream Hollywood thriller with an Asian American lead actor. 

Celebrating Pride Month: Jim Foster, early LGBT rights activist

James "Jim" Foster, born November 19, 1934, was an LGBT rights advocate in the early years of the gay rights movement.  He had been discharged from the US Army for being gay in 1959, and moved to San Francisco.  In 1974, he co-founded the Society for Individual Rights (SIR), which helped Dianne Feinstein be elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969.

In 1974, SIR was changed to the Alice B. Toklas Memorial Democratic Club, the first gay Democratic club in the US.  Foster helped Richard Hongisto win his run for sheriff in 1971 by delivering the gay votes. 

In 1972, the Toklas club delivered one-third of signatures needed to secure George McGovern on the California Democratic Ballot.  Foster and Madeline Davis (lesbian activist) were asked to speak at the 1972 Democratic National Convention, becoming the first LGBT people to address a national party convention.

In 1980, Foster was the coordinator for northern California for Ted Kennedy's presidential campaign, helping him win the 1980 California primary.

Jim Foster died from an AIDS-related illness in October 1990.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Michael Chang, first Asian American to win the French Open

Michael Chang, born February 22, 1972 in Hoboken, New Jersey, is the youngest man in history to win a singles major, winning the French Open in 1989.  He became the first Asian American to win a Grand Slam tennis tournament in men's singles.  He won many "youngest-ever" records in his career.

He defeated Ivan Lendl, who was the #1 ranked player in the world, the current Australian Open champion and three-time French Open winner.

Chang won a total of 34 top-level professional singles titles, seven of them being Masters titles.  In 1996, he was ranked No. 2 in the world.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Angela Buchdahl, first Asian American rabbi

Angela Buchdahl, born July 8, 1972 in Seoul, South Korea, is the first Asian American to be ordained as rabbi in the US.  Her mother was a Korean Buddhist and her father was Jewish.  Her family moved to the US when she was 5 and raised Jewish in Tacoma, Washington.

She graduated from Yale University with a BS in Religious Studies in 1994 and started her rabbinic studies at Hebrew Union College.  She was ordained as a rabbi in 2001 by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion becoming the first Asian American rabbi.  In 2013, Buchdahl was named Senior Rabbi of the Central Synagogue. 

In December 2014, she delivered led prayers at the White House Hanukkah celebration, welcomed by President Barack Obama.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Stephen Graham Jones, Native American (Blackfeet) horror/mystery writer

Stephen Graham Jones, born January 22, 1972 in Midland, Texas, is a Blackfoot Native American author of horror, crime fiction, and science fiction.  He earned a BA from Texas Tech University and then earned his Master of Arts degree in English from the University of North Texas in 1996. He completed his Ph.D. from Florida State University in 1998.

He wrote The Fast Red Road as his dissertation and it was published in 2000 as his debut novel.  He's won the Jesse Jones Award for Fiction in 2005, and the Bram Stoker Award for Long fiction in 20217.

He contributed an X-Men story to Marvel Comic's Marvel's Voices: Indigenous Voices #1.  

I've included hm since my co-author Max Griffin have used him as the inspiration for our character, Montana Psionic Officer Graham Keller, who will be featured in the upcoming novel, Out of the Ashes.

"What's Up, Doc?" released 1972

A day after its world premiere, What's Up, Doc?, starring Ryan O'Neal and Barbara Streisand, opened in theatres across the US, March 10, 1972.  It is full of slapstick humor, invoking the likes of Buster Keaton, and is one of my favorite movies of all time.

Madeline Kahn made her movie debut.  It also starred Kenneth Mars, Sorrel Booke (Boss Hogg from the Dukes of Hazard), Mabel Albertson (Samantha Steven's mother-in-law in Bewitched), and John Hillerman (Magnum P.I.).

The movie revolves around four identical, plaid, overnight bags. One contains a bag of "musical" rocks, one contains stolen, top-secret, government papers, one a collection of jewels, and the last clothes and a dictionary.  Confusion and slapstick comedy ensue.

It was the third highest-grossing movie of the year behind The Godfather and The Poseidon Adventure. Madeline Kahn was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance for Most Promising Newcomer - Female. 

What's Up, Doc? is recognized by the American Film Institute for AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs, and 100 Years...100 Passions. 

Happy birthday, Idris Elba!

Idris Elba, born September 6, 1972 in London, England, is an actor who has racked up multiple acting awards and nominations.  He is mostly known for his role as DCI Luther in the British mystery series Luther, but I like him as Heimdall in the Thor and Avengers movies.

One of his earliest roles was as a hustler on Absolutely Fabulous with Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley in 1995.  He has appeared in Star Trek Beyond, The Wire, and Pacific Rim.  He has been nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys and 4 Golden Globes for his performance on Luther, and won the Golden Globe in 2012 for Best Actor in a Television Series.  

Why has this man not been nominated for an Oscar?  Why?

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Maksim Surayev!

Maksim Surayev, born May 24, 1972 in the former USSR, is a veteran of two space missions.

His first flight was aboard Soyuz TMA-16 to the International Space Station, launched in September 2009.  He participated in Expeditions 21 and 22. 

His second and final flight was aboard Soyuz TMA-13M to the International Space Station in May 2014.  He participated in Expeditions 40 and 41.  He returned to Earth in November 2014.

Surayev conducted two EVAs.  The first on January 14, 2010 with fellow cosmonaut Oleg Kotov.  The second with Aleksandr Samokutyaev in October 22, 2014.  The total time he has spent on EVAs is 9 hours, 22 minutes.

"Frogs" released 1972

Frogs, released March 10, 1972, is one of the first eco-terror films and one of the best 'bad' movies ever.  A family has gathered on an island in a swamp somewhere in the south.  Animals, reptiles and insects begin killing off the humans.

 I remember seeing the trailers on television when it was released and thought it looked to be a terrifying movie.  When I saw it a few years ago, I realized it was anything but.

One high point of the movie is seeing Sam Elliott shirtless in a couple of scenes.

Frogs was released as a double feature with Godzilla vs. Hedorah.  

"Fiddler on the Roof" wins two Golden Globes 1972

Fiddler on the Roof won two Golden Globes at the 29th annual ceremony February 6, 1972.  It won for Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical.  Topol won for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy or Musical.  It received two more nominations.  Paul Mann was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Lazar Wolf.  Norman Jewison was nominated for Best Director.

Other nominations that night: Angela Lansbury for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for her performance in Bedknobs and Broomsticks.  Cloris Leachman as Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance in the Last Picture Show.  The Andromeda Strain was nominated for Best Original Score for Gil Melle. 

Cloris Leachman wins Oscar for Best Supporting Actress 1972

My girl Cloris Leachman won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Last Picture Show, April 10, 1972.  She won numerous awards for the role, including a BAFTA Award, Kansas City Film Critics Circle award, and National Board of Review award

Happy birthday, British astronaut Tim Peake!

ESA astronaut Timothy Peake, born April 7, 1972 in Chichester, Sussex, England, went into space aboard Soyuz TMA-19M as flight engineer to the International Space Station in December 2015.  He participated in Expeditions 46 and 47.  He returned to Earth after almost 186 days in space in June 2016.

Celebrating Black History Month: John Stewart, Green Lantern, DC Comics first African-American superhero

John Stewart as Green Lantern is DC Comics first African-American superhero, first appearing in the December 1971/January 1972 issue of Green Lantern Vol 2, #87.  Neil Adams, an artist for DC, came up with the idea of a substitute Green Lantern and had a discussion with editor Julius Schwarz.  The decision to make John Stewart black stemmed from that conversation in which Adams said "we ouught to have a black Green Lantern, not because we're liberals, but because it just makes sense".

Happy birthday, Malaysian cosmonaut Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor!

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, born July 27, 1972 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has spent 10 days aboard the International Space Station.  He was selected as a cosmonaut for the Malaysian Angkasawan (ANGKASA) spaceflight program in 2006. He is the first Malaysian in space.

He took off in Soyuz TMA-11 in October 2007 to the ISS with members of Expedition 16, Yuri Malenchenko and Peggy Whitson.  He returned to Earth about 10 days later aboard Soyuz TMA-10.

Kosmos 482, failed Venus probe, could crash to Earth this year

Launched in March 1972, Kosmos 482 is a Soviet probe to explore Venus but it failed to leave Earth's orbit.  Just four days prior, the Soviets launched Venera 8, which successfully reached Venus and sent back data for just over 50 minutes.

Kosmos 482 has been tracked ever since it launched and was originally expected to crash back to Earth between 2023 and 2025, but sky watchers have determined it could fall later this year, the problem is the probe was manufactured to survive the harsh conditions on Venus, temperatures in excess of 400° F, 100 atmospheres of pressure, and 300 g-force.  That means some of it could actually reach ground. 

Keep looking up!




https://www.space.com/failed-soviet-venus-spacecraft-falls-to-earth-soon.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_482

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov!

Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, born February 20, 1972 in Sevastopol, Ukraine, is a veteran of three space flights to the International Space Station.  He has served as an instructor and pilot for the Russian Air Force.

His first flight was as commander of Soyuz TMA-22, which launched in November 2011 and returned to Earth in April 2012.  He served as flight engineer for Expeditions 29 and 30.  He made on EVA during the mission with fellow cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, which lasted 6 hours, 15 minutes.

His second flight was as commander of Soyuz TMA-15M, launched in November 2014 and returned to Earth June 2015 after 199 days in space. Shkaplerov's total time in space was up to 365 days.  He was part of Expeditions 42 and 43.

His third flight was as commander of Soyuz MS-07, launched in December 2017 and returned to Earth in June 2018 after 166 days.  He participated in Expeditions 54 and 55.  He performed another EVA with fellow cosmonaut and Expedition 54 commander Alexander Misurkin, which lasted 8 hours, 13 minutes, the longest Russian spacewalk ever.

Happy birthday, Kazakhstani cosmonauts Toktar Aubakirov and Aidyn Aimbetov!

Toktar Aubakirov, born July 27, 1946 in  Kazakhstan, is a cosmonaut and former Air Force pilot.  He went into space aboard Soyuz TM-13 in October 1991 to Mir.  He returned to Earth about a week later aboard Soyuz TM-12.

Since Kazakhstan wasn't entirely independent of Russia at the time of his flight, he is officially Kazakhstan's first cosmonaut.  The official first Kazakhstani cosmonaut is Aidyn Aimbetov, born July 27, 1972 in Kazakhstan.  He went aboard Soyuz TMA-18M to the International Space Station in September 2015.  He remained aboard for almost 10 days and returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-16M.

Celebrating Pride Month - East Lansing City Council approves first gay anti-discrimination law, 1972

In what would be a small but milestone victory for the LGBT community, the East Lansing City Council passed the very first anti-discrimination ordinance that included sexual orientation in the U.S. March 7, 1972.

The following month, Ann Arbor one-upped its neighbor by prohibiting discrimination against gays, not only for employment but for housing and public accommodations.  It was the first community-wide gay right legislation in the U.S.

In 1971, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor became the first U.S. college to establish an LGBT office on campus.