First Jazz recording released 1917

Every now and then, I come across a gem of a story like this one, something that I haven't known of before.  On March 7, 1917, the first jazz recording, by the Original Dixieland Jass Band was released for sale in the US.  It featured Nick LaRocca on trumpet, Larry Shields on clarinet, Eddie Edwards on trombone, Henry Ragas on piano and Tony Sbarbaro on drums. 

The song was Dixieland Jass Band One-Step, an instrumental.  I found a recording of it (see below).  Listen for the clarinet!  Wow!

"Airport" released 1970

The movie that started it all, "Airport" was released March 5, 1970.  Three forgettable sequels followed, the fourth and last was one of the worst movies ever.  A pity, since the orginal with an all-star cast including the recently passed George Kennedy.  Helen Hayes won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and Maureen Stapleton won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.

Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services Inc. - A Victory for Gay Rights 1998

On March 4, 1998, the Supreme Court ruled that federal laws banning sexual harassment apply even when both parties are of the same sex.  Although the parties in the lawsuit were heterosexual, the ruling has been hailed as a victory for gay rights. 

Joseph Oncale worked on an off-shore rig for Sundowner Offshore Services in the Gulf of Mexico.  He had to endure humiliating sex-related harassment from his co-workers.  When his complaints to management went ignored, he took his case to the US District Court in Louisiana, who sided with his employer.  When the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit also upheld the decision, Oncale petitioned the Supreme Court.

The late Justice Scalia wrote: Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services set the precedent for analyzing same-sex harassment, and sexual harassment without motivation of "sexual desire", stating that any discrimination based on sex is actionable so long as it places the victim in an objectively disadvantageous working condition, regardless of the gender of either the victim or the harasser.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/96-568.ZS.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncale_v._Sundowner_Offshore_Services,_Inc.

Apollo 9 launched in 1969

McDivitt, Scott, Schweickart

Apollo 9, the third manned mission in NASA's Apollo space program launched March 3, 1969, was the first flight of the Command/Service Module (CSM) and the Lunar Module (LM). The mission's top priority was testing the LM rendezvous and docking with the CSM.  The mission lasted 10 days, and the docking, undocking and redocking procedures showed the Apollo spacecraft worthy of this task, critical for moon landings and crew safety.  Apollo 9's three man crew consisted of Commander James A. McDivitt, LM Pilot Russell L. Schweickart and CM Pilot David R. Scott.

Lt. Commander Scotty born in 1920

"Beam me up, Scotty" may be one of the most misquoted lines in history but James Doohan, born March 3, 1920, will always be remembered correctly as the chief engineer on the Starship Enterprise.  I didn't realize that he was a veteran of the D-Day invasion, storming the beaches of Normandy as part of the Canadian forces, until I found this touching video on Youtube.com.

Happy birthday, Dr. Crusher!

The lovely, glamorous Gates McFadden, who played Dr. Beverly Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, was born March 2, 1949.  Although Dr. Crusher was my favorite role of hers, I also enjoyed her role in "Keep the Yuletide Gay".  Granted her on-screen appearances were hardly more than cameos, I still liked seeing her.  Her part in "The Hunt For Red October" was so small, if you blinked, you might have missed her, like I almost did. 

Book review - The Red Chrysanthemum by Laura Joh Rowland

I read this book a few years ago, but decided to read it again for some inspiration.  Of all of Rowland’s books, this one seems to be the most twisted of plots.

Her hero, Sano Ichiro, has reached the pinnacle of his career.  He is now Chamberlain, second only to the shogun.  Despite his lofty position, Rowland still has Sano as Japan’s favorite whipping boy.  Everybody is against him.  The only people on his side are the ones in his pay.  He has no friends or allies.  None. Zilch. Nada.  This situation is made even more obvious and more dangerous when Sano’s wife, Lady Reiko, is found one morning naked, next to the mutilated body of Lord Mori, covered in his blood.

Any supporters he might have had abandon him like rats off of a burning ship.  And it seems everyone has it in for Lady Reiko.  Lady Mori, Police Commissioner Hoshina and even the shogun is ready to send her to the execution grounds.  Lord Mori’s enemies also hamper Sano’s investigation.

It isn’t long before the scandal splashes over onto Sano.  Nobody seems to doubt Hoshina’s transparent and lame attempts to have Sano disgraced. 

Only Sano believes his wife’s innocence.  Not even Reiko is sure of herself.  Her memory of the night is faulty.  Nevertheless, she decides to investigate the murder she is accused.

While all of this is going on, Hirata, Sano’s chief retainer, is studying the mystic arts.  Although his success has been less than encouraging, his powers manifest themselves gloriously during the exciting climax.  I’m not sure how to take Hirata’s abilities because they seem to shift the story from historical fiction to science fiction.  Everything that transpires up to the final battle seems plausible but when Hirata exhibits super-human abilities, the reader has to reconsider what is based on fact and what is truly fiction.

As the series continues, Hirata’s powers become even more bizarre.

Just a heads-up.

Still, it was well-worth a second read!