The Stars My Destination: Expedition 68

The Space Age
International Space Station (I.S.S.) Expedition 68 began on 29 September 2022 with the departure of Soyuz MS-21, carrying cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev, & Sergey Korsakov. It has now become routine for the I.S.S. to host complements of ten during the generally weeklong overlap of Soyuz capsule crews & complements of eleven during the generally weeklong overlap of Crew Dragon crews. More astronauts & cosmonauts on the I.S.S. means more science being done, even as both the Russian & United States Orbital Segments age & require increased maintenance & repair.

Expedition 68 (29 September 2022-present)
29 September-6 October
Commander: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italian, E.S.A.)
Flight Engineer: Kjell Lindgren (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Bob Hines (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Jessica Watkins (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Sergey Prokopyev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Dmitry Petelin (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Francisco Rubio (American, N.A.S.A
6-14 October
F.E.: Nicole Mann (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Josh Cassada (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Koichi Wakata (Japanese, J.A.X.A.)
F.E.: Anna Kikina (Russian, Roscosmos)

14 October-present
CDR: Sergey Prokopyev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Dmitry Petelin (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Francisco Rubio (American, N.A.S.A)
F.E.: Nicole Mann (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Josh Cassada (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Koichi Wakata (Japanese, J.A.X.A.)
F.E.: Anna Kikina (Russian, Roscosmos)

Soyuz MS-22 (Tsiolkovsky)
Launch: 21 September 2022
CDR: Sergey Prokopyev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Dmitry Petelin (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Francisco Rubio (American, N.A.S.A)

Soyuz MS-21 (Korolyov)
Landing: 29 September 2022
CDR: Oleg Artemyev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Denis Matveev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Sergey Korsakov (Russian, Roscosmos)

On 15 December 2022, a "visible stream of flakes" was detected eminating from the MS-22 capsule. A 0.8 mm hole has been located on the Soyuz's external radiator cooling loop, raising questions about the spacecraft's ability to ferry its crew safely back to Earth. The current plan is for Soyuz MS-23 to be launched uncrewed in February, to return Prokopyev, Petelin, & Rubio to the steppes of Kazakhstan; MS-22 will return uncrewed. Meanwhile, in case of emergency, Rubio would evacuate to the Crew Dragon Endurance (giving her a crew of five, having been originally designed for a crew of seven), while Prokopyev & Petelin would evaculate aboard the MS-22, a crew of two placing less demand on the cooling system than a crew of three. Pray those eventualities will remain hypothetical.

SpaceX Crew-5 (Endurance)
Launch: 5 October 2022
CDR: Nicole Mann (American, N.A.S.A.)
Pilot: Josh Cassada (American, N.A.S.A.)
M.S.1: Koichi Wakata (Japanese, J.A.X.A.)
M.S.2: Anna Kikina (Russian, Roscosmos)

SpaceX Crew-4 (Freedom)
Splashdown: 14 October 2022
CDR: Kjell Lindgren (American, N.A.S.A.)
Pilot: Bob Hines (American, N.A.S.A.)
M.S. 1: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italian, E.S.A.)
M.S. 2: Jessica Watkins (American, N.A.S.A.)

"What a time to be alive!"

Operation ÖSTERREICH: Exodus 90 Edition

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 346.6 lbs
This weigh-in: 346.6 lbs.
Difference: +/-0.0 lbs.

No change. In this instance, no news is not good news.

Commentary: Facebook would not allow me to use the above image as my profile picture. Remind me again why I even have a Facebook page? I know why, to help my Secret Base posts & The Popish Plot's episodes reach a broader audience, but is it really worthwhile? I'll jump ship sooner or later, though sooner or later has yet to be determined. I'm definitely not missing the social network during this Exodus. Burn, Facebook! Burn!

Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Fat" from Even Worse (Mike Papa Whale)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Project PANDORA
Bob James, "Angela (Theme from Taxi)" from Man on the Moon: Music from the Motion Picture (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I finally spoke to her yesterday, after months of missed opportunities. Her name is Angela. I put my hand on her shoulder. She put her hand on my leg.

The Stars My Destination: Crew-3 Splashdown

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Space Age
On 6 May 2022, after one hundred seventy-six days on orbit, the Endurance splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico & was recovered by M/V Shannon (formerly the GO Navigator, renamed after Crew-1 astronaut Shannon Walker), safely returning to Earth the Crew-3 quartet of Raja Chari (N.A.S.A.), Thomas Marshburn (N.A.S.A.), Matthias Maurer (E.S.A.), & Kayla Barron (N.A.S.A.).

Crew-3 served as part of International Space Station Expeditions 66 & 67.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: Crew-3 & the Endurance
Brian Tyler, "Can You Dig It? (Iron Man Three Theme)" from Iron Man Three: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Launch America
Demo-2 Launch & Demo-2 Splashdown
Crew-1 Launch, Crew-1 Relocation, & Crew-1 Splashdown
Crew-2 Launch & Crew-2 Splashdown
Crew-3 Launch
Crew-4 Launch

Welcome back to the good Earth, Crew-3!

Bonus! Song o' the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Hey Julie" from Welcome Interstate Managers (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I should have called in sick this morning. Yesterday, a project to which I was assigned was reassigned to someone else. O.K., no skin off my nose. This afternoon, I was reassigned to that project, due by the end of this month (in two weeks), & was informed that the new deadline is in just one week.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Callin' in Sick" from Bad Hair Day (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Yesterday morning (Monday), I genuinely considered calling in sick, but ultimately decided to go to my job as scheduled. This morning, I faced no such temptation, but the memory of "Callin' in Sick" still made me smile.

The Stars My Destination: Crew-4 Launch

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Space Age
On 27 April 2022, Spacecraft Commander Kjell Lindgren (N.A.S.A.), Pilot Bob "Farmer" Hines (N.A.S.A.), Mission Specialist 1 Samantha Cristoforetti (E.S.A.), & Mission Specialist 2 Jessica Watkins (N.A.S.A.) lifted off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center's LC-39A aboard the Crew Dragon Freedom (Dragon C212) atop a Falcon 9 rocket, which included the same first stage booster that launched Crew-3 in 2021. Lindgren (Soyuz TMA-17M, Expeditions 44/45) & Cristoforetti (Soyuz TMA-15M, Expeditions 42/43) are spaceflight veterans; Hines & Watkins are both rookies.

The Freedom (Dragon C212) is the fourth operational Crew Dragon capsule, after the Endeavour (Dragon C206; Demo-2, 2020; Crew-2, 2021; & Axiom-1, 2022), the Resilience (Dragon C207; Crew-1, 2020-2021 & Inspiration4, 2021), & the Endurance (Dragon C210; Crew-3, 2021-2022). Dragons C208, C209, & C211 are uncrewed & thus unnamed Cargo Dragon capsules; the Cargo Dragon C213 is currently under construction.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: Crew-4 & the Freedom
The Articles, "Dragonfly" from Flip F'real (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Launch America
Demo-2 Launch & Demo-2 Splashdown
Crew-1 Launch, Crew-1 Relocation, & Crew-1 Splashdown
Crew-2 Launch & Crew-2 Splashdown
Crew-3 Launch

Godspeed, Crew-4!

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Sam Cooke, "A Change Is Gonna Come" from Portrait of a Legend, 1951-1964 (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"It's been a long,
A long time coming, but I know
A change gon' come,
Oh, yes, it will…"

The Wayback Machine Tour of Martin Luther King Junior Day
M.L.K. Day '22 | M.L.K. Day '21
M.L.K. Day '20 | M.L.K. Day '18 | M.L.K. Day '17
M.L.K. Day '16 | M.L.K. Day '15

The Explorers' Club, № CMXXVII

Operation AXIOM: Destination Moon—The 50th Anniversary of Luna 21 & Lunokhod 2
15 January 1973: The Luna 21 probe landed on the Moon & just after midnight deployed the rover Lunokhod 2 ("Moonwalker 2"); the probes lifted off from the Kazakh S.S.R.'s Baikonur Cosmodrome atop a Proton-K/D rocket on 8 January & entered lunar orbit on 12 January; Lunokhod 2 was the second remotely-controlled rover & traversed thirty-nine kilometers 'til 11 May 1973, five lunar days.

Commentary: Lunokhod 2 traversed as far in its first lunar day as Lunokhod 1 had in its eleven lunar days. Lunokhod 2 traversed farther than the Apollo 17 Lunar Roving Vehicle, remote controlled over four months verses human piloted over three days. The rover's controllers on Earth benefitted from the gift of N.A.S.A. lunar survey photographs taken to scout the Apollo 17 landing site, part of the growing American-Soviet cooperation in the run up to 1975's Apollo-Soyuz joint manned mission.

Semper exploro.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the II Sunday in O.T.

The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Audrey Assad, "Lamb of God" from the Death, Be Not Proud E.P. (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Stars My Destination: Expedition 67

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Space Age
International Space Station Expedition 67 began on 30 March 2022 with the departure of Soyuz MS-19, with cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov & Pyotr Dubrov & astronaut Mark Vande Hei. Vande Hei set a new American spaceflight endurance record: three hundred fifty-five days, ten days shy of a year. Dmitry Rogozin, the demogogic (& now erstwhile) Director General of Roscosmos, had earlier in March threatened to strand Vande Hei in space in retaliation for international sanctions against Russia in response to the unprovoked & atrocious invasion of Ukraine, but the professionals at Roscosmos continued to work with N.A.S.A. to bring Vande Hei home on schedule.

Expedition 67 (30 March-29 September 2002)
30 March-27 April
Commander: Thomas Marshburn (American, N.A.S.A.)
Flight Engineer: Oleg Artemyev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Denis Matveev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Sergey Korsakov (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Raja Chari (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Kayla Barron (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Matthias Maurer (German, E.S.A.)
27 April-5 May
F.E.: Kjell Lindgren (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Bob Hines (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italian, E.S.A.)
F.E.: Jessica Watkins (American, N.A.S.A.)

5 May-21 September
CDR: Oleg Artemyev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Denis Matveev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Sergey Korsakov (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Kjell Lindgren (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Bob Hines (American, N.A.S.A.)
F.E.: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italian, E.S.A.)
F.E.: Jessica Watkins (American, N.A.S.A.)
21-29 September
F.E.: Sergey Prokopyev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Dmitry Petelin (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Francisco Rubio (American, N.A.S.A.)

Cosmonauts Artemyev, Matveev, & Korsakov arrived almost two weeks earlier, the first Soyuz flight to the I.S.S., in over twenty-one years of continuous operation, to carry three Roscosmos cosmonauts. All previous Soyuz flight to the I.S.S. had carried at least one N.A.S.A. astronaut, international astronaut (European, Japanese, etc.), or civilian space tourist. The unusual all-Roscosmos crew was decided long before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a result of Russian reluctance to fly cosmonauts on Crew Dragon & anger at N.A.S.A.'s ceasing to buy seats for astronauts on Soyuz.

Soyuz MS-21 (Korolyov)
Launch: 18 March 2022
CDR: Oleg Artemyev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Denis Matveev (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Sergey Korsakov (Russian, Roscosmos)

Soyuz MS-19 (Astraeus)
Landing: 30 March 2022
CDR: Anton Shkaplerov (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Pyotr Dubrov (Russian, Roscosmos)
F.E.: Mark Vande Hei (American, N.A.S.A.)

Meanwhile, the United States Orbital Segment played host to Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), the first all-private mission to the I.S.S. Former N.A.S.A. astronaut Mike López-Alegría, a veteran of both Space Shuttle & Soyuz flights, now a private astronaut for Axiom Space, led three space tourists aboard the SpaceX-owned Crew Dragon Endeavour, the capsule's third flight.

Axiom Ax-1 (Endeavour)
Launch: 8 April 2022
Commander: Mike López-Alegría (American, private)
Pilot: Larry Connor (American, private)
Mission Specialist 1: Eytan Stibbe (Israeli, private)
Mission Specialist 2: Mark Pathy (Canadian, private)

Axiom Ax-1 (Endeavour)
Landing: 25 April 2022
CDR: Mike López-Alegría (American, private)
Pilot: Larry Connor (American, private)
M.S.1: Eytan Stibbe (Israeli, private)
M.S.2: Mark Pathy (Canadian, private)

SpaceX Crew-4 (Freedom)
Launch: 27 April 2022
CDR: Kjell Lindgren (American, N.A.S.A.)
Pilot: Bob Hines (American, N.A.S.A.)
M.S.1: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italian, E.S.A.)
M.S.2: Jessica Watkins (American, N.A.S.A.)

SpaceX Crew-3 (Endurance)
Splashdown: 5 May 2022
CDR: Raja Chari (American, N.A.S.A.)
Pilot: Thomas Marshburn (American, N.A.S.A.)
M.S.1: Matthias Maurer (German, E.S.A.)
M.S.2: Kayla Barron (American, N.A.S.A.)

Boeing Orbital Flight Test 2
19-25 May 2022
An uncrewed & unnamed Boeing CST-100 Starliner lifted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) atop an Atlas V rocket. This second uncrewed test flight was necessary after the first Orbital Test Flight (20-22 December 2019) failed to dock with the International Space Station (I.S.S.). Starliner Spcecraft 2 lifted off on 19 May & achieved hard dock with the I.S.S. on 21 May. Astronauts unloaded hundreds of pounds of cargo & loaded hundreds of pounds of equipment for refurbishment back on Earth. Spacecraft 2 undocked from the I.S.S., re-entered the atmosphere, & landed at the White Sands Missile Range on 25 May.

Orbital Flight Test 2 achieved all its critical mission objectives & the follow-on Crewed Flight Test is planned for April 2023.

Boeing Crewed Flight Test (Calypso)
April 2023 (planned)
CDR: Barry Wilmore (American, N.A.S.A.)
Pilot: Sunita Williams (American, N.A.S.A.)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Guster, "Fall in Two" from Parachute (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I woke up this morning with "Fall in Two," specifically the song's opening vocals, running through my head.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Sonseed, "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" from the Jesus Is a Friend of Mine E.P. (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: The most theologically dodgy aspect of this "Hipster Jesus" is that the Word of God, He Who is the Light, is wearing spectacles. There are two reasons to wear spectacles: as corrective lenses or as a fashion accessory. He is the only one of us Who sees clearly, Who sees the Father & Who sees us as we really are; so, these can't be corrective lenses such as those your humble narrator wears. Thus, these spectacles must be a fashion accessory. This is more reasonable, as during His earthly ministry He condescended to approach us in the humble form of man, rather than in all His transcendant & mind-blowing glory, & even today He condescends to approach us under the humble accidents of bread & wine, even when transubstantiated into His Blody & Blood.

"Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" was brought to my attention by my Twitter pal Bravo Charlie, who played in Cleveland-based ska band The Assassinators in the early 1990s. Sonseed weren't a ska band, but "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" was their attempt to spread the Gospel through the 2-Tone rhythms of the early 1980s. Every non-sinful means is to be used to share the Good News, to be all things to all persons, that at least some might be saved.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Billie Eilish, "No Time to Die" from the No Time to Die single (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Top Secret: No Time to Die is a terrible film, the only question being if it is worse than or simply as bad as Spectre. Good ridance to that patronizing ingrate Daniel Craig; his tenure started off well, but in the final analysis he won't be missed.

By way of contrast, "No Time to Die" is quite good, way better than "Writing's on the Wall" (the theme from Spectre) & "Skyfall." The only question is if "No Time to Die" or "You Know My Name" (the theme from Casino Royale) is the best 007 theme song of the Craig era.

The Explorers' Club, № CMXXVI

Operation AXIOM: Between the Wars—Hyperinflation, Part III
11 January 1923: French & Belgian troops occupied Germany's Ruhr Valley, frustrated by repeated German defaults on reparations payments of timber & coal, required under the Versailles Treaty; the Germans responded with passive resistance—labor strikes & civil disobediance—eliciting sympathy from global public opinion; hyperinflation accelerated & nationalist discontent increased in Germany.

Lest we forget.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

John Williams, "The Battle in the Snow" from Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: There's no snow. Everywhere, the green grass is visible. The weather has been so mild that I've fetched my spring & fall flatcap from storage, as temperatures haven't been cold enough to necessitate my lined winter flatcap. I hate this false winter with a hatred as fiery as a thousand suns.

Operation ÖSTERREICH: Exodus 90 Edition

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 350.4 lbs (Wednesday, 28 December 2022)
This weigh-in: 346.6 lbs.
Difference: -3.8 lbs.

Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Grapefruit Diet" from Running with Scissors (Mike Papa Watercress)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

They Might Be Giants, "Seven Days a Week (I Never Go to Work)" from Here Come the 123s (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"On Mondays, I never go to work;
On Tuesdays, I stay at home;
On Wednesdays, I never feel inclined,
Work is the last thing on my mind;
On Thursdays, it'a holiday;
And Fridays I detest;
Oh, it's much too late on a Saturday,
And Sunday is the day of rest…"

The Queue: Post-Christmastide Edition

My reading plan has changed in light of the death of Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, 16 April 1927-31 December 2022). I've had The Pope Benedict XVI Reader from Word on Fire & two of his papal encyclicals on my shelf for years, & it is long past time that I dive into his thought myself, having received much of it secondhand through self-professed "Ratzinger fanboys" in Catholic media.

Requiescat in pace.

After finishing Luman gentium ("Light of the nations"), I made the impulsive decision to read Dei verbum ("Word of God"), by far the shortest of Vatican II's four constitutions. I don't know if I'll finish the whole Pope Benedict XVI Reader & both encyclicals, Deus Caritas Est & Sacramentum Caritatis, before starting Gaudium et spes ("Joy and Hope"), by far the longest of Vatican II's four constitutions.

Reading A Devotional Journey into the Easter Mystery has been tentatively postponed 'til Lent 2024, should the world perdure, but I still intend to read Ska: An Oral History during this SKApril.

I met the authoress, Sara Shanning, at the green gorcer on Sunday, quite unintentionally, & bought Rise of the Antichrist as an impulse purchase. There are seven books in the "Chosen Angel Series," inspired by the seven seals in the Apocalypse of John (the Book of Revelation). From the title page:

This book is fiction. Biblical reference was used to fuel the imagination. ISV may be quoted or referenced. Any resemblance to person, place or event was used fictitiously. I do believe angels are real, but living among us as The Seven do is highly unlikely. The truth shall be revealed in heaven.

When we were chatting, she referenced the Left Behind series; so, reading this book, let alone buying it, might well turn out to be a terrible mistake. We shall see.

Recently
Father Blake Britton, Reclaiming Vatican II: What It (Really) Says, What It Means, and How It Calls Us to Renew the Church
Fathers of Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium (from The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection)
Earl Swift, Across the Airless Wilds: The Lunar Rover and the Triumph of the Final Moon Landings
Fathers of Vatican II, Luman gentium (from The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection)
Fathers of Vatican II, Dei verbum (from The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection)

Currently
Sara Shanning, Seal One: Rise of the Antichrist
Pope Benedict XVI, The Pope Benedict XVI Reader

Presently
Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love)
Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Charity)
Fathers of Vatican II, Gaudium et spes (from The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection)
Heather Augustyn, Ska: An Oral History (SKApril 2023)
John W. O'Malley, What Happened at Vatican II
Xavier Rynne, Vatican Council II
Christopher Carstens, A Devotional Journey into the Easter Mystery

The Queue: Advent Edition

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Commentary: I finished Across the Airless Wilds back in December, during the fiftieth anniversaryof Apollo 17 (7-19 December).

Across the Airless Wilds is right up my alley, a book I should have loved, a popular-level dive into the origin & engineering of the Lunar Roving Vehicle, A.K.A. the "Moon buggy," used on half the Apollo Moon landings: Apollo 15, Apollo 16, & Apollo 17. A book I should have loved but didn't, because of the bizarre, unnecessary asides by the author, Earl Swift, that are scattered throughout the book. These asides are apropos of nothing in the narrative & add nothing to the narrative; I found them quite distracting, as I would be continually taken out of the story of the Lunar Roving Vehicle—the very reason I was ever reading the book—& transported without context to a dank & dark corner of Swift's mind, such as it is. I blame both Swift & his editor, who ought have reined in Swift's terrible instincts.

The story of the Lunar Roving Vehicle is fascinating & that magnificent machine helped to make the final Moon landings the triumphs they were, but I do not recommend Across the Airless Wilds. I hope to find a popular-level book on the Lunar Roving Vehicle that I can recommend to you, dear readers.

The plan is now to finish Lumen gentium ("Light of the nations"), the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church & then start A Devotional Journey into the Easter Mystery before circling back to Dei verbum ("Word of God"), the Dogmatic Constitution on Revelation.

Recently
Robert Barron, Eucharist
Father Blake Britton, Reclaiming Vatican II: What It (Really) Says, What It Means, and How It Calls Us to Renew the Church
Earl Swift, Across the Airless Wilds: The Lunar Rover and the Triumph of the Final Moon Landings

Currently
Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection

Presently
Christopher Carstens, A Devotional Journey into the Easter Mystery (Lent 2023)
Heather Augustyn, Ska: An Oral History (SKApril 2023)
Xavier Rynne, Vatican Council II
John W. O'Malley, What Happened at Vatican II

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day after Christmas

Real Can of Yams, "Christmas Should Be Lasting All Year Long" (live) recorded at the Flint Local 432 on 30 December 2002 (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: A cover of the Christmas classic by Murky Transport Disaster. Yes, we covered our own song & identified it as a cover.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Epiphany o' the Lord

The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord
Sufjan Stevens, "We Three Kings" from Songs for Christmas (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Glorious now, behold Him arise,
King and God and sacrifice…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the 14th Day o' Christmas

The Klezmonauts, "We Three Kings of Orient Are" from Oy to the World: A Klezmer Christmas (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Bonus! Song o' the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Green Bay, Wisconsin" from While We're at It (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"She drew a war tribe skull with a Sharpie fine-point marker
On the back of her army green Fred Perry parka,
Drove her Vespa motor scooter overnight right through the valley
To the Lake Geneva motor scooter rally,
Checked into the Château Royal Inn,
She had to let the living part of life begin…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the 13th Day o' Christmas

Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings" from Barenaked for the Holidays (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: 6 January is the traditional date of the Epiphany of the Lord. With the modern revisions to the liturgical calendar, the Epiphanyis celebrated on a Sunday, varying from 2-8 January depending on the day of the week on which the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day) falls.

I am very fond of both "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" & "We Three Kings." This medley of the two songs, performed by the powerhouse collaboration of Sarah McLachlan & the Barenaked Ladies makes my soul soar.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the 12th Day o' Christmas

Mexicani Marimba Band, "Twelve Days of Christmas" from the iTunes Holiday Sampler compilation (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Bonus! Song o' the Day

Death of Guitar Pop, "Cinderella's Fella" from Pukka Sounds (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"He's a vintage German car,
He's an open bar,
When he's got you on your own,
He's Don Draper with an iPhone…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the 11th Day o' Christmas

Nat King Cole, "O Holy Night" from Christmas with Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, [&] Dean Martin (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Fall on your knees;
O hear the angels' voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night divine, O night, O night divine!…"

Hollywoodland: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Operation AXIOM: The 30th Anniversary of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Thirty years ago to the day, 3 January 1993, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) premiered in first-run syndication with the two-hour pilot episode, "Emissary" (not to be confused with the 1989 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "The Emissary"). DS9 is both my favorite television show & my favorite part of Star Trek. Even more than that, DS9 is an integral part of the bond I share with my best friend. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine debuted the first of its one hundred seventy-six episodes thirty years ago today, 3 January 1993.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: Deep Space Nine
Dennis McCarthy, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine—After 3:00 A.M. at Quark's" from The Music of Star Trek (Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the 10th Day o' Christmas

Relativity, "O Little Town of Bethlehem" from Joy to the World (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love,
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God, the King,
And peace to men on earth…"

The Explorers' Club, № CMXXV

The Space Race—Astronaut Group 2 (the "New Nine"), Part II
John Watts Young (24 September 1930-5 January 2018), Captain, U.S. Navy—He flew Gemini 3 (Molly Brown, 1965), Gemini X (1966), Apollo 10 (Charlie Brown, 1969), Apollo 16 (Casper & Orion, 1972), STS-1 (Columbia, 1981), & STS-9 (Columbia, 1983); he was one of the twelve Moonwalkers, one of three astronauts to fly to the Moon twice, & a notorious smuggler of corned beef sandwiches.

Commentary: The S.S. John Young was a Cygnus robotic cargo spacecraft that flew the NG-10 resupply mission to the International Space Station (17 November 2018-25 February 2019).

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: The New Nine—John Young
Brad Paisley, "This Is Country Music" from This Is Country Music (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Wayback Machine Tour of John Young
"The Explorers' Club," № DXCIII: An earlier biography on the occasion of his death (2018).
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXXXIX: The 55th Anniversary of Gemini 3
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXXX: The 55th Anniversary of Gemini X
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCL: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 10, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCLI: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 10, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCII: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 10, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCLXXVIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 16, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCLXXIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 16, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCLXXX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 16, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXI: The 40th Anniversary of STS-1

Commentary: Even this lengthy "Wayback Machine Tour" is not yet exhaustive, as Captain Young would fly the Space Shuttle a second time on STS-9 (November 1983). Look for "Explorers' Club" coverage of the fortieth anniversary of STS-9 this fall, God willing & should the Earth perdure.

Requiescat in pace.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the 9th Day o' Christmas

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Duvall, "Away in a Manger" from O Holy Night (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes,
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle 'til morning is nigh.

"Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay,
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray,
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the 8th Day o' Christmas

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God | Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord
Tara Philip & Christine Mason, "What Child Is This" from Christmas Hope (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Nails and spears shall pierce Him through,
The cross He bore for me, for you.
Hail! Hail the Word made flesh,
the Babe, the Son of Mary.

"This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh
Come, peasant, king, to own Him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him!

"This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!…"