"The Explorers Club" is back on schedule for the first time since October! And in the nick of time, with the Club's third anniversary looming.

The Explorers Club
No. CLI - Bellerophon & Pegasus versus the Chimera.








Jules: "Sorry, Shawn, no time for your tomfoolery and silliness."
Shawn: "Actually, we—"
Jules: "That also goes for your nonsense, malarkey, and shenanigans."

Formula Fun!
The most accessible Formula One grand prix of the 2009 calendar will be run next weekend, the Brazilian Grand Prix/Grande Premio do Brasil from Interlagos in São Paulo. The only race in the Western Hemisphere in '09, the Brazilian Grand Prix will start next Sunday at 12:00 P.M. E.D.T., noon. Interlagoslink. No tape delay, no getting up early or staying up late, this will be the first grand prix that I watch 100% live. I've developed a successful routine to prevent inadvertently learning grand prix results via the internets, and most of the races I've watched have been videotaped live broadcasts, but sport it meant to be experienced live, in the moment, as it happens. For that reason, this race is going to be rather special to me, and even more so because it is the best chance I shall have to share with my friends my newfound love for the Formula One World Championship.

A year hence, I had next to no interest in motorsport, and had never watched a complete race in my life. I'd been taken as a youngling to one N.A.S.C.A.R. race at the Michigan International Speedway, but all I remember of the experience is that it was deafeningly loud and that I'd hated every minute of it. I make no guarantees that any of you will like F1, but I've found it to be both tremendously exciting and dazzlingly addictive. I invite you all to give the Brazilian Grand Prix a try. Who knows, you might discover something you'll genuinely enjoy. (I don't call these posts "Formula Fun!" solely because it's a convenient pun, it's also spot on.)

12 noon on Sunday, the 18th of October, on Speed (and Speed H.D.), the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix. The grands prix vary in length of track and number of laps, but the longest race I've seen lasted just over two hours; so, the checkered flag should fall by two o'clock Eastern. Are you in or out?

Project MERCATOR
Friday's outing was more successful and enjoyable than I'd anticipated. Score! This evening's Flint City Derby Girls bout was a rousing good time. All in all this was a grand weekend for Project MERCATOR, but it's not quite done: tomorrow evening I am scheduled to carouse, at least briefly, with many of the same crew from Friday. The final leg of a triumphant MERCATOR triple crown? Fingers crossed.

Operation ÖSTERREICH
Project MERCATOR's boom times have come partially at the expense of another branch of CADMUS, Operation ÖSTERREICH. Friday's frolic prevented me from exercising then and Monday's malarkey will keep me from exercising then; so, today was the day, the first time I'd run since last Wednesday (7 October) and the last time I'll run until next Wednesday (14 October). And it felt fan-freakin'-tastic! I ate up all three stints and was all set to go on to a fourth, but stopped for fear of overdoing it and setting back what little progress has been made.

I can feel it, I'm flirting with a swagger.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
The University of Michigan Marching Band, "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" from A Saturday Tradition (T.L.A.M.)