The Explorers' Club, № MXXXIV

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of Soyuz 14
3-19 July 1974: Soyuz 14 lifted off from the Kazakh S.S.R.'s Baikonur Cosmodrome, with CDR Pavel Popovich & F.E. Yuri Artyukhin aboard a Soyuz 7K-T capsule atop a Soyuz rocket; call sign Berkut ("Golden Eagle"); the duo successfully docked with & boarded the Salyut 3 space station, testing the station's systems & conducting reconnaissance; after fifteen days, they landed in the Kazakh S.S.R.

Commentary: Popovich & Artyukhin were the first cosmonauts to dock with, enter, & undock from a space station, & return home safely. The Soyuz 10 trio had soft-docked with Salyut 1, but were unable to achieve hard dock & enter the station; the doomed Soyuz 11 trio had docked, entered, & undocked from a space station, but the cosmonauts perished during the journey home.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: Soyuz 14
They Might Be Giants, "Spy" from John Henry (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

Section 31: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-2024)

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Episode o' the Day
"Return to Grace" (season four, episode fourteen; 5 February 1996): Wikipedia-link.

Saints + Scripture: Feast of Saint Thomas

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle (died circa 72, A.K.A. Didymus ["twin"]).

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 330.2 lbs. (12 June)

The Rebel Black Dot U.S.A. Song o' the Day

Less Than Jake, "Help Save the Youth of America from Exploding" from Hello Rockview (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"Sit down, remind me how,
This is the same old story of growing up and getting lost,
Sit down, remind me how,
This is the same old story of growing up and getting lost…"

Section 31: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-2024)

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Episode o' the Day
"Crossfire" (season four, episode thirteen; 29 January 1996): Wikipedia-link.

Saints + Scripture

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Popish Plot
"Soon to Be Saint Blessed Carlo Acutis Needs More Gigs!"

'Tis the Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

The Rebel Black Dot U.S.A. Song o' the Day

Death of Guitar Pop, "№ 1 in America" from Pukka Sounds (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: "№ 1 in America" is a song about achieving success, at least as defined by fame & fortune, in America, & the sacrifices involved in achieving that "success." This is worth our reflection. We were all fed a commodified, commercialized version of the "American Dream" that was chiefly defined by material success; to a great extent, we achieved that material success at the cost of our national soul. My kith & kin are emblematic of that: we are scattered all across the country, virtual strangers to each other. It is glorious whenever we gather, but why do we always scatter again? For jobs? Work to live, yes, but don't live to work. Kith & kin are better than gold-pressed latinum, whateve the Rules of Acquisition say.

Saints + Scripture

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Memorial of Saint Junípero Serra, Priest, O.F.M. (1713-1784, the "Apostle of California;" A.K.A. Miguel José Serra).

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis the Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Always go forward and never turn back."
—Saint Junípero Serra, O.F.M. (1713-1784, feast: 1 July)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Canada Day, Eh

Aaron Burnett, "Narwhal" from Canadian Critters (Mike Papa Canadian Whisky)

Commentary, eh: Happy Dominion Day, you hosers!

The Wayback Machine Tour o' Canada Day, Eh
Dominion Day '23 | Dominion Day '22
Dominion Day '21 | Dominion Day '20
Dominion Day '19 | Dominion Day '18
Dominion Day '17-A & Dominion Day '17-B