Saturday, September 7, 2024

Bonus! Song o' the Day: In Memoriam

James Darren, "The Best Is Yet to Come" from This One's from the Heart (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: In Memoriam James Darren (8 June 1936-2 September 2024). Requiescat in pace.

The duet of "The Best Is Yet to Come" by Captain Benjamin Sisko (played by Avery Brooks) & self-aware hologram Vic Fontaine (played by James Darren) is one of the most joyous moments in "What You Leave Behind," the
Deep Space Nine finale, & the last time the whole cast appear together.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: Go Blue!

Team 145, Game 2: Michigan v. Texas
Prince Buster, "Texas Hold-Up" from the Fabulous: Greatest Hits compilation (Mike Papa Wolverine)

Commentary: Last season, the valiant Wolverines did not face a top ten opponent until November: the ferocious Nittany Lions of Penn State (№ 10). Today, the valiant Wolverines host the epithetless Longhorns of Texas (№ 3).

Smash! Go Blue!

Friday, September 6, 2024

Bonus! Song o' the Day: In Memoriam

James Darren, "Here's to the Losers" from This One's from the Heart (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: In Memoriam James Darren (8 June 1936-2 September 2024). Requiescat in pace.
"Here's to those who love not wisely, no, not wisely, but too well,
To the girl who sighs with envy when she hears that wedding bell,
To the guy who'd throw a party if he knew someone to call,
Here's to the losers, bless them all!

"Here's to those who drink their dinners when that lady doesn't show,
To the girls who wait for kisses underneath that mistletoe,
To the lovely summer lovers when the leaves begin to fall,
Here's to the losers, bless them all!…

"Here's the last toast of the evening, here's to those who still believe,
All the losers will be winners, all the givers shall receive,
Here's to trouble-free tomorrows, may your sorrows all be small,
Here's to the losers, bless them all!…"

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

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!
Episode o' the Day
"Doctor Bashir, I Presume?" (season five, episode sixteen; 24 February 1997): Wikipedia-link.

The Rebel Black Dot Labor Song o' the Day

Less Than Jake, "Last Hour of the Last Day of Work" from Borders & Boundaries (Mike Papa Worker)

Commentary:
"I can't help but think back to the
The advice that I got from my dad,
He said, 'Time goes by so fast
In the blink of an eye, so never close your eyes,'
And I always wanted something,
Something more than fifty hours
Every week, and a paid vacation
On the Jersey shoreline.

"And he said, 'So when ambition
Turns into competition,
I'll never be the better man.'
(Whoa oh oh oh) So when ambition
Turns into competition,
I'll never be the better man (Yeah!)…"

Thursday, September 5, 2024

The Explorers' Club, № MXLV

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-41-D, Part II
2-5 September 1984: Hartsfield, Coats, Mullane, Hawley, Resnik, & Walker tested the OAST-1 solar array, a prototype of the large, lightweight arrays that still power the International Space Station; this was highlighted in the IMAX film The Dream Is Alive (1985); a flaw in the waste dump nozzle formed an icicle made of urine (a "pee-sicle"); after 97 orbits, the Discovery landed at California's Edwards.
Bonus! Space Age Song o' the Day: S.T.S.-41-D
Go Sailor, "Ray of Sunshine" from Go Sailor (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
"By Inferno's Light" (Part II; season five, episode fifteen; 17 February 1997): Wikipedia-link.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: In Memoriam

James Darren, "It's Only a Paper Moon" from This One's from the Heart (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: In Memoriam James Darren (8 June 1936-2 September 2024). Requiescat in pace.

The Rebel Black Dot Labor Song o' the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "The Bricklayer's Story" from Pin Points and Gin Joints (Rude Boy Mike Papa Worker)

Skammentary:
"…Don't believe a word of it,
But the one thing that I'm sure about is this:

"A lifetime lifting cinderblocks,
Stacking bricks, and mixing mortar,
Gave this man his crooked walk
And kept his life in order.
A lifetime lifting cinderblocks,
Stacking bricks, and mixing mortar,
Gave this man his crooked walk,
Gave this man his crooked walk,
Gave this man his crooked walk,
And made his lifetime shorter."

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

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

Episode o' the Day
"In Purgatory's Shadow" (Part I; season five, episode fourteen; 10 February 1997): Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: "In Purgatory's Shadow" & its conclusion, "By Inferno's Light," are the sequel to "Improbable Cause" & "The Die Is Cast" (season three, episodes twenty & twenty-one) & tie together threads from "Return to Grace" (season four, episode fourteen)" & "Apocalypse Rising," the fifth-season premiere. Everything changes after this two-parter, which ends on the cliffhanger of a Dominion fleet emerging from the wormhole & bearing down on the station, the nightmare scenario since the Dominion was introduced in "The Jem'Hadar" (season two, episode twenty-six).

Bonus! Song o' the Day: In Memoriam

James Darren, "I've Got the World on a String" from This One's from the Heart (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: In Memoriam James Darren (8 June 1936-2 September 2024). Requiescat in pace.

Operation ÖSTERREICH: Saint Michael's Lent

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 330.2 lbs. (12 June)
Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
Less Than Jake, "Hamburger Hop" from the Goodbye Blue & White compilation (Mike Papa Walrus)

The Rebel Black Dot Labor Song o' the Day!

The Aquabats!, "Cheeseburger Politics!" from Charge!! Special One Year Anniversary Edition (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary!:
"So I try to chat it up with somebody here
About anything besides this burger career,
But everybody's grippin',
Moppin' so no slippin',
No one wants to get caught by someone else trippin',
And why do the people here all make a fuss
Of throwing other co-workers under the bus?
And why don't they see you don't get paid that much more
Playing office politics, like I even want to work here?
You make cheeseburgers, pal!…"

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

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

Episode o' the Day
"For the Uniform" (season five, episode thirteen; 3 February 1997): Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: "For the Uniform" is the continuation of the story begun in "For the Cause" (season four, episode twenty-two), Captain Sisko's hunt for Michael Eddington, a Starfleet officer who betrayed the Federation to join the Maquis rebellion. Themes of loyalty, professionalism, & self-concept are woven throughout: Edington insists Starfleet hunts the Maquis for ideological reasons, because no one is allowed to leave "paradise," the Federation's self-conception; Sisko counters that he is hunting Eddington not because Eddington left Starfleet, but because Eddington abused his position as a Starfleet officers to steal & sabotage for the Maquis.

Eddington conceives of himself as Jean Valjean, the protagonist of Victor Hugo's
Les Misérables & explicitly addresses Sisko as "Javert." After being repeatedly bested by the better-prepared Eddington in several encounters, Sisko leans into the Javert persona & intentionals acts as the obsessed villain Eddington believes him to be. Eddington's master plan involved creating a biological weapon, which he then used against two Cardassian planets, rendering those planet's atmosphere poisonous to Cardassians, but safe for human habitation. Sisko responds in kind, deploying a biological weapon against a Maquis planet that rendered its atmosphere poisonous to humans, but safe for Cardassians; he induces Eddington to surrender both the bioweapon & himself by threatening to similarly poison every Maquis planet.

Eddington shows his moral bankruptcy by being proud of his own poisoning of Cardassian worlds but horrified by Sisko's poisoning of Maquis worlds. To Eddington, there is no objective morality, no objective right or wrong: anything his side does is inherently moral, & if the opposing side does the exact same thing in response, that is inherently immoral. It's a shame that Michael Eddington doesn't actually understand Jean Valjean &
Les Misérables, supposedly his favorite book.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: In Memoriam

James Darren, "I'll Be Seeing You" from This One's from the Heart (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: In Memoriam James Darren (8 June 1936-2 September 2024). Requiescat in pace.

My fondness for James Darren's singing is based almost exclusively on his appearances as self-aware hologram Vic Fontaine on
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

The Rebel Black Dot Labor Song o' the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Bright Future in Sales" from Welcome Interstate Managers (Mike Papa Worker)

Commentary: Of course, the day after Labor Day is the day of my annual staff evaluation.
"I got to do some quick reading for the big meeting,
But my head is spinning and I can't quite open my eyes…"

Monday, September 2, 2024

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

Episode o' the Day
"Past Tense, Part II" (season three, episode twelve; 9 January 1995): Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: "Past Tense" affords us a rare opportunity: To watch episodes of Star Trek on the very days during which they are set. The Bell Riots broke out on 1 September 2024, lasting several days, though the precise timing of the bloody assault on the Sanctuary District by police, prompted by false rumors that the safe hostages had already been killed, is unknown beyond, "the first week of September."

Here are some thoughts on "Past Tense's" vision of the 2020s from the 1990s, from earlier in this year's "Section 31" re-watch: Wayback Machine, Part I & Wayback Machine, Part II.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Labor Day

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Mission Statement" from Mandatory Fun (Mike Papa Worker)

Commentary: I hope one & all are able to enjoy a leisurely Labor Day.
"It's a paradigm shift!…"

Sunday, September 1, 2024

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

Episode o' the Day
"The Begotten" (season five, episode twelve; 27 January 1997): Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Timing that I find delightful: The Klingon noblewoman Grilka appeared in two episodes, almost exactly two years apart: "The House of Quark" (season three, episode three; 10 October 1994) & "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places" (season five, episode three; 14 October 1996). The Bajoran scientist Doctor Mora appeared in two episodes, almost exactly three years apart: "The Alternate" (season two, episode twelve; 10 January 1994) & "The Begotten" (season five, episode twelve; 27 January 1997). I'm not claiming any significance to these coincidences.

"The Begotten" is a touching, bittersweet episode. In the A plot, Odo is presented with an infant Changeling, one of the one hundred sent out into space to gather long-range intelligence for the Founders, just as Odo had been. The infant has radiation poisoning & is near death; Doctor Bashir purges the radiation & Odo sets about parenting the infant, determined to use gentler means to teach it to shapeshift than had been used on him. Doctor Mora, the Bajoran scientist who investigated Odo & taught Odo to shapeshift, arrives to help, but Odo, fueled by resentment, rebuffs him. In time, a combination of Odo's & Mora's methods induce the infant to reach out to Odo, & the two men achieve a reconcilation. Odo is the happiest we'veever seen him, giddy at the prospect of being a parents to the infant Changeling. The infant succumbs to the long-term danage caused by the radiation poisoning, but in a final gift to Odo, absorbs itself into his human body, restoring him as a Changeling.

In the B plot, Kira gives birth to the O'Briens' baby, with a comedic rivalry between Chief O'Brien & First Minister Shakaar, Kira's boyfriend. In the end, Shakaar returns to Bajor, but Kira declines his invitation to join him there, because she wants to be close to the baby. Odo & Mora part on good terms; Odo is glad to be a Changeling again, but still mourns the infant Changeling. The O'Briens are throwing a party to celebrate their baby's birth, but Kira doesn't want to be there, because she is grieving having to give him up. Kira & Odo are united in their sadness & go for a walk, her arm around his shoulder.

Deep Space Nine had it all, including the myriad forms of heartbreak.

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

The Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Audrey Assad, "Come Clean" from The House You're Building (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saturday, August 31, 2024

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: Go Blue!

Team 145, Game 1: Michigan v. Fresno State
Smash Mouth, "Defeat You" from Astro Lounge (Mike Papa Wolverine)

Commentary: Have I mentioned that I hate night games? Because I really hate night games.

Welcome to the Era of Moore. Sherrone Moore enters his first game as head coach of the valiant Wolverines with a 4-0 record as acting head coach in 2023, due to the petty vindictiveness of the B1G Conference & the N.C.A.A., including victories over the ferocious Nittany Lions & the hated Buckeyes.
"Hey, I know where you're from,
It makes it that much nicer to meet you.
Hey, I know what you've done,
It makes it that much better to defeat you!…"
Smash! Go Blue!

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

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!
Episode o' the Day
"The Darkness and the Light" (season five, episode eleven; 6 January 1997): Wikipedia-link.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: SKAugust

Five Iron Frenzy, "World without End" from All the Hype Money Can Buy (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:
"In the soundless awe and wonder,
Words fall short to hope again.
How beautiful,
How vast your love is,
New forever,
World without an end!…"

Friday, August 30, 2024

The Explorers' Club, № MXLIV

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-41-D (№ 12), Part I
30 August-1 September 1984: The Space Shuttle Discovery OV-103 lifted off from Florida's K.S.C. with CDR Hank Hartsfield, Pilot Mike Coats, M.S.1 Mike Mullane, M.S.2 Steven Hawley, M.S.3 Judy Resnick, & P.S.1 Charlie Walker; the sextet deployed three communications satellites; "blow-by" damage to a Solid Rocket Booster O-ring was first observed (the doom of the Challenger in 1986).
Commentary: S.T.S.-41-D was the first flight of the Discovery OV-103. Confusingly, the Discovery would also fly S.T.S.-41, in 1990.

Discovery suffered a launch abort at T-minus 00:00:06 seconds on 26 June 1984 & was rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for de-stacking & to an Orbiter Processing Facility for replacement of a Space Shuttle Main Engine. The subsequent delay resulted in the cancellation of S.T.S.-41-F, with part of that mission's payload reassigned to S.T.S.-41-D.

Bonus! Space Age Song o' the Day: S.T.S.-41-D
Cliff Eidelman, "Clear All Moorings" from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)
Semper exploro.

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

Episode o' the Day
"Past Tense, Part I" (season three, episode eleven; 2 January 1995): Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: "Past Tense" affords us a rare opportunity: To watch episodes of Star Trek on the very days during which they are set. Commander Sisko, Lieutenant Dax, & Doctor Bashir are transported through time due to an anomaly, arriving in San Francisco, California, U.S.A. on Friday, 30 August 2024. I am gratified not to be the only one to note this opportunity, as demonstrated by the above tweet.

Here are some thoughts on "Past Tense's" vision of the 2020s from the 1990s, from earlier in this year's "Section 31" re-watch: Wayback Machine, Part I & Wayback Machine, Part II.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust!

The Aquabats!, "Martian Girl!" from The Return of The Aquabats! (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Skammentary!: The Aquabats! titled their debut album, The Return of The Aquabats! Genius!

Thursday, August 29, 2024

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

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!
Episode o' the Day
"Rapture" (season five, episode ten; 30 December 1996): Wikipedia-link.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

Reel Big Fish, "She's Famous Now" from Why Do They Rock So Hard? (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: Word on the street has always been that "She's Famous Now" is about Gwen Stefani of No Doubt, with whom Aaron Barrett of Reel Big Fish supposedly had a romance back in the day.
"Well, she's like me,
Just not as ugly!

"She used to be my girl,
But now she's famous,
She's famous now!
She used to be my girl,
But now she's—
She was just so sweet,
She was just so sweet,
She was just so sweet,
Now they're falling at her feet,
Used to be my girl,
But now she's famous now!

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

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

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!
Episode o' the Day
"The Ascent" (season five, episode nine; 25 November 1996): Wikipedia-link.

Operation ÖSTERREICH: Saint Michael's Lent

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

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

MU330, "San Francisco" from MU330 (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: Of course, once "San Francisco" was in my head, it couldn't not be the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. sooner or later.

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

Johnny Socko, "They Know Us at the Spa" from Full Trucker Effect (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: In selecting the R.B.D.S.O.T.D., I considered MU330's "San Francisco," but as soon as the lyrics started to run through my mind, so did the thought, "Why pick a song that mentions Johnny Socko when I could pick Johnny Socko instead?"

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

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!
Episode o' the Day
"Things Past" (season five, episode eight; 18 November 1996): Wikipedia-link.

Monday, August 26, 2024

The Explorers' Club, № MXLIII

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of Soyuz 15
26-28 August 1974: Soyuz 15 lifted off from the Kazakh S.S.R.'s Baikonur Cosmodrome, with CDR Gennady Sarafanov & F.E. Lev Dyomin aboard a Soyuz 7K-T capsule atop a Soyuz rocket; call sign Dunay ("Danube"); they could not dock with the Saylut 3 space station because the Igla ("Needle") automatic docking system failed & there was no manual backup; the duo landed in the Kazakh S.S.R.
Commentary: After the failed docking, Soviet propaganda claimed Soyuz 15 had never intended to dock with Salyut 3, merely to practice docking manuevers & test an automatic docking system for the future Progress unmanned cargo spacecraft.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: Soyuz 15
The Rocksteady Conspiracy, "Oh I Failed" from Rough & Sweet (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:
"Oh, I failed,
But I am not a failure,
Should keep my self esteem,
Next time, it will go better…"
Semper exploro.

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

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!
Episode o' the Day
"Let He Who Is without Sin…" (season five, episode seven; 11 November 1996): Wikipedia-link.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

No Doubt, "Total Hate 95" from The Beacon Street Collection (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: In 1999, all I knew about No Doubt was 1995's Tragic Kingdom, which enjoyed massive commercial success. No Doubt were never really a ska band, especially after founding member Eric Stefani left the band to pursue a career in animation, but they were part of the early '90s Orange County ska scene & the influence of ska & reggae can even be heard on Tragic Kingdom.

"Total Hate 95" is a ska song, replete with toasting & "Pick it ups!"

Sunday, August 25, 2024

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

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!
Episode o' the Day
"Trials and Tribble-ations" (season five, episode six; 4 November 1996): Wikipedia-link.

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

The Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jim Cowan & Tony Melendez, "This Is Jesus" from The Cup of Life (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:
"This is Jesus, Emmanuel,
God is with us in this sacrament,
Come receive Him, adore Him,
This is Jesus, our Lord…"

Bonus! Song o' the Day: SKAugust

Reel Big Fish, "Beer" from Turn the Radio Off (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:
"She called me late last night to say she loved me so,
It didn't matter anymore.
I say she never cared and that she never will,
I'd do it all again, I guess I'll have to wait until then…

"She called me late last night to say she loved me so,
But I guess you changed her mind.
Well, I should have known it wouldn't be all right,
But I can't live without her so I won't even try!…

"Maybe some day I'll think of what to say.
Maybe next time I'll remember what to do.
She looks like Heaven, maybe this is Hell?
She said she'd do it all again, she'd promise not to tell…"