Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide—Backlog, Part I

Saturday, 7 May was the feast of Saint Rose Venerini, Religious, M.P.V. (1656-1728), foundress of the Religious Teachers Venerini: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link M.P.V.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter eighteen, verses twenty-three thru twenty-eight;
Psalm Forty-seven, verses two, three, & eight thru ten;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-three(b) thru twenty-eight.

* * * * *

Sunday, 8 May was the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord: Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

"So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, & sat down at the right hand of God."

In those dioceses wherein the observance of the Ascension of the Lord was not transferred from Thursday, 5 May (in those dioceses, a holy day of obligation), to the following Sunday, 8 May was the Seventh Sunday of Easter: Paschal-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: My personal preference would be for Ascension to be observed on Thursday, but I happily bow to the authority of the Bishop of Lansing, the Most Reverend Earl Boyea, & I can clearly see the logic of moving such an important feast as Ascension to a Sunday, when more of the faithful are likely to be in attendance to receive the message.

Otherwise, 8 May would have been the feast of Saint Peter of Tarentaise, Bishop, O.Cist. (1102-1174): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Ascension of the Lord
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter one, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm Forty-seven, verses two, three, & six thru nine;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter one, verses seventeen thru twenty-three;
or, the Letter to the Hebrews, chapter nine, verses twenty-four thru twenty-eight & chapter ten, verses nineteen thru twenty-three;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-four, verses forty-six thru fifty-three.

Mass Readings—Seventh Sunday of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter seven, verses fifty-five thru sixty;
Psalm Ninety-seven, verses one, two, six, seven, & nine;
The Book of Revelation, chapter twenty-two, verses twelve thru fourteen, sixteen, seventeen, & twenty;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, verses twenty thru twenty-six.

* * * * *

Monday, 9 May was the feast of Saint Catherine of Bologna, Abbess, O.S.C. (1413-1463): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter nineteen, verses one thru eight;
Psalm Sixty-eight, verses two thru three(b), four, five(a,c,d), & six thru seven(b);
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-nine thru thirty-three.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "They Will Need Music" from The Magic of Youth (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary:

"The weight of the world at least,
That weight would only be increased
Beyond what mortal man would dare to bear.
Even though the weight was great,
They stormed the beach and then they crashed the gate
And after there was music in the air.

"They will need music to uplift,
It'll be a Godsend, it'll be a gift,
And hope and glory to coincide,
They'll need the strength and warmth and comfort
That the music will provide!…"

The Rebel Black Dot Songs of the Day: SKApril 2016

The sixth edition of SKApril featured thirty songs by thirty bands over the course of thirty days, plus five bonus! songs of the day by five bands, four of whom were also regular participants in SKApril '16. The nine SKApril all-stars were joined by seventeen returning ska bands; four bands made their SKApril debut in 2016: Be Like Max, Ich Bin Ein Berliner, the Soul Rebels, & the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. That is an absolutely average number of debutantes. Not counting 2011 (all thirty bands) & 2012 (eighteen who hadn't made the fierce 2012 cut), 2013 saw six new bands, 2014 only two, & four each in 2015 & 2016, for an average of four after the two premiere years. The only outside nomination of an R.B.D.S.O.T.D. came from, as in 2015, a member of The Loose Ties. SKApril '16 featured songs from original Jamaican ska, second-wave 2-Tone, third-wave ska-punk, & reggae.

In years past, something an embargo has been placed on ska music in the weeks before & after SKApril. This year, I cannot see the sense in such a policy & the skanking fun has continued as the "SKAfter Party," allowing me to focus on some of my very favorite bands, who are limited to a single contribution to the intentionally diverse SKApril. I'm having too much fun to stop anytime soon.

Embrace the message behind ska's familiar black & white color scheme. The things that unite us are greater than the things than divide us. Don't let the bastards grind you down, & don't stop skanking!

The Queue
I'm already more than two-fifths of the way through Rebuilt, scowling & coming this close to throwing the dratted thing across the room with almost every new page. This is good, frustrating as it is, because the Christian life isn't easy & we need to be challenged constantly to keep us from falling into complacency. (Plus, all the anger I've been venting will be the perfect impetus to get me to the confessional.) Man alive, I hate this book! I might also love it. The co-authors might just be right, in which case we all need to take this book to heart.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

The Hippos, "Wasting My Life" from Heads Are Gonna Roll (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: Unlike the protagonist of "Wasting My Life," I'm not wasting my life waiting for a girl; I'm wasting my life waiting for me. In this case, is my patience with me a virtue or a vice?

"Something in the way she never looks my way,
I'm in love! I'm in love!
Something in the way she doesn't hear a word I say,
I'm in love! I'm in love!

"But people say we're not the same,
She's out of my league, I'm insane.

"Am I wasting my life, waiting for you?
Wasting my life, waiting for you?
Wasting my life, waiting for you?
Is it true?
Am I wasting my life on you?
So, tell me it's not true.

"Something in the way she looked at me today,
I'm in love! I'm in love!
Something in the way she says for me to get away,
I'm in love! I'm in love!

"But people say we're not the same…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

The Hippos, "Paulina" from Heads Are Gonna Roll (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: With apologies to the musician & actress Paulina Cerrilla, pictured above, about whom this song was not written.

"You think I'm square,
Don't like the clothes I wear,
The way I comb my hair,
The way I sit and stare at you.
It's just a game to take the spotlight off of me,
I'm just afraid of what you might think.

"Sing another stupid song
About everything that's wrong,
Girls and other surface things
Do mean a lot to me, but I,
I cannot let you in, let you in too deep,
I'm just afraid of what you might think.

"Paulina, you know this isn't me,
I've been dishonest, now it's time to come clean,
I said, Paulina, I'm the one for you, you'll see,
Just as soon as you see me.

"Don't walk away from me,
Listen to what I say!
Alright, I'm sorry,
I never wanted it this way.
I took it, took it too far with my insecurities,
I'm just afraid of what you might think.
I'm just afraid of what you might think…"

The Queue

I've not given up on God's Not Dead entirely, & I might well get back to it one day, but as I read it became increasingly obvious that this isn't what I needed to be reading. I was reminded over & over again of an exhortation from the Cursillo Movement, "Don't just read good books. Read the best." God's Not Dead might be a good book, but right now I'm not being called to argue with vicious atheists, I'm much more drawn to parochial life, to reaching those who are churched but who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus the Christ, those whose lives are not transformed by the joy of the Gospel.

Recently
Michael Lewis, The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Pope Francis, The Church of Mercy: A Vision for the Church
Rice Broocks, God's Not Dead: Evidence for God in an Age of Uncertainty ***postponed***

Currently
Father Michael White & Tom Corcoran, Rebuilt: The Story of a Catholic Parish

Presently
Edward P. Hahnenberg, A Concise Guide to the Documents of Vatican II
Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love)
Richard Price, Clockers
Sir Richard Francis Burton, translator, "Sinbad the Sailor" from The Arabian Nights
Sir Ernest Shackleton, South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage
Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations
Hilaire Belloc, How the Reformation Happened
William F. Buckley Jr., The Unmaking of a Mayor
Jon Baird, et alii, The Explorers Guild, Volume One: A Passage to Shambhala
Scott & Kimberly Hahn, Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism
Margaret MacMillan, Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World
(A.K.A. Peacemakers: The Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and Its Attempt to End War)

The Explorers' Club, № CDXCVI

Operation AXIOM: The World War
March-December 1916: The "Fokker Scourge" was ended when the French organized fighter-only squadrons, Escadrilles de chasse, equipped with Nieuport 11s; the Germans responded with Kampfeinsitzer Kommando formations & biplane fighters, including the Halberstadt D.II & Albatros D.I; the British introduced the Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter; & trench strafing became a fixture of the war.











Lest we forget.

Commentary: By May 1916, Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen, immortalized as the "Red Baron," had completed training as a pilot in the Imperial German Flying Corps, & had probably shot down at least two Entente aircraft, though he had yet to receive official credit for his first aerial kill.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Sunday Afternoons on Wisdom Ave." from The Magic of Youth (the Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: Not really in keeping with the spirit of the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. for the Lord's day, you ask? Not so, says I! The family commemorated in "Sunday Afternoons on Wisdom Ave." might not be "sold out for Christ" as some of our wild-eyed Evangelical brethren say, but in their togetherness & enjoyment of the simple pleasures they were most certainly partaking in the rest that is the reason why the Lord created the Sabbath for men (not men for the Sabbath, as the Lord had to remind his Pharisaical foes). Plus, they did go to Mass. I quote only the first two lines, but the rest of the lyrics are well worth your perusal should you wisely choose to look them up.

"A modest triple-decker in a section that was working class,
Not a lot of company but we would go there after Mass…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Simmer Down" from Ska-core, the Devil, and More (the Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: "Simmer Down" was a number one hit in Jamaica in 1964, the first success for Bob Marley & the Wailer, supported by the Skatalites. 'Twas a plea for peace, for an end of the violence that wracked Kingston. Fifty-two years later, that message is needed as urgently as ever.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the feast of Blessed Gerard of Lunel, Hermit, T.O.S.F. (circa 1275-1298): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Saint François de Laval, Bishop, M.E.P. (1623-1708): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter eighteen, verses nine thru eighteen;
Psalm Forty-seven, verses two thru seven;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses twenty thru twenty-three.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

Less Than Jake, "Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts" from Pezcore (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary:

"Well, I really don't know
If it matters but also,
But we always try to keep the prices low
For our records and our shows.

"But is that, is that enough?
Or is it that we're not punk enough?
Or is it that he thinks ska just sucks?
But Johnny Quest he thinks we're what?

"Johnny Quest thinks we're sellouts, sellouts!
Johnny Quest thinks we're selling out, we're selling out, yeah!
Johnny Quest thinks we're sellouts, sellouts!
Johnny! Yeah-ah-ah!…"

Bonus! Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

Less Than Jake, "Richard Allen George… No, It's Just Cheez" from Hello Rockview (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: "Richard Allen George… No, It's Just Cheez" is a good song, but the pertinent part for our purposes is some communal bellowing on the track after the song proper's conclusion:

"¡Ay-yi-yi-yi, Cinco de Moustache!
The kids that are hip they grow on their lip,
They throw down their razors and don't give a shit!
Then grow and grow and grow and grow,
So let your mustache go! Oh yeah!"

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the feast of Saint Hilary of Arles, Bishop (circa 400-449): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Aventinus, Deacon (died circa 1180): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

In some dioceses, 'tis the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, but in the Diocese of Lansing, as in many others, the observance has been moved to the Seventh Sunday of Easter, which this year falls on 8 May.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter eighteen, verses one thru eight;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one thru four;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses sixteen thru twenty.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "The Bricklayer's Story" from Pin Points and Gin Joints (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: I overlooked "The Bricklayer's Story" during last fall's extended R.B.D.S.O.T.D. fête of all things related to work, occasioned by Labor Day; more's the pity, as 'twould have fit in perfectly.

"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 and made his lifetime shorter…"

Autobahn

Yesterday, I espied an Audi A4 with a faux European-style license plate on the front grille, emblazoned 2 FÄST 4Ü, presumably meant to be read "Too fast for you." The umlauts were a nice touch. Interestingly, given the boast of the faux plate, 'twas a regular A4, neither a higher performance S4 nor a top-of-the-line RS4. Yes, yes, I'm sure a regular A4 is plenty fast enough, certainly faster than the new (to me) third generation Mousemobile, the Malibu Stacy.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the feast of Blessed Michael Giedroyc, Hermit, O.S.A. (died 1485): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link List.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Richard Reynolds, Martyr, O.Ss.S. (1492-1535), martyred under the king Henry VIII, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link XL.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter seventeen, verses fifteen & twenty-two thru chapter eighteen, verse one;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-eight, verses one, two, & eleven thru fourteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses twelve thru fifteen.

This Week in Motorsport: Formula Fun! Backlog Edition

Formula One World Championship
Round 1
Australian Grand Prix
Sunday, 20 March 2016

Reigning triple World Champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes ('08, '14, & '15) started the first grand prix of the new year from the pole, but the race ended the same way as had the last three races of 2015, with his teammate Nico Rosberg on the top step of the podium. The works "Silver Arrows" both made poor starts, allowing the works Ferraris of quadruple World Champion Sebastian Vettel ('10, '11, '12, & '13) & '07 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen to jump ahead & maintain their lead through the first cycle of pit stops. A mid-race red-flag stoppage, caused by a horrifying shunt involving double World Champion Fernando Alonso ('05 & '06) of McLaren (Honda) & Esteban Gutiérrez of the brand-new, American-based Haas (Ferrari) squad, allowed all the teams to make a penalty-free pit stop. The Mercedes switched to the hardest compound tires while the Ferraris stayed on softer & quicker, though less durable, rubber. That essentially decided the race, as the Mercedes cars could go the distance without an additional pit stops, while the Ferraris were not able to pull enough of a gap not to lose any places when they had to pit. Still & all, the red Ferraris showed that they had significantly closed the gap to the silver Mercedes, a most welcome development after dishwater dull seasons in '14 & '15, during which the only real competition was 'twixt the Mercedes duo.

Romain Grosjean of Hass finished in sixth place, an amazing result for a brand-new team. By contrast, Manor, now in its seventh year of competition, has a single points-paying finish, ninth place at the Monaco Grand Prix in 2014 by the late Jules Bianchi. In five years of racing from 2010-2014, Caterham (previously known as Lotus Racing & then Team Lotus) failed to score a single championship point. So, tip your hats to Haas for making such a brilliant debut.

1st Place: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2nd Place: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
3rd Place: Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

Round 2
Bahrain Grand Prix
Sunday, 3 April 2016

Vettel qualified second, but his Ferrari gave up the ghost on the formation lap preceding the start, amidst the great, billowing clouds of white smoke that signal the death of a racing engine. The two works Mercedes were slow off the line for the second consecutive race, resulting in a collision for Hamilton with the Williams (Mercedes) of Valtteri Bottas; a pit stop for repairs dropped Hamilton far down the running order. Rosberg cruised imperiously to the win, while Grosjean bettered his impressive Australia performance by finishing fifth. The two points-scoring finishes were the best result for a new Constructor in F1 since 1973. Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull (T.A.G. Heuer*) was Mr. Consistency, finishing fourth for the second consecutive grand prix.

Rosberg's second consecutive win was his fifth in a row dating back to the previous season, drawing his close to some pretty rarefied air in the F1 history books. Räikkönen's sour expression on the podium, when on any step other than the victor's stand, is an always welcome reminder that second place is the first loser. For some men, finishing on the podium is enough to induce spontaneous eruptions of joy, but not so for the hard-drinking Finn nicknamed "the Iceman." I salute Kimi's high standards.

1st Place: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2nd Place: Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari
3rd Place: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Round 3
Chinese Grand Prix
Sunday, 17 April 2016

It seemed as if almost every car in the field was involved in a shunt on lap one. Hamilton crashed with Felipe Nasr of Sauber (Ferrari), the two works Ferraris of Vettel & Räikkönen collided, & the Lord only knows how Grosjean smashed his car's front wing; four cars pitted after that first lap for new front nose/wings. Ricciardo, starting from the front row ahead of the Ferraris, jumped Rosberg, but suffered a catastrophic tire failure on lap three, forcing the Red Bull to pit. The truly amazing thing, after multiple cars failed to start in both Australia & Bahrain & the race-ending shunts seen in those first two grands prix, is that every single car, all twenty-two in the field, finished the Chinese Grand Prix.

Daniil Kvyat of Red Bull (T.A.G. Heuer) had a brilliant race for the first non-Mercedes, non-Ferrari podium finish of 2016. Kvyat lead Vettel, the man he replaced at red Bull, for a time, but in the end the Ferrari's new tires made short work of the Russian's bid for second place. Hamilton started the race from the back of the grid due to a penalty for a gearbox change & damaged the crucial undertray of his Mercedes in that first-lap collision; he drove a blistering pace in a wounded car to finish seventh, ceding further ground to Rosberg in the Drivers' Championship.

Rosberg's third consecutive victory of the year & sixth consecutive dating back to last season gives him more than a race-win's margin over Hamilton, so even if Rosberg didn't score in the next face & Hamilton won, Rosberg will still lead the Drivers' stakes. Ricciardo earned his third fourth-place finish, a perfect three for three on the year; that consistency has earned him third in the standings, better than any of this race finishes.

1st Place: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2nd Place: Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
3rd Place: Daniil Kvyat, Red Bull (T.A.G. Heuer)

Round 4
Russian Grand Prix
Sunday, 1 May 2016

Not once, but twice on the opening lap did Kvyat ram his Red Bull into the rear of Vettel's Ferrari, sending the red car spinning into the wall, ending Vettel's race. 'Twas Vettel's second D.N.F. (Did Not Finish) of the young season; he has two podiums & two D.N.F.s, which are killing his already slim chances in the Drivers' Championship & scuppering Ferrari's ambitions in the Constructors' Championship. Kvyat was penalized with a ten-second stop-&-hold penalty, but even as a Red Bull partisan I do not think that is punitive enough, given the recklessness he displayed. Back in 2012, Romain Grosjean was involved in a number of crashes, the most dangerous of which happened at Spa-Francorchamps. He was given a one-race ban, & has been a different driver ever since. It was precisely the wake-up call he needed to start displaying his true talent. Kvyat, young & brash, needs just such a lesson, before he becomes the new Pastor Maldonado (which, by the way, is the meanest thing I can say about any race-car driver).

Hamilton had a technical problem in qualifying, which meant he started tenth on the grid, with Rosberg on the pole. Rosberg lead from flag to flag, scoring the "Grand Slam": pole position, fastest lap, all laps lead, & race victory. Sadly, though the Ferraris have shown some pace, they have also proven mechanically unreliable & crash-prone, so the 2016 F1 World Championships are shaping up to be as humdrum & boring as the 2014 & 2015 editions. There is a dearth of competition, especially with Hamilton's repeated breakdowns depriving the audience of even the unsatisfying spectacle of a duel 'twixt the Silver Arrows; the rest of the field are simply racing for third place, a sorry state of affairs.

1st Place: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2nd Place: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
3rd Place: Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari

*Renault engines powered Red Bull's superlative chassis during the team's four consecutive World Constructors' Championships ('10, '11, '12, & '13). But Renault badly missed the mark when the new hybrid-electric, turbocharged "power units" were introduced in 2014 & the Red Bulls struggled for pace. With even more ground lost to the competition in 2015, the once all-conquering Red Bull/Renault partnership fractured acrimoniously. Red Bull tried to pull out of their contract with Renault, but Mercedes & Ferrari were unwilling to supply their engines to such an accomplished chassis-builder; with Honda amidst its own struggles not yet willing to supply a second team, there was for a time great concern that Red Bull would be left without an engine & thus forced to pull out of the sport. In the end, Red Bull & Renault reached an agreement whereby Renault's engines would be re-badged T.A.G. Heuer, the Swiss watch company. Those are still Renault power units, but Red Bull's engineers now have greater freedom to tinker.

Renault have also re-entered the sport as a constructor, having re-purchased the Enstone-based squad that over its long, championship-winning history has been known as Benetton, Renault, & Lotus, & is now once again the Renault works team. The "T.A.G. Heuer"-powered Red Bulls are significantly faster than the works Renaults.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

Mustard Plug, "On and On" from In Black and White (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary:

"By now, you think it's over,
Countdown, it's getting colder,
Come on, tell me it's over,
Goes on and on and on and on again…"

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Feast of Saints Philip & James, Apostles (first century): Apostles-link, Apostle-link Papa & Wikipedia-link Papa, & Apostle-link Juliett & Wikipedia-link Juliett.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

As in the case of the other apostles, we see in James & Philip human men who became foundation stones of the Church, & we are reminded again that holiness & its consequent apostolate are entirely the gift of God, not a matter of human achieving. The feast day of Philip, along with that of James… was traditionally observed on 1 May, the anniversary of the dedication of the church dedicated to them in Rome (now called the Church of the Twelve Apostles). (Wikipedia-link Santi Apostoli)

'Tis also the feast of Saint Alexander I, Pope (died circa 115), sixth Bishop of Rome: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter fifteen, verses one thru eight;
Psalm Nineteen, verses two thru five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses six thru fourteen.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

Mustard Plug, "Real Rat Bastard" from In Black and White (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary:

"You told me I'm a real rat bastard,
I'll telling you I can't deny it's true…

"We're both the same except for you've got class and style.
To get you back I'd walk at least a half a mile.
We're both the same except for poise and charm and grace.
I'd slap the pope just for the chance to see your face…"

Also, what do we think of the portmanteau "Skatholic"?

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

Less Than Jake, "Weekends All Year Long" from See the Light (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: Wait, a Less Than Jake song about arrested development & being stuck in place, treading water in life? How unexpected! Next you'll tell me Reel Big Fish have written a song about disillusionment with the music industry or The Mighty Mighty Bosstones have written a song about street violence in Boston.

The Queue

It took me so long to read The Church of Mercy only because of the weeks & weeks during which it sat upon my nightstand untouched. More's the pity, too, because these homilies & short speeches highlight His Holiness's strength as a communicator, as an evangelist, more so than the more stilted formality of papal encyclical & apostolic exhortations. That said, I am asking for the latest apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, as a birthday present, so I hope to begin reading it by late summer.

Recently
Dr. John Bergsma, Bible Basics for Catholics: A New Picture of Salvation History
Michael Lewis, The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Pope Francis, The Church of Mercy: A Vision for the Church

Currently
Rice Broocks, God's Not Dead: Evidence for God in an Age of Uncertainty

Presently
Michael White & Tom Corcoran, Rebuilt: The Story of a Catholic Parish
Richard Price, Clockers
Sir Richard Francis Burton, translator, "Sinbad the Sailor" from The Arabian Nights
Sir Ernest Shackleton, South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage
Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations
Hilaire Belloc, How the Reformation Happened
William F. Buckley Jr., The Unmaking of a Mayor
Jon Baird, et alii, The Explorers Guild, Volume One: A Passage to Shambhala
Scott & Kimberly Hahn, Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism
Margaret MacMillan, Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World
(A.K.A. Peacemakers: The Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and Its Attempt to End War)
Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love)
Edward P. Hahnenberg, A Concise Guide to the Documents of Vatican II

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide, Backlog Edition

Today is the Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop & Doctor of the Church (circa 295-373): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was the twentieth bishop of Alexandria (as Athanasius I). His episcopate lasted forty-five years, of which over seventeen were spent in five exiles ordered by four different Roman emperors. Athanasius is a renowned Christian theologian, a Church Father, the chief defender of Trinitarianism.

'Tis also the feast of Blessed William Tirry, Priest & Martyr, O.S.A. (1609-1654), martyred under the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter sixteen, verses eleven thru fifteen;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-nine, verses one(b) thru six(a) & nine(b);
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verse twenty-six thru chapter sixteen, verse four(a);

or, for St. Athanasius's Memorial:
The First Letter of John, chapter five, verses one thru five;
Psalm Thirty-seven, verses thirty(a);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses twenty-two thru twenty-five.

* * * * *

Sunday, 1 May was the Sixth Sunday of Easter: Paschal-link & Wikipedia-link.

Otherwise, 1 May would have been the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker (first century B.C.-first century A.D.): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also have been the feast of Saint Peregrine Laziosi, Priest, O.S.M. (circa 1260-1345): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fifteen, verses one, two, & twenty-two thru twenty-nine;
Psalm Sixty-seven, verses two, three, five, six, & eight;
The Book of Revelation, chapter twenty-one, verses ten thru fourteen, twenty-two, & twenty-three;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-three thru twenty-nine.

* * * * *

Saturday, 30 April was the Optional Memorial of Saint Pius V, Pope, O.P. (1504-1572, born Antonio Ghislieri), two hundred twenty-fifth Bishop of Rome: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He is chiefly notable for his role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, & the standardization of the Roman Rite within the Latin Church.

'Twas also the feast of Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo, Priest (1786-1842), founder of the Little House of Divine Providence: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter sixteen, verses one thru ten;
Psalm One Hundred, verses one(b) thru two, three, & five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses eighteen thru twenty-one.

Personal Reading
The Book of Numbers, chapter fifteen (verses one thru forty-one);
The Book of Numbers, chapter sixteen (verses one thru thirty-five);
The Book of Numbers, chapter seventeen, verses one thru twenty-six.

Commentary: Secondary offerings (15:1-21), sin offerings (15:22-31), the Sabbath-breaker (15:32-36), tassels on the cloak (15:37-41), rebellion of Korah (16:1-11), rebellion of Dathan & Abiram (16:12-24), punishment of Dathan & Abiram (16:25-34), punishment of Korah (16:35-17:15), Aaron's staff (17:16-26).

The Explorers' Club, № CDXCV

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Siege of Kut, Part IV
29 April 1916: The British garrison at Kut-Al-Amara surrendered after a siege of almost one hundred fifty days; a ransom of £2,000,000, offered by T. E. Lawrence ("of Arabia"), was rejected by Ottoman Minister of War Evner Pasha; General Townshend lived in comfort & luxury as a P.O.W., the toast of Constantinople, while the majority of his men, both British & Indian, died of maltreatment in captivity.









The Wayback Machine Tour of the Siege of Kut
№ CDLXXI: The Battle of Ctesiphon (Prologue)
№ CDLXXV: The siege of Kut-Al-Amara begins (Part I)
№ CDLXXVIII: The Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad (Part II)
№ CDLXXXVI: The Battle of Dujaila (Part III)

Lest we forget.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

The O.C. Supertones, "Louder Than the Mob" from Supertones Strike Back (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: The Supertones didn't make it into this year's SKApril, but they are the perfect way to restore the devotional character of Sunday's R.B.D.S.O.T.D.

"I know I'm just another Judas,
Kiss Your face while I drive a nail through Your hand,
I know I'm just another Thomas,
Won't believe 'til I feel the hole in Your hand.

"Then I will say,
My God, I see not what You see.
My God, what do You see in me?
My God, crowned in glory!
The Lamb of God is worthy!

"My sin yells 'Crucify!'
Louder than the mob that day!
My sin yells, 'Crucify!'
Louder than any mouth!
"My sin yells 'Crucify!'
Louder than the mob that day!
My sin yells, 'Crucify!
'Crucify! Crucify!'…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKApril!

Reel Big Fish, "We Care" from Why Do They Rock So Hard? (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: The Reel Big Fish are one-hit wonders, their satirical song "Sell Out" having charted as high as 10 in the summer of 1997, the "Summer of Ska." Why Do They Rock So Hard?, their next album after Turn the Radio Off (which included "Sell Out" & is not to be confused for R.B.F.'s much later song, "Turn the Radio Off"), is about the perils of fame, fortune, & success. The album ends with a sort of mini concept album, the songs "Big Star," "The Kids Don't Like It," "Down in Flames," & "We Care" chronicling a band's mainstream success & the resentment directed against them by their original fan base. The whole thing is Reel Big Fish at their very best, uncommonly earnest about their vulnerability & bitterness.

"Thanks for the money,
Thanks for dancing,
Singing along, everything you do,
We just want you to know we care (We care).

"Thanks for calling us sellouts
And not taking a joke,
Talking shit, covering us with spit,
We're so glad to know you care (We care).

"And we're sorry that so many people
Got to enjoy our music
By hearing us on the radio!

"We love you, we love you,
Because you really understand.
We love you, we love you a lot,
How could we not? We say it again:
We love you, we love you,
Because you really understand.
We love you, we love you a lot,
We always thought you liked our band.
Hoo!

"We care!
We care!
We care!
We care!

"I'm not talking about everybody,
I'm sorry to waste
A song and your time like this,
We're so lucky to have you there (We care).

"And I know that some of you get it
And you're not ashamed to admit it,
That you're still with us after all!

"We love you, we love you,
Because you really understand.
We love you, we love you a lot,
How could we not?
We say it again:
We love you, we love you,
Because you really understand.
We love you, we love you a lot,
We always thought you liked our band.

"We love you, we love you,
We love you! (Ooo! Ooo!)
We love you, we love you,
We really, really do! (Ooo! Ooo!)
We love you, we love you,
We love you! (Ooo! Ooo!)
We love you, we love you,
We love you! (Ooo! Ooo!)
We love you!"

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin & Doctor of the Church, T.O.S.D. (1347-1380): Doctor-link ūna, Doctor-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Catherine… was given the stigmata, but it was visible only to herself. She is credited with composing over four hundred letters, her Dialogue, which is her definitive work, & her prayers. These works are so influential that St. Catherine would later be declared a Doctor of the Church.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Hugh of Cluny, Priest & Abbot, O.S.B. (1024-1109, A.K.A. the Great): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fifteen, verses twenty-two thru thirty-one;
Psalm Fifty-seven, verses eight thru ten & twelve;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses twelve thru seventeen;

or, for St. Catherine's Memorial
The First Letter of John, chapter one, verse five thru chapter two, verse two;
Psalm One Hundred Three, verse one;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eleven, verses twenty-five thru thirty.

Personal Reading
The Book of Numbers, chapter thirteen (verses one thru thirty-three);
The Book of Numbers, chapter fourteen (verses one thru forty-five).

Commentary: The twelve scouts (13:1-24), their return (13:25-33), threats of revolt (14:1-10), the Lord's sentence (14:11-38), & unsuccessful invasion (14:39-45).

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKApril!

The Hippos, "He Said" from Heads Are Gonna Roll (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: The Hippos are SKApril all-stars, but also one of the first bands to break up, back in those halcyon years after the Summer of Ska. They were also the first band I knew to abandon the ska sound in favor of New Wave synthesizers. (The Aquabats! would later follow this same route, though with greater perseverance.) Front man Ariel Rechtshaid has gone on to be a Grammy Award-winning producer of some truly wretched music, from the likes of Adele, Madonna, & Usher. Thus, the cautionary tale of "He Said":

"I said, 'Hey, mister, why do you look so blue?'
He said, 'It's nothing, you just look like someone I once knew,'
I said, 'O really?,' as I looked into his eyes,
Right then and there I knew this man would tell no lies.
He said:

"I am a man of glory,
I've got a million stories,
If you would just listen to me!
I've sailed across this ocean,
Given so much devotion,
But just one thing has stayed with me,
Come here and see.

"We'd find a park with flowers,
We'd sit and talk for hours,
He taught me ancient history.
He said:
I used to be a great man,
I traveled 'cross this great land,
Until an old man came to me
And said:

"I am a man of glory,
I've got a million stories,
If you would just listen to me!
I've been around the world,
Been with all kinds of girls,
But just one thing has stayed with me,
Come here and see.

"But now I am much older,
My life has grown much colder,
I only care about one thing!
How can I make more money?
Life's empty without money!
And then a voice spoke out to me,
And said:

"I am a man of glory,
I've got a million stories,
If you would just listen to me!
I used to be a rich man,
Money can ruin a good man,
Just look what it has done to me!…"

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Chanel, Priest & Martyr, S.M. (1803-1841), martyred under the pagan priest-king Niuliki: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Born Pierre Louis Maria Chanel, he was a... priest, missionary, & martyr. He was one of the first Marist priests working in Oceania.

'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort, Priest, T.O.S.D. (1673-1716), founder of the Company of Mary, the Daughters of Wisdom, & the Brothers of Christian Instruction of St. Gabriel: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Company, Wikipedia-link Daughters, & Wikipedia-link Brothers.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Louis was (a) French... priest & confessor. He was known as a preacher & was made a missionary. Montfort is considered as one of the early writers in the field of Mariology.

As a general principle of BLACK MAMBA, saints are listed in chronological order unless overridden by prominance (Solemnity, Feast, Memorial, Optional Memorial, "feast"). Both being Optional Memorials, St. Louis de Montfort should be listed ahead of St. Peter Chanel. Except that in both the Holy Redeemer bulletin &, somewhat more officially, the St. Matthew's Missal, St. Peter Chanel is listed ahead of St. Louis de Montfort. Why this is so I do not know, but I presume there is some official reason.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, Laywoman (1922-1962): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fifteen, verses seven thru twenty-one;
Psalm Ninety-six, verses one thru three & ten;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses nine thru eleven;

or, for St. Peter's Memorial:
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter one, verses eighteen thru twenty-five;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter sixteen, verse fifteen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter one, verses fourteen thru twenty;

or, for St. Louis's Memorial:
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter one, verses eighteen thru twenty-five;
Psalm Forty, verses eight(a) & nine(a);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-eight, verses sixteen thru twenty.

Personal Reading
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fifteen, verses one, two, & twenty-two thru twenty-nine;
Psalm Sixty-seven, verses two, three, five, six, & eight;
The Book of Revelation, chapter twenty-one, verses ten thru fourteen, twenty-two, & twenty-three;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-three thru twenty-nine;
Commentary to the Mass Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKApril!

Mustard Plug, "Aye Aye Aye" from Can't Contain it (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: The last two R.B.D.S.O.T.D. were provided by Mustard Plug & Skankin' Pickle. Am I the only one who's hungry? Mustard Plug are both SKApril all-stars & sacred Michigan's most prominent ska band, though by no means the only one; other Michigander ska bands include The Loose Ties, the Insyderz, the Ninjas, Ich Bin Ein Berliner, Gunday Monday, & St. Thomas Boys Academy, et al.

I really have no idea what "Aye Aye Aye" is about, but this sounds a lot like me, at my advanced age & preposterous bulk, trying to keep pace in the pit.

"Keeping it up, but you wanna go,
Tearing it up, though you're moving slow,
Say what you want, but I know you believe (I believe!)
Keep up the pace though you're burning up,
I don't know how that I keep it up,
Everyone drops, but I know you can see (See the light!)

"And go,
Aye, aye, aye! I never let go,
Aye, aye, aye! Though you tell me so,
Aye, aye, aye! 'Cause I know we believe (I believe!)…"

Bonus! Song of the Day: SKApril!

Mustard Plug, "Puddle of Blood" from In Black and White (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary:

"Puddle of blood on the streets of gold,
Don't try to buy my soul, it's already sold…"

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the feast of Saint Simeon of Jerusalem, Bishop & Martyr (died circa 107), martyred under the emperor Trajan: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Zita of Lucca, Virgin (circa 1212-1272): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fifteen, verses one thru six;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-two, verses one thru five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses one thru eight.

Personal Reading
The Book of Numbers, chapter ten, verses eleven thru thirty-six;
The Book of Numbers, chapter eleven (verses one thru thirty-five);
The Book of Numbers, chapter twelve (verses one thru sixteen).

Commentary: Part I was, "Preparation for the departure from Sinai." We now begin Part II: "From Sinai to the Plains of Moab." (That division is why I read only the first third of chapter ten yesterday.) Departure from Sinai (10:11-28a), Hobab as guide (10:28b-32), in the desert (10:33-36), discontent of the people (11:1-15), the seventy elders (11:16-23), the Spirit on the elders (11:24-30), the quail (11:31-35), jealousy of Aaron & Miriam (12:1-8), & Miriam's leprosy (12:9-16).

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKApril!

Skankin' Pickle, "Onyonghasayo" from Sing Along with Skankin' Pickle (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: Of the four bands in which Mike Park is a part of my music library—Mike Park, the Bruce Lee Band, the Chinkees, & Skankin' Pickle—Skankin' Pickle is the least of the four, but that's like Temple of Doom being the least of the three original Indiana Jones movies. It's true, but it's not a condemnation. This gem of a ska song is brought to you by SKAffirmative Action; there are no unworthy bands & no unworthy songs in SKApril, some bands just need a helping hand.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the feast of Saint Cletus, Pope & Martyr (died circa 92, A.K.A. Anacletus), third Bishop of Rome, martyred under the emperor Domitian: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Marcellinus, Pope & Martyr (died 304), twenty-ninth Bishop of Rome, martyred under the emperor Diocletian: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel: Our Lady-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fourteen, verses nineteen thru twenty-eight;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses ten thru thirteen(b) & twenty-one;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-one(a).

Personal Reading
The Book of Numbers, chapter nine (verses one thru twenty-three);
The Book of Numbers, chapter ten, verses one thru ten;
Introduction to the Book of Deuteronomy;
Introduction to the Book of Joshua;
Introduction to the Book of Judges;
Introduction to the Book of Ruth;
Introduction to the Books of Samuel;
Introduction to the Books of Kings;
Introduction to the First Book of Chronicles;
Introduction to the Second Book of Chronicles;
Introduction to the Book of Ezra;
Introduction to the Book of Nehemiah.

Commentary: Second Passover (9:1-14), the fiery cloud (9:15-23), & the silver trumpets (10:1-10).

This Week in Motorsport: Indy Rock, Backlog Edition

IndyCar Series
Round 1
Grand Prix of Saint Petersburg
Sunday, 13 March 2016

The season opener at St. Pete was a welcome beginning to this year in motorsport. 'Twas not the first race of the year, that honor belongs to the Dakar Rally, & 'twas not even the first race in Florida, that honor belongs to the I.M.S.A. SportsCar Championship's 24 Hours of Daytona, but with Daytona a bore since N.A.S.C.A.R. (as "I.M.S.A.") merged the American Le Mans Series & its own Grand-Am Sports Car Series into a combined championship that is less than the sum of its parts, worse than either of the old series, St. Pete was the first worthwhile on-track action of the year. This year's grand prix featured far fewer collisions & yellow-flag caution periods than did the previous year's visit to the temporary street circuit near the Tampa Bay, but had the same result: victory for double Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya ('00, '15), the most nonchalant driver in the paddock.

1st Place: Juan Pablo Montoya, Penske (Chevrolet)
2nd Place: Simon Pagenaud, Penske (Chevrolet)
3rd Place: Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti (Honda)

Round 2
Phoenix Grand Prix
Saturday, 2 April 2016

Despite the name of the race, the Phoenix Grand Prix was run on an oval, marking IndyCar's return to the Phoenix International Raceway for the first time since '05. I've never been a fan of oval-track racing; it pales in comparison with the splendor of road-course racing. The random nature of crashes on oval tracks is deeply unsettling. On a road course, one can usually piece together how a certain shunt came to happen; on an oval, more often than not for no discernible reason, race cars suddenly turn & crash into the outer walls. Justin Wilson's death at the Pocono 500 last year made up my mind (Wayback Machine): with the exception of this year one hundredth running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, the world-famous Indy 500, I will never again watch an oval race. Phoenix was the first opportunity to see if I had the courage of my convictions, which I did, so I didn't see the results I now report.

1st Place: Scott Dixon, Ganassi (Chevrolet)
2nd Place: Simon Pagenaud, Penske (Chevrolet)
3rd Place: Will Power, Penske (Chevrolet)

Round 3
Grand Prix of Long Beach
Sunday, 17 April 2016

I prefer permanent road courses such as Road America & Laguna Seca to temporary streets circuits such as those at St. Pete & Long Beach, but only a hardened cynic wouldn't like the Long Beach Grand Prix, with its perpetual chamber-of-commerce weather & four-decade history that includes F5000, Formula One, & three decades of the several guises of Indy car racing (C.A.R.T., Champ Car, & the current IndyCar). I don't really buy the hyperbolic ephitet "America's Monaco," but I don't disagree with the compliment intended. In any event, the race itself was nigh-miraculous, clean, green-flag running from start to finish, all but impossible inside the concrete canyons of a street circuit. The biggest problem with IndyCar is that the rules are set up in such a way that most of the time the winner of a race is determined by neither merit nor qualifying position, but by the luck of the draw, how a driver & his car happen to be positioned when the inevitable yellow flags throw a monkeywrench into the proceedings. To see an IndyCar race, especially a street race, without a yellow flag is a rare & marvelous thing.

There was controversy, with eventual winner Simon Pagenaud of Team Penske cutting across a forbidden line during his exit from the pit lane after this final pit stop. The move put him ahead of quadruple & reigning series champion ('03, '08, '13, & '15) & '08 Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon of Ganassi Racing. Dixon's crew screamed bloody murder when Pagenaud was given a warning instead of an actual penalty, but photographic evidence emerged after the race showing that Dixon had cut across the forbidden line in the exact same way on one of his pit stops. So, you know, those hypocrites can shut their filthy mouths. I wish that IndyCar would enforce its rules more strictly, but the teams & the drivers always say that all they ask from the stewards is consistency. In not penalizing Pagenaud for the exact same foul for which they'd also not penalized Dixon, the stewards were entirely consistent in their lax rule enforcement.

1st Place: Simon Pagenaud, Penske (Chevrolet)
2nd Place: Scott Dixon, Ganassi (Chevrolet)
3rd Place: Helio Castroneves, Penske (Chevrolet)

Round 4
Grand Prix of Alabama
Sunday, 24 April 2016

Pinch me, I must be dreaming: the ninety-lap race around the picturesque Barber Motorsports Park was run entirely under green-flag conditions, the second consecutive clean (more or less) race! In qualifying, Pagenaud pipped his teammate, ace qualifier & '14 series champion Will Power, for the pole, & never looked back. The fleet Frenchman effectively lead every lap, occasionally falling to second purely due to the pit-stop cycle. In the closing laps, stuck behind backmarkers trying desperately not to be lapped, he was caught by hated Buckeye Graham Rahal (who has raced in a helmet painted to resemble a T.O.S.U. football helmet), who rammed him from behind, sending Pagenaud careening halfway off track. Now in the lead, Rahal then rammed one of the backmarkers, smashing Rahal's car's front-wing into so much carbon-fiber debris. With the villainous Rahal now crippled by his own impatient hand, Pagenaud cruised back into the lead & an eventual ten-second victory. These are the salad days for Pagenaud, with four podiums in the first four races, twice the victor & twice the runner-up.

1st Place: Simon Pagenaud, Penske (Chevrolet)
2nd Place: Graham Rahal, R.L.L. (Honda)
3rd Place: Josef Newgarden, Carpenter (Chevrolet)

Next
The Grand Prix of Indianapolis, on Saturday, 14 May, run on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. May is all about Indy, first the G.P., then qualifying for the 100th Indy 500, then the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" itself on 29 May, the Sunday before Memorial Day. (Also the date of F1's Monaco Grand Prix, as has been the case for all of the seven years I've been watching motorsport.) As mentioned above, this year's Indy 500 will be my last-ever oval race.

Indy Lights Series
The official feeder series into IndyCar & the second-to-last step on the "Road to Indy" ladder system is seeing significant growth, increasing from an approximate average of twelve cars per race in 2015 to sixteen this year. The number of "refugees" from European open-wheel racing, including GP2, the official feeder series to F1, continues to grow, as drivers confront the paucity of open sets in the pinnacle of motorsport. Max Chilton, veteran of thirty-five Formula One starts with Manor (originally Virgin, later Marussia), contested the 2015 Indy Lights season, gaining experience with both America's road & street circuits & oval racing. This year, Chilton made the jump to IndyCar, replacing reckless & immature teenager Sage Karam on the prestigious Ganassi Racing squad. I am certain his path is one many of this year's Indy Lights contenders desire to follow.

Round 1
Streets of St. Pete, Race 1
Saturday, 12 March 2016

1st Place: Felix Serralles, Carlin
2nd Place: Scott Hargrove, Pelfrey
3rd Place: Kyle Kaiser, Juncos

Round 2
Streets of St. Pete, Race 2
Sunday, 13 March 2016

1st Place: Felix Rosenqvist, Belardi
2nd Place: Kyle Kaiser, Juncos
3rd Place: Zach Veach, Belardi

Round 3
Phoenix International Raceway
Saturday, 2 April 1016

1st Place: Kyle Kaiser, Juncos
2nd Place: Ed Jones, Carlin
3rd Place: R. C. Enerson, Schmidt Peterson

Round 4
Barber Motorsports Park, Race 1
Saturday, 23 April 2016

1st Place: Ed Jones, Carlin
2nd Place: Felix Serralles, Carlin
3rd Place: Zach Veach, Belardi

Round 5
Barber Motorsports Park, Race 2
Sunday, 24 April 2016

1st Place: Santiago Urritia, Schmidt Peterson
2nd Place: Ed Jones, Carlin
3rd Place: Dean Stoneman, Andretti

As a driver-development series, Indy Lights is a "spec series," all the drivers piloting identical chassis with identical engines & identical tires. The current Indy Lights car, the Dallara IL-15 with a Mazda-badged A.E.R engine & Cooper tires, is a sweet little package. I personally love the snap, crackle, & pop of the turbochargers' waste gates.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKApril!

Catch 22, "San Francisco Payphone" from Alone in a Crowd (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: One can almost hear the Millennial asking, "What's a payphone?"

The relationship described in "San Francisco Payphone" was based on lies, so its probably best that it ended when it did, before even more harm was done. Have I mentioned that love rarely works out in ska-punk songs?

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKApril!

Mad Caddies, "Betty" from Duck and Cover (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: Mad Caddies are a SKAffirmative Action band, having not participated in SKApril since 2013. The rule that no band may contribute more than one song a year to SKApril is hard to follow, given my ardent fondness for so many ska bands & so much of their music, but a rule I firmly believe is necessary for a proper celebration of ska in all its diversity of time, space, & style.

"You're not a friend, you're just a thief,
It's time I open my eyes and see,
You, my darling, don't deserve my sympathy.

"You sold my sheets
And skinned my cat,
You stole my teeth
And you pawned my gat.
Before you waste more of my time,
I'll give you a little piece of my mind,
Well, I'll see you down the road and I'll be fine!…"

Why Betty Suarez (played by America Ferrara) from Ugly Betty? Why not? I also considered Betty Cooper from Archie Comics after quickly dismissing Betty Boop & Betty Rubble. I miss Ugly Betty; 'twas a fun show, one gone too soon.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist (first century): Evangelist-link ūnus, Evangelist-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

When Jesus explained that his flesh was "real food" & his blood was "real drink," many disciples left him (John, 6:44-66), presumably including Mark. He was later restored to faith by the apostle Peter (29 June, et al.); he then became Peter's interpreter, wrote the Gospel of Mark, founded the church of Africa, & became the Bishop of Alexandria.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Peter of Saint Joseph de Betancur, O.F.B. (1626-1667), founder of the Bethlehemite Brothers: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link O.F.B.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The First Letter of Peter, chapter five, verses five(b) thru fourteen;
Psalm Eighty-nine, verses two, three, six, seven, sixteen, & seventeen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter sixteen, verses fifteen thru twenty.

Personal Reading
The Book of Numbers, chapter six (verses one thru twenty-seven);
The Book of Numbers, chapter seven (verses one thru thirty-one);
The Book of Numbers, chapter eight (verses one thru twenty-six).

Commentary: Laws concerning Nazirites (6:1-21), the Priestly Blessing (6:22-27), offerings of princes (7:1-88), the Voice (7:89), the lamps set up (8:1-4), purification of the Levites (8:5-22), & age limits for Levitical service (8:22-26).

Chapter seven ends with a ellipsis. Odder still, there is no footnote commenting upon this peculiarity, much less offering an explanation for same. Chapter eight then begins with the LORD speaking to Moses in the meeting tent, & while that indicates what happened next after chapter seven, it still doesn't explain why that chapter ended with an ellipsis instead of, say a period. Obviously, the ellipsis is an English-language convention, not present in the original Hebrew, but what in the Hebrew is the English ellipsis means to convey? Vexing!

The Explorers' Club, № CDXCIV

Operation AXIOM: The World War
24-29 April 1916: The Easter Rising—Irish nationalists in Dublin, in cahoots with & armed by the Germans, declared the whole of Ireland, then a constituent part of the United Kingdom, an independent republic; the Crown crushed the rebellion with overwhelming force, including bombarding the city with heavy artillery; the civilian death toll increased Irish popular support for independence.









Lest we forget.



Commentary: It is an idiosyncrasy of the modern Republic of Ireland that the Easter Rising is commemorated every year at Easter, a highly moveable feast, not on the dates 24-29 April.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Fifth Sunday of Easter

'Tis the Fourth Sunday of Easter: Paschal-link & Wikipedia-link.

Otherwise, 24 April would be the feast of Saint Diarmaid of Armagh, Bishop (died circa 852, A.K.A. Diarmait ua Tigernáin): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the feast of Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest & Martyr, O.F.M. Cap. (1577-1622), martyred by Swiss Calvinists: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fourteen, verse twenty-one thru twenty-seven;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses eight thru thirteen;
The Book of Revelation, chapter twenty-one, verses one thru five(a);
The Gospel according to John, chapter thirteen, verses thirty-one thru thirty-three (a), thirty-four, & thirty-five.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKApril!

Mu330, "Ireland" from Crab Rangoon (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: Crab Rangoon, & thus "Ireland," was published in 1997, before the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998, which greatly reduced but did not completely end the civil violence known as "the Troubles."

"My heart was strong,
But I was wrong
To think that I could save her.
Her head was mixed
In politics
And I fell out of favor.
There was no trial,
No mercy mild,
And now I am forever exiled.

"Ireland's at war with herself,
Ireland's at war with herself,
Hopeless that I couldn't help
When Ireland's at war with herself…"

Bonus! Song of the Day: SKApril!

The Aquabats!, "Magic Chicken!" from The Fury of the Aquabats! (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Skammentary: This afternoon, a kinsman visiting Kings Island amusement park sent to my mobile a photograph of the Chicken Shack (not the photo featured above). My first thought was of "Magic Chicken!"

"Well, I was born out back,
Behind the Chicken Shack,
I was raised in a cardboard box,
And before when I was single
I used to hear the chicken jingle,
That's how I learned the chicken rock…

"When I first met my baby
I was sipping chicken gravy,
And I thought I had to close up shop. Wing-bang!
Now we're wedding in the chapel,
Eating chicken, drinking Snapple,
Our chicken love you just can't stop!…"

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint George, Martyr (circa 280-303), martyred under the emperor Diocletian, one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link XIV.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Diocletian, who hated Christians, announced that every Christian the army passed would be arrested & every other soldier should offer a sacrifice to the Roman gods. George refused to abide by the order & told Diocletian, who was angry but valued his friendship with George's father. When George announced his belief before his peers, Diocletian ordered George's execution.

'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Adelbert, Bishop & Martyr (circa 956-997, A.K.A. of Prague), martyred by pagan priests of the Old Prussians: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Adalbert was the Bishop of Prague & a missionary to the Hungarians, Poles, & Prussians, whow as martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians to Christianity. He is the composer of "Bogurodzica," the oldest known Polish hymn.

'Tis also the feast of Blessed Teresa Maria of the Cross, Religious, O.C.D. (1846-1910, A.K.A. Teresa Maria Manetti): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter thirteen, verses forty-four thru fifty-two;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one thru four;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses seven thru fourteen.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKApril!

The Aquabats!, "The Story of Nothing!" from The Fury of the Aquabats! (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Skammentary!: The Aquabats! are so relentlessly positive that they wear Anti-Negativity Helmets. Yet, such are the bitter, heartbroken conventions of ska-punk, especially as it emerged from the Southern California ska scene in the '90s, that "The Story of Nothing!" is the story of heartache & loss.

"What's wrong? I'm standing over here,
It's just too weird that she can't see me,
It's like she waved her magic wand
And somehow turned me into—

"Nothing!
Let's talk about something else,
I'm starting not to see myself,
She went so far away,
But I still see her every day!
Nothing!
Let's talk about something else,
Can't see myself with anyone else,
Please, oh, please
Let's talk about something else
Before I cry: Waaaa! Waaaa! Waaaa!

"She can't see me, but I can,
I guess I am the invisible man!
She can't see what could be,
Nothing hurts worse than being nothing.
The invisible man!
Some things are hard to understand,
The invisible man!
Nothing's worse than—
She can't see me, but I can,
I guess I am the invisible man!
She can't see what could be,
Changed her mind and turned me into nothing!"