05 October 2022 - Now for Something Completely Different

 What a momentous week in history we're currently astride!

Yesterday marked the 65th anniversary of the launch of the first (known) artificial satellite around the Earth - Sputnik I. That was quite a kick in the pants for America's German scientists to get to work and beat the Soviets' German scientists in the great Space Race. "Nazi Schmazti," said Werner von Braun.

Ah, but today marks the 53rd anniversary of the premiere of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" on BBC1. No doubt all those watching realised that it truly was something completely different.

Further, today would have been the 193rd birthday of the 21st President of these United States, Chester Alan Arthur. He's probably best-known among those of us in the know for his famed climb to the top of the bedroom wall where he thrust his defiance at the Javanese and shouted, "Give me them, or I'm going over there!"

Let the celebrations roll!

Irony on the Davenport - 19 August 2021 - Plague Journal Day 525

Micah 6:8
Judges 7:4-8
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?


19 August is quite a date in space history.

First off(ish), in 1960, the Soviets launched Sputnik 5, carrying two dogs, Strelka and Belka, who supposedly became the first terrestrial beings to survive in space. Of course we all know they were actually in their Sputnik capsule the whole time, not out in space. Further, there are the tales of trips to the Moon from the 19th century that cannot be wholly discounted. Still, well done, you Commie dog handlers. (note - you can enable auto translation of the Russian subtitles if you follow that link above)

Then, on this same date in 1964 the world’s first geostationary satellite was launched, making Arthur C. Clarke happier than any sf author has any right to be.
Syncom 3, a communications satellite, was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Geostationary means its orbit is at a height where its revolution takes the same time as the Earth's rotation. The satellite is set above a point on the equator and appears to simply sit there, straight up about 22,000 miles up (nearly 36,000 km). This is a convenient way to bounce communications from one part of the world to another, as it is always in the same spot.. This one was near the International Date Line, and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics were broadcast to these United States with the help of this satellite, much as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were broadcast this year. As noted, the satellite's being near the International Date Line is the reason the 2020 Olympics were viewed in 2021 here in this hemisphere.


Now to the Irony on the davenport item. No doubt many of your grandparents had davenports where most folks had couches or sofas. On those davenports, almost invariably (probably due to the Interstate Commerce Commission ruling 1793.7), those davenports sported handmade (likely crocheted) afghans. Well, here's the irony - on this date in 1919 Afghanistan gained its independence from the United Kingdom with the signing of the Rawalpindi Treaty, ending the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Afghanistan had  been a "protectorate" of the British Empire for about 60 years, and despite the efforts of the Brits, the Afghans remained hostile to their "protection," ending in the aforementioned war and treaty.
History runs in cycles, it appears. Perhaps some of us should pay attention to what's happened in the past, eh?

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

23 July 2020 - Plague Journal Day 133

Micah 6:8
Matthew 15:26-28
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?


There's something special about dogs. They not only bring out the best in us, but they often serve as good examples to us of how we ought to live.
Just a few days ago we were commemorating the first men to walk on the moon. I wonder how many of us recall that the Soviets sent a dog into space on Sputnik 2 - her name was Laika (Лайка if you prefer) - less than a month after they had launched Sputnik 1 and sparked the great Space Race. She was the first living Earth creature to orbit the Earth.
Less well remembered is Otis, the first American dog on the Moon (Luna if you prefer) who was sent there just before Apollo 11 in order to determine the composition of the lunar soil. He found it to be very pleasant to dig in, and reported that finding to Houston with a merry wag of his tail.
Here's some rare archival footage from his exploration. A bit of potentially useful trivia is that the first command issued from NASA to a dog on the moon was a palindrome: "Sit, Otis." Alas, there is no evidence that Otis ever sat - he was too busy expressing the terrier aspect of his heritage.





Otis, a grateful nation sends you its thanks and appreciation. Good dog.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.