Soviet robotic spacecraft Luna 10 (E-6S series), also known as Lunik 10, was launched from an Earth orbiting platform towards our Moon on March 31, 1966. Under battery power, the craft would eventually circle the Moon 460 times and make 219 data transmissions before radio signals were stopped on May 30, 1966. The Luna 10 (which was actually the backup unit) was the first human made object to orbit around another planetary body.
The United States Naval Academy is an undergraduatecollege in Annapolis, Maryland, United States, that educates and commissions officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Academy often is referred to simply as "Annapolis". It is also called "The Academy", "The Boat School", or "Canoe U". Sports media refer to the Academy as Navy; this usage is officially endorsed. The U.S. Naval Academy was established 10 October 1845.
Keeping to the nautical / marine end of things, this 'Today's Tune' post features both album title track / intro "Dive" and "Captain Nemo" by Englishsoprano singer Sarah Brightman. My apologies for not doing a more in depth entry today, but I spent an embarrassingly huge amount of time trying to find a high quality video for this, and there just wasn't one available on the Internet. The one I've chosen is the best video that included both tracks. Unfortunately, like most that I saw, the ending is cut a bit short.
Here are partial lists of people who were born on August 14th, people who died on the 14th of August, and a few historical events from various August 14ths. I usually include these bits in the 'Today's Tune' posts, but that was totally dedicated to blackouts today. Sometimes these lists can be of interest. You might learn something you didn't know or remember.
August 14 History: 1888 - American inventor, scientist and businessman Thomas Edison introduced his phonograph at a press conference in London, England, 1935 - Act passed in the USA to create Social Security, 1936 - Rainey Bethea was the last person to be publicly executed in the USA , 2003 - Massive power outage in Northeastern USA and parts of Canada.
The very talented singer Sarah Brightman turned 48 years old today. I'll bet she had an extravagant, over the top celebration party. That's how I see her, anyway. Sarah is a bit "different", but I love her. She is mostly known as one of the world's best opera singers, but she is so much more than that. She has done a good job in other musical genres, acting, songwriting, etc. Most recently, she sang at the opening of the 2008 Olympics. Happy Birthday Sarah!
Live In Vienna - "Pie Jesu"
La Luna Tour - "Who Wants To Live Forever" (by Queen)
It looks like goaltender Olie Kolzig will not be playing for the Washington Capitals anymore. After 19 years of mostly excellent service to the organization that drafted him, it appears he will be playing elsewhere if at all next season. The Washington Post's Tarik El-Bashir was first to break the news. Comcast SportsNet'sJill Sorenson has since interviewed Kolzig as well. You can watch the video on Washington Post Live tonight. Also, Mike Vogel's article on the end of the fantastic Kolzig era is a must read.
The news is a little hard to take for many of us, although we all probably knew it was coming. You can't carry three goalies forever, even if all three are good. Kolzig wasn't at his best for much of the season, but don't forget that his teammates weren't much help early on. Around the time of the trade deadline, when the Cap's picked up netminder Cristobal Huet, Olie's play really picked up. Huet played as well as he has ever played in his entire career, though some of his wins came with a good bit of help from his teammates, especially in the playoffs. I'm being serious when I say that Kolzig was just as good as Huet down the stretch. However, I agree that Kolzig's effectiveness is never going to be as consistent as it used to be. At 38 years of age, you've got to expect that.
It's heartbreaking to think about how Olie stuck around through the hard times, and when the Capitals finally raise the Stanley Cup sometime within the next couple seasons, he won't be around to share in what he has rightfully earned. There have been many other great hockey players who never won the cup, and there will be plenty more. When Huet faltered in the playoffs and Kolzig wasn't even given the chance to play in one game, it became very clear that his time in Washington was over. Sad that it had to end this way, but it's "Time To Say Goodbye".
