Plenty of Nothing

Mommsen Stamp

This 1950 East German stamp commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Prussian Academy of Sciences features the smiling face of Roman historian Theodor Mommsen, who was born on this date in 1817. Source.

NASA in the Time of Star Trek

Still from "Court Martial" including a framed picture of the launch of Gemini 6. Source.

NASA missions with closest Star Trek episodes:

1966/9/8             "The Man Trap" (season 1, episode 1)

1966/9/12-16      Gemini 11

1966/9/15           "Charlie X" (season 1, episode 2)

1966/11/10         "The Corbomite Manoeuvre" (season 1, episode 10)

1966/11/11-15     Gemini 12

1966/11/17          "Menagerie, Part 1" (season 1, episode 11)

1967/2/2             "Court Martial" (season 1, episode 20) (picture of Gemini 6)

1967/2/16            "Space Seed" (season 1, episode 22)

1967/2/21            Apollo 1 fire

1967/2/23            "A Taste of Armageddon" (season 1, episode 23)

1967/11/3            "I, Mudd" (season 2, episode 8)

1967/11/9            Apollo 4 (uncrewed)

1967/11/10          "Metamorphosis" (season 2, episode 9)

1967/1/19            "The Immunity Syndrome" (season 2, episode 10)

1968/1/22-23       Apollo 5 (uncrewed)

1968/2/2              "A Private Little War" (season 2, episode 11)

1968/3/29            "Assignment: Earth" (season 2, episode 26) (used footage from Apollo 4)

1968/4/4              Apollo 6 (uncrewed)

1968/10/11          "And the Children Shall Lead" (season 3, episode 4)

1968/10/11-22     Apollo 7

1968/10/18          "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" (season 3, episode 5)

1968/10/25          "Spectre of the Gun" (season 3, episode 6)

1968/12/20          "Elaan of Troyius" (season 3, episode 13)

1968/12/21-27     Apollo 8

1969/1/3              "Whom Gods Destroy" (season 3, episode 14)

1969/2/28            "The Cloud Minders" (season 3, episode 21)

1969/3/3-13         Apollo 9

1969/3/7              "The Savage Curtain" (season 3, episode 22)

1969/3/23            "All Our Yesterdays" (season 3, episode 23)

1969/5/18-26       Apollo 10

1969/6/3              "Turnabout Intruder" (season 3, episode 24)

"Charlie X", "And the Children Shall Lead", "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" and "The Savage Curtain" first aired while there were NASA astronauts in space.

1973/7/28-9/25    Skylab 3

1973/9/8              "Beyond the Furthest Star" (animated series 1, episode 1)

1973/9/15            "Yesteryear" (animated series 1, episode 2)

1973/9/22            "One of Our Planets is Missing" (animated series 1, episode 3)

1973/11/16-1974/2/8    Skylab 4

1973/11/17          "The Terratin Incident" (animated series 1, episode 11)

1973/11/24          "The Time Trap" (animated series 1, episode 12)

1973/12/1            "The Ambergris Element" (animated series 1, episode 13)

1973/12/8            "The Slaver Weapon" (animated series 1, episode 14)

1973/12/15          "The Eye of the Beholder" (animated series 1, episode 15)

1974/1/12            "The Jihad" (animated series 1, episode 16)

Nine animated episodes first went to air while there were astronauts aboard Skylab.

Waterloo in Four Languages

English. French. German. Swedish.

By other singers: Spanish. Polish. Danish.

Mr Actually: "Actually, Napoleon surrendered at Rochefort-sur-Mer."

The Earl of Wharncliffe and the Dragon

The Earl of Wharncliffe slays the local dragon in a bas-relief in Sheffield Town Hall. Source.

Cardiff Devils versus Fife Flyers

Jamie Arniel from Kingston, Ontario plays for Cardiff now, but he spent the 2021-22 season with HK Poprad. Source.

Fife Flyers visit Cardiff Devils at the Canolfan iâ Cymru, a.k.a. Ice Arena Wales.

Cardiff Devils have been around since 1986. They played in the Premier League, the Super League and British League, when those existed, and have been in the Elite League since it began in 2003. The Devils have been the top British club six times, and have regularly played in the Champions Hockey League and Continental Cup. (See below.)

They currently have one Welsh player, Ben Davies.

This is the first of six games between Cardiff and Fife this season. Cardiff are currently third in the standings, Fife fifth.

[Cardiff Devils 6 - 0 Fife Flyers]

Cardiff Devils in the Champions Hockey League:

2017/8/24      Davos 10 - 1 Cardiff Devils

2017/8/26      Liberec 5 - 2 Cardiff Devils

2017/8/31      Cardiff Devils 3 - 7 Liberec

2017/9/3        Cardiff Devils 4 - 3 Davos

2017/10/3      Cardiff Devils 5 - 1 Växjö Lakers

2017/10/11    Växjö Lakers 3 - 2 Cardiff Devils

2018/8/30      Cardiff Devils 2 - 5 Red Bull Salzburg

2018/9/1        Cardiff Devils 2 - 3 SC Bern

2018/9/6        Red Bull Salzburg 4 - 2 Cardiff Devils

2018/9/8        SC Bern 3 - 2 Cardiff Devils

2018/10/9      Växjö Lakers 3 - 1 Cardiff Devils

2018/10/16    Cardiff Devils 5 - 6 Växjö Lakers

2019/8/30      Cardiff Devils 3 - 2 Mountfield

2019/9/1        Cardiff Devils 4 - 3 Graz 99ers

2019/9/5        Mountfield 5 - 2 Cardiff Devils

2019/9/7        Graz 99ers 2 - 5 Cardiff Devils

2019/10/8      Frölunda 9 - 2 Cardiff Devils

2019/10/15    Cardiff Devils 2 - 9 Frölunda

2021/8/26      Cardiff Devils 0 - 5 Adler Mannheim

2021/8/28      Cardiff Devils 4 - 1 Lausanne

2021/9/2        Adler Mannheim 7 - 2 Cardiff Devils

2021/9/4        Lausanne 2 - 0 Cardiff Devils

2021/10/6      Lukko 5 - 2 Cardiff Devils

2021/10/13    Cardiff Devils 3 - 6 Lukko

Cardiff Devils in the Continental Cup:

1998/10/9      Cardiff Devils 2 - 3 Olimpija Ljubljana

1998/10/10    Cardiff Devils 2 - 4 Dunaferr Dunaújváros

1998/10/11    Cardiff Devils 5 - 3 Podhale Nowy Targ

1999/10/22    Cardiff Devils 9 - 2 Lyon

1999/10/23    Cardiff Devils 5 -3 Nottingham Panthers

1999/10/24    Lada Toljatti 8 - 2 Cardiff Devils

2022/11/18    Cardiff Devils 3 - 1 Ducs d'Angers

2022/11/19    Acroni Jesenice 0 - 3 Cardiff Devils

2022/11/20    Cardiff Devils 5 - 2 Zemgale/LLU

2023/1/13      Cardiff Devils 1 - 2 Ducs d'Angers

2023/1/14      Cardiff Devils 7 - 1 Asiago

2023/1/15      HK Nitra 3 - 2 Cardiff Devils

2023/11/17    Cardiff Devils 4 - 5 Nomad Astana

2023/11/18    Zemgale/LBTU 2 - 5 Cardiff Devils

2023/11/19    Cardiff Devils 1 - 0 Brûleurs de Loups

Cardiff have earned a place in the final round of the Continental Cup in January.

Bo'ness

Bo'ness FC, probably in 1922 when they won the Calder Shield. Source.

It's the Scottish Cup, Round Three. Morton host Bo'ness United.

Bo'ness United have been around since 1945. They won the Scottish Junior Cup in 1948, 1976 and 1984. In 2018 they crossed over from the juniors to the East of Scotland League, won that league in 2020 and were promoted to the Lowland League beginning in 2020-21. There they have finished 7th, 11th and 9th, and are currently 4th. They wear blue. Their nickname is "The B.U.'s."

You may recall that Bo'ness United's pitch was set on fire in 2019.

Morton have never played the B.U.'s before, but they did play Bo'ness FC (1878-1945) four times, twice in the 1928-29 Division Two, taking a win and a draw, and twice in the Scottish Cup, winning 10 - 0 in 1900-01, and 9 - 0 in 1934-35.

There's another Bo'ness club, Bo'ness Athletic, who are playing in an Alex Cup semi-final today. (See A below.)

Bo'ness is short for Borrowstounness. It's a seaside town in West Lothian.

If Morton lose today it'll be their second earliest exit from all the cups ever. (See B below.)

[Morton win 4 - 0. Goals by Oakley, Bearne, Muirhead and O'Boy in his debut.]

The other Scottish Cup matches:

Dunfermline Athletic (Ch) 0 - 3 Raith Rovers (Ch) (yesterday)

They've met six times before in the Scottish Cup and taken three wins each. This is their fourth meeting in all competitions so far this season.

Clyde (L2) 2 - 0 Jeanfield Swifts (ELP) (yesterday)

First meeting ever.

Cumnock (WLP) [0 - 3] Broomhill (LL)

Partick Thistle (Ch) [3 - 0] Queen's Park (Ch)

They met in this cup four times in the 19th century and twice in the 20th, but not since 1928. Queen's Park won every time. See B below for their Glasgow Cup results.

Annan Athletic (L1) [4 - 5] Dumbarton (L2)    Upset

This is their first Scottish Cup meeting.

Stranraer (L2) [0 - 1] Airdrieonians (Ch)

This is their first Scottish Cup meeting.

Dunbar United (ELP) [1 - 2] Alloa Athletic (L1)

Broxburn Athletic (ELP) [2 - 2] Buckie Thistle (HL) [Buckie win on PK]

Hamilton Academical (L1) [0 - 2] Kelty Hearts (L1)

First Scottish Cup match.

Brora Rangers (HL) [1 - 0] Pollok (WLP)

Montrose (L1) [3 - 0] Edinburgh City (L1)

They met in the 2009-10 and 2012-13 Scottish Cups and took one win each.

Falkirk (L1) [3 - 0] Formartine United (HL)

First meeting ever.

Stirling Albion (L1) [0 - 2] Cove Rangers (L1)

First meeting in the Scottish Cup.

Inverness CT (Ch) [2 - 0] Cowdenbeath (LL)

First meeting in the Scottish Cup.

Peterhead (L2) [1 - 2] Ayr United (Ch)

They've met in the Scottish Cup three times before and Ayr have always won.

Tranent (LL) [0 - 1] Forfar (L2)

First meeting ever.

Queen of the South (L1) [2 - 2] Dundee United (Ch) [QoS win on PK]    Upset

They've met in the Scottish Cup six times before and Dundee United have always won.

The Spartans (L2) [2 - 1] Arbroath (Ch)    Upset

They met in the 1996-97 cup when Arbroath won, and the 2003-04 cup when The Spartans won.

Albion Rovers (LL) [0 - 1] Bonnyrigg Rose (L2)

First Scottish Cup meeting.

Other matches:

Turriff United 0 - 4 Banks o' Dee (November 22)

After this win Banks o' Dee hold second place in the Highland League.

Huntly [1 - 3] Banks o' Dee

Dundee Downfield [1 - 3] East Craigie

Largs Thistle [2 - 0] Johnstone Burgh

FC Isle of Man [0 - 1] Cheadle Town

Coleraine [1 - 1] Carrick Rangers

Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0 - 2 Elfen Saitama (November 23)

Elfen Saitama [0 - 1] Cerezo Osaka (tomorrow)

Honda FC [3 - 1] Criacao Shinjuku (tomorrow)

This ends the 2023 JFL season.

Departures from HFX Wanderers: Fumpa Mwandwe, Mohamed Omar

45th Empress's Cup, Round 2:

Match No. 5: Orca Kamogawa (N1) [2 - 0] Okayama Yunogo Belle (N2)

Match No. 6: Fujieda Junshin High School (Tokai) [4 - 0] Lily Wolf F Ishikawa (Hokushin'etsu)

Match No. 7: Bunnys Gunma (N1) [1 - 1] Osaka University of Physical Education (Kansai) [Osaka win on PK]

Match No. 8: Ehime FC Ladies (N1) [4 - 0] Jumonji High School (Kanto)

Match No. 9: Asahi Intec Loveledge Nagoya (N1) [1 - 2] Viamaterrasu Mitazaki (N2)

Match No. 10: Toyo University (Kanto) [1 - 1] JFA Academy Fukushima (N2) [Toyo win on PK]

Match No. 11: AS Harima Albion (N1) [4 - 1] Enagic Ryukyu Deigos (Kyushu)

Match No. 12: Speranza Osaka (N1) [1 - 0] Tezukayama Gakuin University (Kansai)

Match No. 13: Iga FC Kunoichi Mie (N1) [2 - 1] Nihon University (Kanto)

Match No. 14: Fukuoka J Anclas (N2) [1 - 0] Nordea Hokkaido (N2)

Match No. 15: Nittaidai SMG Yokohama (N1) [3 - 1] Mynavi Sendai Ladies Youth (Tohoku)

Match No. 16: Shizuoka SSU Bonita (N1) [1 - 2] Teikyo Heisei University (Kanto)

Match No. 17: Sfida Setagaya (N1) [1 - 0] Waseda University (Kanto)

Match No. 18: Shunan Public University Vinculum (Chugoku) [0 - 1] Tokyo Verdy Menina (Kanto)

Match No. 19: Yokohama FC Seagulls (N1) [5 - 1] FC Imabari Ladies (Shizuoka)

Match No. 20: Yamato Sylphid (N1) [2 - 0] Yanagigaura High School (Kyushu)

Matches 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 18 are tomorrow.

The final stage of the Japanese Regional Champions League is going on:

Match No. 19: Vonds Ichihara 1 - 0 Joyful Honda Tsukuba (November 22)

Match No. 20: Tochigi City 1 - 2 Fukuyama City (November 22)

Match No. 21: Vonds Ichihara 0 - 1 Tochigi City (November 24)

Match No. 22: Joyful Honda Tsukuba 2 - 0 Fukuyama City (November 24)

They enter the final day of play in a four-way tie, with Joyful Honda Tsukuba one goal ahead on goal difference. The first-place finisher will be promoted to the JFL to fill the 16th spot left vacant when FC Kagaku Mane dropped out of the league. The second-place finisher will play off against the 15th-place JFL club.

Match No. 23: Vonds Ichihara [2 - 0] Fukuyama City (November 26)

Match No. 24: Joyful Honda Tsukuba [0 - 4] Tochigi City (November 26)

[The final pecking order is: Tochigi City, Vonds Ichihara, Joyful Honda Tsukuba and Fukuyama City.]

A) Alex Jack Cup, semi-final:

Arniston Rangers [0 - 3] Bo'ness Athletic

B) When was the earliest Morton were out of all the cups, and who finally put the sword to them?

2001/11/17        Queen of the South

2008/11/29        Peterhead

2014/11/29        The Spartans

2013/11/30        Inverness CT

2005/12/10        Ayr United

C) Queen's Park versus Partick Thistle in the Glasgow Cup:

1888/12/8      Queen's Park 8 - 0 Partick Thistle    F

1889/11/2      Queen's Park 6 - 3 Partick Thistle    R3

1898/9/17      Queen's Park 6 - 1 Partick Thistle    R1

1928/9/4        Queen's Park 3 - 0 Partick Thistle    R1

1937/9/1        Partick Thistle 1 - 1 Queen's Park     R1

1937/9/6        Queen's Park 1 - 5 Partick Thistle    R1 replay

1941/8/27      Partick Thistle 5 - 3 Queen's Park    R1

1945/9/24      Partick Thistle 0 - 0 Queen's Park      SF

1945/10/1      Queen's Park 2 - 1 Partick Thistle     SF replay

1954/8/24      Partick Thistle 1 - 1 Queen's Park     R1

1954/8/26      Queen's Park 1 - 1 Partick Thistle     R1 replay

1954/8/30      Partick Thistle 0 - 0 Queen's Park (Partick won coin toss)    R1 replay

1958/8/25      Queen's Park 2 - 1 Partick Thistle    R1

1979/3/5        Queen's Park 0 - 3 Partick Thistle    R1

1981/9/29      Partick Thistle 0 - 1 Queen's Park     R1

1983/5/10      Partick Thistle 2 - 0 Queen's Park    R1

1989/4/18      Queen's Park 0 - 1 Partick Thistle    R1

(Source: Scottish Football Historical Archive)

Historical matches:

1944/11/25    Morton 3 - 1 Third Lanark

1967/11/25    Morton 0 - 3 Dunfermline

1995/11/25    Dunfermline 0 - 2 Morton

Goals by Lilley and Hawke.

Innsbruck Castle, 1494

Dürer passed through Innsbruck on the way to Italy in 1494 and made some watercolours of the medieval city. Source.

The Fail Whale

Designed by Yiling Lu. Source.

More Governor General Schools

 

Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary, New Westminster. Source.

 

Lord Lansdowne School, Toronto. Source.

Watch Out for Students

Nobody seems to remember exactly when or why these metal figures of uniformed students were erected next to roads in Iwami, Tottori Prefecture, but they're a tourist attraction now. Source.