quote:Originally posted by Veers: Congratulations, Mr. Liwei.
Uh... that's Mister YANG. The Chinese put the family name first, remember?
At any rate, I'm sincerely glad to know that their mission has been successfully launched. Here's hoping that the world's first taikonaut returns home safely.
(On a humorous note, when I control-clicked on the word "taikonaut" to add it to my spellchecker's list of words, it recommended the word "takeout" instead. Chinese takeout, Chinese taikonaut, what's the difference?)
The Reuters article has a rather amusing anecdote about the ancient Chinese aspirations for spaceflight:
quote: China invented gunpowder and legend holds that a Ming dynasty (1368-1644) official named Wan Hu attempted the world's first space launch. He strapped himself to a chair with kites in each hand as 47 servants lit 47 gunpowder-packed bamboo tubes tied to the seat.
When the smoke had cleared, Wan was found to have been obliterated. But the dream was not.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
So China actually had the first space age related deaths, a bit before anyone else....
-------------------- "You are a terrible human, Ritten." Magnus "Urgh, you are a sick sick person..." Austin Powers A leek too, pretty much a negi.....
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
Impressive.....a Sternbach design without a notch at the nose.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
He was supposed to land this morning, haven't seen anything about it though.
-------------------- "Lotta people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."
-Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney, LeMans
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
No, he's landing at 2200 GMT (0600 local time, and 1800 EDT).
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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-------------------- "Lotta people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."
-Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney, LeMans
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Well, if your in the area of the landing you were quite correct....
-------------------- "You are a terrible human, Ritten." Magnus "Urgh, you are a sick sick person..." Austin Powers A leek too, pretty much a negi.....
Registered: Sep 2000
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Cartman
just made by the Presbyterian Church
Member # 256
posted
"Chinese takeout, Chinese taikonaut, what's the difference?"
Knowing the Chinese, they'll probably open a takeout restaurant onboard their station as soon as it's in orbit. B)
-------------------- ".mirrorS arE morE fuN thaN televisioN" - TEH PNIK FLAMIGNO
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted
dang, that is a pretty stereotypical ethnical remark.... I am surprised....
-------------------- "You are a terrible human, Ritten." Magnus "Urgh, you are a sick sick person..." Austin Powers A leek too, pretty much a negi.....
Registered: Sep 2000
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