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I've played the fool here many times, but sometimes something strikes a very serious chord in me and I wish to share it.
I saw this photo in Scientific American magazine (the first issue I bought), in a piece devoted to the Moon landings. At first I glanced through the mag, seeing the picture and not thinking about it. Then I began to look at each article in more detail. I still skimmed the picture thinking that it looked cool. It wasn't unitl I read the caption that I noticed the Lunar lander in the background, and something broke in me. The picture became whole, and it's message to me was clear. The lander, the rover, and the astronaught (Apollo 16 commander John W. Young) speaks of human accomplishment of the greatest kind. But you can't just see the picture to understand my emotion. You have to know that things were left behind on the Moon. Human artifacts that say, "We were here." The lunar module is called Orion. The lower half of Orion, and the rover (like the others) are still on the Moon, like markers of human ability. I was an infant when Neil and Buzz stepped on the Moon. I hope that I die an old man knowing that others during the 21st century returned. If not, I will die knowing that any decendants of humanity that returns to the Moon will find what we have left behind and know that we walked those dusty plains and saw our Homeworld in a new perspective. I am reminded of an old childs' poem:
I see the Moon. The Moon sees me. God bless the Moon God Bless me.
------------------ I was right in the middle of a gnikcuf reptile zoo. And somebody was giving booze to these goddam things." Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
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You know what? I've felt the same way. Call me a silly romantic, but walking on the moon was something...something beyond the scope of any previous human accomplishment. Quite possibly the greatest moment in the history of our species.
------------------ "And give me back my evil heart so I can see you as you are." -- John Linnell
------------------ "Nothing can be altered, there is nothing to decide No escape, no change of heart, no anyplace to hide You are all I'll ever want, but this I am denied Sometimes in my darkest thoughts, I wish I'd never learned What it is to be in love and have that love returned"
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I know where you're coming from. I've always regretted the fact that I wasn't born to watch it live. It's a total mind-blower.
------------------ Josh: I think they're getting to know each other a bit too well, if you catch my drift. Me: Oh, I agree. I think they're spending too much time together, that is of course, if you catch my drift. Asher: I think he's *ucking her, and he's cheating on his wife, and he's risking his marriage, and if his wife finds out about it she'll leave him and take their son, and his life will be ruined. If you catch my drift...
posted
Not to ruin the mood, but walking on the moon didn't sound that amazing to me. Call me a moron, but that's what happens when you grow up hearing about it.
If we were to one day contact another race of extraterrestrial beings, colonize Alpha Centauri, or even land on Mars - that would be the equivelent to landing on the moon to me.
And BTW, I fully intend to walk the lunar surface, whether it be in a month or 100 years from now, I will do it.
------------------ When I see an elephant fly...I'll shoot the mother down.
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Scientific American magazine is just the coolest. We get it in the library I work in and I take the issues as soon as I can to my little desk to read.
Of course I put them back.
------------------ For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius!
posted
I've always wanted to walk on Mars... and I tried to get into the field that would put me in the best position for it, but alas, it didn't work out...Maybe I'll teach the kid that DOES walk on the moon, heheheh...
------------------ "I do whatever the voice of Charles Capps tells me to do."
posted
I saw the first moon walk, all the Apollo missions before and after. Curse Richard Nixion for ever for ending them. We could have been so much farther along now.
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Going to the Moon is a milestone. Now that we have gone there, putting people on other planets and moons isn't impossible, we know we can do it, if someone pays for it. The next milestone would be something like a 12 year round trip manned mission to Alpha Centauri. And after that, breaking the light-barrier.
------------------ I was right in the middle of a gnikcuf reptile zoo. And somebody was giving booze to these goddam things." Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
posted
That wasn't a joke, so there's no reason to laugh. Well, everything I say is stupid or doesn't make sense at all so laugh anyway. I've been laughed at for so long it doesn't hurt that much anymore.
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to RW: Wow you are really really depressed, that isn't good, well look at the bright side as long as you are alive then you can change your environment and yourself. Honestly things probably aren't as bad as you think (even if your life is really really crummy) and if you bottomed out remember, things will get better they have too . Well it could be worse you could be me . The only thing that keeps me going is my positive attitude.
Honestly the moon landing didn't really impress me either, hell what would, would be to walk (or to play a friendly round of golf) on the moon, that would be cool.
------------------ HMS White Star (your local friendly agent of Chaos:-) )
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RW! that was so funny! - I can't believe you were getting depressed at someone thinking what you said was funny, if it helps I laughed out loud - it was SUCH great timing *grin*
no really it was hilarious - I'm laughing at you joke not at you - I think that's what Altair meant too!
anyway.
Andyroo
------------------ "All is full of love, all around you" - Bj�rk
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When I was little and watching the Apollo missions, I knew that it would only continue, and that we would go farther and farther out. Alas, that has not been the case. We should have had a base on the moon years ago. Then on to Mars. If we had taken all the money spent on war in the last 55 years, and spent it on space, where would we be now?
I'm not saying that we shouldn't take care of people first, but so many good things come down from the space program, like computers, I can't help but think that it would only have continued.
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