Posted on 02/01/2003 5:38:08 AM PST by leadpenny
. . .my thoughts, feelings. . .cold chills as well.
. . .and particularly impressive to be recognized in major Media for 'being there'. . .
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About one hundred years from now a boy scout is going to find something funny looking inscribed with a picture and perhaps a name on it. He'll show it to his scoutmaster at the evening campfire (when all boyscouts bring out their trail finds) and the scoutmaster will examine it.
He'll say, "My grandfather once told me a story about something that happened around here. Many years ago in the pioneer age of space exploration, they used something called a "space shuttle" to explore and conqouer space. It was a primitive vehicle by today's standards. It was very dangerous, using rockets and the wind to control the ascent and descent."
The young boy looks at the patch that he found.
The scoutmaster continues, "that, my friend, is a genuine artifact of that great pioneer era, when one of those early ships disintigrated upon reentry into the earths atmosphere."
The young boy's draw will drop. "You mean they didn't have electromagnetic gravity engines?"
"No, they had courage and dreams. If you go walking in these woods, you'll find pieces laying around. They are spread out among the trees."
"What should we do with it?" the boy asks.
"They have an old memorial in Nacadoches. I'm sure they'll know what to do. We'll break camp and go visit there tomorrow - and you can see some of the other things that they found."
The boys slept that night - dreaming dreams of what it must have been like to explore space in those olden days.
- - - - -
I still go hunting for arrow heads in the hills surrounding Lago Vista. You'll find them, and when you do - you'll think of the people who came before you.
I hope a boy scout will know what to do when that day comes. As for me, I know what I would do.
I'll look up and see that pioneer trail blazing across the sky in my memory for the rest of my life.
Kooks predict lots of stuff. References to KOOK predictions are more appropriately posted in the tin-foil hat threads.
(I also don't know in advance that everyone will agree with me as to how wonderful they are. [You know what I mean?])
So that's why I haven't seen you posting anything on the Chicken Little kook threads! :D
"(I also don't know in advance that everyone will agree with me as to how wonderful they are. [You know what I mean?])"
From one Holland Flower cryptanalyst to another --- "Yeah". :D
As I have told others privately, I was an Army Helicopter Pilot during the Nam years and the Apollo Program was what I used to identify with. Because the astronauts trained in helicopters for the lunar landings, I truly imagined myself along for the ride. During the shuttle program my interest has never waned. Since I have NASA-TV, I try not to miss too much. Saturday morning seemed like such a natural match for a recovery and a thread on Free Republic. NASA gave the go-ahead for the de-orbit burn and the spokesman gave the route across the US and I, again, attempted to live vicariously through others.
Winodog, Ken in Texas, and others didn't disappoint me. McGruff comes through with interesting stuff like he routinely does on The Morning Show Thread. Sam Adams76's remarks at #86 gave a timely perspective as the tragedy unfolded. The prayer, written by TEXOKIE at #142, and the poem composed by WomanofStandard at #189 are also wonderful examples of what FReepers do.
The beauty and genius of FreeRepublic is what others contribute and share.
What I thought I heard from the NASA spokesman as the shuttle crossed California was that the Columbia had begun the first of four steep turns to dissipate speed and altitude. At one point I thought I heard him say the shuttle would have been in an 80 degree bank. That seemed a little steep to me. During the NASA briefing in the afternoon there was mention of 57 degree banks during the S turns. I may have misunderstood. Maybe Gracey can answer this but most of the recoveries I have seen came up to Kennedy from the SW and the speed/altitude losing turns seemed to happen closer in than where Columbia was doing her turns yesterday.
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