[fnord]

I agree with you ...

Many times this number die on the highways each day. Military, firefighters, local police, etc. have caualties every day, without the fanfare.

I think the facts that these were nominally civilians doing dramatic things, coupled with the televised nature of their demise, is what makes it have more impact.

I find it (still) a captivating news item, but not as emotionally moving as many others seem to find it.

I am career military, and there have been times when we lost people, more so through accident than combat. In every case we might mourn privately for a short while, but publicly at least we moved on with our missions, however mundane. I bet the astronaut fraternity is likewise stoic and professional, and would prefer to 'move on' without the media circus we have been seeing.

Sorry for the long reply; in sum, I agree with you.

[deport]

Here's your Thread being mentioned......

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See an online shuttle enthusiasts' blog on FreeRepublic, which tracked the re-entry of the Columbia before during and after the incident: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833885/posts