Welcome home Atlantis

[FLAVALK]

Walked outside this morning to hear the twin sonic booms of Atlantis coming home. As I stood there, I thought of all the times I heard that familiar sound over the last 15-years or so and never though much about it. Whenever a shuttle would land in the middle of the night, the twin booms would always wake me up and several times it scared the crap out of me. It was sort of like someone firing a shotgun right outside our bedroom window.

The sky was really clear this morning and there was no wind at all....dead calm. All of a sudden BOOM-BOOM and I could feel the pressure against my chest. As the sound rolled past me, I could hear it rumble and echo off of houses for a full five seconds or so. As the rumble faded, it seemed that some of America's pride and spirit faded with it.

Thirty years ago, I watched the first space shuttle (Columbia) roar into space on a 13' black and white television. Today I watched the last space shuttle Atlantis land while watching a 46" LCD flat panel. A lot has changed in thirty years, some good and some not so good. It's been a long ride, but just like everthing else in life, there comes a time when it must end.

[Jabba]

I wanted everyone to wear ape suits when they got back...

seriously, I am disappointed that we're gutting the space program.

NASA's budget is less than $20B per year.  Medicare and Medicaid have a $793B budget.

We spend as much on Medicare and Medicaid in a year to run NASA for 40 years.  Think about that.  The US is discontinuing the shuttle program to save $$, and each YEAR we spend more on medicare and medicaid to fund all of NASA for the entire duration of the shuttle program. 

Holy crap... er crap.

Jabba

[Jess Tolbirt]

wow a 13 foot black and white? yep history has been made, wonder whats next?

[FLAVALK]

wow a 13 foot black and white? yep history has been made, wonder whats next?

There's at least one editor in every crowd 

[Jess Tolbirt]

wow a 13 foot black and white? yep history has been made, wonder whats next?

There's at least one editor in every crowd 

i didnt make my self very clear,,,i was joking about the tv and the history part was aimed at the space shuttle  program....

[Bobbo]

I wanted everyone to wear ape suits when they got back...

           

[Jess Tolbirt]

I wanted everyone to wear ape suits when they got back...

           

that would have been classic!!!!

[bigguy]

I wanted everyone to wear ape suits when they got back...

[sugerbear]

I wanted everyone to wear ape suits when they got back...

seriously, I am disappointed that we're gutting the space program.

NASA's budget is less than $20B per year.  Medicare and Medicaid have a $793B budget.

We spend as much on Medicare and Medicaid in a year to run NASA for 40 years.  Think about that.  The US is discontinuing the shuttle program to save $$, and each YEAR we spend more on medicare and medicaid to fund all of NASA for the entire duration of the shuttle program. 

Holy crap... er crap.



Jabba

if ya got rid of the fraud in medicare, the budget would be half that.