39 years ago today I was glued to the front of my parent’s black and white television watching Niel Armstrong walk on the moon. And here we are all these years later going back.
" We do these things not because they are easy but because they are hard."
What happened to that spirit over the last 40 years?
Good question George,
The kids who were brought up in the last 30 years have had it made. Thier parents have handed them everything they wanted. Bill Gates had a hand in this, I have over 2500 books in my home that cover anything you can think of, But at homework time the kids have to use the internet to look something up. The last report my 13 yr old did on a great amercian was on Tony Hawk.
WTH.
Perhaps you would like to rephrase that last statement. I’m 31 yrs old, and grew up in a rural setting in Eastern Canada. I sure as hell didn’t have everything handed to me, and I could tell you about 100’s of other who didn’t either.
Ok Rodney your the exception.LOL
I was just saying that kids today (maybe I should have said the last 20 yrs)
Don’t have to think for themselves.
Michael,
Maybe I’m too young to be old fashioned, but my dad always said;
“a little hard work never killed anyone”
I’m a firm believer in that statement. I think some kids today need a “boot in the arse” and a push into reality. Thats just my opinion.
I agree Rodney, I have 8 children and my right leg is about to fall slap off.
I have 4 children, I know the feeling…lol
Me too!
Me too! Done High School and working with the old Man, shortly left to Florida and joined the Carpenters Union. 
My dear grandmother…who had been born before the Wright brothers flew their first plane…and was buried the day the first space shuttle returned to Earth full of astronauts…watched the images on television and swore that it was nothing more than something being filmed in a Hollywood studio.
A few years later a movie came out with that plot…and in recent years, a whole cult of doubters of the moon landing has flourished.
I had the opportunity to know and work with General Charles Duke who actually made it to the moon and listened to his personal descriptions of the trip and…primarily…how staring up into the sky and looking at the Earth totally changed his life. I’m a believer.
my Dad worked at Nasa Lewis at the time…you know our whole family was glued to the set…
I was running the obstacle course in boot camp about 60 miles to the West on the day they launched. The drill instructors stopped us, made us sit on the ground and face the East and “try” to see history being made. You couldn’t see much but we could see something. Five minutes later they were breaking it off in us again.
It was a different time. NASA was a team of specialists from all over the world ( a lot of Canadian engineers who had found themselves on the street after the cancellation of the Arrow project, joined the programme) and they worked together as a team.
Somewhere along the line NASA lost that spirit and what was once a ‘calling’ became just a job. I have some friends at the Cape and since the announcement that we are going back to the moon and then to Mars the old spirit seems to be returning. NASA seems to be returning to a ’ can - do ’ attitude from the old ‘has - done’ attitude of the last 40 years.
I will be glued once again to the TV when the next steps are taken on the Moon and when the first person steps out onto the surface of Mars. It is a family tradition now!
Guaranteed To Make You Smile… Especially Since It’s A True Story.
On July 20, 1969, As Commander Of The Apollo 11 Lunar Module, Neil
Armstrong Was The First Person To Set Foot On The Moon. His First Words After Stepping On The Moon, ‘that’s One Small Step For Man, One Giant Leap For Mankind,’ Were Televised To Earth And Heard By Millions.
But Just Before He Re-entered The Lander, He Made The Enigmatic Remark, ‘good Luck, Mr. Gorsky.’ Many People At Nasa Thought It Was A Casual Remark Concerning Some Rival Soviet Cosmonaut. However, Upon Checking, There Was No Gorsky In Either The Russian Or American Space Programs. Over The Years Many People
Questioned Armstrong As To What The ‘good Luck, Mr. Gorsky…’ Statement Meant, But Armstrong Always Just Smiled.
On July 5, 1995, In Tampa Bay, Florida, While Answering Questions
Following A Speech, A Reporter Brought Up The 26-year-old Question To Armstrong. This Time He Finally Responded.
Mr. Gorsky Had Died, So Neil Armstrong Felt He Could Answer The Question. In 1938 When He Was A Kid In A Small Midwest Town, He Was Playing Baseball With A Friend In The Backyard. His Friend Hit The Ball, Which Landed In His Neighbor’s Yard By The Bedroom Windows. His Neighbors Were Mr. And Mrs. Gorsky. As He Leaned Down To Pick Up The Ball, Young Armstrong Heard Mrs. Gorsky Shouting At Mr. Gorsky.
‘sex! You Want Sex?! You’ll Get Sex When The Kid Next Door Walks On Themoon!’
Now that’s a classic. I just hope Mr.Gorsky didn’t have to wait that long. :shock: :mrgreen:
I was not born yet I’ll be 35 for those who haven’t guessed it yet.
However I’m probably going to get some crap for this. First let me state I’m a firm believe in the term hard labor. I believe a good day’s work out in the elements won’t kill anyone. I’ve done my fair shair and plan on doing alot more. However, with today’s technology don’t be fooled that most of this generation is not doing their fair share. With email and all the apps availble today I for one stay to busy at times. Yes laugh now. However my job entails dealing with 60 -100+ emails a day at homestation. I have aircraft item managers coming at me from every direction giving status on a part or wanting status. And then I have to deal with everything else. It’s not physically rather mentally draining and it ages one quick. By the time I go home at night I feel like I’ve been out plowing the fields. Just my two cents. And for things handed to me. I have lived on my own now since I was 17. Never till this day borrowed a cent from any family member.
Bill
For all those who had to fend for themselves, your better people for it. I’ve seen the ones who had life handed to them on a silver (and yes gold) spoon and I’d rather be among those that didn’t. Those that had to work for a living seem to have a better appreciation of life, friends, loves, and what they have achieved.
July 19, 1969… I had just returned from 2 1/2 years in South East Asia.
I went overseas when I was 17 years old and spent two straight tours without a leave. I took my first leave in December 1968.
I “Celebrated” my 18th, 19th, and 20th birthdays in South East Asia.
I spent my last 6-months patrolling I-Corp which is the northern section of South Viet Nam. Our base Camp was located between Phu Bai and Phu Long.
When I came home from Viet Nam I was just 90 days past my teenage years.
That was in 1967, 1968 and 1969.
I returned from Viet Nam on June 03, 1969…On July 19, 1969 I stood alone at night and spent hours looking up at the moon and thinking about all of my friends that I had left behind… feeling old, and tired like I was 100-years old… That feeling has never left me…
I have been on my own since I was 17-years old…Life handed to you on a “Silver Platter”?
In my case I would say no… not even close!
Strange how we remember history I also had a tough life my first job at age 5 was to change the jug when full for my Dad’s whiskey still. I was in Boot camp November 1963 when Kennedy was shot. I watched the moon Landing like everyone else but did not have my mind on it as I had been out of Viet Nam two tours for about a year Stationed in Philly and on the 23rd of July 1968 Married my wife of 40 years in two more days must be time to trade her for a pair of 20’s:twisted:
Charlie if you made it 40 years you’d better hang on to that one …sounds like a keeper…jim