Condolences to the crews families.

 

I woke up late this morning and went downstairs to turn on the TV and see if anything new had happened in the world while I was asleep. Like most of us that do this, I wasn't expecting much

I was SHOCKED! I turned on the TV right in the middle of a NASA news conference and it took me a minute or two (literally) to figure out what was going on. Needless to say, I'm stunned.

After I had a concept of what was going on I called my mom to see if she had heard. She hadn't. What she told me gave me pause, though. She remarked that she always hears about these things from me. Evidently, when the Challenger met a similar fate so many years ago I was the one that walked upstairs in our house at the time and told my mom that "something bad happened with the shuttle" and that she needed to turn on the news.

It goes without saying that my heart aches for the families that lost their loved ones today. They were a group of immensely brave men and women that define what all people on this earth should strive for...advancement of knowledge or mankind rather than advancement of political ideologies.

 

This brings that empty burning feeling in your stomach again that we all felt over a year ago...

God Bless...

 

Let's not forget the 4 crew members who lost their lives this week in the crash in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, they didn't get this kind of publicity.

 

I remember when we lost the Challenger, I was already at work having a cup of coffee and saw it blow up live. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I suppose I've become more aware of the sacrifice of others as I get older, but back then I took a more cavalier view, but this would change that forever.

I moved into one of the inner offices and somewhat off the cuff mentioned that "the Challanger blew up" My boss at the time became VERY animated, "you're sh!ting me!"

I'm like, "yeah it did" and he just kept questioning me, "really, now you're kidding me right?" I said that it did indeed blow up, and he said "oh my god, Onizuka is on that flight"

I just shurgged my shoulders cause I really didn't know the crew roster. My boss yelled, " He's my friend, I grew up with him (Big Island of Hawaii), we went to school together, and lived a few houses apart!" This brought the reality of the situation home to me, and I'd never take tragedy lightly again.

 

Your right ohio, people get remembered differently i suppose. Those soldiers will be forgotten long before the crew of columbia but there sacrfice was none the less. I suppose in that respect we all need to spend atleast some time honoring all the explorers, soldiers, peacekeepers, firefigters, etc., most of whom have already been forgotten It is so sad though..., not today, but everyday. We mourn? the crew of the columbia, yet we belong to a nation on the brink of war. How will the hundreds-thousands dead (from both sides) from a war with iraq be mourned? Reality stinks sometimes, ya know On the topic of the shuttle re-entering at 6times the safe speed, i'm not sure about that. 12.5kmph seems right for 201k feet. The shuttle only flys in low earth orbit, which isn't very high, though i'm not sure of the exact distance. To break earth's orbit, you need to travel at a constant velocity of greater than 17,500mph, and i'd assume the shuttle was orbiting at between 16-17kmph, depending on the extent of its distance from earth. Deceleration seems pretty normal..., but i didn't build it Just my 2cents

Brandon

 

My father spent 39 years in the military, so I am NOT blasse about the deaths of our men and women in uniform. I think it's a matter of percentages, though, not to mention the nature of the duty.

In the military, you work with guns and bombs and such and it is your job to be in the line of fire...or to prepare to be in the line of fire.
With NASA, though equally dangerous, the nature of the work is peaceful exploration for mankind. Yes, they are launched into space attached to a gigantic bomb...but that's not the core of their mission.

As for percentages, when one person is killed in the line of duty in the military, that's a small percentage of the total number of people that serve. However, when 1 person is killed in the line of duty with NASA that is a HUGE percentage of the number of people that serve.

Just a few thoughts...

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by NYMATT74
[B]What pisses me off more than anything are these stupid newcasters who bring up terrorism.

 

Settle down Carmen. Did you really expect them to be sorry? They weren't when 9-11 happened, so why now?

 

my condolences to all who perished, their families, friends, and those people at nasa who tried to deliver them safely home. these are moments that get etched into our memory forever and hopefully build character.

ohio, be prepared to see dancing in the street in various areas of the arab world. while it may sicken you, it should help all the people who are opposed to our actions in the middle east realize that terrorism and extremists must be removed so that peace may rule.

truly a very, very sad day.