On Topic Discussion It was a moment that stunned the world . . .

[Gentleheart]

When Armstrong landed on the moon, she told us "I only thought that would be something I'd see in comic books". She passed away in 1972......I was always glad that she lived to see the moon landings.

the feels.

 

[dereperez]

I didn't exist back then but I kind of wished I had. It would be great if another similar breakthrough for mankind were to occur during my lifetime. The science fiction novels and movies of the 90s had you believe that humans would have colonized the moon by now.

 

[Rickrock]

I remember that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, but I don't remember it as it happened. The one thing that stands out in my mind was when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. As some have said earlier, there was so much good and bad that happened in the sixties and seventies that it is mostly a blur. The Moon walk happened only about a month after I was discharged from the Air Force after serving four years, the last year in Thailand during the Vietnam War. I remember the race riots and that parts of Cleveland were burned during the riots and that it was dangerous to go into that part of town. Still, those were years when I was young and optimistic and full of energy.

 

[Native Son]

I have nothing to add other than it's pretty!

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/sunearth.html?n=0&month=7&day=21&year=2014&hour=2&min=14&sec=0

And Deja is about due to post shortly.

Buh-bye!

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

It was not a good time to grow up. But maybe the world needed to suffer that way, to make it the better place it is today.

"Free" Western Europe did not have any real racial segregation, hence people here remember it in a far more positive light.

I do feel sorry for those who were not there to experience those Times. I find it regretful that those learning it as (possibly boring) History can not know what it was ALL Really like!

I lived with a hippy for the last three years of my life and just about nobody seems to understand any of that anymore.
People just don't get it, and I'm not talking about the few bigots we have in this country either.

 

[The Fly]

I was 7 years old in '69, it was a incredible time. Life seemed more intense, even for a kid. The talk of space travel and moon landing was everywhere. We had a history teacher, Mr. Bloom, who was also a science geek, who put up posters and models of anything associated with space, he was cool.

That whole era was incredible, what I remember most though was how many family members didn't come home from Nam, and those that did, still left physical and mental pieces of themselves there. And the music.

The late 60's early 70's are still strongly influential in peoples lives today. I'm still in love with the cars and music of that era. I know many people that are just a few years older than I, and they still have a lot of the same ideals and hopes they had then. I have an uncle that when the 60's are mentioned always says "Long haired, pot smoking, bums.....I really miss those days".

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

I like Sloppy. I consider his posts as art performance. I rejoice seeing originality.

That's said, it's for the form. For the substance, sweeping criticism or negativity about the human experiences, being in the ivory tower or judging from above on a perch, is rarely interesting. Critics who don't participate are just witness to their own limitations. Negativity can lead to emptiness. So much to celebrate, to rejoice. And the landing on the moon, casting aside petty political squabbles, is worth celebrating. It's a shining beacon for what good humanity is capable of. It's hope.

no negative it is wot it is got folk from a ta b ans back a
but ins backdorps civilied lands 201918 etc so up up a sec
_records show_
not nice
if a figa do race a moon but no figa 10001 thang wot obvious fa eons

well don got toy ta moon ans back

thankyou

 

[Kyanimal]

I have an uncle that when the 60's are mentioned always says "Long haired, pot smoking, bums.....I really miss those days".

I've heard it said that if you remember the sixties and seventies, obviously you weren't there!

 

[ozguy]

I was 15 and at highschool at the time. TV transmission hadn't yet arrived in my neck of the woods, so we were all in our classrooms rivetted to our seats listening to the live radio coverage over the school PA system.

 

[Telstra]

umm i'm not stunned right now LOL

Even if human is successful landing on Mars, i won't be surprised.
I might be interested if they landed on a new planet with living things on it tho.

 

[borg69unimatrix]

I was VERY young during the moon landing. I do have a vague recollection of it, and of my dad watching the original Star Trek series and, being so young thinking "Big deal... those guys in the yellow, blue, and red shirts do it all the time" - not really knowing the difference between reality and science fiction. I also remember my dad taking me outside and pointing at the moon and telling me people were up there. I didn't believe him, as 1. It looked too small, 2. I didn't think they could make a ladder tall enough to reach it, and 3. He was a jokester and I was Leary to believe anything he told me.

As I got older, Star Trek (and Star Wars) lead me to believe I'd have the option to live on the moon, zip around in Land Speeders, have android/droid/robots, laser/phaser weapons, holodecks, and a ton of really cool stuff.

Ok... computers are pretty cool. I have a few laser pointers. I have a flip phone kinda like Kirk's. ... I'm still waiting for the BIG stuff.

 

[Falcon16]

I was glued to the TV during the landing.
The entire American space program was National Pride. The Apollo 11 landing has been called the greatest technological achievement of our species.
It influenced a generation, and to me a source of awe and personal satisfaction as I was able to work at KSC during my college years and was on the base during the Shuttle Columbia's first launch.

 

[vulgar_newcomer]

It was just a bit before my time but the entire Apollo event is incredible for what they had to work with. Things looked promising and if it wasn't for Republican Richard M. Nixon taking up the case to build and fund the Space Shuttle, it might have all stopped earlier. Hard to believe the first Space Shuttle was launched in 1981. Hard to believe that Nixon built the shuttle. His elected peers or the base didn't see the need for science and technology as illustrated clearly by watching the old shuttle call it a day on 07/08/2011 (another important NASA date earlier this month).
Imagine the reaction to spend that sort of money for NASA today by the current thugs domineering FOX!
Waiting for the private sector to explore space is like waiting for a rain drop to hit you in the face while standing under the sun in the Sahara desert.

 

[Gentleheart]

I am loving these stories from those of you who lived during that time.

I appreciate you guys sharing.

 

[mikey3000]

I bought an acre of land on the moon a few years back at the mall. What?! Don't laugh, it's for real. For real.

 

[Vitamin]

Yes, it was quite an emotional time for Americans when Ralph was finally able to send Alice to the moon.

 

[Yuki Sohma]

Yepp, a truly momentous occasion the first moon landing.

Next we must colonize another planet with humans instead of just robots. Any guesses to how long before colonization occurs and most importantly which world do we create first, and who does the colony first (which nation). Then of course does the nation own the planet outright.

 

[borg69unimatrix]

Sadly, I predict mankind will never leave the planet for colonization anywhere. The danger is very real and the potential death is ever-present in space and the other planets.

Recently, science fiction has picked up on the reality of no atmosphere and has begun writing in atmosphere-generating machines and other such literary devices to "clean up" the story line. Unfortunately, it is an arrogant assumption, as we have not even been able to manage the atmosphere on our own planet that we understand better than any other. And then the small matter of scale is ignored, the idea that flying machines to distant planets is farcical, as is even the idea that we'd ever be able to afford to ship machines to make machines on planets that have not atmosphere to smelt metal in.

Although the fantasy is an inspiring one, I believe our race will increasingly understand the importance of adapting better to the planet we have. As we do, the dream of moving out into the hostile regions will become less appealing.

I'm not against it in any way, but I think there is every evidence that it is delusional. It is a hugely more dangerous and difficult enterprise than the exploration of the New World was.

What a surprisingly uncharacteristic defeatist negative attitude.

 

[Telstra]

atmosphere-generating machines ?
What a stupid idea and not scientifically possible on a planet with no atmosphere.

 

[peeonme]

One giant leap for mankind.

I was 17 when we landed, (we being mankind) I have looked back and wondered what motivated us. We were in a race with the USSR
to prove our system or way of life was better than theirs, we won.

Had they beat us there, I think I might have heard "one giant leap for the USSR"

Oddly when we finally won the cold war we became lazy, of course I speak in generalities, but as a people we need goals and visions.
Maybe a competitive system that keeps us on our game.

As for the '60's, they were wild times, however one good thing can be said, people were engaged, they cared. I find folks so self centered and out of touch today, uninformed and uncaring. I miss the '60's.

As for Mars, we could do it if we had the will, sadly we lack it.