I was 24 years old at the time, working second shift with Sly and Bernie as mainframe operators at the IBM-Federal Systems Division computer center in Gaithersburg, Maryland. We were the prime contractor to NASA for ground-based computer systems on all the manned programs: Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and ASTP. The three of us managed somehow to have the entire weekend of Apollo 11 off and saw just about every hour of it in real time over at Bernie's apartment. I remember we cheered when the Saturn V lifted; and sweated when Armstrong and Aldrin landed (and also when the lunar ascent vehicle -- which had never been tested -- took off). Finally, after the communications blackout at re-entry and we saw those three orange parachutes, we all three burst into tears. If you aren't of an age to remember it, I don't think you could ever understand what most of the people around the Earth felt that week. But how short-lived it was! Within five years, the manned missions were over, with the powers-that-be telling us that it was better to fight two wars -- in Asia and against "poverty", both of which we lost -- than to continue to the stars. NASA squandered what little funds they had in building a series of overpriced and worthless flying buses which, when they weren't killing their crew and passengers, were taking mankind absolutely nowhere. And what are we doing now? Re-building oversized and overpriced Apollo capsules which "may" return to the moon: and no one seems to care. Americans have lost their will, the Russians have lost their money, the Europeans never really cared, and only the Chinese have any real interest, much of which is the same political one-upmanship we and the Soviets used to flog our respective projects. I think the sentence which best tells America's story regarding space exploration was voiced by Marlon Brando in the movie On the Waterfront: "I coulda been a contender!"
Good morning Duncan, A great post ! Yes, both wars were lost. It's presented as such to the public but we're being expelled from the Western Pacific. ASEAN is even seeking affiliation with SCO, Beijing. LBJs war on poverty created more poverty coupled to huge deficits. If certain matters occur in November, 2020, presuming I'm still on the planet, it might be wise to learn how to play mah jong. A house in Gaithersburg nowadays, can be sold with a new shack elsewhere in the fruited plain and it could have a quality fallout shelter with the house and shelter well appointed and supplied. In one of my vet orgs, there was a guy pending appointment to SES - Senior Executive Service. Our advice to him was to respectfully decline the position, sell his large condo in Springfield, VA, live in a small RV in Prince William Forest, south of Manassas, Woodbridge, Dale City area, finish up the 3 years for a retirement, and be rich and comfortable in Paradise Valley, AZ !
I would like to say that the war on poverty worked. LBJ achieved his true goal. Tens of millions of Americans are addicted to government checks. Worshiping government has become the official state religion of Amerika. Big Brother, "Mission accomplished!"
Good afternoon Gate Crasher and Old Geezer, Gate, your point relates to O.G.'s. In today's Sat/Sun 20-21 Wall Street Journal, there's a letter to the editor saying that USG policies are furthering the illegal drug problem (am not discussing the legal drug problem). WSJ has a pay wall so can't post letter but here's an excerpt from a John Gillis of Olathe, Kansas: "If drugs were legal, many of the very small cohort of humans who get trapped in a drug addiction could afford to live with it, an work to reduce or eliminate it if they chose to. It's time to completely stop the drug war and get the government out of the business of creating and supporting drug lords." Of course, LARGE Federal agencies like DEA, would no longer be needed.
They could legalize and tax the dugs, then the DEA could just chase illegals or be moved to the IRS as enforcers ... sorry,collectors. Or they could be combined to BATFPmLp (precious metals, I am sure that will get there eventually) and (legal pharma). Now we don’t have the same agencies north of the border but we have our share of government goons.
Duncan: You are a little older than I am; maybe have a better recollection. I seems to remember the Space Race as being an extension of the Arms Race. Space, specifically the Moon, could be used as a Military base in a future world War. Am I remembering that correctly? Once we won the race it didn't seem to matter any more. I have no opinion on how the money was spent, although I would expect you are 100% correct. You can make a true value judgment on the feasibility of projects. I don't even think on that level, and have to rely on what comes out of the press. Good Luck with that.
