Article comments

Subscribe to comment RSS

• 1 - Aaman

  May 27, 2005 at 9:59 am

  Ooh, that sent a frisson of pride at being human through me - Within sight, within reach, within us
  
  TY Bennett
  
  Do we have permission to repost this video on our sites?
  

• 2 - Bennett

  May 27, 2005 at 10:26 am

  Yes Aaman, we do.
  
  Glad it touched you too. My day is made.

• 3 - Duane

  May 27, 2005 at 6:46 pm

  This is only a portent of even worse things to come. C'mon, isn't it obvious that this is just plain sad?

• 4 - Bennett

  May 27, 2005 at 6:48 pm

  Uh, no Duane. It's not obvious at all. Please fill me in.

• 5 - Duane

  May 27, 2005 at 7:09 pm

  Uh, OK, Bennett. Here ya go. You've got an organization whose name includes the words Aeronautics and Space devoting manpower and money to touchy-feely tinkly-piano-scored gee-this-is just-like-those-life-insurance-commercials
  tug-at-our-heartstrings-instead-of-engage-our-minds condescending crapola. That, Bennett, is why it's sad. If you guys are "touched" by this contrived Hallmark bullshit, then I guess the PR firm that regurgitated it for NASA has earned their pay.
  
  But, thanks for keeping us updated, Bennett. I really enjoy your posts. I just don't always agree with your interpretations.

• 6 - Bennett

  May 27, 2005 at 7:23 pm

  That's cool Duane. But for me, I find it amazing that NASA could come up with anything that is even close to inspiring. Usual fare is..... nothing.
  
  I think it's a parent thing too, the wife and I are trying to get knocked up so the little kid thing hits me more than it would during my R&R days.
  
  I usually hate Hallmark moments, but I found the concept of this piece to be dead on where most of us late baby boomers live. We grew up reading about the future (2001 seemed so far away), saw astronauts make it to the moon, and had hoped to be able to do the tourist thing by now.
  
  We really expected to see great advances in the manned space program during our lives, and instead we got "Mr. Gorbachov, tear down this wall". Oh, really. How NOT JFK.
  
  So, I guess it is a bit banal, tinkling wise, but at least it is something that expresses the dreams that many share, 'muricans and otherwise.
  
  I'll try to find some serious material, mpeg style, and believe me you'll see it here first.
  
  Thanks for the comment!
  
  
  
  

• 7 - Shark

  May 27, 2005 at 8:20 pm

  "I find it amazing that NASA could come up with anything that is even close to inspiring."
  
  uh...THEY WENT TO THE MOON.
  
  Hard to believe we're so jaded that a Hallmark card is more inspiring than a photo of the Eagle Nebula.
  
  

• 8 - Bennett

  May 27, 2005 at 8:27 pm

  Shark, Technology is not necessarily PR. Remember, these are the guys who managed to make the Apollo missions so boring that people stopped watching.
  
  It's not that it IS boring, it's that these big brain types have lost contact with the idea of "sell it to the people!"
  
  You did catch the pictures from my Cassini post, eh?
  
  THAT'S EXCITING!
  
  for me anyway.
  
  ;-]

• 9 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo

  May 27, 2005 at 11:29 pm

  well, there you go. Bennett, i know less than nothing about space travel an NASA an so on, and half times, no, MOST times, the stuff you write goes over my head, but a fellas havin a ball figurin it all out, on account you're a thouroughly bloody nice bloke, as harry enfield used to say.
  
  god, i'm being so predictable in my comments this eve... "i don't know anything about this"..."but also, everyone rules"
  
  heh, must be that big brother premier tonight. my brains already sapping itself vacant.

• 10 - Bennett

  May 28, 2005 at 12:20 am

  Thanks Duke, high praise indeed. I'm taking an online course in being a "bloody nice bloke" from Eric Berlin. He's taught me a lot.
  
  Speaking of brain sapping, just finished wathing "The Aviator" and I'm a bit schitzoid right now. Have a great weekend.