Challenger Jan 28 1986 RIP

Never forget that space exploration takes a LOT of tenacity, guts, vision, dreams, and fortitude. NASA deserves all our respect for the work and risks they take for all of mankind.

Take a moment to remember that on this day in 1986 the Challenger exploded before our very eyes. Try to remember where you were when you learned of the news. Tell your children. Let them know how much you care. They will learn more than you could guess by seeing the concern in your eyes and hearing the story from your lips. You can refesh your memory by visiting this site for more details.

I remember that I was at the mall with my mom. We saw this huge number of people standing quietly in front of a TV sales storefront. We walked up and watched in our own silence, in our own shock.

A very similar thing happened when the US started to blitz Bagdad back in Daddy Bush's Gulf War. I was picking someone up from the airport. I saw a huge number of people standing quietly in a concourse bar, staring up at the TVs hanging from the ceiling. I stopped and stared for some time, in shivering silence, as scenes of apocalypse in Bagdad flashed on the screen.

NASA and affiliated agencies have suffered considerably under the Bush administration. It is our responsibility as citizens to demand that the Democrats repair and rebuild all that has been lost to Bush's Folly. It is for ourselves and our children.
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