I hope that you will forgive a non-Bradbury related topic but I just wanted to brag a little.

At 1:15 a.m. on Friday, March 5th my superhero of a wife gave birth to our first (and only) child by Caesarian Section.

Zoe Laika
7lbs. 2 oz.
19 inches

Happy, healthy, smiling all the time, Loved madly by her Daddy and the most breath-taking sight I have ever laid eyes on.

I'm a father everyone!!!!!

OH! I have a copy of "Switch On the Night" that I will read to her - that ties her in to Mr. Bradbury.

Thanks for reading.

Many congratulations, Greentown!! I love the name. Is the middle name Hawaiian? When she gets a little older you can read her lots of Uncle Ray's stories! Oh forget that, start right now. She'll just love the sound of your voice and the closeness of her daddy.

Congratulations! I had my first grandson a year and a half ago. It is a complete trip to watch kids grow and learn. My grandson "talked" to me on the phone the other day and said something that sounded remarkably like "grandpa". Of course, the prodigious nature of his intellect must come from MY side of the family!

Thanks!
Zoe(should be an umlaut over that e) is Greek for light.

Laika is Russian.
Laika was the first earthling to go into space. She was a beautiful dog whom the Russians sent into orbit on Sputnik II and they never had a plan to bting her home. She died in orbit and I have always wanted to honor her and her name as an unwitting pioneer and hero. Also to remind us of the cruelties we inflick on our fellow beings so that we may learn from those mistakes and discontinue such senseless acts.

Laika, incidentally, means "barker" and she was ent up on November 3rd, 1957.
please forgive typos - she was napping in a sling on my chest in the dark as I typed.
Look her up online.

I found several articles about Laika, and I must say, they made me cry. It was a senseless use of an animal, for virtually no scientific results. One article said she probably died from heat within a day or two of the launch. There were also theories at the time that the last bit of her food was poisoned, or that a gas was emitted after a while to put her to sleep. One of the lead scientists on the launch later said, "The more time passes, the more I'm sorry...We shouldn't have done it...We did not learn enough from the mission to justify the death of the dog." Greentown, I think it's a wonderful idea to name your daughter after Laika. I think she will go on to do great things in this world of ours!

[This message has been edited by lmskipper (edited 03-13-2004).]

Hey, Kodos on the choice of name, Greentown!! I'm new here and this the coolest of sites I've seen! I just gotta ask, do you (and how many out there) have NASA TV? Do you all watch the ISS go over every chance you get? And Am I the only one I know who looses it when they go to http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov just to look at another crater.?! I feel so alone in my family and circle of friends! I hope I'm glad I found you all!!!!

John AJ B.

Welcome aboard jajboeg.
You ceratinly do have some of us more or less profiled.
The question is - Do feel as if you are reading holy words when you curl up with the works of Ray Bradbury?

One WORD 'Kaleidoscope'!! I live in Fort Worth, read my first post "Ever read Ray's 'Kaleidoscope' in "favorite books/storys"
And read Resources Mars. mine oops gotta go be right back.

YES, YES!! and I'm a little over whelmed by all thats here. And I'm easily lost in forum and topic. But I was out on the balconey with 16x50 Bushnell's, 1 February 2003. It would have been and/or was my 5th Shuttle re-entry, God what my eyes have seen. Someday I may try to tell you all what I saw that day..."Kaleidoscope" one HOLY WORD too be sure!!!

John AJ B.
P.S. I know I didn't put this in but now I will jajboeglin@prodigy.net for any that want a private converse.
P.P.S. Any other EYE WITNESSES out there?

Have you seen the Swedish movie "My Life as a Dog"? The boy narrating it talks about Laika all the way through. Congratulations. Zo� is also similar to Ray's youngest daughter's nickname, "Zee."

Last winter I was thrilled to be able to witness the ISS pass over in person. Saw it right over where I used to attend school!

Laika was apparently a househod name in the late 50s. Her American nickname was "Muttnik," and I have an old time radio show that mentions her.
I'll have to check out "My Life as a Dog."
Thanks!

If you do check out "My Life As A Dog" be sure to get the subtitled version. they massacre it by dubbing the film, it is an excellent film. I saw it at Sundance, it was a hoot because at the end of a property owners meeting Redford got a big grin on his face, and said "we've got an x-rated movie for you" purely for shock value! My Mother, and I stayed for the screening anyway. I found it an amusing, touching film. I have two daughters, they are joys,
and are making my hair gray, but I would not trade them for anything. Enjoy her, they grow so fast. Congratulations!
Uncle

Thanks to Mr. Dark for reminding me to stress the positives and beauty and honor in my daughter's middle name. I never intend for it to be a sad burden for her, but the honoring of a beautiful being - a hero and Mr. Dark helped me clarify that here and for myself in my heart. She'll figure out the meaning as a whole on her own terms, which is what my wife and I want - for her to think for herself.
This is all so new and amazing!
Thanks everyone. (her Bradbury board Uncles & Aunts)

Hi 'Sir' Dandelion,
Only watched ISS once? It can be seen a few nights in a row. Sometimes morning and night.
You can generate sighting opportunitys at http://spaceflight.nasa.gov move cursor to 'realtime' slide to sighting opp.s click, then click on start Java ap. Then 'user' to choose by city or enter your longitude & latitude!!. And there are more than just ISS sighting possiblitys there.
And did you hear about the 21yr old who has started the Aurora webcam site at www.aurorawebcam.com?!

John AJ

[This message has been edited by jajboeg (edited 03-14-2004).]