Because of Ray's love of the space program, I thought it would be approriate to call for prayers and or memorials to the astronauts killed in today's terrible accident in the Columbia, and for thier families.

In interviews I've read from the past, Bradbury tended to minimize the Shuttle program, wanting to see us move toward other planets; but he fully supports the space effort. In my view, the things we learn from the Shuttle program allow us to prepare for further exploration in the future and have kept our hands in space. I'm a big fan of the Shuttle program. With the building of the International Space Station (ISS), the Shuttle plays a major role in the forward movement of man's knowledge and potential travel to the local planets. With The ISS, the Hubble Telescope and the ongoing learning and development of skills through the Shuttle program, I think the space program represents much of what Bradbury supports.

In this particular case, with the Israeli pilot being the first from his country, and the female Indian astronaut aboard, the human loss here covers the west, the middle east and the far east. It is a tragic moment for those families and for our space program.

May they touch peace.

I was really bothered by a somewhat lengthy article in yesterday's Chicago Sun-Times newspaper... criticizing President George Bush for bringing the name of God and Jesus Christ into his speeches and conversation....

Today, he mentioned Him again, in tribute to the 7 astronauts that died in Columbia explosion....

The President even went further, saying that they didn't return to Earth, but, he prayed, to Home...

If I hear one more arrogant, sneaky, stupid, goofy...idiotic remark pertaining to the President's Chrisitianity, I will write a dozen letters to whoever is necessary... This may mean nothing, but it'll make me feel better!

This thing about seperation of Church and state is a farce... The original, the Intent...of the founding fathers was...that The state not ....NOT....intrude upon Church affairs...there would be a seperation....But now these "idiots" thruout the years have managed to turn the whole shebang around, and there is not to be intrusion of the ...Church !!!

Robert Bork , when running for the Supreme Court, got thrown out by these... goofy intellectuals, these basic atheists, these scripture benders...who didn't want to hear the original intent of the law.....They blamed his conservative ideology and judicial philiosphy... Bah!!

I was moved to hear President George Bush speak earlier today... of God, Country, and our Fellow Man. That ...was the original focus of the founding of this country.....



[This message has been edited by Nard Kordell (edited 03-15-2003).]

I tend to agree, but the point of my post was just for us to hold them in our memories and prayers today. As a nation, we need to function with respect and courtesy to other Americans. I think today is a day to think on the memories of those who lost their lives today, to think of their families, and to pray that those in charge of these programs are guided to an understanding of what happened, so we can proceed with the space program with reduced risk to the lives of those seeking to forward our knowledge.

It's true that if everything was always done right, nothing would be learned. In my opinion, one of the few things Ronald Reagan ever did right in his presidency, if not his life, was his response to the families of the Challenger disaster victims. Let's hope President Bush can follow suit in the case of the Columbia.

Dandelion:

Ooops! I see another can of worms...I see another can of worms........

Re: Columbia memorial. I believe Ray Bradbury has already written a story regarding this that gave me great comfort in the wake of the Challenger disaster. I cannot seem to find it, it is either in The Illustrated Man or October Country and it deals with the thoughts of an astronaut who is re-entering earth and thinking that he had yet to do the one good thing for another person as his spaceship disintegrates into space. It ends with a grandfather and a young boy in an Illinois field looking at the night star and seeing a shooting star "make a wish, make a wish".
Does anyone remember what book this particular story is in given how it is so appropriate at this horrific time?

"Kaleidoscope" is in "The Illustrated Man," "The Vintage Bradbury," "The Stories of Ray Bradbury," and, in play form, in "Pillar of Fire and Other Plays."

That must have been one POWERFUL play. Was it actually performed? Anyone see it?

As a tribute to the astronauts, I am sharing "Rocket Man" with my literature classes on Wednesday. (seventh grade) I am looking forward to it.

Good choice. I think it will help them understand, at some level, what the families of these astronauts must go through every time they go up.

I will also be watching the Hanks movie, Apollo 13 again, soon.

Writing Reptile:
I saw 'Kaleidoscope' in LA years ago. Once in a while, you will hear of some college putting it together with other short stories.

The last time, however, that I saw Kaleidoscope, was in Waukegan. It was produced by Stage Two Theater Company. Ray visited Waukegan during this time...March, 1993. I was there at the time, and Ray sat with, and enjoyed the plays with everyone in the audience. The plays performed at the time were:
The Veldt,
Kaleidoscope,
Pedestrian,
and To The Chicago Abyss.

"High Flight

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I�ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds�and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of�wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov�ring there,
I�ve chased the shouting wind along and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air,
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I�ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew.
And while with silent, lifting mind I�ve trod
The high, untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God."

By John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

This story comes into my mind every time I see the images on TV of Columbia burning up across the sky. I've been paging through my RB collection trying to find this one! I remember it as 3 spacemen in a decaying Earth orbit, talking to one another and finally coming to terms with their fate. And, yes, the young boy looking up at their flaming re-entry and saying "make a wish, make a wish".

quote:

Originally posted by Aguilamorisca:
Re: Columbia memorial. I believe Ray Bradbury has already written a story regarding this that gave me great comfort in the wake of the Challenger disaster. I cannot seem to find it, it is either in The Illustrated Man or October Country and it deals with the thoughts of an astronaut who is re-entering earth and thinking that he had yet to do the one good thing for another person as his spaceship disintegrates into space. It ends with a grandfather and a young boy in an Illinois field looking at the night star and seeing a shooting star "make a wish, make a wish".
Does anyone remember what book this particular story is in given how it is so appropriate at this horrific time?

Don't stop with Apollo 13--get The Right Stuff and really rip your heart out.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr. Dark:
Good choice. I think it will help them understand, at some level, what the families of these astronauts must go through every time they go up.

I will also be watching the Hanks movie, Apollo 13 again, soon.

skippr:

The story you're referring to is Kaleidoscope, in The Illustrated Man. I read that today and also read Rocket Man, which is also in The Illustrated Man. Great stories to read right now.