Updates

NASA has set the last space shuttle launch for the 28th of June. Its beginning to look like NASA will not be taking me up* on my offer to go with them. They still haven't written or called back. And I heard on the news the reason their only taking a crew of 4 is so their will be more room to bring parts for the International Space Station. So no I probably won't be going up on the space shuttle. Too bad. Your loss NASA.

According to Harold Camping the rapture is supposed to be today at 5 pm Central Time. NPR asks who will walk your dog after you're raptured. That's a good question, I can remember being young and being told that animals don't go to heaven. This is how you give your kids a crisis at the age of 5. This will be updated after 5 for whatever happens today. I've got money on nothing, or entire population of North Korea disappears (except for Kim Jong-Il), because I the odds were too good to pass up on the bet, and I do love an underdog.

Macho Man Randy Savage died: A couple of interesting articles pointed out that as Randy Poffo he had been a player in the Cardinals' Minor League organization.

You can also remember him in his epic battle with Hulk Hogan vs Kim Jong-Il.

End of an era

The First

Last night I was reminded that one of the last three Space Shuttle missions had just taken place. I was born on the day the first Space Shuttle was launched. On April 12, 1981, Columbia launched from Cape Canaveral. And I was born in a small town in Texas. Which means in a little less then a month the Space Shuttle Program will be 30 years old. There are two remaining missions, you can find out about them here.

The Last

The Space Shuttle was a symbol of the entire space program for most of my life, and for good reason. This was the first space going vessel that was sleek. Apollo may have been the famous one, but NASA's vehicles in the 60s' and 70's always looked to me like someone had made them in their basement. The other symbols of our space program in my life, the Hubble and the International Space Station. Maybe the Voyager probes. I don't think there's really been any others. 

Columbia was the shuttle I considered to be mine growing up. I was stationed in Kosovo with the U.S. Army when Columbia exploded on re-entry on February 1st, 2003. I was very paranoid that day about everything. You may call it superstitious, but I figured there was no sense taking chances that day. 

So we're rapidly approaching the end of an era. In July we will say good-bye to the Space Shuttle, the remaining shuttles will be taken to museums and become as much a thing of the past as the Saturn Rockets, and Sputnik. 

I wonder if NASA would let me ride on the last one, surely it'd make for good PR, if nothing else...

I got to go find a number I'll talk to you later.