This Week's Obsession...
Toys, Comics, Art, Archaeology, Movies, TV, Books Religion and Politics.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
That Other Major Tom
No, I'm talking about "Major Tom:Coming Home" by Peter Schilling. This beautiful little piece of early 80's synth-pop has an eerie feel that haunted me for years.
There's been a very good cover of it recently by Shiny Toy Guns, but I still prefer the original. Funny thing is, I tried to download it on iTunes and could only get it in Swedish.
Here, from youtube, is the English version, the way I heard it all those years ago, playing Space Command on the Atari 400 at my friend Dave's house. Enjoy.
Still Thinking About Space.
I'm still thinking about space. Mostly about the Space Race, from 1957- 1972. And about Space Monkeys. And Space Chimps.
And About Cosmonauts.
A lot about Cosmonauts. It seems that, while we downplayed it for years, the Soviets were WAY ahead of us throughout the Space Race.
First Man-made satellite.
First animal in space.
First man in Space.
First Man to orbit the Earth.
First man to orbit the Earth multiple times.
First woman in space.
First terrestrial object to land on the moon.
It's like Apollo 11 was a big flip of the bird to the U.S.S.R. and then we were satisfied that we'd won and we sorta quit.
"F**K You, Ivan!!"
And now, Russia plans to go to the Moon in 2025.
And China plans to go the same year and build a moonbase.
Martin Landau sold separately.
And meanwhile, back in the good ol' U.S. of A., we plan to let Private Industry lead the way into space. And maybe go to an Asteroid in 2025.
NASA Simulation
And maybe try for Mars in the 2030's.
I have to say, I'm not wild about the idea of a moon occupied by China. LBJ would have a conniption.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Today in Space...
Here’s to you, Yuri, Happy Anniversary!
"When I orbited the Earth in a spaceship, I saw for the first time how beautiful our planet is. Mankind, let us preserve and increase this beauty, and not destroy it!"
- Yuri Gagarin
Also today, in 1981 the United States launched it's first fully functional Space Shuttle Columbia into orbit.
Whic brings me to another Space event today: NASA has finally chosen what museums will get what retired shuttlecraft.
Kennedy Space Center gets Atlantis.
The Smithsonian Institute gets Discovery (they already have Enterprise)
The California Science Center in Los Angeles will get Endeavor.
and finally, New York City's Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum will get Enterprise.
I have to say I feel especially bad for Houston's Johnson Space Center, who get nothing.
I am also (as an Ohio resident) pretty bummed that the Museum of the United States Airforce in Dayton, OH will not be getting a shuttle. I thought we might at least get Enterprise.
Enterprise never went into space, it was a prototype.
I guess that means that Wright Pat can duke it out with Houston over who gets to display Moonraker.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Happy Birthday to Me!
Nothing too radical. I'm not running off to become a mercenary or some other mid-life BS.
No, I plan to start eating right and exercising. In fact, I'm giving myself until my 40th birthday to do the following:
1. Get into shape. My target weight for myself is going to be 210 lbs.
2. Learn Spanish. I still remember some High school Spanish, but my grammar is awful.
3. Learn a martial art. Maybe Tae Kwan Do. I took it when I was 13. I stopped when I was hit by a car.
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Ah, Boredom! Doodles Done While Working My Day Job
Friday, March 26, 2010
Horror Host
My Horror Host head shot for a new blog Amy and I are working on, "Spectergirl's Crypt of Post-Code Horror".
Which is coming soon.