Houston, We Have A (BIG) Problem

This, written not by me, but by a fellow Texan. Couldn't have said it better. So, I will post it unedited, in its entirety. This has been a HUGE travesty. And, most people have no idea. 

Space Shuttle homes - no wonder we lost when they change the rules

Followup on the fact that Houston, home to the Space Shuttle program for the last 30 years did not get a space shuttle to display.

Cover-up report saying they did nothing wrong, revealed that originally Houston was supposed to get one of the shuttles as early as 2008 BUT the the director of NASA then changed the rules at the last minute in April and made the top priority be the number of international visitors and population in the area.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden used to live in Houston but sold us out. As well as selling out the Texans who lived, worked and died for the space program who were from Houston.

The historic aspect no longer mattered, just tourist bucks. So that's why one of the shuttles went to NYC a place that had nothing to do with the space program and even through a shuttle is going to be down the road a few hundred miles from it in DC.

When you have a group investigate itself, pretty easy for them to come up with a report saying they did nothing wrong.

Houston was good enough to be home to Mission Control and to also be used as a refueling stop during the Shuttle Program, but Charles Bolden and NASA took away the shuttle and to add further insult is scattering artifacts from the training missions here across the county and in effect destroying the history. Thanks NASA.

So how about we move the Grand Canyon, not enough people live in AZ and it's hard to travel to.
Or how about we move some of the historic battlefields, because after all they may not be in high population centers to get the most international visitors. 

NASA fails to calm Houston anger over lost shuttle
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8326600

Report: Nothing improper in NASA's picks for retired shuttles 
http://www.khou.com/news/Report-NASA-made-right-picks-for-retired-shuttles-128389458.html

Rain Has Come Again

Rain Has Come Again

Pinging from the chimney. 

Could it be?

A gentle rustling outside, as of gently falling water.

It's dark, I can't see....

A distant flash of light. 

A violent clap of thunder.

The sound of wind-driven rain whipping around outside.

And, the downpour is getting stronger.

How much can we drink up? 

The dry grass, the trees, the flowers, the insects & birds?

How long will it last? 

And, once gone, will it return?

The first day of summer. 

Yet all around is not green.

Rather, shades of brown and yellow. 

No color as far as the eye can see.

Color takes water. 

Of that, we're deprived.

Color must wait. 

Green too, must subside.

Until we have water, 

there's no reason to fret.

We'll learn to appreciate the color 

and to not wallow in regret.

The feeling of thirst 

clambers around my every move.

But, as the rain falls, 

suddenly, I feel renewed.

I want to stand out in it, 

let it fall over my face.

But, I dare not tonight, 

the thunder keeps me at bay.

Tomorrow the world will be a little greener.

The birds chirp a little brighter.

The buzz of insects a little stronger.

Our hearts a little lighter....

Rain has come again.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Note: Written the last time I heard rain in our neck of the woods. That was June, 2011. And even then, only a sprinkle. We are in a fierce drought! Can't wait for the "rain to come again"....

'

Spaced Out: Star Trek

Ok, I feel the need to change to DOS prompt type font for this post.

My mom was a big trekky fan, therefore so was I, growing up. Drama, space themes, a little humor, cheesy sets and special effects (what did we really know back then?). Who could ask for more? I remember Spock singing some song to a zither on one episode, but had NO IDEA they had an ALBUM! 

You either?

Well, here's the link to amazon and it's IN STOCK!

You can sample each of the tracks. (Warning: Shatner only monologues and you MUST hear "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" to truly appreciate this fact. And, if you're a Kenny Rogers fan, you'll see that he has no worries over the competitive track of "Ruby, Don't Take Your  Love to Town" by Leonard Nimoy.)

I have to say, this gave me the biggest laugh I've had in a long time. Given the times, maybe you need a little piece of nostalgia and a good laugh, too. We were simpler back then, despite the Vietnam war, assassinations, the Civil Rights movement. 

Don't miss the first Amazon comment, either. Spot on. Just made me laugh even harder.

Enjoy!

The Power of Perry Prayer

Scandalous

What does this photo have to do with the price of beans?  Obama is paying respects to the fallen SEALS this past week as their remains were brought to Dover AFB. What can be found to be wrong about that? Oh, plenty. This is America. We are absolutely broken when we cannot just let the leader of our country pay his respects to our soldiers.... No, it has to be some big scandal. He's sneaking in an illegal photo op... Honestly, I wish I'd seen just a FEW of these types of photos from 2003 to 2008 instead of a leader who never served in the military, in a flight jacket, proclaiming victory on an Aircraft Carrier. Now THAT, people is a PHOTO OP. Learn the difference.