Today- in 1961

[OutdoorDad]

Something important happened.

Any guesses?

no. Not my birthday.

 

[Bennettjh]

 

[PMR]

Alan Shepard is the first american in space???

 

[BE Mike]

All of these: You learned that Cinco de Mayo means the 5th of May. You broke your brother's collar bone while attempting to hit a pinata. You drank your first Margarita (should have waited until AFTER the pinata exercise). You learned how to pronounce jalapeno. You found out that tamales don't just come out of a can. You found out that siestas aren't just for Mexicans anymore. You found out that tequila really ought to be called ta-kill-ya.

 

[OutdoorDad]

Alan Shepard is the first american in space???

Im sure other things happened as well. But that's the one I was looking for.

Kinda cool to know that anyone who's not 54 years old right now is a "post space race" kid.

 

[Jomibe]

Im sure other things happened as well. But that's the one I was looking for.

Kinda cool to know that anyone who's not 54 years old right now is a "post space race" kid.

I'm in my mid-30's, my grandfather was a NASA engineer during every Apollo mission, beginning to end. He can talk for hours about those days. His eyes just glow speaking about those old days. Unfortunately, it's all lost on me. I find it interesting, but I think for younger people it doesn't hold the same power over the imagination. It's a shame really.

 

[OutdoorDad]

I'm in my mid-30's, my grandfather was a NASA engineer during every Apollo mission, beginning to end. He can talk for hours about those days. His eyes just glow speaking about those old days. Unfortunately, it's all lost on me. I find it interesting, but I think for younger people it doesn't hold the same power over the imagination. It's a shame really.

One of my uncles was a nasa photographer.
A large chunk of the published photos of the moon rocks were his work.

Nowadays, who knows anyone who's occupation is "photographer"?
its a rapidly changing world. For sure.

 

[Dirtebiker]

One of my uncles was a nasa photographer.
A large chunk of the published photos of the moon rocks were his work.

Nowadays, who knows anyone who's occupation is "photographer"?
its a rapidly changing world. For sure.

I do!

 

[OutdoorDad]

I do!

I admire the skill involved.
But if the Apollo missions were today, they would just upload a video.

 

[churchmouse]

I was in music class (11 years old) and they put the entire event on the PA system in the whole school. It was what....15/20 minutes total flight time......

 

[Informed Decision]

I was in music class (11 years old) and they put the entire event on the PA system in the whole school. It was what....15/20 minutes total flight time......

Wow C.M. !! Your not as old as I thought you were!! Oops! Er, Wait! I mean Wow , C.M. That's was pretty cool you got to experience that!

 

[Jomibe]

But if the Apollo missions were today, they would just upload a video.

The old generation were born into a world where a good percentage of the US population didn't have indoor plumbing or electricity, and within 3 or 4 decades we were landing on the moon. That's why I think the Apollo missions made everyone stop and be in awe.

In contrast, for someone who is 30, how much has the world changed in their lifetime?

 

[ModernGunner]

I was in music class (11 years old)...

That's like... "ancient"!

 

[BE Mike]

The old generation were born into a world where a good percentage of the US population didn't have indoor plumbing or electricity, and within 3 or 4 decades we were landing on the moon. That's why I think the Apollo missions made everyone stop and be in awe.

In contrast, for someone who is 30, how much has the world changed in their lifetime?

I'm not sure, but I bet there is an app for that!

 

[CountryBoy19]

In contrast, for someone who is 30, how much has the world changed in their lifetime?

Quite a bit actually... it's just that the advancements aren't being made as quickly in the same arena. A HUGE amount of the advancements today are in electronic technologies (software & hardware). I'm about the age you mentioned (30 give or take a few years) and in my time I've gone from computers being something you hear about on the TV (the old tube style that had a VCR) to computers being in the home, and now computers are in the pockets of many individuals. Oh, and that TV? It's also a computer, it's flat-screen, VCR isn't in anymore, I can stream movies and shows directly from the internet to my TV; I choose what I get, when I get it, not what the TV station is airing.

 

[Leo]

I was in music class (11 years old) and they put the entire event on the PA system in the whole school. It was what....15/20 minutes total flight time......

Fast forward a few years, I recorded the 1969 Apollo 11 moon walk coverage from the television. The recorder was a small open reel unit that needed 6 reels to get it all. In the fall when we went back to school, the teacher let the class listen to my tapes, that was a big deal in those days.

 

[BE Mike]

The space race was closely tied to the Cold War and nuclear weapon delivery. The quick developments in aviation were also war related. The advancements now are in unmanned aerial flight. It is amazing that someone can control a drone from thousands of miles away and take out terrorists who have no clue. I'm amazed that my wife's car has a back-up camera and monitor, and that I can call someone with her car using Blue Tooth. All this will continue unless we let the Islamic fanatics take over and set civilization back a thousand years.