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Old July 21st 11, 06:57 PM posted to sci.space.history
Stuf4
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Posts: 554
Default Shuttle Press Release Drinking Game.

From Fevric J. Glandules:
Rules: one shot of spirits for every use of the word "final"
in a NASA press release regarding Shuttle.

I'll have an awful hangover next week.


To really get blotto, it would have been one shot for every "God Bless
America" during this final flight. Heh. I was disappointed that NASA
did not have a more inclusive attitude about the broader scope that
thirty years of shuttle spaceflights had over the entire human race
(let alone the direct contributions from outside the country that
brought success to the shuttle program from things like the Canadarm
to international crew members). When Fergie and the others kept
focusing on America with their verbal tributes, I couldn't help but
think of that Chris Rock movie Head of State where he repeated the
campaign catchphrase, "God bless America, and no one else".

Sure, America is properly credited for the vast majority of
conceiving, designing, paying for, building and executing the Space
Shuttle program. This was also true of Apollo. Now imagine if, back
in 1969, Neil Armstrong had stepped off the LM, put that first
bootprint into lunar soil and said:
"That's one small step for a man, One giant leap for Americans."

I for one am certainly glad that Neil gave recognition to the broader
nature of what he was accomplishing. And this morning's landing was a
huge accomplishment in its own way. I just wish that more recognition
had been given to what shuttle has meant to people across the entire
planet over these past 30 years. When I wonder in amazement at Hubble
photos, I don't think to myself "It is excellent for America to have
produced this image". My awe is in the depth of how such images help
to shift the consciousness of all of humanity.

The Space Shuttle has been a blessing to the Whole Earth.

~ CT