BLAST OFF!

    FRIDAY, MAY 6TH., 2016
             BLAST OFF!

 Welcome to May 6th everybody!
 Welcome to "Space Day!"
  Space Day is an education and public
outreach initiative that takes place annually
on the first Friday of May. It was started
in 1999.
   Although many of you may not know
it I count myself as a true pioneer of the
space program!
    I have an extensive history of looking
into space. I did a lot of it in school. I
called it research. Various teachers used
some other descriptive terms.
    Truth be told my interest in outer
space probably started with those glow in
the dark stars that were pasted on my
bedroom ceiling.
    Then, there was Flash Gordon and his
arch enemy...Ming The Merciless! Now
there's a real villain's name! I watched
those chapters on TV as often as I could
get away with skipping Sunday School.
They always ran on Sunday mornings.
     Next, I enlisted in the Rocket Ranger
Corps! It was a television series about
space and I even got an official Rocket
Ranger shirt! My wife tucked it away in
one of our closets waiting for the day I'm
called back to active duty.
   I still remember our song...well at
least the last part. "From the sands of
Mars out to the distant stars, we're the
Rocket Ranger Corps!"
   The star of that program was Cliff
Robertson who went on to become a
movie star. You may remember him
playing John Kennedy in the movie
"PT 109."
    I met him in later years but never
realized the connection we had as Rocket
Rangers!  He autographed a photo for my
Dad who was a projectionist.
    Lest you think all of my space activities
were limited to movies and TV I think it
only fair to tell you I was trying to launch
a rocket into the atmosphere long before
NASA!
    I had a red rubberized rocket that was
suppose to lift off with pressurized water.
    It worked. But not to my satisfaction.
    So, being a sort of "Scotty" of my time
(Star Trek people will understand) I tried
using a Cherry Bomb as the power
source.
     I don't know exactly how high the
rocket went. But I do know I saw some
stars!
     The authorities (in this case my
parents) prohibited any further
experimentation on the proving grounds
(my back yard) and so, my career hopes
were dashed! At least at that time.
     I still find myself staring into space.
     And I'm pretty sure I still have that
red rocket packed away somewhere around
here! Now, if I can just find a Quarter Stick,,,,
who knows have far I can go?!
     Hope you're not spaced out on this "Space
Day," and that all your NEWS is good!