Neil Armstrong - 1930-2012

[Lateralthinking1]

Just to note that I have deleted my post #7, from which the above quote is taken. My apologies to all concerned.

Thanks Serial_Apologist. The apologies to John, who was responding to earlier posts, are mine. I decided that I didn't want to dwell on the expense or indeed the conspiracy theories as this didn't seem the right place for them. Consequently, I have removed my lengthy post which was intended to be a tribute but inadvertently wasn't wholly in that spirit.

When I looked last night at Neil Armstrong's date of birth, I asked myself which of my parents was born closest to him. It appeared a close run thing. A quick bit of arithmetic revealed that he was born 144 days after my Mum and 144 days before my Dad. It wasn't quite as mind boggling as him walking on the moon but it was extraordinary to me nonetheless.

I feel far more emotional about him departing than anyone else who has done so this year. I am a little surprised but not wholly so. One only has to look at the hundreds of comments from people on other forums to recognise his impact. It was very good to hear the comments of Buzz Aldrin yesterday too. The world though doesn't feel the same today.

[John Wright]

I was a kid on a caravan holiday in July 1969, and we listened to the moon landing on our trusty transistor radio.

And Neil Armstrong is on my small list of 'Famous People I Have Seen'. Sometime in the mid 1970s, while I was at Edinburgh Uni, Neil Armstrong delivered a speech at the University, I expect it was about his moon experiences, can't remember now

[Lateralthinking1]

I was a kid on a caravan holiday in July 1969, and we listened to the moon landing on our trusty transistor radio.

And Neil Armstrong is on my small list of 'Famous People I Have Seen'. Sometime in the mid 1970s, while I was at Edinburgh Uni, Neil Armstrong delivered a speech at the University, I expect it was about his moon experiences, can't remember now

I am interested but surprised to hear this John W as the suggestion has been he was quite reclusive. If it was c. 1974-1976, he would have been visiting from the University of Cincinnati. He was there for eight years and then stopped working.

Martin Rees in The Guardian today makes the fascinating point that Apollo 11 landed on the moon only 66 years after the Wright Brothers first flight. We knew it but it is extraordinary when someone says it. I wonder if NA will get a state funeral.

[Petrushka]

. Martin Rees in The Guardian today makes the fascinating point that Apollo 11 landed on the moon only 66 years after the Wright Brothers first flight. We knew it but it is extraordinary when someone says it.

Even more extraordinary (for me at any rate) is that my father (still going strong) was born on the very day that Allcock and Brown completed the first transatlantic flight (15/06/1919). If we look at the progress made in the first 50 years and the progress made in the subsequent (almost) 50 years something seems to have gone amiss somewhere.

[mangerton]

I am interested but surprised to hear this John W as the suggestion has been he was quite reclusive. If it was c. 1974-1976, he would have been visiting from the University of Cincinnati. He was there for eight years and then stopped working.

Martin Rees in The Guardian today makes the fascinating point that Apollo 11 landed on the moon only 66 years after the Wright Brothers first flight. We knew it but it is extraordinary when someone says it. I wonder if NA will get a state funeral.

He was in Scotland in 1972 when he received the freedom of Langholm, "home town" of the Armstrongs.

He is certainly worthy of a state funeral, Lat.

[johncorrigan]

He was in Scotland in 1972 when he received the freedom of Langholm, "home town" of the Armstrongs.

He is certainly worthy of a state funeral, Lat.

Apparently he spoke quite often, but not to the press - said that he didn't really deserve the credit when thousands of people had put him up there. Prof Brian Cox said that Armstrong had often felt sad that after the moon landing he could no longer be a jet pilot, and at his heart that is what he was - and would want to be remembered as an aviator.

[John Wright]

He was in Scotland in 1972 when he received the freedom of Langholm, "home town" of the Armstrongs.

Thanks mangerton, that may be the year I saw Neil Armstrong in Edinburgh (I was at uni 1971-75)

[Lateralthinking1]

Even more extraordinary (for me at any rate) is that my father (still going strong) was born on the very day that Allcock and Brown completed the first transatlantic flight (15/06/1919). If we look at the progress made in the first 50 years and the progress made in the subsequent (almost) 50 years something seems to have gone amiss somewhere.

That is incredible Petrushka - and well done to him. These days we can't even get within 2,000 miles of a missing plane -

http://articles.philly.com/2012-08-25/news/33367996_1_tighar-plane-wreckage-nikumaroro

Sadly, it now looks quite doubtful whether Neil Armstrong will be given a state funeral. Too politically sensitive for Obama!