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| 40 years ago today!; Apollo 11 blast-off | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 17 2009, 02:58 AM (447 Views) | |
| fab4fan | Jul 17 2009, 02:58 AM Post #1 |
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Caretaker
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Hey gang! Hope your summer (or winter for you downunders) is going great. Mine has been non-stop fun with the girls. Get a little break this weekend, looking at 108 holes of golf with some buddies at Gull Lake, Michigan. 40 years! Wow, time flies. Anyway, thought this was an interesting topic. In your lifetime what was a greater achievement? Interested in both the over 40 opinion and especially the under 40 crowd. Look forward to reading the replies Monday night! |
| Mnisthiti mou Kurie! | |
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| Bill | Jul 17 2009, 04:31 AM Post #2 |
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In a way, it makes you realise how human achievement has kind of hit a platuea more recently, when you consider that we went from the Wright Brothers to Apollo 11 in the space of one lifetime. I wonder if we became a bit blase after that. I'm reluctant to compare achievements. A great achievement is just that and if doesn't matter where it may fall on the scale of great achievements, be it space flight, organ transplates, a noiseless single-coil pickup or ready-made cheese toast. Any way you look at it, it's one of humanity's greatest moments and we should remember that they stood on the shoulder of some other giants, in particular, Yuri Gagarin and Ed White - the first man in space and the fist man to make a space-walk respectively. Of course, it started a new cliche too - "They can put a man on the moon but they can't (insert trivial peeve here)" Perhaps we should remember that cliche when we start talking about how hard things are. It makes you wonder how soft we have become when we think it's too hard to find clean sustainable energy sources, provide decent health-care to people, maintain safe and solid infrastructure and sort out our differences without killing each other, when 40 years ago we sent people to the moon! |
| Put a puppet on it. | |
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| scottycatt | Jul 17 2009, 07:13 AM Post #3 |
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Hi, John. Glad you're enjoying some family time this summer. Good to see you here. I was one of those million+ people who lined the beaches of Cocoa Beach to watch the launch. My middle sister was lucky enough to actually attend the launch at Cape Kennedy (that's what Canaveral was called at the time). She got to sit in the VIP section and saw Bob Hope and the then-VP, Spiro Agnew. She lived in Cocoa Beach and was dating an engineer from Rockwell who actually worked on the spacecraft. The town was buzzing the week of the launch and I still remember going to dinner with my mom, brother and sister the night before the launch. We saw David Brinkley, the late newscaster and I thought that was such a big deal! I also remember that my sister tried to get me to sample a taste of the turtle soup she ordered. I guess I was already a vegetarian in training, as I was horrified by the thought that anyone could eat what once had been a turtle. The day of the launch, as we stood on the beach with our Kodak Instamatic (with flashcube!) at the ready, a helicopter flew low overhead and we saw Frank McGee, the ABC newsman and a cameraman who were filming the crowds. I was convinced that my friends back home would see me and recognize me, so I waved like mad. The anticipation of the countdown was almost more than I could bear! An older couple in an RV had a portable black-and-white TV and everyone nearby stood around and waited until the countdown began. We all counted out loud and then when "liftoff" was spoken, we all seemed to stand frozen, waiting to see the big rocket climb into the sky. The sound was incredible, and the sight of watching that big Saturn V (which looked smaller from our vantage point than on TV) glide toward the clouds was a moment I will never forget. We all went from holding our collective breath to breaking into wild cheers and there was such a sense of pride, knowing that we were witnessing something truly historic. A few days later, as we were driving home, we listened to news updates on the car radio and with just a few minutes before the lunar lander was scheduled for touchdown, my mom pulled into a Holiday Inn and we ran into the lobby and sat and watched the big event on the hotel's TV. I will never forget that moment, watching that grainy black-and-white image on the screen and listening to Neal Armstrong say "The Eagle has landed." Of course, just as memorable was the sight of Walter Cronkite tearing up and trying to catch his breath, so overcome was he by the historic moment. Fast forward to last summer. I was lucky enough to meet one of my childhood heroes in person -- Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, the 2nd man to walk on the moon. He was nice enough to sit and tell the assembled group a few stories, answer our endless questions and even pose for photos. He couldn't sign autographs, though, as he is now under contract to the William Morris agency and as this event had not been arranged by them, he would've violated his arrangement with them had he signed anything. I left that event feeling that I had come full circle and felt like I was walking on air . . . until I discovered my car had been towed and had to spend the next 2 hours and over $200 to retrieve it! Here's a photo. ![]() |
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Why? | |
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| BeatleBarb | Jul 17 2009, 02:29 PM Post #4 |
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Wow - what a story, Bev! My mother worked for NASA Ames Research Center and met many of the astronauts and has tons of stories as well. As a procurement officer, she bought among other things, the women astronaut's make-up and even some of the monkeys that went into space (another story there). Anything space related was a big thing in our house. Let's put it this way - there were only 3 conditions that warranted skipping school in our house - death, the World Series and a space launch. |
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| Beatlesaholic | Jul 17 2009, 04:23 PM Post #5 |
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Me At Thanksgiving On November 24, 2011.
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I Wasn't Born Yet! |
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Paul John George Ringo Are My Favorite Beatles! The Beatles Rule!!!!! Beatles Biggest Fan Kirsten Julian Lennon Biggest Fan RIP John Lennon RIP George Harrison RIP Maurice Gibb RIP Andy Gibb RIP Michael Jackson RIP Grandpa Nick RIP Grandma Tess My Favorite Beatles Movie And Album Is A Hard Day's Night & My Favorite Paul McCartney Album Is Good Evening New York City! Gold Strawberry: BeatlesBiggestFan (16 votes) ![]() | |
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| scottycatt | Jul 17 2009, 07:23 PM Post #6 |
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Don't rub it in, young 'un. On second thought, look at all you missed out on.
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Why? | |
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| scottycatt | Jul 17 2009, 07:29 PM Post #7 |
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Women's astronaut's make-up?? Monkeys? Not so fast, missy! 'Splain!! Your mom let you skip for the World Series? You obviously had one of those *cool* moms. My mom was a teacher and I don't even think death would've been a valid reason to skip school, in her book.
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Why? | |
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| ohnotjimagain | Jul 17 2009, 09:34 PM Post #8 |
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How nice to have a topic other than, to me, pointless 'What i did today/yesterday/whenever' themes. I was well into the Apollo missions. I remember watching tv when Apollo 8 went behind the moon for the first time at Christmas 1968. I remember Apollo 9 going round the Earth and testing the Lunar landing craft in space for the first time, and Apollo 10 testing the Lunar landing craft around the moon. On the day of the launch of Apollo 11 I was the messenger boy for the Editor of the Daily Sketch, a national newspapers which closed in 1971. In the editors office came other editors and directors and I had to make tea/coffee for them all. After I gave them the tea Apollo 11 was aboth to take off. I was sitting in the outer room and the editor invited me in to watch tv with everyone else Of course back in those day's it was a small tv screen so I couldn't see too much.I saw the craft land on the moon as it was broadcast live, but missed the first walk as it was the middle of the night in England :cry:. Of course it was being played over and over in the morning. I wonder when man will walk on the moon again? |
| With every mistake we must surely be learning. | |
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| scottycatt | Jul 18 2009, 01:38 AM Post #9 |
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Jim, I don't know if you're able to get CNN's programming, but they will be airing coverage on Monday of the 40th anniversary of the lunar landing. I can't wait!!
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Why? | |
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| ohnotjimagain | Jul 18 2009, 09:10 PM Post #10 |
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I'm going away on Monday for a few days and hopefully will be TV free. lol If there is anything being broadcast I will recorded it. I have seen some DVD's in the shops celebrating the moon landings. Maybe I'll buy one of those. |
| With every mistake we must surely be learning. | |
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| Mr.Mustard | Jul 18 2009, 10:08 PM Post #11 |
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***BANNED***
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Does anyone know who the first man to drink boooze in space was?
Edited by Mr.Mustard, Jul 18 2009, 10:15 PM.
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| scottycatt | Jul 19 2009, 12:24 AM Post #12 |
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I can highly recommend Moonshot, which chronicles the entire space program from pre-Mercury through the last manned flight to the moon. It is a fascinating look at the people who were truly pioneers of manned space flight. When I bought this, it came as a boxed video set. I'm sure it's probably available on DVD, as well. The feature on Apollo 13, the ill-fated moon flight, is absolutely riveting. I'm such a space geek.
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Why? | |
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| Cleo | Jul 19 2009, 02:37 AM Post #13 |
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Exactly. I was not born so I can't believe that happened. |
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| Bill | Jul 19 2009, 03:16 AM Post #14 |
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Do you believe the Beatles happened? |
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| scottycatt | Jul 19 2009, 03:35 AM Post #15 |
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The Beatles? Who's that?
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Why? | |
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| Cleo | Jul 19 2009, 04:27 AM Post #16 |
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Yes because I have the albums and I saw the videos and I'm going to see Paul McCartney next month. |
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| Bill | Jul 19 2009, 04:49 AM Post #17 |
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Just the same as the moon landing then.
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| Put a puppet on it. | |
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| Cleo | Jul 19 2009, 04:55 AM Post #18 |
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How many times people returned to the Moon after that day? |
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| Cleo | Jul 19 2009, 05:04 AM Post #19 |
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I love Conspiracy theories and theories in general. "What evidence do the Fake Moon Landing Conspiracy Theorists have? The evidence and ideas put forward by the Fake Moon Landing Conspiracy Theorists include the following: No Plans for return trips Images show that Stars were missing from the black lunar sky Absence of engine noise in official NASA footage - how was it possible to clearly hear the voices of the Astronauts? No Blast Crater under the LEM after the powerful engines had been fired Astronauts Footprints - How was it possible for footprints to be left undisturbed and without dust American Flag was waving - how is this possible when there is no air on the moon Pictures of the ascent of the LEM - images appear to show that the LEM was jerked up, as if by a cable, there was no evidence of an exhaust plume Grainy, Unclear images although technology at the time could have produced much clearer images - Did NASA intentionally make the images hard to see? Still Photographs - Cameras were fitted to the Astronauts chest - there was no view finder and photographs could only be taken by movement of the body but 1000's of flawless photographs were taken Crosshairs on Still Photographs - The crosshairs on the photographs could only be on the top of images but pictures of the Astronauts and the Flag clearly show that the crosshairs were partially obscured, beneath the images Shadows - The only source of light on the moon was the Sun but shadows were cast in multiple directions Lighting - Images of Astronauts were brightly lighted although their positions would have clearly been in shadow. Some images indicate that the Astronauts appeared to be in spotlight Backgrounds - the backdrops or the moonscape of some images appear to be identical although NASA stated that the images were taken at different times and locations which were over 2 miles apart The Van Allen Radiation Belt - Could the Astronauts survive travelling through the deadly radiation belt which is situated 500 miles above the earth and is 1000's of miles thick with only the protection from their space suits and the thin covering of the space ship when it is estimated that 6 feet of lead would be necessary would have been needed. None of the Astronauts have since showed any signs of radiation poisoning No other manned mission has gone through the Belt Silencing - It seems unreasonable that information would not have been leaked about any such hoax - theorists therefore believe that key witnesses, including members of the Astronaut Corps, were deliberately silenced. Between 1964 and 1967 10 astronauts died in accidents - 15% of the corps. " |
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| Bill | Jul 19 2009, 06:22 AM Post #20 |
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Too easy.
Well, now there are. But until now, there were no plans for return trips.... except for Apollos 12 through to 17. By 1972, the TV audience was over it. And there was the 70s energy crisis too. Doesn't mean it didn't happen.
This is all to do with exposures. Stars are very faint light while the light they were working with on the moon was actually pretty bright. If the photographs had been exposed long enough to reveal the stars, the rest of the image would be washed out.
That's just ridiculous. There is no atmosphere on the moon. There is no sound in space. Sound needs an atmosphere to move through. The astronauts' voices were heard through microphones inside their pressurised space-suits. If their HAD been engine noise, that would be evidence of a hoax.
Says who? Are their pictures of the landing site after they left?
For the same reason craters have remained undisturbed on the moon for millions of years. No atmosphere = no wind = no erosion.
No it wasn't. The flag was stiffened with wire so it would stand out straight rather than just fall.
Again, no atmosphere so no plume. I find it interesting that these conspiracists remember that there is no atmosphere on the moon when it comes to the flag but not when it comes to engine noise. You can't have it both ways.
Short answer: no. This is a false equivalence. There was the technology to broadcast clearer images on Earth but it had never been done from the moon before and they didn't have the space to take a whole broadcast van with them. Again, if the pictures had been higher quality, the conspiracists would then be saying the film is too good to be real.
Thousands of flawless photos? I certainly haven't seen thousands. Who says they were all published? One of the very earliest domestic cameras, the Kodak box brownie, had a view-finder that was viewed from above. Not all cameras are designed to be held in front of your face.
I've seen this before but I put it down to exposure.
Were they? I've seen no evidence of this. And keep in mind that on the moon, there is another source of light - the Earth!
This is just someone making a whole bunch of assumptions. Who says they would have been in shadow and what pictures are they referring to?
Yes, because landmarks on the moon are very easy to pick out! Pick any two places on earth two miles apart, free of buildings and trees. Facing in the same direction, the horizon is going to look pretty similar.
Except for the other six Apollo missions. And if it were all for show, why would they "manufacture" a failure on Apollo 13? Had they already sold the rights to Ron Howard? You don't say!
Yes, it does seem awfully "convenient" that so many people involved in such a dangerous pursuit would end up being killed in the process. Give me a break! So if the astronauts had died of radiation poisoning, the conspiracists would be citing that as evidence of a cover-up too. The first question you have to ask when assessing a conspiracy theory is "who benefits?" Who would benefit from faking a moon landing? Who would benefit from faking SIX moon landings and contriving a drama around another? What's the payoff? And for the record, I didn't Google any of this except to remind myself of how many missions there were. This is nothing that you can't work out with a bit of general knowledge and common sense. Keep your bullsh*t detectors finely tuned, but never lose your sense of wonder. People went to the moon. Why is it so hard to believe that humanity is capable of such an achievement when we put our minds to it? |
| Put a puppet on it. | |
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| Cleo | Jul 19 2009, 06:29 AM Post #21 |
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Congratulations! You passed the American Citizenship Test.
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| Cleo | Jul 19 2009, 06:37 AM Post #22 |
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By the way http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/space/5737854/Russian-spacecraft-landed-on-moon-hours-before-Americans.html |
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| Cleo | Jul 19 2009, 06:38 AM Post #23 |
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Ah Politics, pfff |
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| Cleo | Jul 19 2009, 06:46 AM Post #24 |
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Nothing and I'm almost 80. Does it make inferior? The hospice looks lovely, believe me. |
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| Bill | Jul 19 2009, 07:01 AM Post #25 |
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We're all citizens of the world. Yes we did! |
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| ohnotjimagain | Jul 19 2009, 11:43 AM Post #26 |
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I have a 5 DVD box set called 'NASA, 50 years Of Space Exploration' I must look at it again.
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| With every mistake we must surely be learning. | |
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| Monkey Chow | Jul 19 2009, 11:56 AM Post #27 |
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beep beep m beep beep yeah
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Thanks for clearing that up for me. A few years ago my family went to the Kennedy Space Center and I was kidding the kids that the moonshots were fake. They have one presentation that is about a half hour of moon footage. I spent ten years in the movie and tv industries faking one place for another so I think I could qualify as a expert competent to testify. I haven't seen live or on film or video anyplace on earth where they could fake that lunar landscape. |
| Everybody's got something to hide 'cept for me and my monkey. | |
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| Beatlesaholic | Jul 19 2009, 01:32 PM Post #28 |
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Me At Thanksgiving On November 24, 2011.
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I Watch It On CNN On Monday I Can't Wait To See It!
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Paul John George Ringo Are My Favorite Beatles! The Beatles Rule!!!!! Beatles Biggest Fan Kirsten Julian Lennon Biggest Fan RIP John Lennon RIP George Harrison RIP Maurice Gibb RIP Andy Gibb RIP Michael Jackson RIP Grandpa Nick RIP Grandma Tess My Favorite Beatles Movie And Album Is A Hard Day's Night & My Favorite Paul McCartney Album Is Good Evening New York City! Gold Strawberry: BeatlesBiggestFan (16 votes) ![]() | |
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| scottycatt | Jul 19 2009, 03:09 PM Post #29 |
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I thought I'd seen them all. I MUST go have a look for that set! Edited by scottycatt, Jul 19 2009, 03:12 PM.
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| ohnotjimagain | Jul 19 2009, 07:21 PM Post #30 |
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If you want to try to get this dvd it's on the MADACY label. DGP9 9703. It last's for 11 hours and was released in 2003. Strangely it states that it's only for sale in Canada and the USA yet I bought mine in HMVs ln London. Good hunting
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| scottycatt | Jul 19 2009, 07:32 PM Post #31 |
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Thanks for the info, Jim.
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| scottycatt | Jul 20 2009, 08:22 PM Post #32 |
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I'm watching the replay of the moon landing on CNN. Wolf Blitzer has Buzz Aldrin in the studio with him and is getting his comments as they watch and listen to the clips from the landing in 1969. I have chills. Brings back soooo many memories. It really makes me miss my mom. This was one of those special moments that we shared together. I wish I could call her and relive that night.
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I left that event feeling that I had come full circle and felt like I was walking on air . . . until I discovered my car had been towed and had to spend the next 2 hours and over $200 to retrieve it!




Monkeys?
Of course back in those day's it was a small tv screen so I couldn't see too much.


2:16 PM Jul 11