A Beautiful, Magnificent Desolation

On Wednesday July 16, 1969 a Saturn V rocket lifted off the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center carrying Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins into space.  Three days later, at 10:56 PM, the world was transfixed as the lunar lander “Eagle” touched down in the Sea of Tranquility.  More than 650 million people witnessed one of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind.

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the first moon landing.  Seeing the surface of the moon for the first time. Buzz Aldrin described it as “a beautiful, magnificent desolation.”  When the astronauts departed, they left behind the American flag, mission patches and medals honoring fallen astronauts and cosmonauts and a coin-sized silicon disk bearing goodwill messages from the world leaders of planet Earth.

Also remaining on the surface of the moon is the descent ladder of the Lunar Module bearing a commemorative plaque inscribed with the words:  “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969 A.D.  We came in peace for all mankind.”

“Here is one way to conceptualize NASA's heroic era: in 1961, [President] Kennedy gave his ‘Moon Speech’ to Congress, charging them to put an American on the moon ‘before the decade is out.’  In the eight years that unspooled between Kennedy's speech and Neil Armstrong's first historic boot print, NASA, a newborn government agency, established sites and campuses in Texas, Florida, Alabama, California, Ohio, Maryland, Mississippi, Virginia, and the District of Columbia; awarded multi-million-dollar contracts and hired four hundred thousand workers; built a fully functioning moon port in a formerly uninhabited swamp; designed and constructed a moon-faring rocket, spacecraft, lunar lander, and space suits; sent astronauts repeatedly into orbit, where they ventured out of their spacecraft on umbilical tethers and practiced rendezvous techniques; sent astronauts to orbit the moon, where they mapped out the best landing sites; all culminating in the final, triumphant moment when they sent Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to step out of their lunar module and bounce about on the moon, perfectly safe within their space suits. All of this, start to finish, was accomplished in those eight years.” ― Margaret Lazarus Dean, Leaving Orbit: Notes from the Last Days of American Spaceflight

Why Was Coverage Of Nation’s Apollo 11 Heroes Closed To The Press?

Sunday July 20, 2014 marked the 45th anniversary of the first moon landing, when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to step on to the surface of the moon.

On Tuesday, The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer met with Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin and the widow of Neil Armstrong.

The mission was the fifth manned expedition in the Apollo program. It was broadcast around the world and ignited awe for its achievement.  The landing has been a symbol of mankind's yearning for adventure and exploration into the unknown.

Reporters and television crews were not allowed to enter the Oval Office for the meeting, but photographers were given brief access.   CBS News White House correspondent Major Garrett filed a complaint about the lack of coverage available declaring the event deserved press as the members of the Apollo 11 crew were American Heroes.

“The astronauts were among the most visible, televised national heroes this country has ever known, that entire program was financed by the American taxpayer. Stills presentation of that limits television coverage of that event we believe that is a classic definition of something that should have the broadest press coverage imaginable, and we are therefore lodging a complaint against your decision to keep us out,” Garrett said.

ABC News’ Jonathan Karl wondered why there was such intense secrecy surrounding the event and went further by speculating that the decision may have been due to the criticism Armstrong made of TWMDCO’s decision to hollow out NASA’s space program—a decision that sent shock waves throughout NASA, the Congress and the American people.

Part of Armstrong’s letter read:

“For The United States, the leading space faring nation for nearly half a century, to be without carriage to low Earth orbit and with no human exploration capability to go beyond Earth orbit for an indeterminate time into the future, destines our nation to become one of second or even third rate stature. While the President's plan envisages humans traveling away from Earth and perhaps toward Mars at some time in the future, the lack of developed rockets and spacecraft will assure that ability will not be available for many years.” 

“Without the skill and experience that actual spacecraft operation provides, the USA is far too likely to be on a long downhill slide to mediocrity. America must decide if it wishes to remain a leader in space. If it does, we should institute a program which will give us the very best chance of achieving that goal.”

Obama’s third paid liar since he took office answered Karl by saying, “It’s merely a scheduling matter, there was a number of things on the president’s schedule.  You know we had a trip to the Dutch Embassy, the president making remarks at EEOB… and the president needs to get on a plane at 1 o’clock this afternoon. The president has a very busy schedule and we weren’t able to accommodate TV cameras this time."

His Smugness And Arrogance Begs To Be Mocked

Writing at Breitbart, Mike Flynn noted that following the passing of American hero Neil Armstrong, “Obama took to his Tumblr page to offer a tribute to Neil Armstrong. The words—two sentences—are fine in a generic politician way. But, Obama being Obama, he injected himself into the tribute. He included a photo, not of Armstrong or the iconic step onto the lunar surface, but of himself, gazing up at the moon.”

Opining that “his smugness and arrogance are beyond the ability of science of measure,” Flynn continues, “Obama's greatest achievement, though, is creating his own personal narrative. He is his own personal touchstone. Even when honoring a great American hero, Obama can't help but thrust himself into the event.”

The picture on the aforementioned Tumblr page can be seen here.

The Armstrong family had a simple request for those wishing to honor him:  “Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."

At first blush, you’d think the photo provided by the Palace Guards was a nice tribute of him winking at the moon, but alas, it is photo No. P042412PS-1469 with the accompanying caption:  President Obama stops to view the moon and Venus before boarding Marine One in Boulder, Colo., April 24, 2012.

Thanks to super sleuth, Sooper Mexican, we now know that the photo was taken four months before Armstrong’s passing.

Armstrong said of his lunar landing, “It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn’t feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.”

Not so for the Preezy of the United Steezy.  Obama must go!

Houston, Tranquility Base Here, Neil Armstrong Stopped By On His Way To Heaven

At 3:33PM news wires started reporting that Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon had died.  Armstrong underwent cardiac bypass surgery just two days after his birthday on August 5th to relieve blocked coronary arteries.  He died today from complications of that bypass surgery.

When former astronaut Buzz Aldrin heard that Armstrong “was doing great” following the surgery, he tweeted that he planned on joining Armstrong for the 50^th anniversary of the famous Apollo 11 mission in 2019.

Armstrong said he did not want to be an icon, remembered only for that one-week trip he made in 1969. In 1994, Armstrong appeared at the White House to mark major anniversaries of Apollo 11, and urged America to go on exploring saying, "There are great ideas undiscovered, breakthroughs available to those who can remove one of truth's protective layers. There are places to go beyond belief."

Here is the full statement from the Neil Armstrong family:

We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.

Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job. He served his Nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. He also found success back home in his native Ohio in business and academia, and became a community leader in Cincinnati. 

He remained an advocate of aviation and exploration throughout his life and never lost his boyhood wonder of these pursuits. 

As much as Neil cherished his privacy, he always appreciated the expressions of good will from people around the world and from all walks of life. 

While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves. 

For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."

I will not only wink, I will smile broadly as I remember with great fondness the pride that swelled in my heart when you accomplished the dream of man to slip the surly bonds of Earth.  You planted the American flag on the surface of the moon.  It is still there.  Thank you, Mr. Armstrong.  May you rest in eternal peace.