[OT] Columbia

I watched it on TV within moments of the 
happening. I know much time and analysis has 
passed since then (I had a lot of company this 
weekend), but what struck me the most was 
two things: How inane radio and television 
commentators and analysts can be (seeing the 
Dallas video and saying things like "what would 
the various rescue scenarios be?" when there 
aren't really any) and how seemingly artificial 
their veneer appears, moreso in the light of 
serious events. 

And of course, thinking of 7 brave men and 
women, who reminded me of a number of 
other brave men and women in space 
programs the world wide. Men and women who 
reached for the stars we all dream about, who 
were making happen the bold future which is 
the stuff of our games.  I feel great sorrow for 
their families, but I feel a great pride in them 
for the crew of STS-107 and other space 
missions who are or were living the dream and 
taking the great and knowing risks of visiting 
the harshest environment known to mankind 
and who carry with them not only the mundane 
(well, pretty neat) experiments and working 
satellites and such, but who also carry with 
them the dreams of an entire world. 

As someone said, Ad Astra, Per Aspera. And to 
which I must add a hearty thank you and a 
promise to remember and perservere in 
supporting their noble aims. Some journeys are 
made only in the physical world, and some few 
special ones are made also in the mind and 
heart (and this, I think, is one of those). 

R.I.P. STS-107. God Bless Your Families and 
Friends. 

Tomb
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Mr. Thomas Barclay
Software Developer & Systems Analyst
thomas.barclay@stargrunt.ca
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