Moon landing anniversary

[hnpcc]

For a long time growing up, I wanted to be an astronaut. This was of course inspired by reading science fiction, in which people swanned around in space all the time. It sounded cool.

I only really completely gave up the dream some time in about year 10 when I realised that (a) I was too short to qualify; (b) my maths/physics was probably not strong enough and mostly importantly (c) Australia did not have a space program of any description.

(Even then, though, I still kind of hoped. Even after Challenger.)

Which is why it amused me somewhat to see that they're trying to encourage students to stay interested in science at school by referring to the space program and developing programs to trigger kid's interest that way. Meanwhile we still don't have any sort of space program, Andy Thomas notwithstanding. You want to be an astronaut? Well first off you'll need to migrate...

As to the moon landings - well 40 years ago it looked a lot like we would be living there by now. Given that the most recent landing was in 1972 though... not so much. Ditto Mars, even with the landers (which are way fun to control btw. Yes, I've played with the stuff at Scienceworks).

Do you think maybe we could encourage kid's interest in science on their own damn planet maybe? Given that that's where they're likely to be for the foreseeable future? *sigh* Australia has some sort of stake in that one at least.

Comments

[undergroundsea.livejournal.com]

I wonder if becoming an astronaut is harder than becoming a member of the royal family :)

[sardonic-otter.livejournal.com]

I always wanted to be an archaeologist. Funny, you have to migrate for that one too!

[hnpcc]

When in Oregon the friend we were staying with asked if we have private archaeologists (which she worked as) in Australia. I nearly died laughing.

[hnpcc]

I think so, yes. It's quite easy to marry into royalty - look at that woman in Footscray who's married to the Crown Prince of somewhere small that hasn't actually had a monarchy for at least 60 years, but is first in line for the throne if they ever decide they want one again. In the interim he's running a car dealership, which is also not a bad deal.

[sardonic-otter.livejournal.com]

Is she a private archaeologist, an archaeologist for money?

[hnpcc]

And now I have 'private dancer' in the brain. Thanks.

She was contracted by the state government and companies to examine sites before development or during development if anything was found. So a private archaeologist in the capitalist sense. I think here that's covered by universities, if ever.

[sardonic-otter.livejournal.com]

Actually there are consultancy firms here that tender for government and mining company etc jobs. The people I know who do the work are not all that excited about it. One guy I know had to spend a week walking under powerlines looking for anything of interest. He didn't find anything.

[hnpcc]

Oh OK, I'll have to tell her that. I'd no idea.

And I take it that walking under powerlines doesn't interest you in any way? ;-)

[sardonic-otter.livejournal.com]

Powerlines? You know what they say: I would rather slam my #$%^ in a car door. (That is, if I had a #$%^)

[undergroundsea.livejournal.com]

lol... Sounds like a terrific deal. I mean getting to sign your letters with some fancy title would be good enough :)