It Is "Interesting Quote Wednesday"

I recently voiced a number of ideas I've had to generate traffic. Most of them were stupid, ridiculous things that I made up to try to be funny. Also, it might be the first blog entry in history to mention both U2 and Cutting Crew. But I hinted at Interesting Quote Wednesday, which I've decided to try. For normal people, espcially those on the East coast of the United States, it will be Intersting Quote Thursday, because I stay up kind of late when I write.

Here is today's quote:

"Fantastic!"
- Michael Collins

This might bear a little bit of explanation. On July 20th, 1969, we landed men on the moon. As far as I know we did this just because it was there. Some amazing advancements we take for granted came out of the space program, and I was always told that Velcro was one of them, although I see no mention of it in my almost 30 seconds of research. Right this minute, I'm not sure the American spirit is one to go somewhere just to prove it can be done. I think we will again, but right now I'm not sure.

Anyway - we did it. At about 3:18 p.m. Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin landed the lunar module on the surface of the moon, and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin spoke the first words said on the moon: "Contact light." After which he began to contemplate who gave him the nickname "Buzz", and that it might not have been a compliment.

The next sets of words spoken from the moon were spoken by Neil Armstrong who said:

Shutdown.

and then:

Houston, Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed

Which is pretty poignant considering he was busy contemplating why he was never given a nickname. Then Charlie Duke of mission control said:

Roger, Tranquility. We copy you on the ground. You've got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot.

And then Michael Collins, left orbiting the moon in the command module said "Fantastic!". He actually said he never felt lonely, that he knew his part of the mission was as important as the other two parts. But you'd have to agree that Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin and Neil "I don't have a nickname" Armstrong are pretty much household names - in the United States anyway. But Michael Collins doesn't come up that often, so he is honored with this week's "Interesting Quote Wednesday". Tune in again next week for "Interesting Quote Wednesday", which of course will really be on Thursday for most of you.

Thanks to skygod.com for a page full of great space program quotes.