Monday, May 20, 2013

Canadian Space Oddity

There has been a major event I watched on TV this week The Canadian Commander of the International Space station, Chris Hadfield invaded space and added a dimension that brought space travel home to earth as he circled the earth in a "tin can". He brought substance to that old David Bowie tune and made even 65 year olds like me want to be astronauts.

I know Americans were watching the aftermath from the insanity of the  latest Muslim horror at the Boston marathon and hockey fans were watching the NHL anointing of the Pittsburgh Penguins as either the Boston Bruins or LA kings try to trump the NHL plan. Don't take my word for it. Incredible stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo
Ground control to Major Tom...

This song will usher in the space age and done by a Canadian Chris Hadfield. Who was David Bowie?
                                                   
                                                             I. S. S.
And then there is the song by Chris Hadfield and Ed Robertson of the Barenaked ladies "Is Somebody Singing"( with the lyrics on the screen.) The lyrics are the neatest summary of the political dramas currently unfolding around the world that herald the introduction of the  space age. The words make me cry every time I hear them. "If you could see our nation from the Internation-al Space Station you'd know why I want to get back soon" "You can't make out borders (or religions for that matter) from up here. Just a spinning ball within a tiny (and I repeat the word tiny) atmosphere." The lyrics are to be read and heard and understood. "Look out my window, there goes home. That ball of shiny blue houses everybody anybody ever knew" This is not King Arthurs birds eye view of Camelot. It is Canadian Chris Hadfield's astronauts view of Earth

And how about the Barenaked ladies adding the first outer space rock and roll....
 So sing your song Im listening
out where stars are glistening
I can hear your voices bouncing off the moon
If you could see out nation
From the Internation-al space station
You'd know why I want to get back soon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ueh-qFGHELA

Pushed back in my seat.
Look out my window , there goes home
That ball of shiny blue houses everybody anybody ever knew

 Floating from my seat
Look out my window
That brilliant ball of blue
Id where I'm from, and also where I'm going to

Pushed back in my seat
Look out my window
Here comes home
What once was fueled by fear
Now has 15 Nations orbiting together here.

 .... you can see our mission.


Chris Hadfield has given me a purpose.