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On the Threshold of Space

p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 25,750 ✭
edited May 2013 in General Discussion
I always have the neatest stuff happen to me! I have a 16mm movie projector that I put on the Mobile {elsewhere} to sell. Yesterday a gal called me frantic to buy it and I told her it needed a take up reel so she is searching for one. She called today and wanted me to call her father (who really wants the projector). It turns out he worked for Boeing in the sixties and has a bunch of movies, both official and personal of Project Gemini and Project Apollo.

He told me he hasn't seen them in over three decades and has been looking for a projector locally for months.

For those not yet born then, it's hard to imagine what a big deal the race to the moon and outer space really was. Transistors had only been out less than ten years and most TV's in America still having tubes. TV was whatever your roof antenna could bring in since cable was still in it's infancy.

I told him he'll be watching his movies tomorrow night.
The Synchronicity we all share in life is truly amazing to me. Every day.
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    WarbirdsWarbirds Member Posts: 16,846 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Probably an old Rocket City engineer. Cool!
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    jev1969jev1969 Member Posts: 2,691
    edited November -1
    Give him the projector for free. Just ask for a copy of the movies when they switch them to digital. Probably some great footage there.
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    Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,372 ******
    edited November -1
    NASA was a waste and misappropriation of federal funds.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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    HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998 ✭
    edited November -1
    Most Certainly was Not a Waste. Only Governments at that time could swing the Money needed to progress in our exploration. Gave a lot of Folks a Lot of Great Jobs, and Galvanized Nations to great Efforts, Greatness, and to do things that led us here.

    Without NASA, we would have and be So Much Less.
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    p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 25,750 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jev1969
    Give him the projector for free. Just ask for a copy of the movies when they switch them to digital. Probably some great footage there.


    That came up during the conversation. He's not going to digitalize them. He's going to sell them and he said they'd be worth more if he doesn't copy them.
    I'm hoping he'll invite me to watch them but if not, I'm gonna ask to![:p]
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    iceracerxiceracerx Member Posts: 8,860 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    NASA was a waste and misappropriation of federal funds.



    Troll much?
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    Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,372 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by iceracerx
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    NASA was a waste and misappropriation of federal funds.



    Troll much?
    Call it trolling if you want, but I call it like I see it.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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    bigoutsidebigoutside Member Posts: 19,443 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    quote:Originally posted by iceracerx
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    NASA was a waste and misappropriation of federal funds.



    Troll much?
    Call it trolling if you want, but I call it like I see it.


    I don't think you are trolling.
    I think you honestly, in all sincerity, have no idea why we went to the moon. Why it was not a "good idea"; but why it was a political and military imperative.
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    ChrisInTempeChrisInTempe Member Posts: 15,562 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    NASA was a waste and misappropriation of federal funds.


    Is hating America all you have going for you?

    To the original post - That's a great story! You know there are likely historical archives who would be excited and pleased to borrow the gentleman's old movie reels and preserve them in digital form. Such as CD's and DVD's, so they can be shared with others.

    I am constantly amazed and in awe of the accomplishments of American pioneers. Hope his films are in good condition, hope he gets them onto more lasting media too.
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    p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 25,750 ✭
    edited November -1
    On Wednesday, the mans' daughter came over to pick up the projector. We watched about 4 minutes of a short reel and after she was satisfied, we loaded it up and she went home.

    Today, the father called me to let me know it works perfectly (the movie she brought did not have sound, so I told her to let me know how that worked out), AND I HAVE AN INVITE TO WATCH ALL THE MOVIES whenever they get a take up reel!

    I asked if there was footage of the Gemini spacewalks and he told me he did have footage of them. The Apollo program is pretty well documented, but I seldom see much Gemini stuff.

    This MADE MY DAY! [:D][:D][:D]
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    HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998 ✭
    edited November -1
    Lucky Dude!!! I am Major Jealous!

    I have a Footlocker full of Press Releases from NASA in the 60s and 70s - my "Father" worked at Navy Research Labs during that period, and Collected all the Photos and Charts and Printed Borchures that had made the rounds of the Labs after everyone had checked their box....

    Might be worth something someday...
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    M1A762M1A762 Member Posts: 3,426 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    NASA was a waste and misappropriation of federal funds.



    Perfect troll hates the NRA also. Nothing good to say, just stir the pot.
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    JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    NASA was a waste and misappropriation of federal funds.


    haha

    He says this on the high speed internet that has evolved from space travel. Thanks to NASA we have fiber optic.
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    Removed at users request.Removed at users request. Member Posts: 3,027 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    quote:Originally posted by iceracerx
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    NASA was a waste and misappropriation of federal funds.



    Troll much?
    Call it trolling if you want, but I call it like I see it.


    Step too far away from the popular opinion of the herd?[;)]

    Ooo, and you don't carry water for the NRA either? You must not be a "Merican.
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    pirate2501pirate2501 Member Posts: 1,851 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We went to the moon because JFK wanted to stick it to the Russians big time. After he was assasinated there was no turning back. I lived on Long Island in NY where Grumman Corp. made the LEMs that landed on the moon. They employed thousands and pumped billions into our local economy over the years. After the project ended they made radardomes that sit atop Air Force planes, fighter jets,
    US Mail trucks and aluminum canoes. Then got bought out by Northrup and moved to Fla. Most all of the plant workers lost their jobs. Nasa programs helped spur the economy and made America proud of it's accomplishments.
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    allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,264 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was a kid during the Space Race. It was very exciting.

    When Alan Shepard made his historic first flight into space I was in the 5th grade in Atlanta. They brought tvs into each classroom so we could watch the launch live. That was really wild, we had never watched tv in class before.

    All the kids were caught up in the excitement of the Space Race.
    We likewise stopped school to watch the other Mercury flights live, John Glenn etc. It was great tv, we were proud of our brave astronauts, and, we knew that we might watch a pilot die.
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    footlongfootlong Member Posts: 8,009
    edited November -1
    Pirate--My uncle worked at Grumman during WWll on the lsland. After the war his son got a job there go worked for them on the moon buggy project. My cousin went on to complete his education and become a professor of nucleonics because he was inspired so by Grumman and the space race.. He has lots of space memorobelia too. He went on to work on the atomic generators used on some of our deep space probes.. 0ne of our greatest benefits that NASA research spawned was the batteries we see today in almost every phase of our daily lives. l truly believe that for every dollar spent on NASA we have gotten back a hundred.

    Hell ,without NASA b0z0 would have never have been re-elected..lt was NASA research that gave birth to the cell phone. 0boz0 would have never gotten a second term without FREE cell phones [:(!]
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    allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,264 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The space program was some of the best money the government has ever spent.

    What do you want to spend it on, Obama's million dollar vacations, or war in Iraq, or welfare?
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    pirate2501pirate2501 Member Posts: 1,851 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My Dad's friend worked there on the fighter jets in the 70's. He would give us a heads up when they were gonna test fly them. We would drive out to Calverton near Riverhead (then the boonies) to Grumman's test field. Stand by the chain link fence with the NO PHOTOS signs and here them comin' HOLY COW 50' above the ground. Talk about THUNDER - WHEW!![:p]
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    leadlead Member Posts: 2,311 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I remember those times too. I was a kid when that was going on. Everyone would stop whatever they were doing to watch a space launch. There was a sense of pride, patriotism, hope, and enthusiasm.
    What do we have like that now? We have nothing to cheer for. The 24 hour news shows just dump the latest scandals, doom and gloom, conflict and controversy at us, all advertised frequently so we'll watch their show instead of one of the many other 24 hour channels.
    Our elected officials can't be bothered with anything that takes up their precious time to constantly campaign for re-election and fund raising. Their only grand vision is living the good life off of our tax dollars, then retire on that same money.
    Sorry, got off on a rant.
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    bullshotbullshot Member Posts: 14,363 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My dad worked in the space program as a communications tech for RCA at the Cape, everyone knew when there was something "secret" going on cause it was the only time that they had to work at night ..... plus it's pretty hard to hide a missile launch in the dark. My dad brought me a patch from every mission, which I still have. That was an exciting time to grow up. Shuttle launches could be seen from almost 200 miles away on a clear day.
    "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you"
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    p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 25,750 ✭
    edited November -1
    It was a great time for a kid growing up. I wrote NASA trying to get models and got the standard form letters back saying to get them at the drugstore or TG&Y.

    I did and also could buy glue and lead based model paint at fifteen cents a bottle without an adult present!

    Revell made a great model that had the Apollo Command and Service Module above the Lunar Excursion Module on the moons surface.

    July 20 1969 will forever be etched in my mind as I watched Neil Armstrong bunnyhop while I played with my model.[:I]
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    llamallama Member Posts: 2,637 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My grandma had a similar situation with home movies from the 30s of my mom and uncle growing up.

    She also had footage of the opening and closing ceremonies of the '32 Olympics, and when the Olympics returned to LA in 1984 Coke found out she had the footage, and they wanted it to possibly use in commercials. She made a deal - they converted *all* of her movies to VHS in exchange for the rights to use her Olympic footage.
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