Memories of Childhood

Don't know what made me think of it but just played the Muhammad Ali song 'Black Superman' on youtube Did that come out around the time of the Thrilla in Manila or something? And I think we are not that far away from the anniversary of Ali's passing.

I remember coming home from work one day to find out about the Challenger explosion, which one was it Reagan spoke about that was lost upon re - entry? I know that after the Challenger explosion shuttle flights were cancelled for quite a while - a good couple of months I think. The other space related thing I remember was the return of Skylab to earth, there were so many scare stories the impact of this thing returning in the papers but I'm pretty sure none of it ever hit British shores. I do remember the 'handshake in space' thing when Russian and American astronauts met for the first time.

The Challenger space Shuttle exploded just 90 seconds into its launch , not on re entry. The whole shuttle fleet was then grounded for more than 2 years while the cause was investigated.

(12-03-2019 07:46 )Tractor boy Wrote:  The Challenger space Shuttle exploded just 90 seconds into its launch , not on re entry. The whole shuttle fleet was then grounded for more than 2 years while the cause was investigated.

I know but was was the name of the one called that was lost on re-entry?

(12-03-2019 07:58 )babelover48 Wrote:  

(12-03-2019 07:46 )Tractor boy Wrote:  The Challenger space Shuttle exploded just 90 seconds into its launch , not on re entry. The whole shuttle fleet was then grounded for more than 2 years while the cause was investigated.

I know but was was the name of the one called that was lost on re-entry?

Columbia

(11-03-2019 23:24 )Carl-Gen X Wrote:  

(11-03-2019 22:57 )GreenMachine Wrote:  I remember seeing the very first Space Shuttle blast off at school-we were allowed to watch it on a television that had been wheeled into the Crush Hall(which doubled as our lunch area) so we could watch it live. It was great to see this thing that had been a dream once suddenly become real(They did have models of Shuttles in the James Bond film Moonraker in 1979) and take off into space.

Oh God Moonraker...

Much of that was a really good film...til it got silly at the end...’I think he’s attempting re-entry Sir’ fnarr fnarr...

Yes and "oh James, take me round the world again " it had a few in-jokes like the Magnificent Seven theme and Close Encounters tune when Bond presses the buttons on the laboratory door. "Balls Q?" "Bollas 007!" it was totally far-fetched but a great romp especially with Jaws who finally speaks and gets a girlfriend "well, here's to us!" The Space Shuttle sequences were really good, down to Derek Meddings who worked on many Gerry Anderson series like 'Thunderbirds' and he also did the helicopter sequence in 'For Your Eyes Only' and his last Bond film 'Goldeneye'.

(12-03-2019 12:31 )GreenMachine Wrote:  

(11-03-2019 23:24 )Carl-Gen X Wrote:  

(11-03-2019 22:57 )GreenMachine Wrote:  I remember seeing the very first Space Shuttle blast off at school-we were allowed to watch it on a television that had been wheeled into the Crush Hall(which doubled as our lunch area) so we could watch it live. It was great to see this thing that had been a dream once suddenly become real(They did have models of Shuttles in the James Bond film Moonraker in 1979) and take off into space.

Oh God Moonraker...

Much of that was a really good film...til it got silly at the end...’I think he’s attempting re-entry Sir’ fnarr fnarr...

Yes and "oh James, take me round the world again " it had a few in-jokes like the Magnificent Seven theme and Close Encounters tune when Bond presses the buttons on the laboratory door. "Balls Q?" "Bollas 007!" it was totally far-fetched but a great romp especially with Jaws who finally speaks and gets a girlfriend "well, here's to us!" The Space Shuttle sequences were really good, down to Derek Meddings who worked on many Gerry Anderson series like 'Thunderbirds' and he also did the helicopter sequence in 'For Your Eyes Only' and his last Bond film 'Goldeneye'.

That was the film which put me off Bond for life. Haven't seen one since.

IT did stretch credibility a fair bit but as a film it was pretty good and in 1979 as a 13 yr old Bond fan I was fascinated by it and of course rather taken with Lois Chiles(Holly Goodhead, which went over my head at the time); not and out-and-out beauty but very sexy. The shuttle launches were very well done and loads of gorgeous girls in cameos until towards the end when you find out why they have been chosen by Drax.

I suppose when you talk about childhood you think back to how much freedom we had back then. Remember playing outside in the road or going off to the park on your own or more likely with friends-for safety, but in those days it was the safety of not having any accidents rather than fear of being abducted. We had 'Stranger Danger' which I think I mentioned on this thread before and we all knew never to talk to, nor accept sweets etc from people we didn't know. I can remember one day in the Summer a whole group of us varying in ages decided we wanted to explore a gypsy encampment nearby and so we mounted an expedition, making sandwiches and bottles of fizzy stuff in a rucksack and led by an older kid, we set off through woods. It was really exciting and it got even more adrenalin-fuelled when we were spotted and chased-never had a group of kids legged it so fast. Also nearby was an army camp which we tried to spy on, but then we thought we might get into bigger trouble and decided against it. The main thing was it was FUN, something that today's kids just don't seem to have and have to be supervised constantly.

I've seen countless lists of things we did as kids compared to what today's kids do and to be honest I think we were better - no machines or other distractions, books like maps and a compass(how many kids today could use a compass?) and just the survival techniques of being a kid, but learning from your mistakes and problem-solving which helped in later life. In all honesty I think it is fair to say WE LIVED!

I remember the Solvite ads

Yes so do I, that chap in glasses being stuck to a board and then lifted into the air by a helicopter.