The French Open 2007 - Day 14

Greetings Readers

Well, I can not put either picture of today's winner of the Women's final at Roland Garros. Why? I have already use both of their pictures from this Grand Slam. As I knew - Justin Henin took the match with really no problem. There is really nothing else I can say. I would not say that Ana was over matched. I would go on the record this is her first Grand Slam Final. So, I am sure that the nerves played a "big" factor in the match. The serve toss from Ana is what signaled to met that Ana was on edge.

I do not take anything away from Justine. She played how she needed to play and more important she played the way she has been playing the entire Grand Slam. When I saw the match this morning "Live", it only took 3:48 seconds for the announcer to talk about Henin and divorce. Gosh darn - can they not get over it?!

Changing Gears, I want to say that the Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from the Space Center on Friday and she was a beautiful site to behold. I am displaying a picture from the Nasa site (not sure which org.)

I hope to one day see a shuttle lunch live in the future. (pictured today on my blog) But that I do not know.

The Space Shuttles are an amazing piece of work and engineering feat.

I remember seeing my first launch on TV (January 28, 1986 11:40 AM) and I remember seeing the shuttle (Space shuttle Challenger) explode on TV when I was in Junior High. The school brought in TVs into the cafeteria and I remember seeing the huge white cloud of smoke in the blue sky and then you see the two booster rockets flying from the cloud. Sorry readers I am getting a little teary eyed thinking about this event. 73 seconds after launch...

I just went to the website and looked at the information that I never knew to even look at with the internet so common place. Here is the link http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archives/sts-51L.html They give mission name, launch stats, etc. I guess all us readers who were around that time only new one name that was common among every student in school. Sharon Christa MaAuliffe. In the time after the accident we got to learn about all the crew members.

Then, February 1, 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia breaks up over the southern part of the United States. I really remember that day. I was transfixed by watching the live picture. Seeing the pictures on TV really hit home for me. I knew there was no way that the crew could survive that re-entry. The Columbia was America's first shuttle to be launched into space.

Readers, I do not mean this in any sort of demeaning way or disrespect the lives of the crew, but I only and still do care about the destruction of the Shuttle Columbia. Even to this day I do not know the names of the crew. Seeing the destruction of the shuttle over New Mexico and then I think the eventual demise in Texas was so surreal. One would say that it is just a machine, a craft. But she was so much more. I think that a person like me who like Science and Space really did cry for the lost of the Shuttle as oppose the crew, first most, then perhaps the crew.

I guess why I am sharing this thought is because I want us Americans not to give up on space travel, or more importantly, for the Space program to be put "on hold" or whatever they think until a more better, safer way is devised.

I would hate for the United States not to become like France when they discontinued the flight of the Concorde. The Concorde was another interest of mine when I was young. The sleek white shape of the aircraft, the movable front nose, the wings, the engines. And then to see the picture of the Concorde crashing to her demise - Wow. And not wow that was "awesome", but wow something surreal seeing something of beauty fall from the sky in a ball of flame. Supersonic flight. Will we readers hear that term used to another aircraft? I do not know. July 25, 2000 - almost seven years ago.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley

The Fallen Athlete