I second this, because once we were to a conference with PRC and there
was a speaker who said "a lot of these assistive technology and medical
products are available, thanks to NASA".  I know some may think space
and disabilities don't have very much in common, but yes they do because
we use the ideas from NASA in the development of assistive technology
products.  Yes, we did lose 7 lives yesterday and I'm sad, but to stop
NASA would be like another unfortunate death.

Thanks,
Anthony
Visit me at www.ara1.net

-----Original Message-----
From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Elizabeth H. Thiers
Sent: Sunday, February 02, 2003 6:44 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: A Sad Day a personal experience

We are directly impacted by this very sad occurance.  While we didn't
know
any of the astronauts personally, my husband is the last of a dieing
breed a
real live NASA employee working on the orbiter.  Well, techinically, he
works in VAB with the booster stacking operation.
When people tell me we should be spending more money on the poor and
questioning the need for the space program, I have to think about our
little
community here by the sea.  While Brevard has worked hard in
diversiving(sp?) its economy, here in Florida diversifying means service
economy.  The space program was more than that, it's a way of life here.
People are proud to work for the program, it provides good wages in a
state
with an average household income in $30,000.  It supports educational
programs, creates new products, and is the source of endless dreams.
The
space program was not perfect and needed an overhaul, what it especially
needed was a mandate without politicians constantly changing their minds
and
causing cost overflows.
My husband was working overtime yesterday when it happened.  There is a
work
stoppage right now, we know it will be several months before we will
know
exactly what that will happen.
We ask for people to pray for the families of the astronauts, the
astronauts
on the space station and the lives of the men and women who work on the
space program.
And on a practical note, to please call, write or email your congress
people
to let them know what you think of the program.


Beth T. the OT


Subject: A Sad Day


We woke up this morning and a friend emailed me about the space shuttle
exploding over Texas. I thought he was joking and turned on my TV. Sadly
my
frriend was not joking. I have been watching a statewide cable news
channel
and they report that debris has been reported over east and southeast
Texas
from Tyler down through just north of Houston which covers 12 counties
in
Texas and areas of Louisiana. Unbelievably, even though the massive
warnings
about the toxicity of the debris, there have been reports of people
walking
off with "souvenirs". This is so sad and Joyce and I remember another
sad
day
here in Austin in November 22, 1963.

Bobby