February 3, 2003

• Summertime Holiday

  
  
  We don't have enough holidays in the summer. Except for Independence Day, most of our holidays take place while schools are in session. While some might criticize the idea of a holiday in the middle of what many consider vacation time, please consider this one.
  
  In 1984, then President Ronald Reagan declared July 20 Space Exploration Day to honor the anniversary of Neal Armstrong's landing on the moon on that date. President Reagan said:
  
  Space exploration is a quest for knowledge -- knowledge about what lies outside the confines of the Earth's atmosphere and knowledge about the Earth itself. The information obtained adds greatly to the accumulated wisdom of mankind necessary for an understanding of the fundamental processes and origins of life, providing insight into perplexing mysteries of the universe. Because space has no boundaries, the information and benefits from space exploration accrue to mankind's advantage in many different spheres.
  
  I'm marking that day on my calendar as a day to celebrate the gains from and sacrifices to space exploration.

  • 22:29
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