TIL that some languages apparently have words inherently differentiating one's status as a citizen or resident of the entity versus a member of a particular ethnic or cultural group? I don't quite grasp the whole thing, although I heard the point being made. What's interesting to me is a) that there is such a thing, which seems very revealing of something about a culture that would need such concepts built into the language, and b) that there seem to be people who think it's inaccurate to interpret the word choice as meaningful. Firstly, since languages have all sorts of concepts built into them, many very specific to their primary culture of use, it seems reasonable that such a thing could exist. Not that I would have thought of it before, since I'm not from a culture where that sort of subtlety functions. Secondly, if that is, indeed, the subtlety of the word choices, where one essentially and inherently includes people, and the other excludes, then I'd kind o...
John and I happened to be in the area at the right time and saw the Endeavor's first launch.
ReplyDeleteI concur with Alistair's recommendation. Go to the KSCVC. Yes, it's somewhat of a curated experience, but I don't lump it into the same league as a theme park. They have a Saturn V and the Space Shuttle Atlantis on display. It's about an hour's drive from Orlando.
ReplyDeleteNew Smyrna Beach is nice and only about an hour away.
ReplyDeleteI shall inquire of my peeps in that area.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.leugardens.org/
ReplyDeleteAnd more gardens. http://boktowergardens.org/
I, too, have had the opportunity to see a night time space shuttle launch (freaking amazing). I didn't think there was much going on at Kennedy, though, since they shut down the space shuttle program? Beyond that, though, I am dealing with a potentially week long excursion with a disparate group of participants, possibly including one who can neither walk nor stand very long. Kennedy would take care of only one day (assuming I"m not the only one who'd want to go) :)
ReplyDeleteA ticket to the KSCVC is for two days (at least as of a year ago when I was there), and also includes admittance to the Astronaut Hall of Fame. You can fairly easily take up those two days.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fairly common misconception that KSC is dormant since the human spaceflight component is on hiatus. There are still plenty of Falcon, Delta, and other rocket launches out of there. Next launch is this Sunday in fact!