Author Topic: Dean Armstrong  (Read 20642 times)

Offline RAF

  • Mars
  • ***
  • Posts: 321
Dean Armstrong
« on: January 02, 2013, 01:20:09 PM »
Dean Armstrong, Neil's brother, is making the claim that the famous "one small step" line was rehearsed months in advance, and that Neil lied about it being "spontaneous".

I didnt even know that Neil had a brother until today...which is guess is the "point".

Offline Jason Thompson

  • Uranus
  • ****
  • Posts: 1601
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2013, 02:06:07 PM »
One wonders just how much rehearsal would be needed for one single line....
"There's this idea that everyone's opinion is equally valid. My arse! Bloke who was a professor of dentistry for forty years does NOT have a debate with some eejit who removes his teeth with string and a door!"  - Dara O'Briain

Offline Inanimate Carbon Rod

  • Mars
  • ***
  • Posts: 271
    • evilscience
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2013, 02:06:37 PM »
Yeah, I read something similar here:

http://www.businessinsider.com/neil-armstrongs-one-small-step-line-2012-12

I personally don't believe Dean Armstrong's statement. Neil had no reason to lie about it. Also Deke Slayton, in his excellent biography, said that Neil made it up on the spot, and from what I've read about Deke there's no way he'd lie it that wasn't the case.

Also, the fact that Neil flubbed it indicates it probably was something he'd made up on the spurt of the moment.
Formerly Supermeerkat. Like you care.

Offline Echnaton

  • Saturn
  • ****
  • Posts: 1490
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2013, 02:43:03 PM »
The BBC documentary in which the quote claim appears is apparently available here to those in the U.K. or those of us with a VPN exit in the U.K. 
The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new. —Samuel Beckett

Offline Inanimate Carbon Rod

  • Mars
  • ***
  • Posts: 271
    • evilscience
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2013, 06:13:02 AM »
The BBC documentary in which the quote claim appears is apparently available here to those in the U.K. or those of us with a VPN exit in the U.K.

I stand corrected.
Formerly Supermeerkat. Like you care.

Offline Dinorupe

  • Mercury
  • *
  • Posts: 14
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2013, 05:38:37 AM »
You couldnt top those words,they should be spoken every time a human lands on a new celestial body,as a tribute to those before them and also because its profound yet short!

Offline Donnie B.

  • Earth
  • ***
  • Posts: 144
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2013, 04:30:07 PM »
Well, I'd probably change "man" to "a man"... ;)

or maybe "a person".

Offline Echnaton

  • Saturn
  • ****
  • Posts: 1490
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2013, 06:19:23 PM »
I wonder it Dean just conflated various memories from years ago into a what is now a made up memory.  Relating a real conversation with Neil before the flight to the actual event and possibly conversations afterwards.  Dramatically different recollections of events and conversations have happened often enough between me and my brother.    And we all know how memories of stories change to put ourselves into more prominent positions in each retelling.  It is just hard to give much credibility to a story that old without something to independently document the actual event. 
The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new. —Samuel Beckett

Offline Inanimate Carbon Rod

  • Mars
  • ***
  • Posts: 271
    • evilscience
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2013, 08:16:08 PM »
Well, I'd probably change "man" to "a man"... ;)

or maybe "a person".

What about human and humanity?
Formerly Supermeerkat. Like you care.

Offline Donnie B.

  • Earth
  • ***
  • Posts: 144
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2013, 09:14:59 PM »
Well, I'd probably change "man" to "a man"... ;)

or maybe "a person".

What about human and humanity?

Bloody speciesist!  :)

Offline ka9q

  • Neptune
  • ****
  • Posts: 3014
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #10 on: January 05, 2013, 03:59:53 AM »
Bloody speciesist!  :)
Well, what term would you use instead? Hominid? Primate? Mammal? Eukaryote? That still limits it to a small fraction of all the life forms on earth...

Offline Andromeda

  • Jupiter
  • ***
  • Posts: 746
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #11 on: January 05, 2013, 04:56:06 AM »
Bloody speciesist!  :)
Well, what term would you use instead? Hominid? Primate? Mammal? Eukaryote? That still limits it to a small fraction of all the life forms on earth...

"Terran life-form"?!  ;D
"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'" - Isaac Asimov.

Offline Dinorupe

  • Mercury
  • *
  • Posts: 14
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2013, 11:08:54 AM »
How about 'That one small step for beings descended from apes OR created in Gods image,one giant leap for afforementioned kind'   :P

Offline Echnaton

  • Saturn
  • ****
  • Posts: 1490
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2013, 11:16:40 AM »
This is getting way to complicated.  How about "I am just happy to be here!"
The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new. —Samuel Beckett

Offline Donnie B.

  • Earth
  • ***
  • Posts: 144
Re: Dean Armstrong
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2013, 03:01:59 PM »
Or, as one wag has it, "Hey!  I'm on the [freakin'] Moon!"