Slashdot Mirror
Computer Analysis Sets NASA History Straight
Ellis D. Tripp writes, "A computer analysis has upheld Neil Armstrong's version of the first words spoken on the lunar surface. The word 'a' was dropped due to a communications glitch, and Armstrong has been accused of flubbing his words since the historic 1969 landing. The corrected statement was 'That's one small step for *A* man, One giant leap for mankind.'"
Well, I am glad that's finally sorted - I've been losing sleep over the issue for years.
AT&ROFLMAO
When stories keep changing, it is a sign of a cover up. Yet more proof that the moon landings were a hoax. .. .. ...
.
.
.
.
(now to take bets on whether this gets modded funny or troll)
See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
I doubt this will ever become realised in the mainsteam concious, it's been ingrained on the entire world and I don't think there is anyone (english speaking) who wouldn't be able to quote it. I don't think it's ever really been an issue of dropping the 'a', the line gains memorability for that. At the end of the day I think this research will end up as a nice section of trivia somewhere, but we will all remember the quote that came through on that day, and surely the communications glitch was a part of history too, so it should be remembered that way IMHO.
Business Voyeur
This just in: computer analysis has revealed that Han Solo did, in fact, shoot first!
Good, inexpensive web hosting
But wasn't it all recorded on a NASA Sound Stage? I mean seriously how are we to believe that such prestine equipment setup for the moon landing would drop the 'a'. //HEHEHE Sorry..
Are you sure that it's "*A* Computer Analyst..." and not just "Computer Analyst..."?
Silly rabbit
He really meant to plant a goatse.cx flag. :-)
Niel Armstrong did have alot of critics who complained that he changed his story, or was trying to change what he had apparently said in order to make it sound better/different. This computer analysis should quiet his critics, but the unfortunate truth is most of the public will probably never hear about this analysis and life will go on...
There was an interview several years back where Mr. Armstrong said that he said the word *A* during his famous radio transmission from the moon. Someone could try Voice Stress Analysis on that interview to determine if he is lying or telling the truth, to verify the results of this analysis. =)
Yahma
BLASTProxy - A public, anomymous Apache based proxy service.
The last foot in the first half sounds better without the `a.' I tried posting the scansion, but the lameness filter found that too dorky. =)
Actually he said:
"Ah shit! I pissed my pants!"
because he was so nervous. Remember, he is an engineer, not a spokesman. But it was covered up.
Table-ized A.I.
The time is ripe for Slashdot editors to try and convince us that duplicate stories were the result of communications echoes.
Sometimes at night I imagine the darkness is filled with horrible things with too many teeth, like Julia Roberts.
First NASA loses Apollo TV master tapes, and now it loses pronouns. At this rate it will lose a planet within a decade such that we'll have only 8.
Table-ized A.I.
...I read it somewhere a long time ago and been telling folks this for years - whenever the subject came up.
/., I can triumphantly wave the printout in peoples' faces and scream, "See! This proves it! Its right here in.....uh...uh..."
Now that its been officially reported in
Hmm. Never mind.
Cloned foods give the statement "We had that last week!" a whole new meaning.
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a951117.html
While searching for this in the web site's archives I also found an entry from 1990 discussing the "small step for a man" argument:http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_362.html
My parents tell me that I actually saw the moon landing, but since I was a baby at the time I really can't comment on what I heard him say.Quantum mechanics: the dreams that stuff is made of.
Weren't the first words spoken on the lunar surface:
"Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."
I always prefer it anyway - it doesn't sound like some crap written by a PR wanker.
On Apollo 12:
"Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that's a long one for me." -- Pete Conrad
On Apollo 14:
"It's been a long way, but we're here." - Alan Shepard
Hmmmm - not *quite* so memorable.
www.sjbaker.org
All I can say is thank goodness the first person on the moon wasn't put there by a commercial entity. I'm sure the first words would have been something like, "That's one small step for a man, but a Taco Bell Gordito(tm) is much bigger!"
Either that, or some other government making a political sound bite that promotes a specific ideology or theology instead of something referencing the accomplishments of mankind in general, would have been equally disturbing.
I'm really proud that the folks at NASA took time to plan what would be said, realizing that it would be a historic moment.
Table-ized A.I.
A quick sidetrip - Listen to the reverse audio of his words -
Man will spacewalk
_ _ _ Go for the eyes Boo! GO FOR THE EYES!
I read this story and wondered a bit about the guy who was involved. Saying he's "a computer analyst" is like saying Bush is just a little slow.
His work is pretty cool http://www.shann-ford.com/001%20programming.htm
Oh and he's also a jounalist.
Error: Sig not found.
Yup, the Moon spoke first! No, wait...
"From the Earth to the Moon", command module pilot Mike Collins suggested that if Neil "...had any guts, you would say "What the hell is that?!", then scream and cut your mike." :)
Remember "News for Nerds, Stuff that Matters"? Help make it a reality again! http://soylentnews.org
One giant step for 'the' man, one giant leap for mankind.
God spoke to me.
You're right. "One small step for man" will be remembered, just like "Beam me up, Scotty", and "Play it again, Sam".
However, I just listened to it, and here's my take:
Armstrong has the "One small step" speach properly memorized and ready to go. He knows he has to do it right, because it will be broadcast live to the entire planet. He describes the lunar surface, then steps off the landing pad, and says, "That's one small step for man... One..." Damn! I goofed. "giant leap for mankind".
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
Yeah.. that's the only to get moderated +5 troll... One moderation for troll followed by 4 'underrated' moderations.
Free Software: Like love, it grows best when given away.
Nope, it's a noisy channel, and good ol' midwest boy that Neil is, he slurs it a litte:
"That's one small step f'r a man" etc. And then Walter Cronkite tells everybody he said "for man", and everyone believes it.
If the channel is slightly noisy, you can "hear" whatever you think you're going to hear in it. Consider how often people misperceive song lyrics into something totally different. Once Cronkite told them that - and it hit the headlines that way - that's what people think they hear. Try hearing it as "step f'ra man".
-- Alastair
Armstrong desended the ladder and was about to step on the surface when it was Aldrin that spoke first...
"Wait, Neil! That's no moon..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
(I know it's not kosher to reply to yourself but I accidentally set this set up with the "No, wait...")
Can someone else tell me where exactly the 'a' went? Glitches in analog equipment don't just drop 'a's without an obvious gap.
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
In 1972, Armstrong cleared up his first words were actually:
Holy Shit! I'm on the fscking moon!
People laugh at that now, but maybe in a few centuries people will wonder why this mentality persisted for so long.
Which mentality is that? The presumably sexist mentality or the mentality that takes a simple quote out of context?
It's a mistake to judge the past by the standards of today.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.