As others have already noted, Arstrong has always had a quiet, retiring disposition. In addition, from personal experience I can say that he also seems to suffer pretty badly from 'stage fright'.

I had the privilege of meeting privately with him once, just after he had come off stage from a public lecture (and yes, as has also been mentioned, he does give public lectures on occasions: he is not a 'recluse') and he showed all the classic symptoms of pretty severe 'stage fright' . If he's affected like that every time he speaks, it's no wonder he keeps his public appearnces to a minimum. You would too if it was so stressful for you!

It seems to me that Armstrong's unrecgnised skill is that he doesn't allow his discomfort with public speaking to become obvious or affect his performance on stage.

Frankly, I used to be pretty down on Armstrong for not doing more public speaking in support of space, but after my experience on that particular occasion, I developed a great admiration for the fact that he has done what he has despite his shy personality and discomfort with public speaking.

BTW, there is a Lunar sample on display in the musuem I work for, and it definitely does not glow in the dark! It's an Apollo 16 sample (found in the vicinity of Plum Crater). It's a breccia and looks not unlike Jay's general description of highland material.


edited to amend dumb sentence

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The meek shall inherit the Earth: the rest of us are going into Space!

I would assume because the only ones available are in the hands of the US government & NASA. Meaning, any private citizen who owns one had to have stolen it.

"Old age" is not really a valid psychological term. We don't just go nuts as we age. :roll: Some people accuire general dementia or a certain type of it, such as Alzheimer's. Some go into "November depression", forgive me for flipping out the shrink vocab on ya. So when I was asking about Armstrong's mental condition, I was hoping that maybe some of you here have read something about it in a magazine, where they would use correct clinical terms.
And I'm on my way to become a psychologist, so it's my job to get into people's business. O_o Seriously, though, I was probing for a possible connection with the trip to the moon. I'm not paparazzi, just a psych student. (So don't act like you're Armstrong's lawyer. )

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~Anna~

It would be a little strange if it was an Apollo 15 sample from Apollo 16 you know.

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Howling from the Shadows

It must be fun to lead a life completely unburdened by reality. --- JayUtah

You can't reason an irrational person out of an irrational belief. --- Noclevername

Apollo: The History and the Hoax
Enter the World of Athran

Hey Endeavour,

I was reading in the SMH this morning that Story Musgrave will be at your museum on Sunday for the launch of his biography. (Angela Catterns was also discussing it today on 2BL)

Are you involved in that?

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"I'd take the awe of understanding over the awe of ignorance any day." - Douglas Adams

Yep. I'll be introducing his wonderful "Australia from Space" presentation at 12.30pm and also participating in the book launch at 3.00pm.

Both are open to visitors to the Powerhouse Museum (in Sydney, for those of you not familiar with it) and the events are free after entry to the museum. There is limited seating for the talk and it's unbooked, so be early if you want to get in!

Copies of Story's biography, "Story: the Way of Water" and his book
"Australia from Space" will be available-and you can get them autographed.

So if you're reading this, and you're in Sydney (Australia, not Canada ) on Sunday, come along and join us.

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The meek shall inherit the Earth: the rest of us are going into Space!

Hi all!

My first post now that I have joined. I thought it most appropriate to post on this topic as my first post as this was how I came by the Bad Astronomy site.

I remember watching the moon landings avidly at the time in my early teems (oh dear, that gives away how old I am!!!) and soaking up every second of tv coverage, every column inch, and every journal or book about the Apollo trips in particular, and space in general. I was also extremely lucky to have had access to a whole string of National Geographic magazines from the early 60's my grandparents kept, so I had read and re-read the articles about the Mercury and Geminii missions too.

A comment (a ground controller I believe) I have never forgotten from that era (and used in "For all Mankind") really summed up how I (and probably many other young boys) felt at the time, "I wanted to go with them so bad I could taste it!"

So I was more than a little surprised and confused to see a TV programme about 3 years ago about it being a hoax, although I could tell at least some of their "evidence" was incorrect. Then I thought no more of it

But recently I have, for what has become increasing entertainment, been looking at these Hoax sites and realising that even with my 30+ year old "O" and "A" level Physics knowledge, plus my basic understanding of space and space travel, coupled with my VERY amateurish attempts at photography (including a basic understanding about light reflection and refraction - probably something to do with sciences again) I had already in my own mind realised the "Hoax science" to be incorrect.

It was only at this point I then found one or two sites including this one where the one or two questions I still wasn't clear about were answered. I already knew part of the Van Allen belt answer from all those years ago (and I think they took an orbital swing slightly above the ecliptic on their way to the moon to avoid the thicker part of it... or am I not remembering that bit correctly?). I do remember discussion about it on TV at the time beofre they went, as well as while they were on their way.

Oh yes, one final one that made me chuckle, "but there's no dust seen flying when the LM takes off, but the flag flaps!" (film from the LM looking down as it takes off, Apollo 16??) I knew the answer to this one straight away..... answers on a post card..... (hint, the LM is in two parts...)

Sounds like you've reached the conclusion that Armstrong does in fact have some "mental condition", and now you're looking for evidence to prove that conclusion...yet, you, yourself stated...

Hmm, lets see...magazines, college students, and HB websites. Not precisely credible sources, at all.

Causes/details of what, exactly?? You've reached a conclusion, but you have no evidence your conclusion is correct...simple as that.

Welcome to the BABB, Skyfire!

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"I'd take the awe of understanding over the awe of ignorance any day." - Douglas Adams

Two days ago, there was a talk on the moon hoax sillyness in Fulda/Germany. As the lecturer (a former glider instructor) knew Armstrong, he had managed a live phone interview with him. The audience could ask him some questions. Among them, Neil was asked if he sometimes looks at moon hoax proponents websites. He answered "No.".
I'd say that's enough proof that he is mentally fit.

Harald

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"Flying in space is risky business, but just staying on this planet is risky business too." - John Young, astronaut

Are you implying that the rest of us aren't because we occasionally do? [-(

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Howling from the Shadows

It must be fun to lead a life completely unburdened by reality. --- JayUtah

You can't reason an irrational person out of an irrational belief. --- Noclevername

Apollo: The History and the Hoax
Enter the World of Athran

I usually go looking when I'm in need of a good laugh!!

Usually the "science", or better still the photographic "evidence" shoots itself in the foot as it unfolds.....

And then you get the occasional item where you just simly go "eh???", because of the distinct lack of logic or sense in any "argument".

I must say that for me it is usually the photographs they try to use that get me. I have done some (very amateurish) photography in my time and I understand the basics of exposure, f-stops, and shutter speeds, etc and how you have to combine them when in manual mode. (then there is perspective and parallax, but a that's a whole extra area!!) To me it seems most of these HBers can only be counted in the "holiday snaps" group, where they use a fully automated "point and shoot" camera, and have never actually experimented with settings, and lighting effects. But then that is just my impression.

/tongue_in_cheek_on
Perhaps someone can prove that all my photos are all actually hoaxes and I never went on holiday to xxxxxx..... all done (with "whistle blowing" errors) in a studio.
/tongue_in_cheek_off

"Mental condition" is NOT an abnormality nor an illness. "Condition" means "status". We all have mental conditions. Mine is, for example, stable, fully functional, and generally good overall. I realise that me using the psych terms is confusing to some, but that's just the way I'm used to naming things. Please don't attack me. I come in peace.

I never said they were, that's exactly why I went on the 'net and found this board, because I was seeking a more credible source to satisfy my curiousity. About all those moon-related questions I've had since forever ago. (Please don't reply saying that "forever" is not a correct term since I am only 21, thanks :wink: )

That's the thing, I have NOT reached a conclusion, or I wouldn't be asking questions. Duh. DETAILS - factual information behind Armstrong's POSSIBLE mental illness. CAUSES - what made the rumors surface, was there any fire that caused the smoke? Do the creaters of speculation have anything to back it up with?

I'm just here to ask a few questions and learn stuff, so why shoot me down before I even get a chance to take off? Wouldn't you rather have people read and learn than come here, get discouraged by you and live in ignorance?? [-X

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~Anna~

Thank you!
But I've seen a sleezy "space" message board where the people from the UK and the people from the U.S. kept calling each other ethnical slang names back and forth due to disagreements about space technology.
The British were generally saying that the American space program is all a joke and that they never really went to the moon. The Americans were in turn saying that the British are simply jealous that they weren't the ones who went to the moon on Apollo 11. :-?
I was so dissapointed. Why do people have to be like that? I'd be extatic is someone sent people to Mars tomorrow, no matter what nationality. I'd be proud of us all as humans and glad of their success regardless the country. I think we're all in this together as homo sapiens.
And speaking of the first guy into the space, at one time in Russia, people were celebrating his birthday as a holiday. Russian astronauts still go to what used to be his "office" to meditate. Everything is in the same place as it was before he died, and the clock in the room is stopped at the time of his death. It's sort of a shrine to him.

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~Anna~

Where is this board? I must go at once to save the reputation of my fellow countrymen. (I might need to remind them to take their medication. )

Sorry, I (to use your analogy) do tend to go off "half cocked" sometimes.

My reasoning is that I've seen a number of HB websites that state that Neil is in a certain mental "state" because he lied about landing on the Moon. I read stuff like that and it makes me mad. I didn't mean to take it out on you. ops:

Just a quick side topic regarding people's mental states as they age. I'm the primary care taker of a parent who is now in their eighties and this is not a cut and dried issue and it isn't indicative of some type of Freudian "guilt" in the vast majority of cases at least. Read here for a good overview on this topic. As you'll notice upon reading the link, this is a very complex issue involving circulatory, endocrine, neurological, dietary and infection components all influencing mental state.

Whatever may be affecting certain aging astronauts, in my opinion, shouldn't be considered as evidence of their participation in some sort "moon hoax".

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An open mind is like an open window...without a good screen you'll get all sorts of weird bugs!

That's quite all right, I understand exactly what you mean.
Quite on the contrary, all my life I've thought that if Neil Armstrong did in fact have