3... 2... 1... LIFTOFF ...THE END OF AN ERA

GOD'S SPEED ATLANTIS
Barbara Ward-Finneran

In Cape Canaveral Florida this morning, NASA launched it's last ever space shuttle mission.  Four astronauts left the earth at 11:29 am in the Atlantis Shuttle for this final and unforgettable launch.

Although weather watchers were pessimistic, with a 70% chance of a scrub due to rain and clouds, a window of opportunity opened at just the right time.  There was a brief pause at 31 seconds in the countdown and about a  two minute hold before liftoff.  Hundreds of thousand lined the space coast to watch the 135th mission begin.  With my children, I was among these crowds.  I stood on a dock over the beautiful Intracoastal with my boys and friends to watch this historic moment.  Although the view was short lived due to the cloud cover - it is one I will never forget.  I hope my boys will always remember it too!

This is the end of an era.  Atlantis is making it 33 flight.  The mission named STS-135, is the end of 30 years of flight missions. The 135 missions have seen 355 astronauts representing 16 different countries enter space and take flight from the USA.  

Atlantis is expected to return home on the morning of July 20th, the 42nd anniversary of Neil Armstrong's historic walk on the moon.

It it emotional and bittersweet for our country but even more so for those of us who life on the space coast.  1,700 pink slips are expected to follow soon after Atlantis' landing later this month.  Many have already come before this... sadly, I fear there will be numerous more cuts to follow.  My family knows many who have already been effected by the lay-offs  from Kennedy Space Center.

What comes next for Brevard County Florida's Space Coast...?  Will the area be able to handle the loss of more jobs at NASA and trickle down effects? What comes next for NASA's space programs?  It is very sad to see one era end without the birth of the next in sight...

God bless the crew!
God's Speed Atlantis!
God Bless and America!

BIN LADEN KILLED

Dawn Boyle

My blood runs red, white and blue. I am truly proud to be American, not only today...everyday. I am torn with emotions with the news over the death of that animal that attempted to destroy my country nearly ten years ago.

I had fallen asleep early last night to the Real Housewives of the OC and woke up to make my first of many nightly trips to the bathroom and when I got back into bed Andy Cohen was announcing that bin Laden was killed. I felt a rush of heat throughout my entire body. The images and fear I felt that morning, not knowing the safety of my husband and a number of friends and family. I was lucky that day as I held my two month old daughter. My husband did escape the horrors that occurred and would only find out in the days later the people who had touched my life that were not that lucky.

Everyone has a story of 9/11. Everyone remembers the unity of the entire country the days, weeks and months that followed. The new fears for our children, the heightened security, the War on Terror and all the men and women who bravely fight for our country.We all learned that day how life can change in a moment. We learned that you can go to work where you sit behind a desk or fight fires and not come home. We learned the true meaning of evil and how we could be paralyzed by some sick bastards with distorted views who masterminded such destruction. We learned how incredibly vulnerable we all really are.

May 1, 2011 will be remembered as the day Justice was Served. God Bless America, it's gonna be an interesting time ahead. We must NEVER FORGET. We must remember all the victims, from that day and all the days that followed, especially the CHILDREN OF 9/11. We must stay the course and be PROUD TO BE AMERICAN.