Tag Archives: 1960s

Wednesday’s Book Review: “New Weapons, Old Politics: America’s Military Procurement Muddle”

Posted on July 26, 2017 by launiusr

New Weapons, Old Politics: America’s Military Procurement Muddle. By Thomas L. McNaugher. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution, 1989. A muck-raking analysis, the author uses case studies to illuminate concerns at the heart of the ongoing debate over defense acquisition, especially a … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged 1960s, Brookings Institution, C-5, cold war, cost, David Packard, Defense acquisition, Department of Defense, FB-111, military-industrial complex, New Weapons, Old Politics: America’s Military Procurement Muddle, performance, politics, presidential power, public perceptions, public policy, Robert McNamara, schedule, Soviet Union, Thomas L. McNaugher, weopons systems | Leave a comment

Celebrity Activism in Sports and Society

Posted on June 19, 2017 by launiusr

It is almost a truism in modern America that celebrities engage in various causes aimed at overcoming various challenges plaguing society. Much of this is accepted and even celebrated. As often as not, it is the result of a unique … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Personal, Politics, Sports | Tagged 1960s, American exceptionalism, baseball, Bono, Brigette Bardot, Charles Dickens, History, Jane Fonda, John Carlos, John Lennon, Mark Twain, Olympics, Tommie Smith, Yoko Ono | 2 Comments

My Favorite Weird Baseball Promotions

Posted on May 15, 2017 by launiusr

My longtime friend Mike Green and I recently discussed the weirdest, strangest, most ridiculous promotions we could think of. Since we had collaborated on a biography of Charlie Finley, published last year by Walker and Co., we had a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Charles O. Finley, History, Oakland A's, Sports | Tagged 1960s, Bill Veeck, Charlie Finley, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, History, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Browns, Texas Rangers | 1 Comment

The Cardinals and the Counterculture Catcher

Posted on February 17, 2017 by launiusr

Should the St. Louis Cardinals catcher of the 1970s, Ted Simmons, be in the Hall of Fame?I think it would be great, but it won’t happen unless the Veteran’s Committee acts. “Simba,” as Simmons liked being called, became an all-star … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, History, Sports | Tagged 1960s, August Busch, Bing Devine, Carlton Fisk, Hall of Fame, History, Ivan Rodriguez, Joe Torre, John Gaherin, Johnny Bench, Marvin Miller, Mike Piazza, Milwaukee Brewers, Playoffs, Red Schoendienst, reserve clause, St. Louis Cardinals, Ted Simmons, University of Michigan, World Series | Leave a comment

Wednesday’s Book Review: “Defense Acquisition Reform, 1960-2009: An Elusive Goal”

Posted on February 1, 2017 by launiusr

Defense Acquisition Reform, 1960-2009: An Elusive Goal. By J. Ronald Fox, with contributions by David G. Allen, Thomas C. Lassman, Walton S. Moody, and Philip L. Shiman. Washington, D.C.: Center for Military History, United States Army, 2011. Written by the … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Politics | Tagged 1960-2009: An Elusive Goal, 1960s, Center for Military History, cold war, David G. Allen, Defense acquisition, Defense Acquisition Reform, Department of Defense, DoD, F-35; Donald J. Trump, History, J. Ronald Fox, military, Niccolò Machiavelli, Philip L. Shiman, The Prince, Thomas C. Lassman, United States Army, Walton S. Moody, weapons systems | 2 Comments

A Brief on the Apollo 1 (Capsule 204) Fire on its 50th Anniversary

Posted on January 27, 2017 by launiusr

What happened? The Apollo 1 (204) Command Module was on the ground at the Kennedy Space Center on January 27, 1967 when a fire broke out in the capsule. The three crew members (Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Roger Chaffee, and Edward … Continue reading →

Posted in Apollo, History, Politics, Space | Tagged 1960s, Apollo, cold war, Ed White, Gus Grissom, History, Moon, Moon race, NASA, Roger Chaffee, U.S. Civil Space | 4 Comments

A Truly Hilarious Cartoon on the Apollo/Saturn Stack

Posted on January 20, 2017 by launiusr

This cartoon from the XKCD website helps explain with considerable humor the awesomeness of the Saturn V. It uses onlty the most common words in English to rescribe the stack. You may find the original here. Enjoy!

Posted in Apollo, Cold War Competition, History, Lunar Exploration, Personal, Politics, Space | Tagged 1960s, Apollo, awesomeness, cold war, History, Moon, Moon race, NASA, people, Saturn, saturn v, U.S. Civil Space | Leave a comment

Chronology of Key Space Anniversaries for 2017

Posted on January 9, 2017 by launiusr

1942—75 Years Ago 3 October—Germany launched its V-2 rocket and is the first spacecraft to cross the Kármán line (100 km). 1947—70 Years Ago 20 February—The United States sent fruit flies into space. 1952—65 Years Ago 1 April—The U.S. Army … Continue reading →

Posted in Apollo, Applications Satellites, Cold War Competition, Earth Science, History, International Space Station, Lunar Exploration, Science, Space, Space Shuttle | Tagged 1960s, American exceptionalism, cold war, Department of Defense, Earth science, History, International Space Station, JFK, Moon, Moon race, NASA, public policy, Ronald Reagan, science, Soviet Union, space science, space shuttle, U.S. Civil Space, Wernher von Braun | 4 Comments

Wednesday’s Book Review: “Soviet Robots in the Solar System: Mission Technologies and Discoveries”

Posted on January 3, 2017 by launiusr

Soviet Robots in the Solar System: Mission Technologies and Discoveries. By Wesley T. Huntress Jr. and Mikhail Ya. Marov. Chichester, UK: Springer Praxis, 2011. Paperback, 467 pp., illustrations, ISBN 978-1-4419-7897-4. $44.95. It seems hard to believe now, but once there … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Lunar Exploration, Politics, Science, Space | Tagged 1960s, Apollo, cold war, History, international relations, Luna, Mikhail Marov, Moon, Moon race, public perceptions, Soviet Union, space science, Springer Praxis, Wesley T. Huntress, Zond | Leave a comment

A Life Well-Lived: “Godspeed, John Glenn”

Posted on December 12, 2016 by launiusr

John Glenn (1921-2016) has left us after a lifetime of service to the nation and his fellow humans on Earth. John H. Glenn Jr. served as the astronaut on the February 20, 1962 Mercury-Atlas 6 (Friendship 7) mission, the first American orbital … Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, History, Space | Tagged 1960s, cold war, Department of Defense, Discovery, Friendship 7, Godspeed, History, JFK, John Glenn, Marines, NASA, public policy, Royal Crown International, science, Scott Carpenter, Senate, space shuttle, STS-95, U.S. Civil Space | 2 Comments