In The News....

Today the news industry lost an icon, Walter Cronkite. Tonight on CBS they had many guests who talked about what they remembered most about Mr. Cronkite, their favorite memories and I can't think of just one memory, I think of everything he covered. His voice is such a noted one that you knew it was him because of the distinct tone he had. He was there to cover so many historical events. He covered the assassination of President Kennedy, the Vietnam War, the Apollo 11 Moon Landing and the Watergate Scandal just to name a few.
I wasn't born yet when the Kennedy assassination happened but from what I understand, he was pretty choked up about while he was trying to report it. The Vietnam War I do remember even though I was only 4 years old. My father, who was a US Marine, was called back by the Marines for his talent of an aircraft mechanic to work on the helicopters over there. This was in 1969 and he was gone for 6 months. Every night when the news was on, I'd watch it to see if I could see my dad among the coverage of people over there. I remember Walter covering that event and listening to his every word. When he spoke you believed everything he said, it was the truth whatever he said.
When we first landed on the moon, I remember what a big deal that was. Again Walter was there for that to report on. He was happy as we all were to see this great accomplishment happen in our time.
The Watergate scandal was another big deal when that happened and again you saw Walter covering that. The news was on all the time in our house and you would see the news reports and Nixon all over it.
Walter Cronkite was someone that kept you interested in what he had to say because you trusted what he said. In the times when we had TV that had no remote control and only 13 channels, when there were no cell phones or emails to check, Walter reported the news and everyone in your family watched it together. Those were the days when families actually had a "dinner time" where everyone ate together at one time and shared whatever was happening in their lives. It was quality family time and the television was a place where everyone got together to share in the entertainment and the news. Most houses had one TV, not one in every room like today. That one television was the central place where we gathered as families and Walter Cronkite was someone we all gathered around to listen to.
This man will be greatly missed due to his impact not only in the news industry but on our lives in general, especially if you grew up watching him on the news. He was noted as the most trusting man in America "and that's the way it was."

In another note regarding the Kennedys, yesterday was the ten year anniversary of when we lost John F. Kennedy Jr. I remember that day and thinking that even if the plane went down, maybe he, his wife and sister in law somehow found themselves to land somewhere. But at the same time, I kept thinking that there was no way they could have survived that crash. Such devastation to the Kennedy family and the nation as a whole.
John Jr. was always in spotlight since his birth into the Kennedy family. I think the most remembered photo of a young John is that of him saluting his father's casket. To this day, I have always wondered how did he know to do that? I've always assumed that he was just a very intelligent person even as a child. John Jr. would always be seen around NYC and it was like everyone was his friend. Strangers would say hi to him and he was not the stand offish type either. It was almost like he wasn't really aware how well known he really was.
He was born Noember 25, 1960 which makes him a fellow sagittarian like myself. His father was assassinated three days before his third birthday. I can just imagine how he felt as my mom died two days before my 25th birthday. In 1988, People Magazine voted him the "Sexiest Man Alive". In 1995 he founded his magazine George. There is so much I can write on here about him but it would all be things that the public already knows. The thing we don't know is where he would be today if he were still here. I'd like to think that he would have endured some kind of successful venture and who knows, maybe he would have even ran for President? What we do know is that he was indeed America's son and that he is dearly missed.
NASA also is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. It seems like just yesterday this glorious event was taking place yet 40 years has passed and it's amazing to see how far we have come with technology.
What an interesting past couple of days in the news. The Apollo 11 landing, remembering JFK Jr and the passing of Walter Cronkite. These are all events and people that will forever be remembered...