Season's Greetings 2009, All the best for UMSF! |
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Season's Greetings 2009, All the best for UMSF! |
 Dec 24 2009, 12:13 PM
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#1
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 Senior Member  Group: Admin Posts: 3108 Joined: 21-December 05 From: Canberra, Australia Member No.: 615  |
Just an hour before midnight here in Australia on Christmas Eve. With Christmas Day coming for the rest of the world.
Have a great holiday season and stay safe whereever you are. Astro0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A special poem for all (with apologies  )Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the stars Not a creature was stirring, not even on Mars. The rovers were driven by drivers with care, In hopes new discoveries would soon be found there. Earth children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of dust devils danced in their heads. With Oppy at Marquette, and Spirit in a sandtrap, We just had to settle our brains for a long winter’s nap. When out on the dunes there arose such a clatter, And Odyssey watched to see what was the matter. All the way to Earth, flew a new data flash, JPL opened the files and threw out the trash. The fines on the rovers from new-fallen dust Gave the objects below the colour of rust. When, what to my computer screen should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer. With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St Nick. More rapid than rockets his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name! "Now Viking! now, Phoenix! now, Pathfiner and Sojourner! On, Rockets! On, Airbags! on, ‘Chutes and Retroburners! From the red of the sky! To the rocks in the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!" As dry soil that before the dust devils fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky. And up to the ops-room the engineers flew, With the drivers full of tricks, and new software too. And then, in a twinkling, they heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. They drew in their heads, and turned right around, Down the corridor St Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with red dust on his boot. A bundle of rocks he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack. His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin were as white as Mars' snow. The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath. He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly! He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And they laughed when they saw him, in spite of themselves! A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave them to know they had nothing to dread. He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk. And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose! He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But they heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas on Mars, and to Earth a good-night!" 
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Dec 24 2009, 02:59 PM
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#2
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 Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 82 Joined: 22-July 05 From: Portugal Member No.: 445 |
Merry Christmas Astro, everyone here at UMSF, Spirit and Oportunity's teams and last but not least, Spirit and Oppy!!
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Dec 24 2009, 03:06 PM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 4279 Joined: 19-April 05 From: .br at .es Member No.: 253 |
It's still early in the evening here in Spain. Dinner is still some 5-6h away so everything is still quiet and I have some spare time to make a last post here before logging-out.
Merry christmas everyone! 
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Dec 24 2009, 03:53 PM
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#4
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 399 Joined: 28-August 07 From: San Francisco Member No.: 3511 |
Merry Christmas to all who have posted so informatively here...
... Slainte ... Eoin -------------------- 'She drove until the wheels fell off...'
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Dec 24 2009, 04:04 PM
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 362 Joined: 13-April 06 From: Malta Member No.: 741 |
Merry Xmas everyone! 7 hours to go in Malta!
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Dec 24 2009, 04:33 PM
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#6
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1281 Joined: 18-December 04 From: San Diego, CA Member No.: 124 |
"Happy Hogswatch!!" "Merry Squidmas!" "Happy Festivus!"
And to save on postage: Merry Christmas in Every Language* *Klingon not included.... Here's to a wonderful 2010! At the dawn of a new year, the wise take every opportunity to raise a toast to the holiday spirit. It is quick the curiosity that draws us near to each other at this time of year..... Sorry, couldn't work Kepler or Cassini (other than a possible Saturnalia reference) into that - I leave it to more poetic minds and perhaps shall make another attempted after I have been sufficiently nogged. Felicitations To Each And Every One!!! -------------------- Lyford Rome
"Zis is not nuts, zis is super-nuts!" Mathematician Richard Courant on viewing an Orion test |
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Dec 24 2009, 04:58 PM
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#7
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 The Poet Dude Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 |
Merry Christmas everyone, wherever you're reading this. I'm off up to my mum's in Cockermouth in an hour or so, which means that in approx two and a half hours I'll be sat on her floor, beside her christmas tree, glugging from a large glass of brandy whilst trying to fend off an attack by her still-thinks-it's-a-puppy 3 year old golden labrador...
 Have a good one, everyone!
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Dec 24 2009, 05:10 PM
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#8
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 796 Joined: 27-February 08 From: Heart of Europe Member No.: 4057 |
Merry Christmas everyone!
We have dinner in a few moments.
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Dec 24 2009, 05:12 PM
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#9
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 Senior Member Group: Admin Posts: 4763 Joined: 15-March 05 From: Glendale, AZ Member No.: 197 |
Merry Christmas to everyone here, and expecially you Stu for stirring our passions, mood and enthusiasm throughout the year (sounds like your Mum is out of Baileys already, hope the Turkey gets cooked long enough).
-------------------- If Occam had heard my theory, things would be very different now.
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Dec 24 2009, 05:23 PM
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#10
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 Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
My wife's baking an apple pie, I'm chilling down a 12-pack of Michelob Ultra for later, and soon we're off to the mall to watch the hordes of Los Angeles do their last-minute shopping. Our grown kids are scattered around the country living their own lives, all three are happy & healthy, and everyone got their gifts on time...it's a great Christmas for me & mine!!! May all of you & yours have a happy and peaceful holiday season and an equally joyful New Year. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Dec 24 2009, 05:45 PM
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#11
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 Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 96 Joined: 20-September 06 From: Hanoi, Vietnam Member No.: 1164 |
Merry Christmas and happy new year everyone!
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Dec 24 2009, 05:57 PM
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#12
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 Administrator Group: Admin Posts: 5172 Joined: 4-August 05 From: Pasadena, CA, USA, Earth Member No.: 454 |
Awesome way to start off this thread, Astro0; I couldn't resist reposting!
It's going to be quite the bonanza for Anahita this year; good thing Sanaya can't yet count and figure out her sister's getting more presents. I just couldn't resist all the fun stuff there is to buy for Merry Christmas to everyone! -------------------- My website - My Patreon - @elakdawalla on Twitter - Please support unmannedspaceflight.com by donating here.
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Dec 24 2009, 06:35 PM
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#13
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 29 Joined: 21-November 06 From: JPL Member No.: 1381 |
Merry Christmas everyone! As someone who lurks more than posts, I'd just like to say how much we appreciate your support (and incredible work) on behalf of our favorite rovers.
 Veronica |
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Dec 24 2009, 06:36 PM
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#14
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14432 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
Happy Christmas all - I've got an unusually busy week ahead, so I may not be around too much - but '09's been a cracking year for UMSF - here's hoping we can have great 2010!
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Dec 24 2009, 06:46 PM
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#15
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Doug, you at least gotta post 6 more times to hit 11,000 before 1 Jan!
-------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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