#1064 Mooning

In the light of the silvery moon-talk about the anniversary of our first trip there, it’s interesting to note some of the cultural effects of that technological endeavor.
For one thing, we compare it to almost every human challenge. “If we can put a man on the moon, why can’t we make soft toilet paper.” “If we can put a man on the moon, why can’t we make a good-tasting decaffeinated coffee?” Stuff like that. Not a day goes by that someone somewhere doesn’t utter that whiny gripe-by-comparison.
And why is it that someone can be mooning over someone else and its love, where one feels exposed and vulnerable, but when that person moons someone else it’s a different type of exposure altogether?
But there really have been amazing strides in technology thanks to the nationwide effort to get us to the moon. And I’m not just talking Tang. Today’s recapture water and filtering technology would never have received such an impetus if the problem of recycling personal waste hadn’t been dealt with in cramped Apollo capsules.
In fact, I saw something in a public restroom the other day that may be moon related. I was in one of those giant warehouse stores. The place was huge and the restroom was so far away, by the time I got back to where I started, I had to go again.
But in the restroom, I used this incredible space age hand dryer.
They called it the “air knife” and it used a focused and honed blast of air to squeegee the water from my hands—like those giant focused air blasters in carwashes, but tiny. Scary though, as you have to stick your hands deep into these openings that have the words “air knife” on them.
Since it was next to a diaper changing table I wasn’t sure if it was a pamper shredder or a hand dryer. But I used it anyhow because I was in a hurry. I’d left my dessert on a table back at the eating area.
All I can say is, thanks Apollo people.
My hands were clean and dry, so I could enjoy my Moon Pie.
America, ya gotta love it.