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North Merrick, New York, U.S. June 4, 2020. Black Lives Matter March heads east on Jerusalem Ave and then turns north onto Bellmore Avenue, toward eastbound entrance to Southern State Parkway. Shortly before protestors arrive, Nassau County Police officers park several patrol cars at intersection to stop and divert traffic to make path for peaceful march of largely of young marchers, black and white . Many marchers wore face masks, some masks covering mouth and nose, some masks lowered below mouth as they chanted. Young black man with megaphone led the chant: megaphone man: NO JUSTICE marchers: NO PEACE megaphone man: NO RACIST marchers: POLICE Signs marchers carried included: RIP GEORGE FLOYD - IGNORANCE IS ALWAYS AFRAID OF CHANGE - BLM! - BLACK LIVES MATTER - NO RACIST POLICE

from Merrick, Long Island: Black Lives Matter

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (annparry.com)
June 5, 2020

peaceful march in turbulent June

VIDEO – Black Lives Matter March, N. Merrick, NY, Thursday, June 4, 2020:

Last night, while driving home shortly before 9 PM, I accidentally found myself in the path of a Black Lives Matter March about to turn onto Bellmore Ave from Jerusalem Ave in North Merrick.

When marchers turned, they passed between my car and several Nassau County Police patrol cars parked to block the intersection, so marchers had a safe, clear path.  [google maps]

I held my iPhone out the driver’s window to film the marchers, many spread out for social distancing. Most were young, some black, some white, and most wore masks, either covering their mouths and noses or under their chins.

They carried signs with messages including: RIP George Floyd  –  BLM!  –  Black Lives Matter No Racist PoliceIgnorance is always afraid of change

A man with a megaphone led his fellow marchers in a chant:  No JusticeNo PeaceNo RacistPolice

After they continued north for a few minutes, police cleared a path through the intersection, and neighboring cars and I continued south. 

Later, I learned the marchers were part of a massive, peaceful Merrick march that started earlier that night on Sunrise Highway and ultimately blocked traffic on the Southern State Parkway

NAACP.org   BlackLivesMatter.com


  This Tuesday night, June 2, self-proclaimed reporter got over 10,000 views on facebook when he live-streamed his take on about 30 people at Merrick Road, Merrick, protesting against Black Lives Matters supporters who wanted to march east from Trader Joe’s to Massapequa.

The ugly comments that anti-BLM March group made about the protestors were exacerbated by the videographer repeatedly and inaccurately referring to that small group as The People of Merrick, as if they represented the entire community.

As an aside:  One of the anti-BLM protestors commented how someone was wearing a mask (following CDC guidelines during COVID-19 pandemic) and asked, rhetorically, if the person was a coward.

It’s an anti-mask sentiment I suspect not only the chief executive of the United States but also the COVID-19 virus – if sentient – would share.


  48 minutes ago, today, an email from NY State Senator John Brooks (District 8) landed in my inbox:

Last night, we witnessed a second wave of protests over the tragic death of George Floyd. In good part, this second march was the direct result of spiteful remarks gone viral, made by ignorant people flanking the peaceful march the day before. Let’s be clear, in Merrick there exists an overall community of wonderful people who genuinely believe in the fundamental principles upon which this nation was founded. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness combined with the understanding that all are created equal provides the basis of outlook, action, and acceptance of any Merokian I have come to know.

The remarks made by these ignorant few do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the people of the Merrick community or, for that matter, any community on Long Island. Yesterday, many Merokians walked along in protest, while many others stood on sidewalks providing support, applause, and even bottles of water to the passing marchers. In response to the tragedy of George Floyd, I witnessed members of this community march in support of the most basic of human rights, and I was proud; In response to vile words of thinly veiled hatred by a minority of instigators peddling divisiveness, I witnessed this community come together once again to protest that hatred in a peaceful way, and I was inspired.

Merrick is a community of fairness and understanding, of acceptance and fellowship, and I am proud to represent this community in the NY State Senate.

Sincerely,    John E Brooks

I largely agree with Sen. Brooks’ above statement.


Walk the Walk

Segregation is rampant on Long Island, and – as Newsday’s undercover investigation found – it didn’t happen by accident. [*see links below] 

Yes, we need to Talk the Talk of the truth that Black Lives Matter and deserve equal justice, and to Walk the Walk by supporting/participating in Black Lives Matter protest marches.

Be we also need to take the countless steps needed to have our community, our Long Island communities, be more diverse and reflect the truth that Black Lives Matter and deserve equal justice, housing, health care, education and job opportunities….

*Newsday  – Three-year investigation uncovers widespread unequal treatment by real estate agents on Long Island (2019):

Undercover Investigation:  racial steering by real estate agents

Opinion/EDITORIAL (Updated Nov. 17, 2019): Segregation’s stain on Long Island can be overcome


FEATURE PHOTO at top of post: Merrick, New York, U.S. June 4, 2020. North Merrick, New York, U.S. June 4, 2020. Black Lives Matter March heads north on Bellmore Ave in direction of eastbound entrance to Southern State Parkway.


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The Danger of a Single Story: “Show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become.”Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie


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Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. Space Shuttle Astronaut Mike Massimino gives free lecture in JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium at Cradle of Aviation Museum.

Astronaut Mike Massimino: From Long Island to Space

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (annparry.com)
June 24, 2018

Mike Massimino at Cradle of Aviation Museum

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. L-R, JOSHUA STOFF, Curator of Cradle of Aviation Museum; astronaut MICHAEL MASSIMINO; ANDREW PARTON, Executive Director of CAM; and GREG SANTI, Human Resources Manager at Curtiss Wright, pose at 10th Annual Luncheon. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. L-R, JOSH STOFF, Curator of Cradle of Aviation Museum; astronaut MIKE MASSIMINO; ANDY PARTON, Exec. Director of CAM; and GREG SANTI, HR Manager at Curtiss-Wright, pose with illustration of Massimino. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

NASA space shuttle astronaut MICHAEL J. MASSIMINO – Franklin Square’s inspiring and fun space ambassador – captivated three audiences this Wednesday, June 21, at the Cradle of Aviation Museum: during its 10th Annual Luncheon, a small group Meet & Greet, and a free lecture at the JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium.

  • VIDEO of Massimino’s 8-minute acceptance speech:

Air & Space Hall of Fame Induction for Class of 2018

Mike Massimino, aviation pioneers LOUIS and CONNIE MANCUSO, and aviator and Newsday founder ALICIA PATTERSON were the inductees for the Long Island Air & Space Hall of Fame Class of 2018 honored during the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s Annual Luncheon, presented by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation.

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. L-R, Astronaut Mike Massimino, Deborah Henley, and Louis Mancuso Jr. pose at Long Island Air & Space Hall of Fame at Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. L-R, Astronaut MIKE MASSIMINO, DEBORIAH HENLEY, and LOUIS MANCUSO JR. pose at Long Island Air & Space Hall of Fame at Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

A highlight of Massimino’s acceptance speech was when he poetically described his reaction to seeing the curve of our planet fill his field of vision during his second space walk: 

“The beauty of our planet was kinda overwhelming…. This must be the view from heaven…. That’s not quite right…. This is what heaven must look like….

“What made that possible, those memories possible…. all come back here to Long Island….  the mentors I met along the way, this museum being here at the right time in my life to set me on that journey that ended up 350 miles above our planet to work on Hubble.”

The other inductees were honored posthumously: LOUIS MANCUSO JR. accepted on behalf of his parents, and DEBORAH HENLEY, Vice President and Executive Editor of Newsday, accepted on behalf of Alicia Patterson.

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. Space Shuttle Astronaut MIKE MASSIMINO is holding GIOVANNI, 3 1/2 years old, from Manhasset, wearing an astronaut's space suit costume, after the museum's Members Meet & Greet. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. Space Shuttle Astronaut MIKE MASSIMINO holds GIOVANNI, 3 1/2 years old, from Manhasset, wearing an astronaut spacesuit costume. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Meet & Greet

During the Meet & Greet, a few dozen lucky museum members and STEM students (Science Technology Engineering Math) sat around a conference table and asked Massimino questions.

When asked about space food, Massimino said it was good, and then explained how everything gets recycled, including urine, so, “Yesterday’s coffee is tomorrow’s coffee,” as Expedition 39 commander Koichi Wakata memorably observed in 2014 about recycling on the ISS (International Space Station).

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. Space Shuttle Astronaut Mike Massimino, a Long Island native, gives free lecture in JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. In the JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium, Space Shuttle Astronaut Mike Massimino displays photo of him sending email to Johnson Space Center for his twitt-r feed. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Evening with Mike Massimino Lecture

Massimino’s lecture at the JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium was part of the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s Countdown to Apollo at 50, a multiyear celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969.

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. Space Shuttle Astronaut Mike Massimino gives lecture in JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. Astronaut MIKE MASSIMINO gives lecture in JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

When a young audience member asked Massimino how he became an astronaut, he went into great detail, including how the Cradle of Aviation Museum played a key role when he was growing up.

FYI from FLI: In the late 1980’s, my daughter Sue went to Space Camp at the Cradle of Aviation, then in an unrestored hangar. I’m still searching for the name of the CAM photographer who captured this photo of 10-yr-old Sue wearing a genuine spacesuit that summer.

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. Space Shuttle Astronaut MIKE MASSIMINO gives lecture in JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium at Cradle of Aviation Museum. Volunteer puppy raiser FLORENCE SCARINCI is seated next to dog she's training from Canine Companions for Independence, a Medford non-profit. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. Space Shuttle Astronaut Mike Massmino gives lecture in JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium at Cradle of Aviation Museum. Volunteer puppy raiser Florence Scarinci is seated next to dog she’s training from Canine Companions for Independence, a Medford non-profit. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

NASA rejected Massimino when he applied to be an astronaut – the first, second and third times. Persevering, he applied a fourth time – and the rest is Hubble Space Telescope repairs and recurring role of playing himself on The Big Bang Theory history.  

In one of the photos Massimino displayed on the dome, he was in the space shuttle writing the first tweet ever from space. Here’s that message he sent to Johnson Space Center, so they could post it on his @Astro_Mike feed:

“From orbit: Launch was awesome!! I am feeling great, working hard, & enjoying the magnificent views, the adventure of a lifetime has begun!”

Laughing, he said his tweet didn’t compare well to Neil Armstrong’s 1969 historic first spoken words ever coming from the moon:

“The Eagle has landed. That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. Former NASA astronaut MIKE MASSIMINO is inducted into Long Island Air & Space Hall of Fame Class of 2018 at Cradle of Aviation Museum. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Garden City, NY, USA. June 21, 2018. NASA astronaut MIKE MASSIMINO is inducted into Long Island Air & Space Hall of Fame Class of 2018 at Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Astronauts

I first saw Mike Massimino in 2010, during Cradle of Aviation Museum’s Legends in Air & Space Lecture series. Seeing him in action throughout Thursday reinforced how he’s an upbeat, self-reflective, cool-nerd sort of guy “everyone would like to be or have as a friend.”  

In fact, many astronauts I’ve crossed orbits with also exuded a personable, centered quality – not surprisingly, since it’s an essential quality for working well in space. 

‘Spaceman’

At the museum’s gift shop, I bought two signed copies of Massimino’s 2016 book, “Spaceman: An Astronaut’s Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe” – one for myself and one for my brother Lou (“Luigi”), a physics teacher at Durham Academy, NC, and fellow aerospace and astronomy buff.


Mike Massimino Lecture: my PHOTO GALLERY

Air & Space Hall of Fame 2018:  my PHOTO GALLERY

Site:  MikeMassimino.com

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