NASA astronauts are rivaling Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Paris Hilton as people gone wild.
Lisa Nowak, the diaper-wearing astronaut, was trouble enough. At least she wasn't suited up for flight, other than the diaper, when she behaved badly.
Now, there's the issue of astronauts being launched into space while intoxicated.CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After drinking heavily, an astronaut flew on a Russian spacecraft and another was cleared to fly on a space shuttle, according to interviews by a panel of outside experts, the panel's chairman said Friday.
In the case of the shuttle, the mission was delayed for mechanical reasons and the astronaut wanted to fly a jet from Florida back home to Houston, said Col. Richard Bachmann, head of the panel, created to assess astronaut health. He said he didn't know the outcome.
"In none of these can we say factually they did or did not occur," he added, speaking by telephone to a news conference held in Washington. He said it was not the panel's mission to investigate allegations and that NASA would have to ferret out details.
The independent panel was created by NASA after the arrest of astronaut Lisa Nowak in February on charges she tried to kidnap her rival in a love triangle.
In a statement Friday, NASA said that it is unaware of any astronauts who were drunk before a flight but that it is investigating. It said the panel failed to give the space agency any details of the allegations.
NASA has long had a policy that prohibits any drinking in the 12 hours before an astronaut flies a training jet. The space agency said that policy has historically been applied to spaceflights, too. But as a result of the panel's report, the rule will officially be applied to spaceflights, NASA said.
The panel said that astronauts and flight surgeons told the committee about heavy drinking by crew members just before flights. Also, the panel said alcohol is freely used in the crew quarters, where astronauts are quarantined at the Kennedy Space Center in the three days before launch.
Only four paragraphs of the 12-page report dealt with alcohol use by astronauts.
"Two specific instances were described where astronauts had been so intoxicated prior to flight that flight surgeons and-or fellow astronauts raised concerns to local on-scene leadership regarding flight safety," the panel. "However, the individuals were still permitted to fly."
...The panel recommended that NASA hold individuals and supervisors accountable for responsible use of alcohol, and that policies be instituted involving drinking before flight.
In another finding, the panel reported that flight surgeons' medical opinions were not valued by higher-ups. Several senior flight surgeons told the panel that officials only wanted to hear that all medical systems "were `go' for on-time mission completion."
The flight surgeons told the panel that higher-ups in NASA were notified of "major crew medical or behavioral problems," but that the flight surgeons' medical advice was ignored.
"This disregard was described as 'demoralizing' to the point where they said they are less likely to report concerns of performance decrement," the panel wrote. "Crew members raised concerns regarding substandard astronaut task performance which were similarly disregarded."
I didn't see this coming -- astronauts under the influence.
We have a new scandal -- NASA as an enabler.
The problem stems from the fact that human spaceflight involves humans.
Humans screw up.
Humans have to be held accountable.
Then, humans are expected to get things right.
As bad as the scandal is, I think NASA will weather this; but if an astronaut is part of a dog fighting ring, NASA may be doomed.
When 11-year-old Austin Cundy set up his lemonade stand in front of his house on Tuesday, he never expected to be robbed and roughed up by some tough guy, teen punks.
After the punks bruised his eye, took his money and stole his wallet, including his library card, Austin probably didn't expect the story of the crime to receive statewide attention in the media.
Now, on Friday, Austin's story has gone global. He made the Drudge Report.
As linked by Drudge, from the Green Bay Press-Gazette:An Oshkosh boy who was robbed of his lemonade stand money on Tuesday has seen an outpouring of support from people who have sent him cards and money.
Austin Cundy, 11, said he appreciates those in the community who thought enough to help him through his ordeal.
"I think it's very nice that people care," Cundy said Thursday.
Cundy was robbed by two teenagers of a plastic container containing $20 that he had collected by selling cold drinks from a stand in the 800 block of Knapp Street.
Oshkosh police on Wednesday evening took a 17-year-old boy into custody in connection with the robbery at Cundy's lemonade stand.
Sgt. Steve Sagmeister said officers went to the boy's residence after receiving information by way of a citizen tip. Sagmeister said officers arrested the boy at 9:35 p.m. and recovered a plastic container, but no money. The boy was booked into the Winnebago County Jail on suspicion of robbery and physical abuse to a child, Sagmeister said.
No charges have been filed, but the report has been referred to the Winnebago County district attorney's office.
Cundy said he was selling cold drinks to raise money to go camping with his grandparents and to buy a birthday present for his mother. He said he saw two teenagers on bicycles eyeballing him as they were riding past.
About 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, he told police, one of the teenage boys punched Cundy, shoved him off his chair and took the plastic container with the money in it along with Cundy's wallet, which held his library card and student ID.
Cundy said it probably will be a while before he has another lemonade stand. However, he said, some people who have contacted him asked if he'd like to have a lemonade stand at their businesses. Another person offered to give Cundy and his parents passes to the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture gathering this week at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.
Others have simply offered to replace the stolen money.
Cundy's mother, Nicole Cundy, said she's impressed with the response from the community.
If Nicole Cundy is impressed with the outpouring of support so far, I'm sure this is just the beginning.
I wouldn't be surprised if Austin gets offers to be interviewed by media outlets around the country. Katie Couric would find the story irresistible. He may appear on the morning talk shows and the Tonight Show or Letterman. Who knows?
There's something positively un-American about knocking over a kid's lemonade stand.
Austin seems like such a sweet boy. I hope all the attention helps to restore his faith in the goodness of people.
Nice guys don't always finish last.
In about a month's time, three Wisconsin women went missing -- Kelly Nolan, Mahalia Xiong, and Francine Tate.
Sadly, Kelly Nolan was found murdered.
Yesterday, Mahalia Xiong's car was pulled from the Fox River. A woman's body found inside is likely to be that of Mahalia.
Police are saying that there's no link between those two cases.
[Madison police spokesman Joel] DeSpain confirmed that detectives for the two agencies had compared notes -- standard procedure for such cases -- but found no connection and no great similarity between the two, apart from that they were both young women in college.
The idea that a serial killer could be responsible for both incidents has been mentioned on a national cable news crime show and a local radio program.
DeSpain said he has been contacted several times in the past week and has always said police don't believe the two cases are related.
The third missing woman, Francine Tate, was found alive on Wednesday.
It appears that no foul play was involved in her disappearance.
Tate just left.Steve Tate says he still doesn 't know why his wife disappeared for more than a week after leaving a prayer meeting July 17.
Instead of going home, Francine Tate just "got on (Highway) 51 " and "she just kept driving north, " he said, eventually reaching the Vilas County town of Phelps. She stayed there without contacting anyone and with her cell phone off for eight days -- prompting a huge search effort by law enforcement, relatives and friends as well as national media attention -- until a state Department of Natural Resources warden found her Wednesday.
"This is not Francine, " Steve Tate said. "I don 't fully understand it yet. " The only explanation he could offer was that she is dealing with problems that were "mental, physical and spiritual" and that she wanted to do some reflection and evaluation of her life.
It's wonderful news that Tate is OK, at least physically.
It's news that the family and friends of Kelly Nolan and Mahalia Xiong prayed to hear about their missing loved one.
I think when the Tate case is juxtaposed with the Kelly Nolan and Mahalia Xiong cases, it seems that much more disturbing that Tate knew people were searching for her but didn't bother to let anyone know that she was safe.
Tate has some mental problems. She has her issues to deal with, whatever they are; but it doesn't appear that she's certifiably insane.
She knew what she was doing.Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney also said she was having emotional problems and "needed a break. " She had resigned from teaching at Abundant Life Christian School this spring, which surprised her husband.
In between prayer and meditation, Tate would go to a library to read, which is where she saw an article about the search. But Steve Tate said he 's still unclear why she didn 't contact anyone or turn her cell phone on.
"If the warden hadn 't found her, she would still be out there, " Steve Tate said.
...Tate slept in her car and rationed her food because she had only a limited amount of cash, Steve Tate said. "She 's struggling ... embarrassed. " His wife loves her friends and family, but "the one thing she loves more is God, " he said, stressing she isn 't a religious fanatic.
Officials said the cost of the search and investigation wasn 't available Thursday and probably won 't be for about a week. Among other efforts, police and volunteers spent two days last week searching Token Creek County Park north of Madison for signs of Tate.
The cost is "not relevant, " Mahoney said. "Nothing was placed on the back burner because of this case. "
Tate is struggling emotionally, so I don't want to be hard-hearted; but she should be embarrassed.
She did a terribly selfish thing. She admits to knowing that people were searching for her yet she did nothing to alleviate the concerns of her family or halt the search.
Tate is a troubled soul. She needs to be treated with compassion, but she also needs to be held accountable for causing her family to suffer and not putting end to the efforts of volunteers to find her.
This reminds me of Jennifer Wilbanks, the runaway bride.
Wilbanks' case was worse in that she reported that she was kidnapped. Tate didn't file a false report or make false statements to authorities, but she did let law enforcement officials continue their search for her when she could have put an end to it.
At the very least, Tate is guilty of extreme thoughtlessness and selfishness.
Hopefully, she'll get the help she needs to deal with her problems. Hopefully, she'll realize how wrong she was to do what she did. Then her case will have a truly happy ending.
It's so heartbreaking that Kelly Nolan didn't have a happy ending, and Mahalia Xiong probably won't either.
Usually when a celebrity is plugging a new movie or TV show or book, the person makes the rounds of the talk shows.
Michael Moore made a return trip to the Tonight Show on Thursday night.
It was only a month ago that he visited with Jay Leno to hawk SiCKO.
Is it Leno that wants to shill for Moore or is it Moore that wants to appear with Leno?
I thought it was a rerun at first because Moore had just been on the show so recently.
Anyway, Moore began yapping about all the weight that he's lost. He also vowed to lose a pound a week and return to the Tonight Show in a year down 52 pounds.
He also said that since the film came out, people email him about their problems with hospitals and doctors.
Moore tells the people to threaten the doctors that they'll be exposed by Moore. He claimed that the people's problems are resolved quickly using that tactic.
After that he whipped out a "Michael Moore SiCKO health care card."
He urged everyone to go to his website and get one. 
Download the PDF of the card below and follow these simple guidelines:
1. Carry the card in your wallet with your insurance card.
2. If denied treatment, show your SiCKO card to your doctor/insurer.
3. Ask your insurer if they'd like to be in Michael Moore's next movie, DVD, or appear on MichaelMoore.com.
4. Tell them that, if denied, you will seek coverage from your local media.
5. E-mail your story to michael@michaelmoore.com.
Celebrity Testimonial:
"There's nothing like a little blackmail." -- Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's Hardball on the 'SiCKO' Health Care Card
It's not surprising that blowhard Chris Matthews would endorse blowhard Michael Moore's stunt.
What a racket! "E-Mail your story to michael@michaelmoore.com."
In the next segment, Moore talked about some of his personal medical experiences. He had has appendix removed a couple of years ago. Supposedly, the doctor told Moore that when he was about to begin the surgery the doctor told a nurse to remove a framed picture of President Bush that was hanging on the wall.
He claimed that the doctor said he couldn't perform surgery on Moore with George Bush watching.
Moore told the story in all seriousness.
What a bunch of BS!
What operating room has a framed picture of a U.S. president hanging on the wall?
That story sounded as concocted as Moore's films.
He blathered on. I thought after two segments Moore's time was up.
Wrong.
Leno gave him a third segment. That almost never happens. Even A-list guests usually get two segments.
Comedian Orny Adams was scheduled to appear but was bumped to make room for more of the massive Moore.
The final segment was pretty much devoted to the 9/11 rescue workers he said are being denied care in the U.S.
He brought three of them that he used in SiCKO with him to the show; and they were seated in the audience. When he introduced them, they stood up as the rest of the audience cheered.
For the film, he took the workers to Cuba so they could receive the health care that detainees at Gitmo are getting.
Isn't that clever?
Then came the shocking news!
Moore announced that he had received a subpeona from the Bush administration for traveling to Cuba. How dramatic!
He whined about being the victim of harassment. Poor baby.
He yapped on and on about the need for universal health care (AKA socialized medicine).
Moore was acting like he was Mother Teresa and selflessly caring for the sick.
Leno seems to worship the quaking ground that Moore walks on. He literally gave the show over to Moore on Thursday.
I am so SICK of Moore blabbing about how great socialized medicine is and what a saint he is.
Why can't he go to Cuba and stay there?
He'd be so happy there and I'd be a lot happier here.
When officials at Brown Deer Middle School locked up the basketball hoops on its playground to deter trouble on school grounds, they were asking for trouble in court.Brown Deer -- A village resident has filed a discrimination complaint against the Brown Deer School District for its use of an anti-theft device on the basketball hoops at one of its schools.
The complaint, filed earlier this week with the U.S. Department of Education's office for civil rights in Chicago, contends that the district's use of the Club on all of the basketball rims on the outdoor court of Brown Deer Middle School, 5757 W. Dean Road, is a "discriminatory practice."
"The impact of its policy falls more harshly on African American children than it does on non-African American children, because African American children were the predominant users of the basketball courts," Henry Hamilton III, who filed the complaint, said today.
Obviously, the easiest thing for the school district to do would be to remove the damn Clubs and get Hamilton to go away.
I suppose Hamilton would demand some sort of formal apology to be issued by the District and maybe a promise that Clubs never, ever be used again to target African American children.
In a few weeks, kids will be back at school and the hoops won't be locked anymore.
I don't think that will satisfy Hamilton. The irreparable damage has been done.
I'd like to know what the African American children that used the hoops did with them locked.
Did they find somewhere else to play?
Most likely.
Were they despondent over their civil rights being trampled on, too depressed to enjoy their summer?
I highly doubt it.
Or worse, were they forced to commit crimes and act out violently, all because of the racist practice of Brown Deer Middle School?
Some might buy that as an excuse for bad behavior.
The fact is there are battles over REAL discriminatory practices that need to be fought.
This isn't one of them.
The jury in the federal Frank Jude Jr. trial delivered. From Today's TMJ4:Jurors have reached a verdict during their fourth day of deliberations in the federal case of four police officers accused in beating that has caused community outrage.
The men are accused of violating Frank Jude's civil rights and those of his friend Lovell Harris in 2004. Authorities say they brutally beat Jude and also injured Harris outside a party attended by off-duty officers in 2004.
From the Associated Press:Three white former police officers were convicted Thursday of beating a biracial man outside a party and violating his civil rights, but a suspended officer was acquitted in the case.
From The Milwaukee Channel:"I'm glad justice has been done. I believe the verdicts are correct," Milwaukee Police Chief Nannette Hegerty said following the verdict. "I don't think I will ever forget the date of this incident, and I think it's done a tremendous disservice to the Milwaukee Police Department. "
Jude, who is biracial, was beaten by group that included off-duty police officers, who accused him of stealing a badge from Spengler's home, where they were partying.
Jude, a stripper from Appleton, had accompanied a black male friend and two white women to the party in the early-morning hours and was leaving when the beating took place.
...The three men would face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000.
Hegerty told 12 News that the three fired officers will be removed from the Milwaukee Police Department's payroll when they are sentenced.
Andrew Spengler, Jon Bartlett and Daniel Masarik have been found guilty of conspiracy and assault in connection with the beating of Frank Jude Jr.
Ryan Packard was found not guilty of the conspiracy and assault charges.
I'm sure Mayor Tom Barrett and Police Chief Nan Hegerty and other city leaders are breathing a sigh of relief.
Three men are being finally held accountable for the barbaric, brutal beating of Jude.
Justice has been served.
I guess this means that there will be no violent explosions in Milwaukee today, at least none related to the Jude trial.
I don't think Packard's acquittal is enough to warrant violence. Do you?
Any planned marches, riots, and violent outbursts will probably have to be rescheduled.
Maybe those can wait for the sentencing on November 29. _______________________
Speaking on the steps of the courthouse, Jude's attorney Jonathan Safran didn't sound too happy.
I think he was laying out his case for the civil suits.
To applause, Jude stepped to the microphone.
He said he was happy about the convictions of the three former officers, but sad about Ryan Packard.
Some of Jude's comments:"I've been tortured."
"Today's a good day.
"The truth has been told today."
"I'm happy I'm still alive."
Frank Jude's aunt, Doris Jude Porter, had some comments, too. She sounded as if the former three officers were acquitted.
In addition to thanking Mike McGee for his leadership, she said that police can kill you and harass you.
The outrage remains.
Mike Nifong is really slimy.
He apologized today, admitting that there was no crime in the Duke lacrosse case.DURHAM, N.C. -- Disgraced former prosecutor Mike Nifong acknowledged Thursday there is "no credible evidence" that three Duke lacrosse players committed any of the crimes he accused them of more than a year ago, offering for the first time a complete and unqualified apology.
"We all need to heal," Nifong said. "It is my hope we can start this process today."
Nifong's apology came as a judge began considering whether to hold the former Durham County district attorney in criminal contempt of court for his handling of the case.
Superior Court Judge W. Osmond Smith III has already concluded there is probable cause to believe Nifong "willfully and intentionally made false statements of material fact" to the court during a hearing in the case last fall. If he finds Nifong in contempt after an Aug. 30 hearing, the now-disbarred former prosecutor could face up to 30 days in jail.
It's my experience that apologies suddenly get very sincere when the offender is facing punishment.
Such is the case with Nifong.
"We all need to heal."
GIVE ME A BREAK!
Here's the text of Nifong's "heartfelt" apology:"With the court's permission, I would have a brief statement:
The last 16 months have proven to be a difficult and painful journey for my family and for myself. I know this has also been a difficult and painful journey for Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and David Evans, for their families, for Durham and for the state of North Carolina.
We all need to heal. I believe, however, that this healing process cannot truly begin until all proceedings involving this matter are concluded and everyone is able to go forward. I have resigned my position as Durham's district attorney as a part of this process.
I have read the report released by the attorney general, including his recitation of evidence I did not have — evidence that he obtained from his own investigation.
I agree with the attorney general's statement that there is no credible evidence that Mr. Seligmann, Mr. Finnerty or Mr. Evans committed any of the crimes for which they were indicted — or any other crimes against (the accuser) — during the party that occurred on March 13th and 14th, 2006, at North Buchanan Boulevard in Durham.
Mr. Seligmann, Mr. Finnerty and Mr. Evans were entitled to the presumption of innocence when the were under indictment. Surely they are entitled to more than that now as they go forward for the rest of their lives, and that is what the attorney general tried to give them in his declaration that they are innocent.
I have admitted on more than one occasion that I have made mistakes in the prosecution of these cases. For that, I sincerely apologize to Mr. Seligmann, Mr. Finnerty, Mr. Evans and to their families.
It is my hope that all of us can learn from the mistakes in this case, that all of us can begin to move forward. It is my hope that we can start this process today.
Thank you, your honor."
This guy makes me sick.
