A Happier Week Coming Up?

It seems as though there will be a tinge of sadness for tomorrow's anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. One of the great supporters of the space program among journalists, Walter Cronkite, passed away on Friday. NASA has already posted videos on its website from his report on the landing, and several astronauts/NASA administrators commented on his death. In fact, before "lights out" on Endeavour this weekend, the commander said a few words recognizing Cronkite's passing.

On the space note, it seems that things are not working too well. First, there was the debris from launch (NASA has since concluded that the debris posed no threat). Then the microphones the astronauts were using during the first spacewalk had static issues. And now, the American toilet is not working. So the astronauts have to use the Russian ones or the ones on Endeavour. Remember, there are 13 people up there now (six station crew, seven Endeavour crew), so every toilet helps.

Oh, lest I forget, I had to remove and re-post the poll to push back the deadline for it. So if you already voted and want it to count, you will need to vote again. Sorry (although I think only one person voted).

And right, seventeen and twenty-four days until quals. Oh boy. Then it's on to the sermon.

Hey, at least we got a laugh out of the golf-cart incident in Frederick.