Astronaut Charged With Kidnap Attempt: Drives Houston to Orlando, with disguise, wearing diaper

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP: Astronaut Charged With Kidnap Attempt
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: February 5, 2007

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- An astronaut drove from Houston to Florida, donned a disguise and confronted a woman she believed was romantically involved with a space shuttle pilot she was in love with, police said. She was charged with attempted kidnapping and other counts.

U.S. Navy Capt. Lisa Nowak, 43, who flew last July on a shuttle mission to the international space station, was also charged with attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of evidence and battery. She was denied bail.

Police said Nowak drove from her home in Houston to the Orlando International Airport -- wearing diapers so she wouldn't have to stop to urinate -- to confront Colleen Shipman.

Nowak believed Shipman was romantically involved with Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, a pilot during space shuttle Discovery's trip to the space station last December, police said....

***

Dressed in a wig and a trench coat, Nowak boarded an airport bus that Shipman took to her car in an airport parking lot. Shipman told police she noticed someone following her, hurried inside the car and locked the doors, according to the arrest affidavit.

Nowak rapped on the window, tried to open the car door and asked for a ride. Shipman refused but rolled down the car window a few inches when Nowak started crying. Nowak then sprayed a chemical into Shipman's car, the affidavit said....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Astronaut-Arrested.html

[illinoisprogressive]

1. someone must have gotten spacy--bad pun

[damntexdem]

145. Sounds like a real space case.

A good pun.

[calimary]

168. Did you see the label Olbermann had for this story? "Astronaughty."

I have a friend who's disgusted by this - because he was stalked by a nut-case, and knows all too well how miserable it is to be a stalking victim. He says Shipman was a stalking victim, having been a target of this crazy woman for a couple of months.

And the sad thing is - that part of it is serious and won't get a closer look, because EVERYBODY'S enthralled by the adult diapers part. Probably had every shock jock in America going all morning (and needing Pampers of their own). :eyes:

[Lautremont]

2. C'est tres bizarre.

The lineaments of love are strange indeed. I can't wait for the TV movie.

[Botany]

3. Like have always said Estrogen is one strong as drug!

I like the diaper thing .... she is using he NASA training!

[SayWhatYo]

5. I was thinking the same thing... lol..

Only someone from NASA would have came up with that.

[Cha]

27. The diaper thing smacks

of lunacy..nobody should be in that big of a hurry. :(

[truthisfreedom]

42. Well, she's an astronaut.

They do it in their suits.

[Cha]

133. See, I didn't know that..

the things you find out on DU. :)

[damntexdem]

147. In the interest of clarity: that means space suits.

The story is that a popular picture of Aldrin on the moon during the first landing was taken while Aldrin was being a whizz kid.

[Evergreen Emerald]

57. it is actually not stupid--she won't be spotted at a truck stop

with a surviellence camera on the route.

She had a family. The poor husband and kids. Yikes.

[KansDem]

76. She still had to stop for gas...

Assuming she couldn't drive all that way on one tank of gas. And I imagine she had to "prepay" since these stations would be off a major highway. That would mean she would have had to go inside (where the camera is) to pay before pumping anyway, so she might as well have slipped off to the little astronaut's room at the same time.

:shrug:

[EVDebs]

117. Flatulence kills ! nt

[KansDem]

126. Well still, feeling a strong force behind her...lifting her up...

...should not be foreign to this person.

[damntexdem]

148. Most places now have pay at pump.

But if she DID go off to the little astronaut's room, she could CHANGE the diaper.

[Hardrada]

125. It all depends.

[burrowowl]

4. NASA Soap Opera?

which goes to show that Amor's arrow is more powerful than blast-off.
Sad.

[Connie_Corleone]

6. As the World Turns...Literally.

[zanne]

52. HAH!

Good one!

[Lint Head]

7. Our Exploration of Mars

Isn't this just a dry run for Dubay's plan to explore Mars?
All astronauts will wear diapers so they won't have to stop an urinate on the way.

(Dry run... no pun intended..yeah sure.)

:hurts: :dem:

[Psephos]

40. The Mercury astronauts had to pee in their suits if there was a launch delay

In the first few launches, no provision was made for bodily functions because the sub-orbital flights were supposed to be over so quickly.

Must have been a major clash of emotions sitting there on the launch pad waiting for the delays to be cleared, with a couple of warm wet legs. That part didn't make it onto TV.

[Sequoia]

67. Welcome Lint Head. Your name is quite original.

[Tin Man]

8. Sad... Sounds like mental illness. I hope Capt Nowak gets help.

Obviously this lady was/is an exceptional talent.

I hope she is able to get help, and that she and her family can become well again.

[TexasLawyer]

154. As the parent of a bi-polar child,

I see a lot of the same kinds of symptoms in Ms. Nowak.

Pure speculation on my part, but her apparent sense of grandiosity (obviously believed she would not get caught), her single minded obsession, her impulse to take action on her fantasies, her up-all-night-and-all-day implementation of the overall quasi-suicidal plan, her complete lack of any sense of proportion (is this plan really worth risking my career? my family? will I lose control and kill my captive? get killed by her? go to jail?)...

all sound very familiar to me.

[DuaneBidoux]

179. I am bipolar and have a connection to NASA

They never would allow her to continue flying if she were bipolar. It is possible that it was undiagnosed but unlikely. These astrounauts go through a constant and continual battery of psychological testing to assure mental health and stability.

I don't necessarily think she thought she could get away with it. In fact, I suspect that she didn't think at all. It is hard to know exactly what happened but I do know she split with her husband of 19 years several weeks ago. This is combination with an ongoing affair may have simply made her "snap."

This is obviously all speculation as well.

[SaveElmer]

9. She must have psychiatric problems....

To go to that length. Sounds like she needs some serious help.

I hope she gets it!

[Haole Girl]

68. Oh, but don't let that prevent all of America from mocking her...

...for eternity. :eyes:

[SaveElmer]

78. Yeah it is over the top...

I was a bit disappointed in Stephanie Miller this morning...pretty harsh!

[Haole Girl]

79. I can't wait for Letterman and Leno tonight...

...they probably have enough material for the next nine months. :eyes:

[hatrack]

10. The kind of headline you don't see every day . . .

To say the least!

Yowza!

[Aviation Pro]

11. Her NASA bio before it gets pulled

Lisa M. Nowak (CAPTAIN, USN)
NASA Astronaut
PERSONAL DATA: Born May 10, 1963, in Washington, D.C. Married, with three children. Lisa enjoys bicycling, running, skeet, sailing, gourmet cooking, rubber stamps, crossword puzzles, piano, and African violets. As an undergraduate she competed on the track team. Her parents, Alfredo and Jane Caputo, reside in Rockville, Maryland.

EDUCATION: Graduated from C.W. Woodward High School, Rockville, Maryland, in 1981; received a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1985; a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering and a degree of aeronautical and astronautical engineer from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, both in 1992.

ORGANIZATIONS: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association; Tau Beta Pi Engineering Society.

AWARDS: Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal; Navy Achievement Medal; various other service awards.

EXPERIENCE: Nowak received her commission from the U.S. Naval Academy in May 1985, and reported to flight school after six months of temporary duty at Johnson Space Center. She earned her wings as a Naval Flight Officer in June 1987, followed by Electronic Warfare School at Corry Station, Florida, and initial A-7 training at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. She was assigned to Electronic Warfare Aggressor Squadron 34 at Point Mugu, California, where she flew EA-7L and ERA-3B aircraft, supporting the fleet in small and large-scale exercises with jamming and missile profiles. While assigned to the squadron, she qualified as Mission Commander and EW Lead. In 1992, Nowak completed two years of graduate studies at Monterey, and began working at the Systems Engineering Test Directorate at Patuxent River, Maryland. In 1993, she was selected for both Aerospace Engineering Duty and U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. After graduation in June 1994, she stayed at Patuxent River working as an aircraft systems project officer at the Air Combat Environment Test and Evaluation Facility and at Strike Aircraft Test Squadron, flying the F/A-18 and EA-6B. Nowak was then assigned to the Naval Air Systems Command, working on acquisition of new systems for naval aircraft, when she was selected for the astronaut program.

Nowak has logged over 1,500 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE: After receiving her commission Nowak was assigned temporary duty and from June to November 1985 she provided engineering support for the JSC’s Shuttle Training Aircraft Branch at Ellington, Texas. Selected by NASA in April 1996, Nowak reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996. Having completed two years of training and evaluation, she became qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist. Initially assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Operations Planning Branch, she also served in the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch and in the CAPCOM Branch, working in Mission Control as prime communicator with on-orbit crews. Nowak flew as a mission specialist on STS-121 in 2006 and has logged almost 13 days in space.

SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-121 (July 4-17, 2006), was a return-to-flight test mission and assembly flight to the International Space Station. During the 13-day flight the crew of Space Shuttle Discovery tested new equipment and procedures that increase the safety of space shuttles, repaired a rail car on the International Space Station and produced never-before-seen, high-resolution images of the Shuttle during and after its July 4th launch. Nowak was responsible for operating the remote arm during scheduled EVAs. The crew also performed maintenance on the space station and delivered and transferred more than 28,000 pounds of supplies and equipment, and a new Expedition 13 crew member to the station. The mission was accomplished in 306 hours, 37 minutes and 54 seconds.

OCTOBER 2006

And her picture:

[DeepModem Mom]

17. Thanks, AP. Wow! Something must have gone seriously wrong with this gal. nt

[Aviation Pro]

19. High achievers usually can't stomach being betrayed...

...or bested in any competition.

[Justitia]

62. Wow! What amazing accomplishments! To all be brought down by jealous rage. -eom

[Thothmes]

171. amazing accomplishments

After years of observation, when dealing with male/female relationships, hormones trump common sense almost every time.

[donsu]

66. a clue: one of her hobbies is rubber stamping

question: is rubber stamping the collecting of different rubber stamps or is it the using of rubber stamps to create art or whatever?

another woman going after the rival woman instead of the man

when she should have dropped the man and found another.

advise therapy.

[ashling]

134. Advise rubber room

:eyes:

[calimary]

169. A rubber stamping hobby (other than what we've seen play out while

republi-CONS were still in power in Congress) means collecting, and USING, rubber stamps in all kinds of paper crafting, hand-made cards, scrapbooking - AND more. I used to work with a woman who claimed she owned at least 1,000 rubber stamps, and she used them for all kinds of graphic design work and art projects.

[donsu]

178. sounds interesting - thanks for info

nt

[TexasLawyer]

152. such an accomplished woman

and such a loss to society that she was caught up in such overwhelming obsessions.

[TomInTib]

12. The psych screeners blew this one, big-time.

But then, Love is a Drug.

[goforit]

18. No kidding! They go thru big time screening. Obsessive compulsive disorder.

[EVDebs]

165. Fer-real. Character is judged by how someone reacts to adversity

This over-achiever suceeded at everything she did apparently. What made her dream up this screwy plan out of the G. Gordon (flipped-his) Liddy school of idiotic ideas ?

[DainBramaged]

13. HAHAHAHAH how friggin petty, throw away a career

[Megahurtz]

136. And for some Dude

that isn't even worth it.
The Sad Lengths that people go to just for another person that isn't even worth it.

[SayWhatYo]

14. Three of her classmates died in 2003 on the Columbia...

I wonder if that has anything to do with her mental state, aye?

[Aviation Pro]

15. And his NASA bio before it gets pulled...

William A. Oefelein (Commander, USN)
NASA Astronaut

PERSONAL DATA: Born March 29, 1965 in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, but considers Anchorage, Alaska to be his hometown. He has two children. Recreational interests include weight lifting, wake and snow boarding, fishing, and backcountry hiking. His parents, Randall W. and Billye M. Oefelein, reside in Anchorage, Alaska.

EDUCATION:
West Anchorage High School, Anchorage, Alaska, 1983.
B.S., Electrical Engineering, Oregon State University, 1988.
M.S., Aviation Systems, University of Tennessee Space Institute, 1998.

ORGANIZATIONS: Seaplane Pilots Association.

SPECIAL HONORS: High Scholarship Graduate Oregon State University, McClarran Award for Strike/Fighter competition. Awarded the Strike/Flight Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, and various other service awards.

EXPERIENCE: Oefelein received his commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy from Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida in 1988. He entered flight training in Texas in 1989 and was designated a Naval Aviator in September 1990. He then reported to Marine Fighter/Attack Training Squadron 101 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California for initial F/A-18 training. Upon completion of training, he was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 146 at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California where he made overseas deployments aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to the Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. While assigned to VFA-146, he attended the US Navy Fighter Weapons School, TOPGUN, and was assigned as the Squadron Air-to-Air Weapons and Tactics Officer. Oefelein was selected for the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland and began the course in January of 1995. After graduation in December 1995, he was assigned to Strike Aircraft Test Squadron as an F/A-18 Project Officer and Test Pilot. In February 1997, he went back to the United States Naval Test Pilot School as an Instructor flying the F/A-18, T-2, and U-6 aircraft. In February 1998, he transferred to Carrier Air Wing 8, Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia where he was assigned duties as the Strike Operations Officer when he was selected for the astronaut program.

Oefelein has logged over 3000 hours in more than 50 aircraft and has over 200 carrier arrested landings.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in June 1998, Oefelein reported to Johnson Space Center in August 1998. Having completed 2 years of training and evaluation, he is qualified for space flight assignment as a pilot. Oefelein was initially assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Advanced Vehicles Branch and CAPCOM Branch. He completed his first mission as pilot on STS-116 and has logged over 308 hours in space.

SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-116 Discovery (December 9-22, 2006). The seven-member crew on this 12-day mission continued construction of the ISS outpost by adding the P5 spacer truss segment during the first of four spacewalks. The next two spacewalks rewired the station’s power system, preparing it to support the addition of European and Japanese science modules by future shuttle crews. The fourth spacewalk was added to allow the crew to coax and retract a stubborn solar panel to fold up accordion-style into its box. Discovery also delivered a new crew member and more than two tons of equipment and supplies to the station. Almost two tons of items no longer needed on the station returned to Earth with STS-116. Mission duration was 12 days, 20 hours and 45 minutes.

JANUARY 2007

And his studly picture (thanks, you idiot, for completely screwing up the morale and moral fiber of the astronaut corps).

[Tin Man]

21. You're leaping to conclusions

"And his studly picture (thanks, you idiot, for completely screwing up the morale and moral fiber of the astronaut corps)."

Capt Nowak is quoted as saying her relationship with Cmdr Oefelein was personal, but not romantic. Your comment is unsupported and juvenile.

[Aviation Pro]

22. Yes, my common sense is overcoming me.....

...Nowak believed Shipman was romantically involved with Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, a pilot during space shuttle Discovery's trip to the space station last December, police said....

[Tin Man]

31. Your schadenfreude is overcoming you

Jealous of success, Aviation Pro?

[John Q. Citizen]

38. Don't be to hard on AP. I notice lots of folks seem to get into making

unfounded gossipy accusations against people they know nothing about when troubles hit the newspapers.

You should see this other thread about the mayor of SF.I was just reading.

The mayor announced he's entering rehab because he has a substance abuse problem and tons of folks came out of the woodwork just to engage unfounded gossipy opinions that it's all a big trick just to be able to hide out.

i have no idea what motivates people to do this shit. It seems some people take sick enjoyment in imagining the worst about other people sometimes.

Personally, I'd wish they'd cut it out.

[Aviation Pro]

53. I'm sorry...

...are you making a reference to the way I earn a living? Sorry, wrong ego you're trying to get into a dander. Suffice to say I know exactly what direction I'm taking in life and why I'm taking it, which is more that 99.9999% of the human race can say.

Welcome to the ignore list.

[regnaD kciN]

47. I'll see your leaping to conclusions and raise you an example of sexism...

A (female) attacks B (female) because she thinks B is involved with C (male), to whom A is attracted.

Somehow, the whole thing is C's fault?

:wtf:

[Gin]

51. AND... according to her bio..."A" is married......what a mess

g

[Aviation Pro]

54. Does C....

....have a little head that thinks for his big head? Yep.

Let me make things perfectly clear. Workplace relationships happen. They screw up the workplace. Whether that workplace is a cubicle farm, an engineering shop, the Army, or the astronaut corps at NASA it will happen. In 99% of the cases, my best estimate based on anecdotal evidence and the fact that I had to fire two workers when their dalliances turned into sexual harrassment, it's the male who initiates because he suffers from fits of stupidity. One final note, I have a two table rule. I always put two tables between myself and co-workers of the opposite sex because workplace relationships are a death knell to an organization.

If folks would concentrate on their work instead of their gonads while on the job we could cure cancer in the next 30 seconds.

[Hardrada]

131. A good friend of ours has a sister married to a lt. colonel

in the Army. This guy had an affair with his base commanders's wife!! And was found out! I think the lt.colonel got transferred. I know both marriages are done for. That is even screwier than this astronaut situation. If possible.

[rocktivity]

180. Workplace relationships do happen -- but I think this one was one-sided

Nowak describes her relationship with Oefelein as "more" than professional but "less" than romantic? A very interesting choice of words, especially since they beg the question of why you would feel the need to dispose of an alleged romantic rival over someone that you don't have romantic feelings about.

I strongly suspect that Nowak WANTED a more romantic relationship, but the feeling wasn't mutual. Either Oefelein rejected her outright, she blew her stack when she realized (or mistakenly concluded) that he was interested in someone else, or she escalated their working relationship into something bigger--and totally imaginary.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Aviation Pro]

65. Gosh, I hate being right....

Judge grants bail to astronaut in alleged love triangle

NASA astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak shuffled into court today, shackled at hand and foot, to hear accusations she attacked a romantic rival. Nowak shook her head as the prosecution said she planned to kidnap and possibly hurt Colleen Shipman. Nowak was granted bail after shuttle commander Steve Lindsey testified there need be no contact between her and Shipman, both reportedly "in a relationship" with shuttle pilot Bill Oefelein

[Tin Man]

74. LOL... Lucky for you, you have yet to be proven right, so maybe you can stop hating.

How does that article support your argument that "he" caused the whole incident? There's nothing in there to suggest anything about "his" role in the matter - only that Nowak saw Shipman as a rival.

[Solon]

140. I think the "relationship" between Nowak and Oefelein is probably...

something that exists in her head and not IRL. The relationship between Oefelein and Shipman could be real, hence Nowak's actions. Until either he verifies who he has a relationship with, or there is independent verification of it, I'll assume he was in a relationship with neither.

Even if he were involved with either of these women, or both of them, he's scum, yeah, but that doesn't excuse Nowak's actions.

[Tin Man]

141. I agree w/ your theory about Nowak, but Oefelein is apparently single

...Oefelein's bio (posted above) doesn't list a wife.

And given what's been reported about Nowak's statements to police (i.e. that she and Oefelein had a personal, but not romantic, relationship) - I can't see that he's done anything wrong.

It sounds to me like Shipman and Oefelein might be romantically linked, and Nowak was simply "on the outside looking in" (with some serious issues).

[Solon]

142. I could be wrong, but I think a personal relationship that's not romantic is called...

a friendship. :)

Sounds like she fell for him, and he didn't return the favor. Also, I wasn't really commenting on him being scum by assuming he was married. But some people, both men and women, like to play lovers against each other, which is cruel in my mind. Then again, I'm skeptical that happened at all, and she is just a too possessive of her friends, which is what this seems to be. I've been there, believe me when I say that it is NOT cool to be in that situation.

[Neshanic]

33. What? Wearing a diaper for that hunk o' flyboy is a problem?

Looks like he just used one for the photo with that lok on his face.

[truthisfreedom]

16. I just have to think that NASA isn't really going to send her on any more missions.

The story is just too... well, out-there. 8^)

[grytpype]

20. In space, no one can hear you scream BITCH YOU STOLE MY MAN!!!!

[Neshanic]

35. You owe me a keyboard!

[BluePatriot]

112. *spits out coffee* BWAHAHAHA

[blitzen]

23. Her mugshot here:

and her pic from her NASA bio:

[phaseolus]

25. Wow... almost looks like one of those 'faces of meth' pictures

I bet the man she's obsessed with is going to be under scrutiny, and given the relatively few number of shuttle missions remaining, this might be the end of his career at NASA too.

Somebody help me out -- I have a little bit of experience dating crazy people, and some experience avoiding crazy people, too. From everything I've ever seen, I'm doubting that people like Ms. Nowak develop obsessions if there never, ever was a little bit of interest on the part of the other person. I have to believe that if Mr. Oefelein simply maintained a pleasant-but-cool-and-professional detachment, she never would have gotten attached to him. There had to have been orgasms in the picture at some point in the past if she's going to attempt kidnapping... No one's so crazy that they'll act like this over a pretty face, right?

Thoughts?

[aquart]

37. You're wrong.

As one who has been stalked by someone who was miffed because I didn't say hello to him in the laundryroom, I can tell you that obsession has NOTHING to do with the amount of encouragement the stalker gets.

I moved, giving up a rent-controlled apartment, and unlisted my phone number. Back then, stalking was not a crime.

[MadHound]

50. I have to agree, definetly looks like a meth freak

I mean dayummn, major weight loss in the face, hair certainly looks unhealthy, and bad overall color. Makes you wonder. If it is meth, well that would explain a lot. Nobody does violent freak out like a meth head.

[Up2Late]

118. She does look sick in that picture, could be meth, could be a mental breakdown...

...of some sort, possibly related to her space flight, or any number of other stress related factors.

Here's a link to a Reuters "Fact Box" on her: <http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyid=2007-02-06T182715Z_01_N06251209_RTRUKOT_0_TEXT0.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsArt-L1-RelatedNews-1>

"...-- Nowak, who lost three classmates in the 2003 explosion of space shuttle Columbia, flew a 13-day mission aboard shuttle Discovery in July 2006 to the half-built International Space Station...."

Reuters has a more direct comparason picture up now, at the link below:

<http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-02-06T182719Z_01_N05320234_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-ASTRONAUTS.xml>

[Neshanic]

36. The hair is obviously a part of the sealing system on the helmet. She's PERKY!

[Rick Myers]

24. Welcome to the end of the world!

:grr:

[goforit]

26. DISTRACTION FROM BIG NEWS FOLKS!!!Get back to Cheney/Libby/Iran

[quiet.american]

116. Hello! (Just in time, isn't it.) n/t

[kenny blankenship]

28. Houston, I WON'T BE IGNORED!

[Blue_Roses]

172. oh that's rich

lol:rofl:

[daleo]

29. The story kind of reminds me of the Margot Kidder story

I guess some kind of mental illness kicked in.

[Psephos]

41. You're right; I'd forgotten about her. Sad story. n/t

[Hardrada]

167. Claudine Longet Invitational Ski Tournament

(on Saturday Night Live). Almost got the show in trouble.

[htuttle]

30. Good thing it didn't happen on the way to Mars

[rocktivity]

32. Do you suppose it's something she picked up in outer space?

Oh, and thanks for being such excellent role models, ladies.

:scared:
rocknation

[kenny blankenship]

34. space cooties?

[Porcupine]

45. Yah, they say in space your um, extremities, swell up.

I'm sure she picked that up right quick.

Damn, zero-gee nookie must be goooood.

[Sequoia]

69. Day of the Dove like critter?

A malevolent entity has entered into the U.S.S. Enterprise computer and excites both sides to aggressive behavior. It forces the ship out of control, rushing toward the galactic rim, while isolating a number of Klingons and U.S.S. Enterprise crew, heightening their sense of paranoia and violence turning them against each other. Phasers become swords and the battle begins.

Spock finally realizes that the entity feeds off hatred and emotional excitation and has acted as a catalyst to provoke combat, keeping the numbers on both sides even. Kirk is able, in the end, to make a common-cause truce with the Klingons and they drive the creature out of the ship with their laughter.

http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/episode/68792.html

[Blue_Tires]

146. she's no woman, that's AN ALIEN, BABY!!!

come to drain all earth men of their essence!

[FormerOstrich]

39. What a .....

bazaar story. I can't help but believe there is a lot more to this.

To start with her physical appearance has changed significantly in less than six months. Granted, mug shots are usually not flattering but the striking difference is beyond that.

Next, it certainly seems that there were a lot of charges levied against her in light of how little she actually accomplished. The victim apparently was able to prevent an attack. I am not sure why the victims judgment lapsed because Nowak started crying.

I am surmising the two women must have known each other. How else would Nowak have been able to identify and follow her so easily (there was no mention she possessed photos of the woman). Plus, how did she know the womans schedule and what motivated her to drive so far to confront her at the airport?

If all of this was driven by sheer insane jealousy and possessiveness how has the dude's wife escaped Nowak's wrath?

Nowak has had to have been subjected to many psyche evaluations. How would such traits go undetected?

If everything is as the article has described I would speculate brain tumor. Then again, I am completely unqualified to speculate anything about a person's physical or mental well being.

edited to add....I can't believe that guy was worth wrecking your marriage and career over.....if you're going to toss it all away you need to do it for a Sean Connery type or something....

[regnaD kciN]

48. No mention of a wife...

If all of this was driven by sheer insane jealousy and possessiveness how has the dude's wife escaped Nowak's wrath?

His bio only mentions "two children." I would assume he's divorced.

OTOH, Nowak herself is listed as being married with three children. I would have to assume that marriage is somewhat on the rocks at the moment?

[Nostradammit]

43. Did they do it in space? I gotta know

Has anybody done it in space yet?

Wouldn't that be a mandated experiment at some point?

Imagine the positions you could pull off!

Though avoiding the wet spot would be a challenge.

[regnaD kciN]

49. Newt(er) Gingrich once suggested...

...that there would be a future market for honeymoons in space, because of the "possibilities" of zero-G. Al Franken wrote a devastating parody in his first book, positing a scenario in which the result of every action was: "she floats away."

:evilgrin:

[AllegroRondo]

71. what happens in space, stays in space

[cboy4]

44. It's okay, nobody outside the United States knows about this!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6333975.stm

(most read, no less)

[lakercub]

46. According to CNN

Nowak is married and has three kids. Yikes. She looks worse and worse by the second, and I'm not talking about that brutal mug shot. I hope she gets help...she needs it.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/05/space.love/index.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

55. And she was on the space shuttle??

Good grief, don't they screen these astronauts?

[bleedingheart]

56. sounds like the poor woman has a mental disorder

but being an astronaut this is going to get far more attention than it should ..especially if she is suffering some sort of mental breakdown.

I am just glad that no one was seriously injured.

I feel bad for Nowak's kids.

[tabasco]

58. Damn. Navy CAPTAIN ! That's the same as a bird colonel in the Army.

Jeepers. The only question is if she does time and if she loses her retirement.

[oneinok]

59. been going on for years

Sex, booze, parties have been covered up by the local police for 40 years in the Clear Lake area. The residents of Taylor Lake Village know only too well how NASA people love to party.

Watch how NASA does damage control on this.

[daleo]

75. Tom Wolfe talked about related matters in "The Right Stuff"

That was about the Gemini/Apollo astronauts, but they were hardly choir boys.

[AlCzervik]

60. Houston, we have a stalker.

sorry, it had to be done.

I feel bad for this womans children, also her, she needs help.

[DinahMoeHum]

61. After reading astronaut Mike Mullane's book, I'm rather surprised

this sort of incident hasn't happened sooner.

Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Riding-Rockets-Outrageous-Shuttle-Astronaut/dp/0743276825/sr=8-1/qid=1170774067/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6097184-3786552?ie=UTF8&s=books


Given the pressures of NASA working within budget, the ambitions of NASA and it's keepers, the struggles to integrate what was once the province of male WASP military jet jocks, the constant jockeying for shuttle flights by the astronaut candidates, etc. this sort of love triangle was bound to happen sooner or later.


:evilfrown:

[bmbmd]

63. And what will be her prison sentence?

I think it's gonna be a long, long time. She's not the man we think she is at home.

[BlueInPhilly]

64. I'd do her N/T

[shanti]

70. how bizarre

:eyes:

[AngryAmish]

72. A lot of the comments are disturbing here

Many folks have speculated that she is mentally ill, on drugs or has a brain tumor. I think I detect a note of sexism in many of them because of the paternalistic notion that women are inherently good and only do ill when provoked or ill.

Guess what? Women can be just as f'd up as men. Maybe she is just a bad egg who flipped out and did something bad out of jealousy. And jealousy should never be an excuse for a crime.

As for her bad mug shot. She traveled 12 hours straight and had a disguise on for at least several hours. Her hair will be messed up from the wig. I haven't added it all up but she was probably up for a long, long time. There are reasons for her appearance short of mental illness.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

80. just to take your mind off Iraq

keeps the media happy

[Blue_Roses]

173. you obviously haven't been plagued by

PMS. Hormones are strong stuff and when they are mixed in a love triangle it can get per-ty ugly.

Not saying that this is the case, but something obviously has gone seriously array here with this woman. To have the education and accomplishments that she's had and to do this, well, it does seem some mental illness is going on. Hopefully, she'll get the help she needs.

I don't think she's just a bad egg.

[AngryAmish]

176. Hormones are strong stuff - testosterone included

Many women who take testosterone at male levels talk about personality changes, increased aggressiveness, much heightened sexual drive and other changes. Yet would one allow a guy to get out of a crime by pleading too much testosterone? Or "roid rage"? Of course not. And by pleading PMS one assumes a paternalistic attitude toward women that they cannot help themselves 'cause they are just a big bag of hormones. And if women are just a big bag of hormones who can't help themselves than they can't really be trusted with an important job.

It may be true that she had a psychotic break. We do not know that yet. And to assume that then one is just displaying paternalistic attitudes in my opinion. (And I am trying not to attack you personally, I am just trying to express my view. Cheers!)

[Justitia]

73. Just on the local Houston news: She will be charged w/attempted murder.

No link, announced on ABC's 11am broadcast.

[rainbow4321]

135. Official: Astronaut to face attempted murder charge

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/020607dnnatastronaut.150329f.html


A NASA astronaut accused of trying to kidnap a romantic rival for a space shuttle pilot's affections will remain in jail because authorities planned to charge her with attempted first-degree murder.

Orange County jail spokesman Allen Moore said Orlando police were in the process of adding the more serious charge that Lisa Marie Nowak, 43, tried to kill the woman. "Even though she satisfied the bail for the other charges, she won't be released from jail," Moore said.

Orange County Judge Mike Murphy had earlier said Nowak could be released on $15,500 bond provided she stay away from the other woman and wear a monitoring device.

The robotics specialist faces charges including attempted kidnapping, attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of evidence and battery.

[zonkers]

77. heres a pic of her. She's pretty good looking.

[bigworld]

81. ASTRONAUT LISA NOWAK CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE

ORLANDO, Fla. Feb 6, 2007 (AP)— A jail official says a NASA astronaut is being charged with attempted first-degree murder in alleged kidnapping attempt involving a romantic rival.

Lisa Marie Nowak was charged earlier Tuesday with attempting to kidnap a romantic rival in a love triangle with another astronaut.

Police said Nowak drove 900 miles, donned a disguise and was armed with a BB gun and pepper spray when she confronted a woman she believed was a competitor for the affections of Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, an unmarried fellow astronaut.

Oefelein, 41, piloted the space shuttle Discovery in December. He and Nowak trained together but never flew a mission together.

Nowak told police that her relationship with Oefelein was "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship," according to an arrest affidavit. Police found a love letter to Oefelein in her car.

According to authorities, Nowak believed another woman, Colleen Shipman, was romantically involved with Oefelein. When Nowak found out Shipman was flying to Orlando from Houston, Nowak decided to confront her early Monday, according to the arrest affid




.... I smell a movie of the week.

[no_hypocrisy]

82. Drove 900 miles nonstop in diapers to make good time.

The story has so many layers of weird.

[tanyev]

83. I smell several movies, on different networks, all in the same month!

With breathless updates from Entertainment Tonight on all of the actresses vying for the parts!


Ooooh!!!

[confludemocrat]

107. ...during a coming sweeps period, when they load up on w/cheap sex

or an obsessed woman story or both. and nothing better than a docudrama that will be rerunnable on Lifetime or WE ad nauseum

they'll be all over this

$$$$!

[tanyev]

111. I think Patricia Heaton has a lot of time on her hands right now....

:evilgrin:

[Twillig]

137. Valerie Bertinelli's agent just picked the wrong week to stop

smoking/drinkin/sniffing glue!

[Cocoa]

119. this is right up Lifetime's alley

so much so, that I wonder... :tinfoilhat:

[grytpype]

110. I hope they leave the diapers thing out though.

[TheDebbieDee]

84. So, if a ROCKET SCIENTIST can't come up

with a more constructive or socially accepted way of dealing with unrequited affection, there's just no hope for the REST of us!

[ashling]

89. Romance ain't rocket science

:shrug:

[redqueen]

91. Scientists can be crazy too.

No profession is mutually exclusive to craziness.

[progdonkey]

99. and with all the psychological screening, I doubt they could screen for this...

They've been talking about how it's especially strange that an astronaut would do this, simply because someone who would do this would likely have been screened out in the psychological testing.

But I presume that much of that psychological testing deals with not panicking in the face of death/being able to keep your cool when systems start going haywire, etc.

It's not that difficult to induce someone with even the slightest bit of claustrophobia or with a fear of drowning into a panic attack, but I wonder how you could really screen for the sort of emotional stress and breakdown that this lady was obviously going through if there's no previous documented history to consider.

[redqueen]

100. Not to mention, "love" could be described as a mental illness.

Who knows who might lose it once their thought processes become disturbed by such an irrational thing as love?

[Zynx]

105. Assuming you don't get caught, this actually is not crazy. It's logical.

It's immoral, but it's a logical solution.

It wouldn't be crazy if you got caught either, it would just be illogical, since you landed yourself in jail, or, this being Florida, the chair.

[Hardrada]

122. Not Frankensteen, I Am DR. FRANKENSTEIN!!

Sometimes it's as bad when they are sane,for instance rocket scientist
Werner von Braun.
"Ve shoot zem up, who cares Vere zey come down.
That's not my department!" says Werner von Braun.

[ashling]

85. Link?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

94. Here's a link.

http://wral.com/news/national_world/national/story/1194114/

And a pic of one side of the triangle:

[Sanity Claws]

86. I love her name

She's Nowak -- got arrested before she could whack her rival. Her name is as good as John Wayne Bobbit's - - his wife bobbed "it."

[TheDebbieDee]

90. I hadn't caught the "No whack", yet..........

I would have eventually, though. Thanks.

[CoffeeCat]

87. I agree...

".... I smell a movie of the week."

I predict that it airs on Lifetime, and that Valerie Bertinelli plays the scorned female astronaut in
"Hitting Below the Asteroid Belt: The Lisa Marie Nowak Story".

:o

[Cocoa]

120. I predict Judith Light

[kenny blankenship]

88. "Obviously a major malfunction"

[ashling]

92. Houston, we have a problem

But all she did was take this one small step for a man

[CoffeeCat]

95. Great minds... (nt) : )

[CoffeeCat]

93. That's one small step toward a man...

...and one giant leap for jealous lovers everywhere!

[951-Riverside]

96. Seems a bit excessive for someone of her intellect

I can see charging some religious dumbass who contributes nothing worthwhile to society but ffs she's a scientist with a serious problem if anything she needs counseling not jail time. BTW It breaks my heart every time I look at that booking photo.

[leetrisck]

101. Baloney

doesn't matter what she is

[kskiska]

103. Intellect has nothing to do with it

Look at Jean Harris.

[Lisa]

150. or the Fabrikant case in Montreal

An engineering professor shot several colleagues, claiming that they were trying to steal his work and conspiring to block his promotion. (Later, it turned out that some of his claims were true -- a couple of departmental members were disciplined for misappropriation of research funding -- though of course that wasn't accepted as an excuse at his murder trial!)

[Hardrada]

166. Or the Gang Lu incident at the University of Iowa in 1991

where a physics doctoral candidate from China shot dead two professors, some fellow astrophysics students (one of them also from China) and a Dean of Students.

[Zynx]

104. Intelligent people kill people too. And they tend to be "good" at it.

It's very unfortunate how much was invested in this woman, but this is really some very serious stuff.

[progdonkey]

106. yeah, how messed up is she that she was willing to completely throw away her entire career?

She will never be able to go into space again, and she likely will never even be able to work at NASA--even at a desk job--because this wasn't just a "private" nervous breakdown but involved an actual assault on another person. I can't imagine NASA would allow someone who's assaulted another of its workers (even if the assaulter was an astronaut) to work again in any of its buildings.

My sister told me her own theory this morning, which is that Nowak's husband found out about her "more than working, less than romantic" relationship with the other astronaut and said he was leaving her and taking the kids. Then, she finds out that the other astronaut is having a relationship with this other woman, and in her head it's "my husband is leaving me because I'm in love with a guy who's in love with you, BITCH!!!" All speculation, of course, but you have to figure that something had to happen that pushed her so far that she was willing to destroy her entire life--ie, it's practically like an attempted murder/suicide, with the suicide being the death of her career, if not her actual life.

[MidwestTransplant]

97. They are going to have a hard time proving this was premeditated

JUST KIDDING.

[nashville_brook]

98. sounds like she got SPACE MADNESS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtCMpq-5is4

[frylock]

108. lol! i was thinking same thing!

Take it easy, Cap'n!

[kskiska]

102. As Woody Allen says…

Unrequited love – the only love that lasts – it lasts a lifetime.

[HerbieHeadhunter]

109. This is obviously the fault of the secular progressives...

at NASA -- Bill O'Reilly

[dysfunctional press]

113. rubber tubing and a steel mallet...? yikes! someone saw Sin City one time too many...

(as if that's possible)

[Miss Chybil]

114. Where's the attempted kidnapping?

Yes, she's wigged out, but I don't see the attempted kidnapping. Assault maybe, from the spray, but not kidnapping.

[Tin Man]

128. ...attempted to gain entry into occupied car while armed with weapons.

plus had a motive. Attempted kidnapping sounds supportable to me.

[Miss Chybil]

156. Now it says she's charged with attempted murder.

"At first the astronaut was charged with attempted kidnapping and other counts, and a judge had permitted her release on bail. Then, in a surprise move, prosecutors upped the charge to attempted murder, basing it on the weapons and other items they said they had found with Nowak or in her car: a pepper spray package, an unused BB-gun cartridge, a new steel mallet, knife, rubber tubing and large garbage bags."

[EVDebs]

115. The Best and The Brightest nt

[Cocoa]

121. I've heard that astronauts are pampered

I didn't know it was meant literally.

[Hardrada]

123. Lust in Space!

A New Mini-series!

[The Backlash Cometh]

124. We should set her up with Cheney and Rumsfeld.

I understand they like intrigue too.

[HuffleClaw]

127. sensationalist drivel

ANYTHING to take the public's attention from 1. the libby trial, 2. the battles in congress, and 3. the impending rape of iran.

[Hardrada]

129. True, normally the press gives this sort of thing a pass.

But, seriously, you do have a point. Sounds kinda tabloid.

[Beausoir]

130. This is very sad. I feel sorry for the men involved, too.

Her husband and the objection of her lovelust.

Lots of people caught up in this that probably didn't ask for it.

[Delphinus]

132. What happened in space ...

that sent her off into this tailspin? NASA screens for abnormal psychology - what snapped?

[Hardrada]

138. Kick!

[0rganism]

139. Alien Mind Control!

I'm just sayin', don't be afraid to put the option back on the table...

[populistdriven]

143. This is what happens when an Adult diaper survives reentry:

[Gman]

144. Kinda gives a whole new meaning to

Your mother's an astronaut!

[ryanmuegge]

149. A little comedy is good sometimes, especially in the midst of all the bad news...

.

[Vinca]

151. This is one of the most bizarre stories I've ever read. nt

[boobooday]

153. Sordid! Salacious!

A belated Christmas gift for Geraldo and Greta!

[superconnected]

155. the charges are out of this world

After this discovery she'll be shuttled to prison.

[Hardrada]

157. This is a result of human error, Dave. The HAL 9000 series

does not require adult diapers.

(Some of us remember the little misunderstandings in the film 2001).

[lonestarnot]

158. Shit she musta been scared she'd crap herself from her own driving.

I know I know, they say she said she didn't want to stop.

[Megahurtz]

159. Sounds like a Bad PTSD Reaction.

She doesn't need a Murder Charge, the poor Gal needs some Mental Help.

[Placebo]

160. I f'n love this country.

AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!

:patriot:

[zonkers]

161. When I think of a grown up wearing a diaper, I think.... (pic)

[aaronbees]

162. ....

Classic!

:rofl:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

163. A brain tumor could account for wacko behavior, too.

I hope she gets help for herself...

[aaronbees]

164. Just sad and strange

Obsession leads people to do surreally bad things. Seems like she's got some serious issues to work on.

[Eugene]

170. AP: U.S. Astronaut Released From Jail

U.S. Astronaut Released From Jail
Astronaut's Seemed to Excel in Life Until Charges Tied
to Alleged Love Triangle

By MIKE SCHNEIDER

ORLANDO, Fla. Feb 7, 2007 (AP)— Until a few months ago, Lisa Nowak's life seemed
to be on a perfect trajectory.

-snip-

Police officers charged Nowak with trying to murder Colleen Shipman based on weapons
and other items found with Nowak or in her car: pepper spray, a BB-gun, a new steel
mallet, knife and rubber tubing.

After Nowak posted a $25,500 bail Tuesday evening, she walked out of jail with a
jacket thrown over her head, mobbed by two dozen reporters and cameramen. A tracking
device was later placed on her ankle as a condition of her release. The judge ordered
Nowak to stay away from Shipman.

Her lawyer, Donald Lykkebak, took issue with the most serious charges.

-snip-

Full article: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2855440

[Zodiak]

174. You know, this just occurred to me....

I seem to have focused on th diaper issue because it seemed so bizarre on the surface, but after thinking about it, it is not so strange for an astronaut.

I do not claim to know anything about astronaut traning other than what I have seen in the movies, but I can sure imagine that adult diapers were used during training. Perhaps being made to sit in a capsule/cockpit for days on end without any opportunity for relief. In any case, if she had experience with the use of adult diapaers from her training, then it would not be so much of a stretch for her to utilize this "tool" at her disposal.

So the diaper is not neccessesarily prima fascia evidence of mental illness, nor is the attempted kidnapping. I know the diaper looks kinda like "rolls their turds into little balls" type of behavior, but it may not be so nutty for an astronaut.

If the male astronaut was romantically involved with Mrs. Nowak, then her actions were probably just passionate and not "crazy" per se.

Still, it makes for an interesting story, and the concern of others for this story's potential to cover the more important news is noted.

[Veronica.Franco]

175. Why was she released?

Any other person ... uneducated, black, hispanic, poor, etc. would have been locked up or at least held in a mental facility on a 72 hour hold ... why did this woman get the "get out of jail free" card? ... She needs observation and evaluation ... this is a really bad call by the judge ... insanity by the court is worse then the insanity exhibited by the astronaut ...

[Hardrada]

177. Don't they court martial Navy Captains for stuff like this?

What is these civilian charges?