NASA released a tersely-worded statement early this evening that indicated that the Space Shuttle fleet was being grounded until further notice. This after foam was observed falling from the shuttle's external tank during yesterday's launch.

While the US space agency said the foam did not damage the shuttle on Tuesday's launch, a spokesman said that future flights are on hold until the problem is corrected.

"Until we're ready we won't fly again," said Bill Parsons, space shuttle program manager.

If Discovery cannot be reliably repaired, rescue options would include sending up Atlantis with plenty of spare parts, or sending the Discovery crew back two or three at a time in Soyuz capsules.

This news, of course, scratches the September scheduled relaunch of Atlantis.

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A New York woman has filed suit in federal court against Rockstar Games and their parent company Take-Two Interactive.

85 year-old Florence Cohen is upset that the previously M rated game (17 and over) Grand Theft Auto San Andreas has been revealed to have graphic sexual content that can be unlocked with codes available on the internet. Cohen is seeking unspecified damages both for herself and on behalf of "consumers nationwide."

Florence Cohen of New York, said in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan that the game's manufacturer, Rockstar Games, and its parent company, New York-based Take Two Interactive Software Inc., engaged in false, misleading and deceptive practices.

She sought unspecified damages on behalf of herself and all consumers nationwide, saying the company should give up its profits from the game for what amounted to false advertising, consumer deception and unfair business practices.

Cohen said in the suit that she bought the game in late 2004 for her grandson when it was rated "M" for mature, for players 17 and older. According to the suit, she directed that it be taken away from her grandson, which was done.

The game was released in October with an "M" rating. After a storm of negative publicity about the hidden scenes, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, an industry group responsible for rating games, changed the rating to "AO" for adults only.

This sounds like a case where "loser pays" legislation would be well used.

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A new 115-story skyscraper in Chicago would take the title of America's tallest building away from Chicago's Sears Tower if it's built.

The Fordham Spire is planned for Chicago's lakefront adjacent to Navy Pier. The 115-story building would rise 1,458 feet without it's spire -- 8 feet taller than the Sears Tower. With the spire, the building would top out at 2,000 feet, eclipsing the under-construction Freedom Tower in New York. The Freedom Tower's height (with antenna mast) will ultimately be 1,776 feet.

The proposed Chicago skyscraper, designed in a twisting shape like an enormous drill bit, is designed by the Spanish-born architect and engineer who designed the Milwaukee Art Museum addition and the Athens Olympic sports complex.

No financing for what would be a hotel and condo tower has yet been arranged, said (developer Christopher) Carley, the chairman of Fordham Co. The new building would be called the Fordham Spire.

Construction would not begin until there are sales agreements for about 40 percent of its units, Carley said. He said he'd like to break ground in March and complete the building in four years.

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This morning, a Los Angeles police chase resulted in a California Highway Patrol car careening out of control and through a brick wall into a furniture store when the officer driving couldn't negotiate a tight, high-speed turn.

The chase was broadcast on Los Angeles television stations (what else is new?), and had been picked up by Fox News Channel for viewing by the remainder of the nation.

A man who led police and California Highway Patrol officers on a wild chase from Downey to Watts early Tuesday is in custody and being held on a $1 million kidnapping warrant, authorities said.

Enrique Reyes, 27, was wanted on the warrant, which was issued out of Los Angeles, and faces other probable charges in connection with the chase, said Downey police Sgt. Jeff Calhoun.

The driver got out and ran after a tire blew on the getaway vehicle, but he was arrested a short time later, according to CHP Officer Francisco Villalobos. The Associated Press reports that a woman in the vehicle also is being held as authorities try to determine if she was a kidnapping victim.

A CHP officer whose cruiser barrelled through a building wall and into a Walnut Park furniture store after he failed to negotiate a hard right turn was not injured, Villalobos said. Officials later said the crash may have been caused by a mechanical error.

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Discovery's made it to orbit.

Now comes the next step.

Under a blue, nearly cloudless sky, the spacecraft lifted off at 10:39 a.m. ET, as scheduled.

"Liftoff of space shuttle Discovery, beginning America's new journey to the moon, Mars and beyond," said George Diller, the voice of shuttle launch control.

Spaceflight Now is carrying constant real-time mission updates.

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Russia's biggest spammer, Vardan Kushnir, was found dead Sunday, according to Russia's Interfax agency.

He died from repeated blows to the head.

Sounds like one of his victims finally got to him.

I don't wish ill on folks, but for this one? Good.

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Cook county Circuit Judge Evelyn Clay has indicated that she has a rule: No all white juries in her courtroom.

So what is she going to do on those occasions that an all-white jury pool is made available, go grab the first two blacks she sees on the street to fill out the jury pool?

"Folks, you all know I have a rule; I don't seat all white jurors," Circuit Judge Evelyn Clay said as a jury was being picked to hear a murder trial last month, according to court transcripts.

Chief Criminal Court Judge Paul Biebel Jr. said last week that he had recently been made aware of the remarks Clay made.

Clay admitted they were "indelicately stated" and said she regretted being blunt. But it is her view that qualified African-Americans were being left off juries without good reason, she said.

"I try to preside over jury trials in a fair and impartial way--that is always my goal," Clay said. "I carry out all my duties and responsibilities with that goal."

Clay, who is African-American, made the remarks in chambers before three separate trials, according to transcripts reviewed by the Tribune.

So much for a judge being professional and unbiased. Then again, this is Chicago we are talking about. Apparently (and to swipe a classic quote), "that's the Chicago way."

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In her new column, syndicated columnist Debbie Schlussel points out that UNICEF goodwill ambassador Ricky Martin's swing through the Middle East is doing wonders for placating those who would destroy the nation of Israel.

Previously, I've written about the Arab Children's Congress, an anti-Semitic, anti-American hate-fest held each year in Jordan--featuring Muslims and Arab kiddies from around the world. Ostensibly, the conference is about promoting tolerance and understanding, but it's really about training them young on hatred for Jews, Americans, and Westerners. The conference is funded in large part by Dubai. Several of the 9/11 hijackers carried Dubaian documents and used Dubai bank accounts to fund their "activities."

Last year, Angelina Jolie attended as a guest of honor, hung out with the haters, and made out with Queen Noor (see photos here). This year, the offender is the ambiguously gay Ricky Martin, as a UN Childrens Fund Goodwill Ambassador.

Looks like Martin has now cut his already-dwindled-to-almost-nothing audience to an even smaller slice: gay Palestinian terrorists.

Ricky Martin says his Ricky Martin Foundation "is working to combat child pornography and prostitution worldwide." No word on whether it also works to combat celebrity political prostitution.

My guess is that Ricky is too clueless to know that, though.

Just a smile and thumbs up.

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Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll is sending a formal apology to the family of a dead Marine in Indiana, PA.

Last week, Knoll, without an invite, attended the funeral of Staff Sgt. Joseph Goodrich, passed out her business card and claimed that the state government was against the war on terror.

Sunday, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell said that a written apology would be sent to Goodrich's wife. No word though, on whether the raving moonbat Lt. Governor's hand was soundly slapped or not.

Curiously, Knoll's letter of apology starts out with the words "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE." That sounds to me like something written more for the press and general public than any kind of legitimate apology letter to the family she insulted.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

....

LT. GOVERNOR CATHERINE BAKER KNOLL LETTER OF APOLOGY HARRISBURG:

....

If my regard for his familyÂ’s grief was seen another way, it is thoroughly regrettable. The fact that you have been offended deserves and receives my most profound apology.

I don't believe her half-assed apology for a minute. She's only sorry that she got caught.

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1 Hi Michael and thanks for the trackback! You have a very nice looking blog here. I've just added you to my blogroll Keep up the good work! --ST

Posted by: Sister Toldjah at July 25, 2005 12:45 PM (VjD5z)

2 Are the Democrats holding training sessions on how to apologize without actually admitting you were wrong? This sounds exactly like Dick Durbin's "our military are Nazis" apology. Democrat Training Course for Apologies: Step 1: Repeat after me: 'It is regrettable that you misinterpreted what I meant and for that I apologize." What we really mean is; 'you are a bunch of morons and I'm sorry you're so stupid. Have a nice day!' Ponderous...

Posted by: Stephen Blythe at July 26, 2005 06:03 AM (Gw0mn)

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As liberals across the nation scrabbled for an attacking handhold against Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, they challenged him on his possible membership in the Federalist Society, a Washington-based group of conservative lawyers formed in the early 80s to combat percieved liberal legislation from the bench. According to the AP, Roberts' name was on a 1997 list of members.

Supreme Court nominee John Roberts declined Monday to say why he was listed in a leadership directory of the Federalist Society and the White House said he has no recollection of belonging to the conservative group.

The question of Roberts' membership in the society — an influential organization of conservative lawyers and judges formed in the early 1980s to combat what its members said was growing liberalism on the bench — emerged as a vexing issue at the start of another week of meetings for President Bush's nominee on Capitol Hill.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has yet to ask for such material for its hearings. But some Democrats, including Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, have urged the White House to release "in their entirety" any documents written by Roberts.

Citing privacy and precedent, Fred D. Thompson, the former Tennessee senator guiding Roberts through the process on behalf of the White House, said Sunday the Bush administration does not intend to release everything.

Material that would come under attorney-client privilege would be withheld, Thompson said, calling it a principle followed by previous presidents of both political parties.

"We hope we don't get into a situation where documents are asked for that folks know will not be forthcoming and we get all hung up on that," Thompson told NBC's "Meet the Press."

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"What rolls down stairs,
Alone or in pairs,
Rolls over your neighbor's dog..."

Look! It's an Al Gore inaction figure! New from Blammo!

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Marine Staff Sergent Joseph Goodrich was laid to rest in his hometown of Indiana, PA this week. Goodrich was killed in Iraq, and was being mourned by his family and friends proud of his sacrifice. Also present were his fellow police officers from McKeesport and Indiana County.

Oh. And one Democratic Lieutenant Governor who took the opportunity to campaign against the war.

Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll flashed her business card and claimed that "our government" is against the war. Goodrich's family members, like his sister Rhonda Goodrich, were incensed by Knoll's callousness and political grandstanding.

She (Knoll) sat down next to a Goodrich family member and, during the distribution of communion, said, "Who are you?" Then she handed the family member one of her business cards, which Goodrich said she still has.

"Knoll felt this was an appropriate time to campaign and impose her will on us," Goodrich said. "I am amazed and disgusted Knoll finds a Marine funeral a prime place to campaign."

She sat down next to a Goodrich family member and, during the distribution of communion, said, "Who are you?" Then she handed the family member one of her business cards, which Goodrich said she still has.

"Knoll felt this was an appropriate time to campaign and impose her will on us," Goodrich said. "I am amazed and disgusted Knoll finds a Marine funeral a prime place to campaign."

Asked to comment on Goodrich's complaints about Knoll's conduct at the funeral, the aide said that "would be inappropriate."

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Tropical Storm Franklin has just formed off of the Florida coast.

The storm is in the Northwest Bahamas. Sustained winds are near 45 MPH, and the storm is expected to strengthen quickly.

Tropical storm warnings are up for Eluthera, New Providence (including Nassau), The Berry Islands, The Abacos, and Grand Bahama Island. There are no watches for Florida yet, but don't be surprised if something doesn't go up within the next 12-24 hours.

NASA is watching this system closely with hopes that it does not interfere with the planned Tuesday launch of Discovery.

As of 8P ET, Franklin is moving to the northwest at 14 MPH. The projected storm track has the storm literally turning in circles off the Florida coast through at least Tuesday.

Stay tuned.

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Here we go again...

Fox News Channel is carrying coverage from their sister network Sky News this morning, who is presently reporting three explosions in three subway stations around London, and a fourth explosion on a bus. One of these was a nail bomb which went off in the Warren Street Station. The Oval and Sheperd's Bush Stations have also been evacuated.

Of course initial reports are sketchy at best; more details are in the works.

These reports are coming two weeks on from the initial London terror strikes.

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Take-Two Interactive, parent company of video game developer Rockstar Games announced today that they are changing the video game rating on the popular video and computer game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas from M (Mature 17+) to AO (Adults Only 18+). This was due to the "Hot Coffee" modification (which can be downloaded from the internet, and no, I'm not linking to the mod) that permits users to enact pornographic acts in the game.

The video game industry on Wednesday changed to adults-only the rating of "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," a best-selling game in which explicit sexual content can be unlocked with an Internet download.

The decision followed intense pressure from politicians and media watch groups, and retailers reacted swiftly — Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Target Corp. and Best Buy Co. said they would immediately pull all copies from their store shelves nationwide.

The game's producer, Rockstar Games, said it stopped making the current version and would provide new labels to any retailer willing to keep selling the games, which had been rated "M" for mature. The company also will offer a downloadable patch to fix the sex problem in PC versions, and is working on a new, more secure version, to be rated "M."

Rockstar's parent company, Take Two Interactive, also admitted for the first time that the sex scenes had been built into the retail version of that game — not just the PC version but also those written for Xbox and PlayStation2 consoles.

Company officials had previously suggested that a modification created by outsiders added the scenes.

Personally, I doubt that the bulk of those retailers will go back to carrying the revised version of the game if and when it is ever released by Rockstar.

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When the series ("Star Trek") ended in 1969, Doohan found himself typecast as Montgomery Scott, the canny engineer with a burr in his voice. In 1973, he complained to his dentist, who advised him: "Jimmy, you're going to be Scotty long after you're dead. If I were you, I'd go with the flow."

"I took his advice," said Doohan, "and since then everything's been just lovely."

Fare thee well, Jimmy. Thank you for the memories.

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Sophie Okonedo as Sithandra in the upcoming movie adaptation of MTV's Aeon Flux.

Am I being paranoid, or is this role going to generate a protest or three from "more sensitive groups" out there?

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Since his name is a real surprise to many, John G. Roberts is a true unknown to a lot of people.

Born in Buffalo, Roberts earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard before launching a career marked by high-ranking government service and a lucrative run in private practice. After clerking for then Associate Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist from 1981 to 1982, Roberts served as an aide to U.S. Attorney General William French Smith and White House Counsel Fred Fielding during the Reagan administration. In 1986, he joined the prestigious Washington law firm Hogan & Hartson, where he was a Supreme Court litigator. One colleague described him as "the best appellate lawyer of his generation." But Roberts continued to jump back into government, first temporarily as the U.S. principal deputy solicitor general from 1989 to 1993 and then, 10 years later, to take the D.C. Circuit Court seat. Roberts took a hefty pay cut to become a judge: from more than $1 million a year to $171,800. "It demonstrates a commitment to public service that's admirable," says attorney Carter G. Phillips, who's known Roberts since the 1980s. "He's the perfect kind of judge from a lawyer's perspective, someone with an open mind who takes their arguments seriously."

While some conservatives worry he's the next David Souter, whose brief time on the First Circuit masked moderate-to-liberal leanings that emerged after his confirmation, liberals have long argued that Roberts is too extreme. Roberts was first nominated for the D.C. Circuit Court in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush, but Democrats, who controlled the Senate, blocked his nomination because of concerns over his record as a deputy solicitor general. In 1990, Roberts raised eyebrows when he attached a footnote to a brief in a case about abortion financing stating that Roe v. Wade should be overturned. Roberts also cowrote a brief arguing that an antiabortion group's attempts to blockade abortion clinics did not amount to a violation of equal protection. He is affiliated with the conservative Federalist Society and supports restrictions on environmental protections.

For that reason alone, the liberals will fight his appointment, tooth and nail.

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50 year-old Judge John G. Roberts, an appelate jurist on the DC Circuit is President Bush's choice to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court.

The networks all rushed the info to air in order to beat President Bush's 9P ET announcement.

Roberts is considered to be very conservative on most issues, including the major litmus test, abortion.

Network anchors across the dial have been bemoaning the appointment, emphasizing that Roberts would replace O'Connor as the swing vote on the court in many 5-4 decisions, and that with his young age, that he would likely sit on the Supreme Court for 30 years or more.

Though the moonbats on Capitol Hill have yet to weigh in, you know they will as the night progresses. And I'm certain that they're upset beyond belief. Needless to say, the confirmation battle promises to be epic.

B5 fans will understand when I say "And so...it begins..."

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Bill Hemmer, former co-host of CNN's American Morning, is joining Fox News Channel as a midday anchor and reporter.

Hemmer spent 10 years at CNN as an anchor and reporter. He started his TV career as a sports anchor for WCPO Cincinnati.

Fox is solidly out in front of CNN in ratings, but executives and anchors from the networks often swipe at the competition.

Hemmer lost his American Morning post last month when CNN opted to bring in Miles OÂ’Brien.

The network offered Hemmer a spot as White House correspondent, which he rejected.

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