[LiteKeeper]

I understand that dark energy is a construct invented to explain the unexplained...that there is no observational evidence for dark matter. Have you heard this as well?

[R. Scott]

...that there is no observational evidence for dark matter.

It is my understanding that the evidence does come from direct observation. We do not need to directly observe something to know it is there (the wind?). In this case, the orbits of stars in galaxies do not conform to what should be expected from the amount of observable mass in the galaxy. There must be more mass than can be observed. The only conclusion is that there is unobservable (dark) mass (matter) present to account for the observed orbits.