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Washington County and the 1st District will be witnesses to a major showdown in the fall of 2010, as incumbent Democrat Congressman David Wu is being challenged by a Tualatin businessman for the congressional seat.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as NASA, said in July that it had found the "smoking gun" that caused the space shuttle Columbia to break apart as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on Feb. 1: a piece of foam that had peeled off the external fuel tank and struck the shuttle's wing 1 minute and 22 seconds after liftoff. But many experts looking at the tragedy that killed seven astronauts say there is a deeper cause. They say that the metaphorical smoking gun should be painted green. Because of demands that the agency help to front for...

The last week of January contains a number of notable space anniversaries. This year, the most prominent one is the fiftieth anniversary of the first satellite launched by the United States, Explorer I, starting our own nation’s space age. Most of us don’t remember that time, half a century ago, but the nation had been shocked four months earlier when the Soviet Union was the first to launch an object into orbit. Most hadn’t even been aware that there was a space race, but suddenly we were losing it. This was compounded on December 6th, 1957 when, in an attempt...

A Challenger 2 tank - the [British] army's heaviest weapon - has been penetrated by a roadside bomb in Iraq, leaving the driver with serious injuries, the Ministry of Defence confirmed yesterday. It is the first time a Challenger has been damaged by an improvised explosive device in this way. The driver of the tank, who has not been named, is understood to be recovering in a British hospital after both his legs were amputated. Another soldier in the four-man crew suffered minor injuries. The incident, which has serious implications for the safety of British soldiers, happened on April 6...

A heavily armoured British tank has been badly damaged for the first time by a roadside bomb in Iraq. The Challenger 2, a 62-ton vehicle which is among the best-protected tanks in the world, was hit by the device during a routine patrol in Basra. Its driver is thought to have lost both legs during the attack and has been flown back to Britain for medical treatment, while another member of the crew suffered minor injuries. The attack on the tank was followed by the death of another British soldier today in Basra. The soldier from the 2nd Battalion The...

A British Challenger 2 tank has been penetrated by a roadside bomb in Iraq, leaving the driver seriously injured, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. A spokesman said the tank had been on routine duties in a western district of Basra when it was hit on 6 April. It is believed to be the first incident where a Challenger tank has been breached by such an attack. The driver of the Challenger has now been sent back to the UK for further medical treatment. An MoD spokesman said the Challenger tank was "well armoured but in an operational theatre it's...

Sometime very early in the Columbia accident investigation, Admiral Hal Gehman, the chairman of the investigation board, reportedly held up a copy of the Challenger accident investigation report. It was one of the first things he read after being named to lead the investigation. “This is not the kind of report we are going to write,” he told the staff. Late in the investigation I had a conversation with an Air Force officer who was working on the crew mortality part of the investigation. The officer told me how the small group working on that issue had taken a completely...

Can Tasini Pull a Lamont?Underdog Hillary challenger thinks so, even if nobody else does; in basement HQ, he wonders why voters don’t see the parallels with Lieberman. By Geoffrey Gray Jonathan Tasini is walking the wrong way down Fifth Avenue. It’s just past noon the day after antiwar insurgent Ned Lamont beat stubbornly pro-war Joe Lieberman in Connecticut, and it ought to be the biggest day of Tasini’s campaign yet, since he’s been sounding the same themes against Hillary Clinton. He’d put this trip to the New York Public Library on his schedule, but the media didn’t seem to care...

A clear leader in the voting from the start, the retro-styled Dodge Challenger was the obvious favorite among MSN Autos visitors. Dodge Challenger Concept The Challenger concept features the characteristic wide-mouth grille, the rectangular tailpipes and pistol-grip shifter. Even the Challenger’s black racing stripes on the hood are on the new concept. But instead of being done with paint, the stripes on the concept car are exposed carbon fiber. Dodge Challenger Photo Gallery The four-passenger Challenger concept also has six manual speeds, rather than the four speeds of the original car. The single, large rear taillight is illuminated by diffuse...

"We'll continue our quest in space. There will be more shuttle flights...more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space."Video LINK: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/rreaganchallenger.htmSPEECH: Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the Union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss. Nineteen years ago, almost to...

"...The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them nor the last time we saw them -- this morning -- as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye, and slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God." -- President Reagan Addresses the Nation, January 28, 1986

HOUSTON - Twenty years ago, millions of television viewers were horrified to witness the live broadcast of the space shuttle Challenger exploding 73 seconds into flight, ending the lives of the seven astronauts on board. And they were equally horrified to learn in the aftermath of the disaster that the faulty design had been chosen by NASA to satisfy powerful politicians who had demanded the mission be launched, even under unsafe conditions. Meanwhile, a major factor in the disaster was that NASA had been ordered to use a weaker sealant for environmental reasons. Finally, NASA consoled itself and the nation...

Random Thoughts on January 27, 2006 - © Kent Fletcher It appears today there are several factors of somewhat insignificant matters which tend to rile the feathers of folk. The major one I've seen in the last few weeks results from NOLA Mayor Ray Nagin's comments on MLK Day in NOLA, and I can't quote directly without looking hard and long, but it pivots around his statements of his longing for NOLA to be the nation's 'chocolate city'. To wit, a kinda-sorta funny sent to me this morning: Did he (Nagin) ever stop to think that: 99% of the people...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Twenty years ago, space shuttle Challenger blew apart into jets of fire and plumes of smoke, a terrifying sight witnessed by the families of the seven astronauts and by those who came to watch the historic launch of the first teacher in space. The disaster shattered NASA's spit-shined image and the belief that spaceflight could become as routine as airplane travel. The investigation into the accident's cause revealed a space agency more concerned with schedules and public relations than safety and sound decision-making. Seventeen years later, seven more astronauts were lost on the shuttle Columbia, leading...

The last Thursday in January was designated as NASA's "Day of Remembrance" for fallen astronauts of the APOLLO 1, Challenger and Coumbia crews. Historical information is at the link: http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/dor/index_noaccess.html

Saturday is the 20th anniversary of the Challenger disaster. It's hard to believe it's been two decades, but I can remember that day like it was yesterday. I was 8 years old and sitting in my 3rd grade class, when our teacher came back to the classroom after a trip to the teacher's lounge to watch the launch. The look of horror and confusion on her face before she even said anything made a couple of girls in the glass cry immediately. After she told us "The space shuttle just exploded." I remember sitting in shock because my second grade...

One of America's most experienced astronauts has denounced the space shuttle as a deathtrap and accused US space officials of stifling all concerns raised about its safety. The revelation comes as America prepares to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Challenger disaster. Seven astronauts were killed on 28 January 1986, when their shuttle exploded 73 seconds after take-off.

First-Flight Shuttle Ride Aviation Week & Space Technology 01/16/06 author: Col. R. Mike Mullane Jan. 28 marks the 20th anniversary of the 1986 Challenger space shuttle accident that killed NASA astronauts Dick Scobee, Mike Smith, Judy Resnik, Ron McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Hughes corporate payload specialist Greg Jarvis and teacher-in-space Christa McAuliffe. Nearly 18 months before the Challenger accident, the Thiokol solid-rocket boosters used on Discovery's Mission 41D experienced the first major "blow-by" of gases around O-ring seals--the same problem that later doomed Challenger. Former astronaut USAF Col. (ret.) Mike Mullane, a mission specialist on that Discovery flight, describes his experience...

LOS ANGELES — Lamborghini introduced the retro Miura concept, which hews closely to the celebrated 1966 original version, on Thursday at the Los Angeles auto show. In a statement, Automobili Lamborghini said the new concept is "strictly a concept, with no firm date set for its production launch." However, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann recently told Car magazine: "We are not yet talking about production. But every project has its meaning." The Miura concept is a landmark vehicle and the first Lamborghini to be designed by Walter de'Silva, head of design at the Audi Group. The company said de'Silva aimed at...

Edmunds Inside Line is reporting that Chevrolet and Dodge are headed for an RWD concept-car showdown at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show, with Chevy unveiling a new Camaro prototype and Dodge introducing a two-door Challenger concept. Both companies, it’s said, are evaluating potential entries to compete with Ford’s new Mustang — though any new model from either company likely won’t likely appear before 2008 for Dodge, and 2009 for Chevrolet. The Camaro concept, unfortunately, won’t likely get any cues from California artist Chris Horton’s Camaro concept .

The crews of shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station paid tribute to Columbia’s seven astronauts and all other fallen space explorers today, saying they sacrificed their lives for all mankind.

NASA has been trying to make the space shuttle safe since its negligence killed seven brave astronauts in 2003. Unfortunately, they must not have many WorldNetDaily readers at the space agency. The Discovery is orbiting the Earth right now with tile damage caused by the same problem that obliterated the Columbia upon re-entry. No one is certain how extensive that damage is and whether it threatens the crew. But it should never have gotten this far. It was NASA's environmental concerns that resulted in the tragic deaths of the Columbia crew. And that wasn't the first time a space shuttle...

BERLIN - Opposition leader Angela Merkel, leading in polls for fall elections, signaled Thursday that she would continue Germany's limited support for rebuilding Iraq, but she would not say whether the war made the world safer — hedging on an issue where she's vulnerable to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Merkel indicated approval for what Schroeder's government is doing now, which includes training Iraqi security forces in the United Arab Emirates. "It's right that the German government has supported stabilization and reconstruction," Merkel told foreign journalists. "And when we're in government we'll take another look at the situation as it is ......

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Monday she will seek statewide office in 2006, possibly by running for the U.S. Senate against Hillary Rodham Clinton. Pirro said she will decide later this year which office to seek, and mentioned three possibilities: state attorney general, the Senate, and governor, if Republican George Pataki decides against another term. Asked if she thought she could beat Clinton, Pirro refused to answer directly but said: "I have never been afraid of challenges, no matter how daunting." A top Clinton adviser, Howard Wolfson, declined to comment. A statewide poll earlier...

LOS ANGELES (May 18) - Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa trounced Mayor James Hahn to become the city's first Hispanic mayor in more than a century as voters turned to the promise of change in a metropolis troubled by gridlock, gangs and failing schools. Tuesday's election confirms the rising political power of Latinos in the nation's second-largest city. In a victory speech before thousands of supporters in downtown Los Angeles, Villaraigosa, 52, paid tribute to his heritage while promising to bring the city's diverse racial and ethnic groups together. ''I stand here today because people believed in me. I want you to...

SPACE CENTER, Houston - After a two-year struggle to keep big chunks of foam from coming off the shuttle fuel tank during launch, NASA acknowledged Tuesday even marshmallow-size pieces could doom the spacecraft under the worst circumstances. Shuttle systems engineering manager John Muratore said it is a risk NASA and the nation must accept for flights to resume anytime soon. It would take years and a total redesign of the fuel tank to completely eliminate foam loss and to ensure the 2003 Columbia tragedy would never be repeated, Muratore and other officials said. NASA expects pieces of insulating foam no...

Elections without choice are Democracy how, exactly?In 1812, Elbridge Gerry, the Governor of Massachusetts, redrew the legislative districts in his state to favor his party in the upcoming election. Looking at the sinuous and contorted shape of one district, which projected protuberances into dispersed pockets of voters across half the state, one observer noted that it looked rather like a salamander. "No," another commentator replied, "it looks more like a Gerry-mander." Thus, one of America's oldest and most-questionable political practices was born and named, surprisingly in Massachusetts. Gerrymandering is a political trick that parties in power use to stay in...

<p>The 25th mission in the Space Shuttle program, flown by the Challenger, ended tragically with the loss of its seven crew members and destruction of the vehicle when it exploded shortly after launch.</p> <p>Back row from left to right: Ellison Onizuka, mission specialist; Christa McAuliffe, payload specialist; Gregory Jarvis, payload specialist; and Judith Resnik, mission specialist.</p>

Next week marks the thirty-eighth anniversary of the launch pad fire of Apollo 1, which took the lives of Astronauts Gus Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee. In a grim irony, that same week also marks the nineteenth anniversary of the Challenger disaster, as well as the second anniversary of the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Though memorials are certainly in order, a closer examination of the nature and cause of each catastrophe reveals much about the nation throughout the past four decades. Particularly in the wake of the Columbia tragedy and its ensuing investigations, disturbing trends in NASA...

New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) has long been rumored as desperately seeking the democratic nomination for president in 2008. And while many political observers fully expect the power hungry former First Lady to hit the campaign trail within only a few months of being re-elected as a US Senator in 2006, US News & World report claims to have a confirmation of sorts. From USNews.Com's Washington Whispers: Hillary's in… You don't have to take it from us about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton 's desire to run for president. Her brothers, Hugh and Tony Rodham, say it's true. Friends...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should...

PARIS (Reuters) - When a Muslim radical murdered the Dutch director Theo van Gogh for a film criticising Islam, Christoph Luxenberg saw his name ripple through Internet forums 1,000 times and immediately knew why. "The safety of experts on Islam is topical again," he said -- in a surprisingly detached tone for the author of a critique of the Koran who fears it could one day spark similar anger. Van Gogh, murdered last week for a film slamming Muslim treatment of women, set out to be provocative. But such is the apprehension among critics of Islam that even an obscure...

Does anyone have any facts that state that undecided voters tend to vote for the challenger? Is this always true? Any events that prove this to be a fact?

Parties train hundreds of challengers to monitor polls on Nov. 2 10/26/2004, 5:53 p.m. ET By DAVID EGGERT The Associated Press LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Eric Doster, a top GOP lawyer, stood in a windowless hotel conference room and opened with a statement intended not only for about 60 Republican faithful but also the handful of Democrats who'd come to his training session. "This program," he said, "is not in any way, shape or form an effort to intimidate voters." Doster spoke for an hour about a provision of Michigan's election law that could prove crucial if either political party...

"I can wage a better war on terror than George Bush has." So speaks Senator Kerry in the U.S. presidential campaign's final days, again reminding voters that the key issue in this race remains as it was a year earlier - deciding which candidate will better protect Americans from terrorism.As with so many topics, the basic difference between Kerry and President Bush is one of character, with the challenger repeatedly changing his mind and the president sticking with one position.On occasion, Mr. Kerry adopts Bush-like terminology. For example, in September 2004 he talked about the war on terror being "as...

Having a conversation on another thread about the race in Ohio. Some contend that the undecideds break to the challenger by a 2-1 margin. I recall a thread from a couple of days ago that debunks this myth and in fact shows that in national elections the undecideds break for the incumbent. I've tried searching for the thread with no luck. Does anyone else recall this thread? It had a nice chart showing how the numbers broke. And if so can they link it to this post?

I feel a conspiracy is going on the 1st debate, I also think some Democrat business owners have intentionally not hired or layed off people to hurt Bush. Paul Bremer, Charles Duelfler, David Kay, Don Rumsfeld have tried to damage Bush this week. John Challenger says September was a bad month for hiring, in the 25,000 range. Kerry is being handed this election on a silver platter, how ironic that WMD Report and bad jobs report come out within 48 hours of debate.

The Lucas County Republican Party is in need of volunteers to work on Election Day as "witnesses and challengers". I'm reluctant to post to much information publicly, but I can say (discretely) that there is concrete evidence of rampant fraud in some of the areas of Lucas County. The last several months the Lucas County Board of Elections has had an "auditor" who was formerly a Prosecuting Attorney. There is enough evidence to literally over turn some of the previous elections. However, LCRP has decided it would be pointless from a practical standpoint to do so. They are taking the...

Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible accident on the ground. But, we've never lost an astronaut in flight; we've never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we've forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle; but they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven heroes: Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as a nation together. For the families of the seven, we cannot...

http://www5.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/hsei/hsei.pl?directive=quick_search   National Climatic Data Center   http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/images/challenger-explosion-19860128-g6vis.jpg While looking at weather satellite images, I found this one, 1986 title "challenger explosion".       So I looked in the archive for Feb 1, 2003 visible images for the Columbia disaster.   Oddly enough, there are no satellite images for that date, inspite of its historical significance.   It seems funny that they would have the Challenger accident posted, but not the Columbia.   They don't archive all the images for each day (that I have found), but they must have kept 1 Feb 2003 data. 

http://www5.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/hsei/hsei.pl?directive=quick_search   National Climatic Data Center   http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/images/challenger-explosion-19860128-g6vis.jpg While looking at weather satellite images, I found this one, 1986 title "challenger explosion".       So I looked in the archive for Feb 1, 2003 visable images for the Columbia disaster.   Oddly enough, there are no satellite images for that date, inspite of its historical significance.   It seems funny that they would have the Challenger accident posted, but not the Columbia.   They don't archive all the images for each day (that I have found), but I would think they kept 1 Feb 2003 data. 

<p>ANDERSON, IND. -- Sandi Patty has made it big in music. Now she hopes to start small in politics.</p> <p>The gospel singer filed papers Thursday expressing intent to run for a seat on the Anderson Community Schools board. In the May 4 election, the 47-year-old will challenge Brian K. Kohles and incumbent Keith Millikan.</p>

Ronald Reagan's Funeral Eulogy for the Challenger Crew Following is the text of President Reagan's remarks at a memorial service held in Houston following the Challenger disaster, Jan. 31, 1986. (From Houston Chronicle archives.) We come together today to mourn the loss of seven brave Americans, to share the grief we all feel and, perhaps in that sharing, to find the strength to bear our sorrow and the courage to look for the seeds of hope. Our nation's loss is first a profound personal loss to the family and the friends and loved ones of our shuttle astronauts. To those...

OK, gang. Barring a catastrophe or another 9/11 attack, it's pretty much a given that President Bush will be re-elected in just under 10 months from today. That's been already listed here on FR today. And Jay Currie has a VERY good point. The Dems KNOW they've already lost this election, and are using it to position for 2008 and, God Help Us, Hillary. Who do we have / want who is in position to run for the Republican nomination in 2008 ??? Given that President Bush would want to have his successor continue his policies, who you all of...

Layoffs at U.S. firms ease in December - report Tuesday January 6, 10:01 am ET NEW YORK, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Job cuts announced by U.S. employers fell modestly in December, a report said on Tuesday, and for the whole of 2003 they were 16 percent below 2002. Planned layoffs at U.S. companies fell to 93,020 in December from 99,452 in November, job placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. said in its monthly report. For 2003, job cuts declined to 1,236,426 from 1,466,823. "The decline in job cuts is certainly welcome news, but it is difficult to get too...

U.S. firms' job cuts plunge 42 pct in Nov. -report Tuesday December 2, 10:04 am ET NEW YORK, Dec 2 (Reuters) - The number of job cuts announced by U.S. employers fell 42 percent in a holiday-shortened November after hitting a 12-month high in October, a report said on Tuesday. Planned layoffs at U.S. firms fell to 99,452 jobs in November from 171,874 in October, job placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. said in their monthly job cut report. Job cuts announced so far this year amount to 1,143,406, 17 percent less than the same period a year ago....

I am a nationally published journalist who has been drafted to challenge George W. Bush in the Republican Presidential primaries, beginning in New Hampshire on January 27. My aim is to prompt legitimate debate and genuine new ideas, but I start with a question: HAS GEORGE W. BUSH BETRAYED TRADITIONAL GOP VALUES? He has failed in his promise to control spending. Nondefense spending has skyrocketed under Bush. The Congressional Budget Office reported that for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2003, nondefense spending rose 7% – nearly double the 4% discretionary spending caps Bush promised to enforce (Source: Washington Times)....

Tue November 4, 2003 10:33 AM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - The number of job cuts announced by U.S. employers surged 125 percent in October, after declining for two months, calling into question the strength of the recovery in the job market. Planned layoffs at U.S. firms shot up to 171,874 jobs in October, from 76,506 in September, job placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said on Tuesday. Announced layoffs were at their highest since Oct. 2002, when 176,010 job cuts were announced. "With factors like technology, outsourcing, and consolidation working against job creation, any job market rebound we see...

U.S. layoff plans ease in September-report Wednesday October 1, 10:09 am ET NEW YORK, Oct 1 (Reuters) - U.S. employers announced fewer job cuts in September, a potential sign of stability in an otherwise grim labor market, a report showed on Wednesday. Planned layoffs at U.S. firms slipped to 76,506 in September from 79,925 in August, job placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said. Companies have announced 872,080 job cuts so far this year, still high but 16 percent lower than the total for the first nine months of 2002. "Are job-cut plans being downsized? It looks that way," said...