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Lisa Marie Nowak drank the Tang

By Stone Martindale Feb 7, 2007, 17:39 GMT

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David BowieFeb 7th, 2007 - 18:09:18

Take your stupid pills and put your diaper on...

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m. macFeb 7th, 2007 - 18:48:50

no man or human is worth your sanity. you're in love with the wrong thing. ms. lisa. she risked the safety of her children because their schools and friends will have a field day with this. the teasing along could put them over the edge depending on their ages.

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A. WilkinsonFeb 7th, 2007 - 19:46:21

You cannot make up such a silly headline, either. Tang? Come on now.

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Jim CFeb 7th, 2007 - 19:51:39

To the idiot-mobile !

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puffherfish@yahoo.comFeb 7th, 2007 - 19:54:49

Hormonal?.Yes she screwed up her life by a brainless act of passion but at least she didn`t kill anyone-so maybe after time she can get better.she had a real mental breakdown and she needs help but now she will get help.She went astro-Nut but she`ll be back,she has two kids

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MALAIKAFeb 7th, 2007 - 20:04:59

Lisa is an astranaut, a woman, a mother and a wife. She got carried away, never mind the circumstance, like all human beings do sometimes. She deserves compassion, love and forgiveness rather than the harsh words and treatment she is receiving right now. Here we see mob justice from all quarters and even though she has been found guilty of attempted murder, she is still a human being and what she has done is something that others have done before and will still do because we are human. I pray that her husband will not look at her with the eyes of family unity haters, but that he will embrace her back into his arms because right now, she needs him more than ever. I pray that he may see the big picture from God's eyes who forgives us all our sins and gives us a second chance, and many more second chances! This act of forgiveness will not only benefit his children, but his name will go down in history as a man of great courage, compassion and love!

Down with hatred, up with love and reconciliation.

To Lisa: Though you may suffer for the bad choice you made, I pray that you have courage to face the concequences and have faith in God who will give you strength, one day at a time because weeping may last for the night, but joy will come in the morning.

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MarkymarkFeb 7th, 2007 - 20:09:35

They don't come much better than this. You could actually hear the media salivate. Maybe NASA was better off with monkeys.

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AnonymousFeb 7th, 2007 - 20:51:59

I am not saying Lisa Marie Nowak has mental health problems. Only a professional can determine that for sure. But as one who was married to a woman with mental health problems, I can tell you there is no limit to what a person like that will do. Depending on the state of mind of the person, no act is too bizarre.

Lisa Marie Nowak has achieved more in life that most of us can only imagine. She needs all the help she can possible get including understanding from all of us. I would strongly urge the DA to drop charges against her in exchange for long-term counseling and care.

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ShiverFeb 7th, 2007 - 21:24:25

There's always hope for a 'Lifetime - Television for Women' movie...

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Cynic in FLFeb 7th, 2007 - 21:27:07

Wow, maybe this will generate some much needed funding for NASA. Science is a hard sell but this obviously sells itself. Come on, how about a little action from Mission Control? Maybe they could leak some audio of controllers talking sexy. Mmmmm funding.

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realityFeb 7th, 2007 - 21:29:05

I believe she has contracted a rare case of space madness. It is a crippling disorder that affects humans who have been to space and descend to earth too rapidly. The effects on the brain are tremendous and overwhelming for the subject. The mechanism works in very much the same way as the 'bends', which is why this sickness is sometimes referred to as the space bends or astro bends.

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not crazyFeb 7th, 2007 - 21:31:43

She planned this out very well. The plans included the foresight to wear diapers on her way to Florida so that she would not have to stop to relieve herself. She deserves a formal naval flogging and a written letter of apology to America for disgracing its noble space force.

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Paris S.Feb 7th, 2007 - 21:34:41

I suspect it's all about hormones. She's at that age... obviously someone would have had a clue at NASA if she had displayed any inkling of crazy or criminal tendencies before this. This just sounds like really bad peri-menopause to me...

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teaseFeb 7th, 2007 - 21:36:43

well lets just look at the bright side. A life was spared this time. Thank God.

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Bill KingFeb 7th, 2007 - 21:45:40

Using the diaper was not outlandish. It is part of Astonaught Training. You think they sit in the Shuttle, on the Launch Pad for 8 to 12 hours, before launch... holding it. That was an efficient, and calculated plan action... albeit stupid. Love makes one do stupid things... hey... I don't think -pepper spray, a knife and a disguise was a good idea. What ever happened to the old b**ch slap?

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KFeb 7th, 2007 - 21:48:04

I still like the theory that she's on meth.

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CalireaderFeb 7th, 2007 - 21:51:08

I can't believe some of these comments that just want to excuse her actions as a simple breakdown. There was nothing simple about this woman's actions. If the pepperspray had worked, what would the headline really look like? She PLANNED her attack; buying the weapon, pepper spray, disquise, hammer and rubber tubing then had a very long car ride to contemplate her actions. Her 'breakdown' should be considered severe but there was nothing instant or temporary about it. Her victims (including her children to whom she gave no thought) should receive your sympathies, not Lisa. Yes, she is obviously an intelligent woman, but IQ has never been an excuse for criminal conduct.

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Thank god she was not MuslimFeb 7th, 2007 - 23:20:35

Thank God, Nowak was not a Muslim, otherwise within a second her fore fathers and church and relatives could have been searched for her behaviour and conduct and she would have remained in the jail without bail.

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BobFeb 7th, 2007 - 23:23:24

She is to unstable to ever fly as an astronaut again.

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NicolaiFeb 7th, 2007 - 23:52:49

Give her the chair. Or better yet lets jetteson her into space. This just goes to show that women shouldn't be astronauts. The estrogine gets funky in zero gravity and messes with their mental.

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programdanFeb 7th, 2007 - 23:53:10

Mailaka you need to get a grip. if my wife tried to kill the woman that was the competition to my wifes lover....uh yeah back into my loving arms aint happening. are you kidding me? I dont know who i want to wish worse things on her or you!

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jasonFeb 7th, 2007 - 23:58:30

The scary thing is that she almost got away with it! What would have happened if she had? Her bond was very low for crossing several states to commit a couple of the worst felonies there are! I don't care what her education is or her rank,(must have been pretty rank after nine hundred miles in a diaper), or title she should never be let out! I have even less trust for astronauts after seeing her fellow astronauts came to support her. I have a hard time with anyone that would support a mother of three still married commiting this crime with her education and background! The worst part is how she is being pampered and said not to be mentaly fit! Is anyone who commits crimes?

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Under-RuseFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:06:14

Will she plead quilted or temporary Serenity?
Depends.

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Jack T LadFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:13:42

Astro-Nut ....Monday, on CBS......

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lgsFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:15:14

she went space nuts

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anonymousFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:17:41

Seems to me she had a nervous breakdown. She must have been under tremendous stress being an astronaut, having three kids and being separated from her husband.

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lad7Feb 8th, 2007 - 00:18:21


Look at the bright side- she needed a change of careers:
Fast forward- She will become a spokeswoman for new mission-
mental health for mothers and the importance of early detection.

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red.soxx.nation@gmail.comFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:18:57

I say throw the book at her. She has accomplised so much? So is that a reason to treat her with Kit gloves or is that even more of a reason to throw the book at her. She is fucked up

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GinnyFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:28:45

Nicolai, what an ignorant misogynistic comment to make. Do you have a mother? A wife? A sister? A daughter?

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Virginia LorayneFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:31:06

When will the swarmy voyeurs be satisfied? When the poor wretched emotionally/mentally distressed woman commits suicide? Leave that to Nancy Grace!

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MattFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:31:09

Folks...I grew up around these people. At ten years old I had most of the original astronauts around me at my parents party encouraging my ability to eat a large amount of raw oysters. This was the Mercury/Gemini period.

I knew then that these persons were abnormal and out of touch. Everyone kissed there royal ass, including my dad and mom.

I am surprised that this is the first time we have seen the traits of these bizarre personality types. There are many more incidents that have been secretly made unavailable to the public.

Strange brew of folks. Think about it; sitting in a massive fire cracker to do what? It takes a special kind of folk, but unfortunately this special kind of folk has a special kind of personality.

This was not even close to the weird that has been the NASA astronaut.

Unfortunately, Mz Lisa will be the first exposed.

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Maranda in TennesseeFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:34:52

I know what this woman feels. I have felt this way about a certain person. I was literally obscessed with this man. This is being deeply in love with someone and unable to gain control of your emotions. This can be the most wonderful feeling ever, or the most desperate and painful feeling ever. This is real agony and can literally control all your thoughts and actions. This is what is called 'real love'. Don't let this happen to you. When it ends it is unmercifully painful.

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PMokFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:40:19

I urge people do not judge Lisa by listening to the media. We're doing more harm than good to her. Nothing of us outside her circle knows what's going on among the three of them. We did not know what and how much she has suffered and that led her to the point that she lost her control of actions. We only learned her actions from the media about her road trip from Huston to the Orlando airport. Does anyone of us know any stories before anything happened?? Be fair to her and let the justice rules. People pay too much attention to this piece of news is just because she's a NASA astronaut. I beg if she's an average person like all of us, the news will not be this dramatic. We are all human beings. We all experienced ups and downs. Give her a chance and not to criticize her, again, while we do not know the truth behind.

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JeffFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:50:52

Hey Nicolai, be careful of what you're saying.... You're being sexiest.
Go back to your ranch and do the farming. The world has changed. Men and women are all equal. You're critizing this matter far beyond and you're attacking all women by making some very condescending comments. Shame on you. Don't tell me you're a real man.

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TwoCentsWorthFeb 8th, 2007 - 00:56:52



Headline:

ASTRONUT WAS
ASTRONAUTY!!!

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randl1999Feb 8th, 2007 - 00:58:04

Well, I am a professional, and I'd suggest we wait to see how this rolls out. She certainly appeared to act in a bizarre, unbalanced way. Whether the aftermath of the stresses of the astronaut program, or the sequelae of disorganizing marital stress, it seems that she did not possess the pschic strength to cope with those stresses, and reverted to a primitive defense mechanism. Certainly criminal, but not the act of a criminal mind.

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New MexicannFeb 8th, 2007 - 01:01:40

This is certainly a sad story and case. Here we have one of our American Heroes that obviously has used very bad judgment in her life, giving up her whole career and family life. The fact that she has been married 19 years with 3 children and has a husband that is also a NASA engineer, just shows that she is in desperate need of help. A person of her education, Naval rank and personal achievements would not throw it all away with a clear mind.

I say, let's give the lady a chance and give her the help she needs. After all she has given us, I think we owe that to her. I think NASA should step in along with her fellow astronauts and find out why Lisa broke as she did. Are any of our other heroes on the edge like she has obviously been for some time? Do they pose a risk to our fragile space program? We've already lost too many heroes in 2 lost shuttles and an early capsule fire on the launch pad. Let's not start losing more because we just didn't look close enough at our people after the stress they endure for years on end with the training for their missions for us. It's unfortunate that this has happened but I don't think we should be too quick to judge Lisa without a chance. Is she really a criminal or just someone that broke from the pressure and stress of probably one of the most stressful positions in the world.

I say ' Give the lady a break'!

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UndecidedFeb 8th, 2007 - 04:49:03

A lot of people have stressful lives, and they don't go over the edge.
She held her job willingly, so if it was too much, she could have walked away. There seems to be too many excuses for her. She certainly had the presence of mind to do some very devious planning. Granted she was separated from her husband, but it seems like she put her quest to be the 'only one' in her lover's life before any thought of her children. Someone mentioned 'true love' - this is a travisty to true love - do you think maybe sexual urges is more like it????

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DaveFeb 8th, 2007 - 08:12:22

It certainly is bizarre a person of her character would do such an outlandish thing. Yeah, she definitely drank the Tang, lol.

Using pepper spray is no petty offense. I'm not for giving her special treatment just because no one died. Yet we see everyday that money and power trump justice... so yeah, I guess we will see her make a bestseller book out of this.

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Failure was not an optionFeb 8th, 2007 - 14:16:48

I believe that Nowak was drawn into obsession by the 'friends with benefits'
relationship that she was having with Commander 'O'. This certainly matches the 'more than friends but less than romantic' description she gave police of the relationship. Their relationship was secret because she was married and they both were officers; they were aware of the consequences that exposure would bring to their careers. The same mentality that drove Nowak to career success is what drove her to take the actions she did on Monday. After separating from her husband, she realized she was going to lose the object of her affection to a younger, single woman....failure was not an option.

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elizabeth goodieFeb 8th, 2007 - 14:39:50

Lisa-Marie Nowak is no different than any one else. Just because she happened to get into the space program does not exempt her from being human. The fact that she wore a diaper is evident. Wake up 'america' the girl is not God. I use the term girl because little girls do stupid things when they do not get what they want.
There is a lot more to this mess than meets the eye. The secret lives of the very ones that america holds up as role models are the very ones that reveal the true character of this nation.
Space cadets are not perfect! She should have put her family first!

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CJ WhiteFeb 9th, 2007 - 02:40:10

This is why women shouldn't be doing male jobs. Military, Space etc.

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are you nuts?Feb 12th, 2007 - 13:43:46

she should be treated like any other mentally un-well person who attempted to kill someone. quit glorifying her because she went through a lot of difficult training.

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BradFeb 12th, 2007 - 15:39:59

I am simply amazed at the 'kind and caring' 'let's all forgive her' 'she needs counseling' kinds of comments! Give us a break here! This woman is NOT mentally ill in that sense, ok? She NEVER intended to get caught! She KNEW that in her mind, she would be back in Houston quickly...and no one would believe she made that trip by car so fast...the planning started Jan 16th with downloading maps to Coleen Shipman's house, maps of the airport, a visit to Billy O's computer!

*Get this: SHE NEVER INTENDED TO BE CAUGHT!!! The 'meltdown' happened AFTER a good smart street cop found the 'evidence' in her car and in the duffle bag she carried with guess what...(not easily tracable but deadly weapons)...a hammer...(to break into Shipman's home? to crush her skull?) How about the Buck knife...to dismember her? The rubber tubing? To choke her to death with? Or to tie off her limbs while you dismember her and put the parts into garbage bags?

Pretty much a homicidal killer here, if this person was just caught stalking YOU! Think about that one! How about a face full of mace/pepper spray...intended to make Ms. Shipman open the door to get out of the car!

Smart lady...drove off...after the attack! Eyes burning...an ATTACK!!! OK?

Lisa Marie Nowak made that trip in an unbelievable, nearly impossible time frame...(she never intended to be caught...ok?) She would have expressed shock as in 'how could anybody possibly suspect ME the little darling astronaut!)

She WAS caught...she DID intend to kill Coleen Shipman...she sure had the tool kit there to do it! That is why she was charged! She actually attacked...ok?
She assulted Coleen Shipman with an intent to kill her! That is why the Orlando police charged her! They found the tools...and she actually attacked Ms. Shipman!

This was not a 'meltdown' this was a pre-meditated botched murder attempt!
So let's shake off the idea that because someone was an astronaut, they are morally straight, or that jet pilots don't cheat on their wives, or that Green Beret physicians don't kill their wives and kids...or that handsome guys in California don't kill their pregnant wives and unborn children...

Yes, Lisa Marie Nowak was a career driven Annapolis Graduate and she was recently promoted to CAPTAIN in the United States Navy...a field grade officer...with high expectations of behavior.

The fact remains...ACTIONS determine how we fare in this society...Coleen Shipman mey be very very lucky to be alive this morning...this could have been a very different smaller news story...and a guilty person might have run free...
Ok? So it's not the stress of becoming an officer or astronaut that is the issue here...hundreds of thousands of ex Marine, navy, and Air Force aviators have flown into the mouth of hell and back keeping promises...they didn't go psychotic...so...put the sympath where it belongs!

Coleen Shipman did nothing wrong here...Lisa Nowak's kids did nothing wrong here! Lisa Nowak's husband might be a little bit devistated here...this woman left a wake of pain in her wake...don't feel sorry for her! Get a grip!
She NEVER intended to get CAUGHT! She almost got away with it!

So yes, we all wonder why someone that had it all, did something so foolish, so immoral, so criminal...what if it was YOUR daughter this woman stalked and terrified?

A field grade officer usually does not have such base level moral fibre. As in...I will do nothing that will reflect badly on my service, NASA, or my family...if I can possibly help it...

The Marines say, 'Death Before Dishonor' At the service academy the motto says 'WE WILL NOT LIE, CHEAT, OR STEAL...NOR TOLERATE AMONG US...ANYONE WHO DOES'

This is messy...it's ugly...it's devistation...but guess who is totally and completely responsible for this...one person...

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AnswerManFeb 24th, 2007 - 22:01:28

Brad,

You and I are on exactly the same page. Unfortunately, we live in a country where the legal system still hasn't come to grips with sexual equality. If the sex roles were reversed in this matter, public and legal sentiment would be behind throwing the guy in jail and tossing away the key. But all of a sudden, when the culprit is a female, we're expected to be compassionate - expected to search for some rationale behind the behavior we can be sympathetic toward.

In today's news (February 24th), there are no less than a dozen like-minded news stories out there ... all bragging that NASA has formulated plans to deal with psychotic astronauts in space. In short, the public is being 'stroked' to think of Nowak's behavior as psychotic since her name is mentioned in EVERY ONE of those articles as an EXAMPLE of this beharior.

Here's my prediction. Since no one was actually hurt in this incident (luck), Lisa Nowak will be found not guilty by reason of insanity (temporary or otherwise) in criminal court. She'll be ordered to commit herself to a post-trial period of outpatient psychiatric therapy (I'm guessing two or three years). During this period, since she's no longer a NASA employee, I expect to see her on Oprah, Maury, Letterman, Leno, and possibly a whole host of other shows on the talk-show circuit (earning more money than her NASA paychecks). An interview by Barbara Walters is probably a given.

Because of her previous excellent record of service in the Navy, military courts will defer to the criminal court decision. Once the post-trial period of therapy passes without incident, Lisa Nowak will get off scot-free. In short, she'll not get a dishonorable discharge. Instead, she'll likely get a medical discharge under honorable conditions - as well as be assigned a disability rating. In short, she'll be considered a disabled vet ... getting disability retirement benefits and disability compensation benefits, both tax-free, for the rest of her life. In addition, the victim(s) in this matter will probably be approached by a military attorney who will encourage ($$$$$) them to sign a voluntary gag order on themselves in return for a payoff. Of course, these payoffs will be under sealed court order so the media won't have access to them.

My worry is that, eventually, she'll be given custody of her children since she'll never be convicted of a crime in any court of law. And, another worry is that other women will see Nowak get off scot-free and consider copycatting her. What better way to retire at a reasonably young age than copycatting Nowak and using her case as a precedent.

Of course, MEN should not try this approach. They'll lose their jobs, their retirement, and end up in stir for serious time - only to get out broke and in disgrace.

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