As the World Turns.

In a story that is out-of-this-world bizarre, an astronaut has been charged with attempted murder.

Snips:

"The facts that Mrs. Nowak drove approximately 900 miles, urinated in diapers so that she did not need to stop, stayed at a hotel where she paid cash and used a false name and address to register, stealthily followed the victim, while in disguise, and possessed multiple deadly weapons at the time she confronted the victim, as well as spraying the victim with a substance meant to disable a person, create well-founded fear and give this investigator probable cause to believe that Mrs. Nowak intended to murder Ms. Shipman," the report concluded.

Nowak -- who was a mission specialist on a Space Shuttle Discovery flight last summer -- was wearing a trench coat and wig and had a knife, BB pistol, and latex gloves in her car when police arrested her Monday, reports show. Reports also show that after U.S. Air Force Capt. Shipman's flight arrived, Nowak followed her to the airport's Blue Lot for long-term parking, tried to get into Shipman's car and then doused her with pepper spray.

Nowak, 43, also is charged with attempted kidnapping, battery, and attempted vehicle burglary with battery. This morning, Orange County Judge Mike Murphy did not find probable cause on another charge, the destruction of evidence. He set bond on the other three charges at $15,000, with a $500 bond on the evidence count.

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It was a cold case for over a year.
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Singer Frankie Laine, who was the subject of a couple of posts on this blog in connection to the television western Rawhide, has finally died at the age of 93.

Not that I was doing a death watch or anything, but he's been around forever.

Laine had piles of hits, including "Mule Train," but he is best remembered for giving his all on "Rawhide."

Laine was married twice, widowed once, remarried once, a stepdad of two, and a grandfather of two.
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Actress and singer Barbara McNair, 72, died of throat cancer.
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Fred Ball, brother of Lucille Ball, has died at the age of 91.
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First it was sex, now it is booze for a young mayor.
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