Saturday, November 25, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
NASA Sets Hubble Servicing Mission Decision Announcement
NASA - NASA Sets Hubble Servicing Mission Decision Announcement
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin will announce on Tuesday, Oct. 31, a decision on a space shuttle mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. The announcement is scheduled for 10 a.m. EST during an agency-wide employee meeting from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. The event will be live on NASA TV and www.nasa.gov.A news conference will follow at Goddard; also broadcast live on NASA TV at 12:45 p.m. Questions from reporters will be taken from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Johnson Space Center, Houston, and NASA Headquarters. Media who want to attend the news briefings must contact Goddard public affairs to arrange accreditation and access to the center. Reporters should call either Ed Campion or Susan Hendrix at 301-286-8955.
Next week's decision follows a final evaluation meeting at NASA Headquarters Friday, where senior agency officials presented their recommendations to Griffin on the feasibility of a servicing mission.
If the decision is made to go ahead with a servicing mission, NASA will hold several other media events on Tuesday, Oct. 31 (all times Eastern):
2:30 p.m. News conference with the astronauts who would carry out the mission from Johnson; broadcast live on NASA TV. Questions from reporters will be taken from Goddard, Kennedy and NASA Headquarters.
3:30 to 5 p.m. Media interview opportunities on NASA TV. Hubble Space Telescope experts will be available for satellite interviews. The specific experts are TBD.
5 to 7 p.m. Astronaut media interview opportunities on NASA TV. Certain servicing crew members will be available for satellite interviews. The specific astronauts are TBD.
Media interested in the astronaut satellite interviews must contact the Johnson Newsroom at 281-483-5111 by 6 p.m. EST Oct. 30. The astronaut satellite interviews will be carried live on the NASA TV analog satellite AMC-6, at 72 degrees west longitude; transponder 5C, 3800 MHz, vertical polarization, with audio at 6.8 MHz.
To schedule a satellite interview with a Hubble Space Telescope expert, media must contact Ed Campion at Goddard at 301-286-8955 by 5 p.m. EST Oct. 30.
A video resource package to support the announcement will air during a special Video File feed on NASA TV at 11 a.m. EST Tuesday, Oct. 31. For NASA TV downlink, schedules and streaming video information, visit:
For more information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:
For information about other NASA missions and projects, visit:
- end -
powered by performancing firefox
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Friday, September 15, 2006
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Friday, September 01, 2006
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Friday, August 18, 2006
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Spurs Sign Francisco Elson
Spurs Sign Francisco Elson
SAN ANTONIO, TX (Aug. 2, 2006) -- The San Antonio Spurs have announced that they have signed Francisco Elson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Elson, a 7-0 center, has spent the past three seasons with the Denver Nuggets. Last year he appeared in 72 games, averaging career-bests in points, 4.9 ppg, rebounds, 4.7 rpg, minutes, 21.9 mpg, and shooting percentage, .532 (151-284). He started in 54 games, averaging 5.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in 24.7 minutes while the Nuggets posted a 32-22 record (12-16 when he didn’t start). Elson posted a career-high 21 points vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on April 6 and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds vs. Atlanta on December 18. For his career, he has appeared in 201 games, including 79 starts, averaging 4.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game.
Originally selected by Denver with the 41st overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, Elson played four seasons in Spain before joining the Nuggets in 2003. During the 2002-03 season he played for CSF Sevilla, averaging 9.7 points and 8.2 rebounds. From 1999-2001 Elson played for FC Barcelona before joining Valencia Basket for the 2001-02 season.
A native of the Netherlands, Elson played two seasons of college basketball at Kilgore (TX) Junior College before completing his collegiate career at California. In two seasons with the Bears he averaged 5.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 59 games. As a senior he helped lead Cal to the NIT Championship.
Monday, July 31, 2006
'Star Trek' Scotty's Ashes Going Into Space
FOXNews.com - 'Star Trek' Scotty's Ashes Going Into Space - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment
'Star Trek' Scotty's Ashes Going Into Space
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
James Doohan, the actor who played chief engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott on the original "Star Trek" TV series, will have a few grams of his ashes launched 70 miles into space this fall from southern New Mexico.
Houston-based Space Services, Inc., plans also to have the ashes of 100 others aboard the "memorial spaceflight" Oct. 21 -- among them Gordon Cooper, one of the Mercury astronauts who were America's first space travelers during the 1960s.
Doohan, who died at his Redmond, Wash., home last July at age 85, told relatives he wanted his ashes blasted into outer space, as was done for "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry.
Doohan's widow, Wende Doohan, said her husband would have wanted such a send-off.
"If the privatization of space was available when he was alive, he would have been first in line with a window-seat ticket," Doohan told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday. "It's a way to honor something he would have loved to have done."
The 15-minute suborbital flight is scheduled to launch from the southern New Mexico site -- future home of Spaceport America, which state officials hope will one day be a hub for space tourism.
"So far on that flight we have about 100 customers. But if I gave you a good guess, I'd expect it will be well over 100," Space Services spokeswoman Susan Schonfeld said Tuesday "Everybody wants to be on the same rocket as James Doohan. He was so beloved."
The payload will be carried about 70 miles up before returning. Parachutes will then deploy to bring the ashes back to earth. Customers pay between $495 and $1,495 to place remains of loved ones into an aluminum capsule and send them up.
The ashes of Doohan and Cooper had been scheduled for a launch in California this spring, but Schonfeld said a delay involving another rocket pushed back the company's schedule.
Another rocket carrying more of Doohan's ashes is slated for an orbital launch in December or January. Such flights deliver payloads to orbit, meaning the remains can be aloft for days, weeks or even years before falling back to earth and burning up in the atmosphere.
"When people go out and look at stars at night, there is such a deep calling, a deep fascination, with space," Schonfeld said. "Unfortunately, not many people can get there during a lifetime. This is a way of fulfilling their dreams."
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Monday, May 29, 2006
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Tingley Beach
This has been one of my favorite places to go recently. There's lot's of ducks and geese here and they like to pose.
Tingley Beach, Albuquerque, NM.
Tingley Beach, Albuquerque, NM.
Friday, May 19, 2006
C&R: SPURS VS. MAVS EDITION
C&R: SPURS VS. MAVS EDITION Now That's Good Stuff! Posted by By Brad Friedman on May 18, 2006 12:09 p.m. ET "Never has a game or a series been up for grabs in the final seconds like this one," writes Liz Robbins in Thursday's New York Times. "He (Manu Ginobili) made one of two free throws that proved to be the final score of the game. Craziness ensued for the final two minutes." -- [New York Times]
The Mavericks' best chance to close the series in last night's
Manu Ginobili came up with a couple of scrappy plays of his own down the stretch as well.
Maybe Duncan was playing with a chip on his shoulder after failing to make First Team All-NBA yesterday for the first time in his career.
Return of the Jedi? Posted by By Brad Friedman on May 17, 2006 11:35 p.m. ET Just look at Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Ginobili. The Force is with him. Can Manu and the Spurs use The Force to turn this series around? -- [BenOrtiz.com] I'd say it's possible, given one doesn't need to go too far back in
"Amazingly," Spurs forward Robert Horry told the Washington
This and That
Terry Plays Hero As the Mavs Take 3-1 Lead Posted by By Brad Friedman on May 16, 2006 12:04 p.m. ET
Jason Terry's rainbow jumper late in overtime capped one of the
On Monday night, the story of the Mavericks' critical Game 4
A Back-and-Forth Affair On the Spurs side, there were critical shots hit and missed, from Michael Finley's big three-pointer, to Tony Parkers' missed free throws to Tim Duncan's failed hook shot. For the contest, Duncan, Parker and Manu Ginobili totaled 90 points and 19 rebounds in their best game of the season. -- [Forth Worth Star-Telegram]
Time Running Out For Spurs? As Dallas columnists essentially say the series is over, like here and here, Liz Robbins' New York Times article "In Race Against Time, Spurs Lose a Step" examines if age is a factor in the series -- 11 of the 13 players on the Spurs' playoff roster were born in the 1970's. -- [Dallas Morning News, New York Times Reg req'd]
The Fat Lady Hasn't Sung Call me crazy but I think those who believe this series is "over" are being preemptive. It wouldn't at all surprise me if the experience helped the Spurs, and they forced a Game 7, and won it. San Antonio is too good of a team from a mental standpoint not to have a fighting chance. Just this season we saw the Suns storm back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Lakers. No Pain, No Gain: Dirk to Play Tonight in Game 4 Posted by By Brad Friedman on May 15, 2006 11:15 a.m. ET What will it take for Dirk Nowitzki to sit out Game 4 after rolling his ankle in a Game 3 Mavericks win that gave Dallas a 2-1 series edge?
"It's pretty stiff," Nowitzki said about the ankle. "I rolled it
2-1 Can Become 2-2 in a Heartbeat The momentum of this series is certainly in favor of the Mavericks, winners of two straight and having the homecourt advantage in tonight's game. But Dallas fans shouldn't begin celebrating just yet. San Antonio has won three NBA titles since 1999. They're a savvy team with enough playoff experience to know not to panic.
Happy Mother's Day! Also according to Ludden's article, after a late-game goof Saturday by Jerry Stackhouse which gave the Spurs a shot at winning the contest, Stackhouse couldn't even draw sympathy from his own mother. -- [San Antonio Express-News] Jason Terry Diary Mavs point guard Jason Terry posted a diary entry Monday for the Forth Worth Star-Telegram. Here's an excerpt: -- [Star-Telegram]
A Little Assistance I have to admit, I was shocked at the boxscore Saturday night: Dallas won and scored 104 points with only 12 assists, with Terry contributing four and Devin Harris, the other starting guard, putting up a donut. -- [NBA.com]
Tony vs. Devin According to the New York Times, "Harris had scored 20 points in the Mavericks' first five playoff games combined, averaging 13.8 minutes. In the past two games, he averaged 22 points and 35 minutes, shooting 53.8 percent from the field and outplaying his Spurs counterpart, Tony Parker." -- [New York Times]
His Own Man Popovich doesn't want the media to call Mavs coach and former Spurs point guard Avery Johnson a Popovich protégé anymore.
The Video Links • NBA TV previews Monday's action Expect Changes, But a Team Is What It Is Posted by By Brad Friedman on May 12, 2006 11:32 a.m. ET The Playoffs are about adjustments. It's a chess match in which teams are constantly adapting to the strategy of the opponent in the previous contest. In Game 2, Dallas did just that by swapping Adrian Griffin with
"How many game-deciding, momentum-turning changes can either As Mavs coach Avery Johnson said in the paper: "It still gets
Violence on Television Perhaps the most interesting perspective on the series came from a television columnist: -- [San Antonio Express-News]
Manu Mania, The Other Kind A couple of good articles on the challenges the banged-up Manu Ginobili faces appeared in the papers today: Check out stories from Dwaine Price of the Forth-Worth Star-Telegram and Johnny Ludden of the San Antonio Express-News on the subject.
Nick's Disappearing Nights According to the San Antonio-Express News, one of the reasons current Spurs backup point guard Nick Van Exel was signed last summer was because of the Spurs' memories of his clutch performances against them while Van Exel was a Maverick in the 2003 Western Conference Finals. The once-feared scorer averaged 19.5 points per game during the Mavs' 20 postseason contests.
Spurs' Parker, Ginobili Benefit From Three-Day Layoff Posted by By Brad Friedman on May 11, 2006 11:08 a.m. ET In Thursday's San Antonio Express-News, Spurs beat writer Johnny Ludden's article "At last, a lengthy lengthy break" dicusses the beneficial timing of Game 3 for San Antonio. -- [San Antonio Express-News] The Spurs engaged in a hard-fought six game series with Sacramento
Ludden writes, "Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker shuffled between
Dallas Proves Worthy of Respect in Game 2 Posted by By Brad Friedman on May 10, 2006 12:04 p.m. ET Take a look at the expert's selections for this series on ESPN.com. -- [ESPN.com] It didn't matter that the regular season series was split 2-2, Four out of five journalists picked San Antonio to win it, and
Avery Johnson changed the tide when he Harris Proves To Be The Difference-Maker With two point guards, Harris and Jason Terry in the starting lineup, Mavericks to played their game on offense rather than letting the Spurs get them into another grind-it-out affair.
The other hero of the contest
OK, But What Was Up With the Spurs?
|
|
May 5 -- Sunday, April 23, 2006
Two flames
I took this macro yesterday of a candle I have with two wicks burning. I really like this... very nice colors.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Spurs Dominate Kings
SPURS: Playoff Central 2006
The San Antonio Spurs looked every bit the best team in the Western Conference on Saturday night as they crushed the Sacramento Kings 122-88 at the AT&T Center.
*Parker, Spurs race past Kings in series opener*
SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- In their postseason opener, the San Antonio Spurs looked very familiar. Unfortunately, so did the Sacramento Kings.
Sparked by Tony Parker, the Spurs began defense of their NBA title with a resounding 122-88 victory over the Kings in the opener of their Western Conference first-round series.
Seeking their fourth title in eight years, the top-seeded Spurs appeared thoroughly prepared for a run at repeating as champions. They were unrelenting against the eighth-seeded Kings, who reverted to their defenseless approach prior to the arrival of Ron Artest.
Parker scored 23 of his 25 points in the first half, when the Spurs shot a searing 68 percent (26-of-38) from the field and tallied a season-high 73 points, turning the second half into garbage time.
Nazr Mohammed added 18 points for the Spurs, who had seven players in double figures, led by as many as 37 points and finished at 57.5 percent (42-of-73). They already are ahead of their postseason pace of last year, when they lost Game One at home to Denver.
Since the acquisition of Artest on January 26, Sacramento had discovered defense, going 26-14 while allowing just 94.3 points per game. Artest went so far as to boldly predict that the Kings would win the championship.
However, that defense disappeared as Parker penetrated at will, scoring and setting up teammates. He scored 16 points in the first quarter as San Antonio sped to a 32-24 lead.
The onslaught began in the second quarter, when the Spurs scored 41 points and built the lead to 73-39 at halftime. Robert Horry scored five points in an 8-0 spurt that opened the period, Nick Van Exel had nine in a 14-0 burst midway through and Parker tallied seven in a 12-4 run that closed the quarter.
The Kings got no closer than 24 points in the second half and suffered the worst playoff loss in team history, eclipsing a 30-point setback to Utah in 1999. They will try again here Tuesday night.
Van Exel and Tim Duncan scored 11 points apiece for the Spurs, who played no one more than 25 minutes. They held a 51-32 advantage in rebounds.
Mike Bibby scored 17 points and Artest added 16 for the Kings, who shot 39 percent (33-of-84).
Friday, April 21, 2006
Enjoying life in the fast lane
Spur Of The Moment
Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.com
Asked
about Tony Parker's season, Tim Duncan credited Eva Longoria, whose
presence initially concerned the Spurs. "When you're happy," Duncan
told the SA Express-News, "you play good basketball."
about Tony Parker's season, Tim Duncan credited Eva Longoria, whose
presence initially concerned the Spurs. "When you're happy," Duncan
told the SA Express-News, "you play good basketball."
ESPN.com - NBA - SPECIAL WEEKEND EDITION Enjoying life in the fast lane
By Marc Stein, ESPN.com
note: ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein supplies each item for this
around-the-league notebook edition of the Daily Dime.
No one really catches up with Tony Parker. Not this season.
Moving faster than ever, and finally shaking what even he describes as
"my not being consistent," Parker has already realized one goal with
his season-long flurry of layups.
"The challenge," he told me back in December, "is to do this for the whole year."
It started early and has lasted for 75 games. We've gotten only
occasional looks at Parker's improving jump shot because he continues
to rack up points in the paint at a ridiculous rate for a point guard.
Yet when you ask Parker to stop and sit down for a chat, you learn that
the Frenchman -- who also has managed somehow to domesticate a
"Desperate Housewives" wild child -- isn't terribly impressed by all
this. He confesses a need to do this throughout the playoffs, too, to
validate his rise to All-Star status.
For himself.
Parker hasn't forgotten his late-round struggles in the past three postseasons ... or the Spurs' flirtations with Jason Kidd
before awarding him a six-year, $66 million contract ... or the fact
that San Antonio failed in its first two attempts to repeat as NBA
champion.
"There's still another level to this," Parker says.
He spoke openly about his plans to get there in a recent chat in Los Angeles. Nine highlights of that conversation with No. 9:
Parker on how closely the Spurs have followed the Mavericks in the chase for the West's No. 1 seed:
"Every day. Basically every day. Every day we talk about Dallas and see
what they did the game before, how they're playing, what's the ranking,
are we still ahead? It's just fun. It's a good race."
On which of the two Texas rivals needs home-court advantage more in their forthcoming second-round showdown:
"I think Dallas. We proved in the past that we can win big games on the
road. ... [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] always says, 'If we get it,
fine.' But the main thing for us is that we stay healthy. If we can
stay healthy, I think we can win big games on the road."
On being described by Popovich and Tim Duncan as San Antonio's most consistent player after four up-and-down seasons:
"I think I'm just getting more mature. I think that's the only reason.
I know everybody now. I feel comfortable in the system. I feel
comfortable with Pop. I just knew that, after we won the championship
last year, the next level for me was the All-Star level. ... The Spurs,
they didn't know if I can go to that next level. So I wanted to show
them that they can have a lot of confidence in me, that I was not
satisfied with my contract or [that] we've got two championships. I
wanted to get their respect as a player."
On improving his jump shot with new shooting coach Chip Engelland:
"It's going to be a learning process. I did a lot of good stuff this
year, [but] I still think I can do better to try to get to that Chauncey Billups level or that Steve Nash
level. That's where I want to get and that's going to take, I think,
three or four years. So when I'll be 26 or 27, I think that's when my
shot's going to mature. But I feel more comfortable. Every shot I'm
taking at least has a chance to make it."
On whether people forget that he's only 23:
"I think even Pop sometimes forgets. They want me to improve so fast,
and sometimes you can't go [faster than] experience. [But] Pop did a
great job with me, pushing me when I first came, [at] 19, being hard on
me. So now we're seeing the results of it."
On how much he still has to prove to himself in the playoffs after
poor showings in the late stages of San Antonio's last three postseason
runs:
"There's always a lot of people [who are] going to criticize me for
what I did [before]. ... I know a lot of people can't wait to see if
I'm going to do the same thing I did in [past] playoffs. And I'll be
ready. It's a good challenge for me."
On how much pressure the Spurs feel to win their first back-to-back championships after failing to do so twice before:
"I think Pop, he just told us right at the beginning [of the season],
'We need to repeat.' We're the only team that won a championship [that]
didn't repeat, basically."
On how much grief he gets from teammates for the tabloid coverage of his relationship with Eva Longoria:
"My teammates never say nothing. They never tease me. They see her [all
the] time, so they don't care that she travels with us. We're one of
the only teams in the NBA [that] lets us travel with wives or
girlfriends. They all talk to her, so they know she's not a crazy
woman."
On his ability to shrug at the increased scrutiny that comes with his newfound celebrity ... on and off the floor:
"How do you want me to complain? I got a great life. Great basketball
team, great teammates, winning championships and a great girlfriend. I
can't complain."
Big Fundamental Problem
Chris Birck/NBAE/Getty Images
Tony Parker's individual success aside, he still believes the Spurs' title hopes revolve around a healthy Tim Duncan*******************************************************
One more question for No. 9: How far away from 100 percent is Tim Duncan?
"I think he's getting better and better," Tony Parker
says. "The last couple games, he started dunking again. I think he's
feeling better. I'd say he's, like, 85 percent. I don't see him going
as fast as he used to with his pump fakes and when he's doing his
moves. But I think he's improving. I think he's starting to get in
playoff mode."
Actually...
We've got one more: Can
San Antonio win it all if Duncan, plagued by a season-long bout with
plantar fasciitis, is only 85 percent?
"That's a tough question," Parker said. "We need Timmy. We're going
nowhere if Timmy's not 100 percent. If he's 85 percent, I don't know.
It's going to be tough."
Duncan's 11 points and six rebounds in Wednesday's loss to Sacramento marked the sixth
time this season that he was held below 15 points and 10 boards in a
game in which he logged at least 30 minutes. It happened to Duncan only
once in the five previous seasons.
Of course, as the Spurs are relieved to know, there are no
back-to-backs in the playoffs, and Duncan's troubles are generally seen
in the second half of back-to-backs.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Spurs rout Jazz, earn top seed in Western Conference
TO ALL THE "SWEET TATERS" IN MY LIFE
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Home-court advantage and some rested players could mean a lot when the playoffs start.
The defending champion San Antonio Spurs got both Monday night.
Manu Ginobili scored 18 points and Tim Duncan added 16 to help the Spurs clinch the Southwest Division title and the best record in the Western Conference with a 115-82 rout of the Utah Jazz.
The Spurs earned the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.
"It's great to get [home court] wrapped up," Duncan said. "I'm feeling good right now -- feeling healthy. I think we all feel pretty good right now, and that's the main thing."
San Antonio (62-19) took a 19-point lead into the fourth quarter and led by 36 points, allowing the Spurs to rest their starters as the playoffs draw near.
Duncan hit 7-of-13 shots and had five rebounds in 22 minutes. He left the game and did not return with 3:54 remaining in the third quarter when the Spurs had a 14-point lead. Ginobili played 25 minutes.
The Spurs' bench scored 65 points, including 16 by Brent Barry.
Andrei Kirilenko sat out because of lower back spasms for the Jazz, who have lost two in a row.
Deron Williams led Utah (40-41) with 18 points.
The Spurs showed playoff form, shooting 57 percent from the field compared to 43 percent for Utah.
"They got about everything they wanted tonight," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "They were playing in such a comfort zone that we couldn't even begin to shut them down."
The Spurs can't catch Detroit for the best record in the league, but San Antonio still can accomplish something by beating Houston in the final regular-season game Wednesday. The Spurs can break a franchise record for wins in a season.
The 1994-95 team won 62 games. The Spurs had the home-court advantage but lost to Houston in the Western Conference finals.
"Nobody is going to turn down home court," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I've said that about 1,000 times over the years. Nobody is going to give it up, but it doesn't ensure anything. We've had it before and got knocked out. It's not a sure bet."
Utah, which will finish the season Wednesday night at home against Golden State, has finished with a .500 record or better 21 times in the past 22 seasons.
Utah had a 16-13 lead 9:39 into the game. But the Spurs went on a 13-1 run during the next 2:42.
San Antonio led 26-17 with 39 seconds left in the quarter when Ginobili sank a 3-pointer. It was the third straight 3-point basket for the Spurs in a span of 54 seconds.
The Jazz cut the Spurs' lead to five points just more than a minute into the second quarter, but San Antonio went on another dominant run, outscoring Utah 27-12 during the next 10:11.
The Spurs' reserves led the way, hitting 11 of their first 16 shots and outscoring the Utah bench 28-2 in the first half.
Barry ended the game 7-of-10 from the floor. Robert Horry was 3-of-3 from 3-point territory.
"We're going to need more from guys like Brent and myself as we progress through the playoffs," Horry said.
Game notes
Utah guard Devin Brown, who played for the Spurs the past three seasons, was presented with his NBA championship ring before the game. ... Jazz guard Milt Palacio missed his third straight game because of inflammation in his left knee. ... Utah enter Carlos Boozer had scored more than 20 points in seven of his past eight games, but he was limited to eight points in 32 minutes by the Spurs.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)