Posted on 02/05/2007 5:27:04 PM PST by burzum
Some OPs mentioned Oefelein being on leave from JSC, but I had only seen that he was in FL briefly to help out with the investigation. Now there's confirmation that he took a leave to be with Shipman there ...
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4539394.html
" ... Astronaut Bill Oefelein has taken leave from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to join girlfriend Colleen Shipman in Florida following the alleged attack on her by astronaut Lisa Nowak, a space agency official said Thursday.
In fact, Oefelein asked for the time off Monday after Shipman, an Air Force captain stationed at Cape Canaveral, told him about the early morning confrontation with Nowak at Orlando International Airport.
Oefelein quickly reported the incident to chief astronaut Steve Lindsey, putting NASA on alert about the events that have led to charges of attempted murder against Nowak, NASA official Ellen Ochoa told reporters Thursday.
...
Ochoa, whose duties as director of NASA flight crew operations include supervision of the agency's 135 astronauts, confirmed Thursday that there is a romantic link between Oefelein, 41, and Shipman, 30.
Oefelein, a divorced Navy commander, was granted leave to spend a week with Shipman, an Air Force captain, Ochoa said. He and Shipman have not spoken publicly about the attack
...
Ochoa characterized Shipman as the shuttle pilot's girlfriend, but would not discuss the nature of the relationship between Oefelein and Nowak ... "
Interesting! I was wondering about O-boy, how it was that he went to FL to "help" with the investigation. Did the cops call him to come down there? Or did he go because he is dating Shipman and was concerned for her having been through this terrible ordeal? Looks like the latter is the case.
If O-boy lives in Houston, and Shipman was there for business, wouldn't she take a little bit of time to visit with him while she's in town?
I am wondering about the nature of Nowak's relationship with O-boy, if he is seemingly in a committed relationship with Shipman now. Maybe the thing with Nowak ended a few months ago, and it had been a long affair, and Nowak just couldn't get over it? Or maybe she liked him for a long time, and they messed around briefly fairly recently, and then he started dating Shipman, and Nowak was overwhelmed with jealousy because he was having a real relationship with Shipman and not her?
"Yes, we have a number of alligator-infested areas, but not as many close to JSC as more to the west."
I don't know about "not as many." My sister-in-law used to take her kids to picnic down by the bayou near University of Houston-Clear Lake. She stopped going there after watching a "log" open up and swallow the trailing duck in a bunch of them swimming past.
The gator was at least six feet long, as the mallard was a one-chomp tidbit. Melted in the gator's mouth. Not even a feather escaped.
There is also Armand Bayou in the area. Gators in that, too.
That is terrific. LOL.
Accused astronaut comes out of her seclusion
Exclusive video captures Lisa Nowak at JSC
By Miya Shay
(2/09/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) - On Friday afternoon, NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak ventured away from her Clear Lake house and went to Johnson Space Center.
Nowak drove clear across the United States to confront a romantic rival. She faces attempted murder charges, but is out on bond.
Since returning home to Houston on Wednesday astronaut Lisa Nowak has remained in seclusion -- until Friday -- and our cameras were there.
Wearing a windbreaker and sunglasses, Lisa Nowak ventured out of her Clear Lake area home around 9:30am. She was accompanied by astronaut Steve Bowen, who drove her to the Johnson Space Center.
NASA officials confirmed that Nowak was undergoing more medical evaluations at the space center. But as the exclusive video shows, Nowak and Bowen initially had problems getting into the NASA building, waiting several minutes outside until finally getting inside.
In the meantime, astronaut Bill Oefelein, the man Nowak was apparently pining for, has taken a leave of absence from NASA.
Back in Clear Lake, Nowak has been supported by a tight knit group of neighbors who remain leery of the media. Nowak's parents, who have been with her since Wednesday, were seen bringing groceries home around midday. And early Friday afternoon, Nowak returned from Johnson Space Center. Offering no comments to the awaiting media, she headed back into seclusion.
Behind the scenes, NASA is re-evaluating portions of its astronaut program. In the meantime, Nowak related photos and souvenirs are selling for big bucks. (Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)
I wonder if Dr. Phil's letter was ever successfully delivered to her house?
Yes, it was - on the 2nd try. LOL, I happened to "catch" that one on one of the daytime local news clips.
Yeah, I saw that on 10Pm News tonight. Not much to say about it.
True, but I was thinking specifically right there at JSC and nearby homes.
Lots of boats in all the waterways, so not as many gators as places like Brazos Bend and Oyster Creek, especially not all grouped together, as in "infested" enough to be sure that if you dropped a body in there, they'd get it right away.
They find 8-foot, 12-foot and even 16-footers over in the places I'm talking about. I've seen them many times. *One* is enough, believe me!
Could be, for sure. I think it will all come out eventually - another thread is about a movie they've optioned on the story, but I haven't read that yet.
I wanted to keep track of this story, too - but yesterday, after all the jokes and fun, I reverted to my very first reaction (when I cried) and felt sorry for her again, majorly sorry for her. I couldn't bear the attacks on her (I know that's not rational, lol) and especially on "women who work".
Now must be the hardest part, dealing with the reality of what she has done and presumably more back to normal thinking, back at home. I saw the footage of her being driven into the garage with her parents in somebody's SUV, can't recall if it was Coats's or Lindsey's.
I don't know if the TV cameras would've shown her children, probably not, going into the house, if they had, but I was hoping for *knowing* they had been reunited.
I do want to hear what part O-Boy had in all this, because he very well may have done more than has been indicated. I hate that it would all fall on her *if* he had been playing her on or something.
I do *not* see the attraction with the AF woman at all, but then, I don't think he's such hot stuff, either. *We'll see what happens next.*
FR Link RoundUp 2
Ham Radio astronaut in murder plot charge
Southgate Amateur Radio Club Bulletin ^ | 2/05/07
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1781949/posts
Former NASA doctor says agency must do more
msnbc ^ | 2/09/06
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1782033/posts
What makes an astronaut crack?
LA Times ^ | February 9, 2007 | Homer Hickam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1782048/posts
Bizarre tale of astronaut charged with attempted murder optioned for movie
AP / KOMO-TV ^ | 09 February 2007
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1782247/posts
FR Link RoundUp 1
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1779787/posts?page=1367#1367 or click "To 1367" below
"True, but I was thinking specifically right there at JSC and nearby homes."
"Lots of boats in all the waterways, so not as many gators as places like Brazos Bend and Oyster Creek, especially not all grouped together, as in "infested" enough to be sure that if you dropped a body in there, they'd get it right away."
Well, Armand Bayou is not exactly the Banana River when it comes to gators, but it has a healthy crop of them. And it is no farther a drive from JSC-area subdivisions (eg Brookforest or Middlebrook) to Armand Bayou than it is to JSC. Turn left at Bay Area Blvd instead of right. That is the only difference.
Still, an astronaut would have to be aware of that place -- and while astronauts are all bright overacheivers, they really need the 1000+ back-room engineers in the MCC developing and exploring scenarios for them in order to do the water-walking they accomplish during space missions.
That is probably why the parking lot rendezvous went bust. Good raw concept but no support room help to explore all of the possible contingencies.
Yes I feel sorry for her too--that and just very curious about what her thought process was, what she intended to do, and what her relationship history is. I know the 40s can be very difficult for women in different ways, so I hope she is okay physically and mentally. You are right, she is probably shocked and ashamed of her behavior now that she's had time to think about it.
I think I read that her children were with her husband.
O-boy seems to have made himself look a little better by standing by his girlfriend Shipman, being compassionate and taking care of her by spending the week with her. It seems Nowak's plan actually had the opposite effect and is probably drawing O-boy and Shipman closer than ever.
I wonder what the real story is. Could it be that Nowak reallly pushed herself on O-boy, and was the homewrecker in his marriage? Whereas if she hadn't been pushy he wouldn't have had a relationship with her? Who knows. Maybe O-boy is a bad boy. We'll find out eventually.
I read something interesting about how a personality trait like being obsessively determined can be good in an astronaut's job, but when applied in a different way, like in relationships, it can be a bad thing. So maybe Nowak had these personality traits all along but never applied them in this negative way before.
I wish "something" would happen soon, because I am just so curious about what the true story is here!
Just saw on our 10PM News that Frenchie's (a local restaurant with gooood food - an astronaut hangout) had a fund-raiser for Nowak tonight, for her legal needs - and the place was packed.
Lots of old folks seen going in - her plight tugs at lots of diverse heartstrings.
Oops, wasn't paying close enough attention - it wasn't Frenchie's, which it normally would be - it was Silvestro's. Don't know that one.
Oefelein probably frequents Frenchie's, too - so they have to be neutral, no doubt.
She couldn't go to church (St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church) as usual, so her priest was to take communion to her this evening, at last report. Her son is an altar boy there and six astronauts attend church there.
Yikes, scratch everything I posted in the above two posts, lol. Love my local news -- aaarrgh.
The restaurant that held the fund-raiser was NOT here and not in the NASA JSC area. They acted like it was a local story and didn't say it wasn't.
The restaurant, Silvestro's, is in Cocoa Beach, FL!!
It was a sold-out dinner, but many locally were upset about it. They are indicating that Nowak was there, but at this point, I don't believe anything they report. Don't know why I ever did!
So sorry for all the(ir) confusion! Violated my own "3-sources-before-posting-news" rule.
You would think astronauts make pretty good money, so why a fundraiser? A snip from the story on CNN:
COCOA BEACH, Florida (AP) -- About 70 diners attended a fundraiser at an Italian restaurant Sunday night for a NASA astronaut charged with attempted murder.
Silvestro's restaurant, which was bombarded with criticism after word spread that they were holding the fundraiser, plans to donate the dinner proceeds to Lisa Nowak's family.
Restaurant co-owner Tony Bless told Melbourne's Florida Today newspaper that he thought it was the right thing to do for Nowak, who made a positive impression on his staff when she dined there last summer.
"We stand by our friends in time of need, and it's a time of need," he said. Bless said he's also gotten supportive calls and e-mails from as far away as Italy.
...
Don't forget also that the American Crocodile, once on the brink, has made a big comeback in the past 20 years...especially in Southern Florida....and those suckers are more aggressive and can be bigger than gators....
Well it was sort of an "unexpected expense" for someone about to be a single mom. Naw, that sounds like an excuse.
In Cocoa, the astronauts are much-loved like they are here in Houston - except that here, Oefelein is among the corps, too - but not there. And Shipman isn't, either, tho a Floridian and a support person to the NASA corps.
I have to believe most of the people who attended were thinking mainly of the children. If Nowak hires a good enough attorney, perhaps a lot of the detailed crud will be kept out of the public eye.
(Yeah, I know - but at least a good lawyer can fight the other good lawyers who will trash Lisa.)
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