July 20, 2009

Giant step for mankind:

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took the first steps on the moon 40 years ago, topping off one of the greatest feats of mankind.

Less than 10 years before U.S. President John Kennedy had set the goal of landing men on the moon and returning them safely to Earth before the 1960s ended. Armstrong's step out of the landing vehicle Eagle on July 20, 1969, was the culmination of that challenge.

Armstrong, Aldrin and Michael Collins, who orbited alone above the moon awaiting the return of the others, returned to Earth with about 50 pounds of rocks and hundreds of images that have been etched into history.

The flight of Apollo 11 occurred about 60 years after the Wright brothers successfully accomplished heavier-than-air flight, a rate of technological advance unknown in any other era or industry -- only advancements in computing, first spurred by the Space Race and then fueled by mass markets, come close to matching that arc.

Aldrin and Collins are among those saying the next step shouldn't necessarily be a return to the moon but a manned mission to Mars.

Meanwhile, in a sign that life in space is becoming much more commonplace, residents of the International Space Station are dealing with a malfunctioning toilet.

Obama at six months:

U.S. President Barack Obama has scheduled a prime-time news conference this week as he marks the six-month point in office.

Obama has pursued a very aggressive agenda but not always with the intended results. A case in point is the $787 billion stimulus package that his administration said would keep unemployment to less than 8 percent. That figure is 9.5 percent and even the White House says it will top 10 percent before the year is out.

He also got bad polling news as a Washington Post/ABC News poll showed flagging support for Obama on prime issues -- healthcare reform, the economy and the budget deficit. The Post said public support for Obama on healthcare reform was 49 percent.

His overall approval rating figure is a still-healthy 59 percent although that is 6 percentage points lower than a month ago. His net disapproval rating went from 31 percent to 37 percent in the same period.

Afghan prison reform:

U.S. military leaders ordered a revamping of prison system procedures but at a U.S.-run prison and Afghan-run facilities following a review of the issue.

The New York Times reported Monday Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen sent a message to field commanders to remind troops of proper treatment of detainees.

A BBC investigation in June included allegations by former inmates at the prison at the Bagram air base that they had been beaten, deprived of sleep and threatened with dogs.

The Times said the Taliban are using claims of prisoner abuse as a recruiting tool.

Vick to be released:

Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick is to be released from federal custody Monday, ending his confinement related to his guilty pleas on dogfighting charges.

Vick admitted to taking part in a dogfighting ring on property he owned in Virginia. He was sentenced to 23 months in prison and fined about $1 million, which was to be used for care of animals used in fights.

Vick and three other men pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy. They allegedly trained dogs to fight and killed animals that didn't perform to their satisfaction.

Vick, who has been released by the Atlanta Falcons, remains suspended from the NFL. He has said he wants to return to the league. He is a three-time All-Pro selection.

Near miss by Watson:

Tom Watson came inches from history Sunday on the 72nd hole of the 138th British Open.

He needed a par on the 18th hole but his second shot was long and his third ended up 8 feet past the hole. That's a distance that has always given the Hall of Fame golfer problems and his par-putt attempt never had a chance, ending a few inches short and to the right. The bogey dropped Watson into a tie for the lead.

The subsequent four-hole playoff belonged to Stewart Cink, who collected his first major tournament victory.

Watson, 59, was looking to become the oldest player to win a major golf tournament. He had led throughout the event and sparked a tournament that was missing the world's two best golfers (Tiger Woods, who missed the cut; Phil Mickelson, who skipped the event due to family illness).