Morning Buzz: Outer Space Repairs

August 14, 2007 10:11 AM ET | Permanent Link | Print

Space shuttle Endeavour has a gash on its underbelly and NASA is deciding today whether to have astronauts repair the shuttle in space or have them bring the vehicle home as is. The gash is only 3.5by 2 inches but deep enough that it penetrates some of the spacecraft's thermal tiles. To patch the gash, astronauts would have to spacewalk outside and apply protective black paint and thick caulk-like goop to it. The technique was created after the 2003 Columbia disaster, in which the ship disintegrated during re-entry, killing seven astronauts.

First it was lead-painted Thomas the Tank Engines and next tainted toys of characters from Nickelodeon and Sesame Street. This week, toymaker Mattel is set to announce another recall involving products coming out of China. Several people close to the company have confirmed that several hundred thousand die-cast cars are to be recalled because—again—their paint may contain large amounts of lead. The move brings into question the quality of imports Americans are receiving from the communist giant. U.S. News interviewed an expert on China in July to find out whether consumers should be concerned.

Voters from a small Alabama town may bring back the days of Prohibition. In Athens, Ala., a measure to end the sale of alcohol is going before the 22,000 citizens of the town, 95 miles north of Birmingham. Church leaders are praying for the ban, while business leaders argue that it might give the town the stigma of appearing "backward." The law would outlaw only the sale of alcohol. Possession and consumption would remain legal.

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