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3.04.2005

Friday Flybys (vol. 7)

In a case involving offshore accounts and off-planet ventures, the feds have now arrested the biggest personal tax evader in history -- none other than Walter Anderson, the telecom tycoon who ponied up $20 million to try to salvage the space station Mir. Anderson allegedly owes the IRS $200 million and may go to prison for 80 years. Here's the story, from NY Times (free registration req'd). In space, the IRS can hear you scream.

Meanwhile, for those of you who have been paying more attention to Cassini than Congress (who can blame you?) and want a quick recap, Planetary Society's Washington Representative Lori Garver (formerly NASA associate administrator for policy and plans, also formerly executive director of the National Space Society, among other space-related things) offers a quick lowdown on
Winners and Losers in Proposed 2006 NASA Budget.

Hats off to any Probe-reading, enterprising space lawyers who networked with potential new clients at ESA's
Aurora Industry Day this week. Europe mean business in space.

Speaking of enterprising space lawyers, now that
craigslist will beam classified ads into space, (courtesy of the Deep Space Communications Network) think of the marketing opportunity this may present for your firm.

And speaking of space marketing, as the feeding frenzy gets sweeter, move over Volvo and Virgin Atlantic,
Space Tourism News reports a Norwegian chocolate company has joined with Space Adventures to offer a space ride sweepstakes.

And now that it has seen space, SpaceShipOne, the world's first privately built manned rocket ship, boldly
goes on display at the Smithsonian, along with the Apollo 11 Command Module and Wright Brother's 1903 Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis.

Of course, in the But Who's Counting? department:
1694 launches is a charm. Soyuz is go, go, go (again and again and . . .)

Finally, while in the minds of many it may be a nuisance, a cause of emotional distress, or even a downright crime, there is no legal recourse for
leaking gravity.



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