I Am The TaxMan

For Sale: One Shuttle, used.

From New Scientist:

Space shuttle for sale, fully loaded, air conditioning, one careful owner. It's the ultimate bargain. NASA has cut the price of a space shuttle to $28.8 million. The vehicles will go on sale after they finish constructing the International Space Station, scheduled to be later this year. The New York Times reports that NASA had hoped to get $42 million for each vehicle but lowered the cost in the hope of sealing a deal. It has three to sell, although one of these, Discovery, is already promised to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.

If an entire shuttle is beyond your budget, consider a main engine instead. NASA had hoped to charge up to $800,000 for these but lack of interest has forced it to slash the price. They are now available for free: a bargain in anybody's language. Just bear in mind that the buyer must pay for postage and packaging.

A boy's dog is a true guardian Angel

From Mail Online:

A golden retriever called Angel is being hailed a hero after it stopped a mountain lion from attacking an 11-year-old boy.

The 18-month-old dog stepped between the big cat and the youngster during a dramatic encounter in western Canada.

Police, who later shot the cougar dead, credited Angel for saving the Austin Foreman's life.

He had gone to retrieve some firewood outside his family's home in Boston Bar, about 150 miles north-east of Vancouver.

That's when the mountain lion charged across the yard at the boy.

'I was really scared. At first, I didn't know it was a cougar. I thought it was another dog,' Austin told CTV News on Sunday.

'As soon as it went underneath the light, I saw that it was a cougar. I knew at that moment, I had to go inside.'

Angel, who had been at Austin's side, attacked the big cat.

Austin ran into the house and screamed: 'A cougar is eating Angel!'

Mrs Forman said she had to get Austin to repeat himself a few times because he was so shaken.

When she looked out the window, Mrs Foreman couldn't see anything but she could hear Angel wimpering.

'To feel so helpless, I knew I couldn't do anything,' she said.

She called her father-in-law, who told her to call the police.

Royal Canadian Mountain Police Constable Chad Gravelle was nearby and was on scene within a minute.

The officer found the cougar under the back porch and heard the dog cry out as the cougar chewed its neck, police said.

He fired two rounds into the cougar's rear end, but the cat continued its attack.

The officer closed to within five feet and shot the mountain again, killing it.

Even after it was dead, the cat's jaws were clenched on Angel's face.

Angel was silent for a few moments but then took in a big gasp of air and got up.

Forman said Angel was recovering with a local vet. The dog has numerous puncture wounds around her head and neck, as well as a swollen eye.

Mrs Forman said before the attack, Austin had come into the house to tell the family how cute it was that Angel had been following him around.

'She must've known something was up,' Forman said.

Last week, when Angel was frolicking in the snow, family members called her a 'snow angel,' the mother said.

'Now, she's our guardian angel.'