The crew would also eat plants that are growing on the spaceship. NASA plans to send at least one type of vehicle and surface habitat before the astronauts arrive on the Red Planet. Once the astronauts arrive, nuclear energy would help them stay up to 16 months on the Martian surface before a return trip back to Earth. Even though NASA and other nations have big plans for Mars, a number of major hurdles must be dealt with before a manned mission can be launched. Along with creating proper technology to ensure astronauts are protected from dangerous levels of cosmic radiation, a new generation of medical space equipment will need to be created in case a medical emergency takes place. As space nations continue promising research geared towards the moon, many space observers believe the moon is just a stepping stone for future missions to the Red Planet. NASA will likely use manned moon missions as a testing ground for technologies that can be used later on Mars. NASA already is conducting a number of research projects on Mars including the impressive Mars Rovers.

Stop Sign? Not in Her Vocabulary!

The actress, also appearing in Showtime's "Weeds," is smokin' hot these days, as high a dramatic highlight as the corn once soared in the mythical Kansas town in which her CBS series is set. If Bonnie Richmond were a real-life neighbor, would the actress who plays her go over to borrow a cup of some radioactive sugar? Would she confide in her?

"Absolutely," says Stern. "There's a strange phenomenon of people choosing to confide in deaf people; I know I'm not alone in this."

A willing ear? "I've had people tell me their life stories at random events like birthday parties or when I'm having a drink at a bar -- even on the dance floor at clubs."

Direct and dynamic, Stern doesn't dance around any topics. "My whole family is like that," she says of her parents and brother and sister, who are "forever curious about other people and their lives, which probably adds to that sense of profound attention." .

Extra! UIdaho Student Found Shot to Death

I looked into the semi-open kitchen in amazement at the literally dozens of young kitchen workers running around in street clothes in a crazy panic to the tune of blaring hip-hop music. What were they all doing back there are they already getting that much business? Between the intricate dance of the sandwich makers and the loud thump of the bass, it genuinely seemed like there was a full-blown nightclub happening back there at 11 in the morning. It was like they were getting ready to audition for a touring company of the musical Rent or something. Wild.

GM Exec Stands by Calling Global Warming a “Total Crock of Shit”

Automakers ended their opposition to higher fuel standards in 2007 when it became clear that proposed changes would become law with or without their support.

McAfee, Inc. Catches More Spam, Malware and Malicious Web Sites Than ...

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- McAfee, Inc. (NYSE: MFE) today announced that its McAfee(R) Secure Internet Gateway appliance outperformed Barracuda Networks' products in several tests. Head-to-head testing conducted by Network Testing Labs shows that McAfee's single-appliance Secure Internet Gateway is eight times more effective at blocking malicious Web sites, six times more effective at blocking spam and more than four times more effective at blocking malware than the combination of Barracuda Spam Firewall and Web Filter Appliances.

Network Testing Labs looked for the ability to identify and block malware (such as viruses, spam, phishing attempts, keystroke loggers, browser hijackers, adware, rootkits, dialers, data miners, and Trojans).