NASA'S $300 MILLION BLUNDER - PERHAPS
After the semi-success of the movie "Deep Impact," NASA felt compelled to provide the definitive 2005 remake in the form of their Deep Impact probe. Aimed at the poor, defenseless comet, Tempel 1, Deep Impact smacked into the heart of the wandering body only a few days ago, the purpose of which was either to gain invaluable knowledge about the composition of the universe or to practice interplanetary skeet shooting. The latter, of course, will prove invaluable in the event of an alien attack.

But tragedy was to strike. Not NASA, but Russian astrologer Marina Bai. Unable to predict that a probe was due to hit the comet, the destruction of the icy snowball was, astrologically speaking, a catastrophe of the first order. Apparently her entire future has been wiped out, and all bets are off for anyone who has received a personal reading from her.

According to Bai, "It is obvious that elements of the comet's orbit, and correspondingly the ephemeris, will change after the explosion, which interferes with my astrology work and distorts my horoscope." Pity that the event in itself wasn't so obvious to so skilled an astrologer.

Based on calculations of lost earnings, she is suing NASA for $300 million dollars. Clearly she's currently charging around $50,000 per horoscope, although considering her inability to predict the cometary demise, you have to think some of her clients might want their money back.

Perhaps her next horoscope will tell her whether she's likely to win the case. Or maybe NASA are now planning to scupper her chances of successfully suing by sending Deep Impact II straight for Mars - that should mess up her charts even more.