OT: The Strange Case of Lisa Nowak

How does one go from being the pride of NASA’s space program to looking like a meth addict from an episode of “COPS”? Ah, t’was love that did it, apparently:

An astronaut and married mother was charged for plotting to kidnap another woman whom police believe to be her romantic rival — the envied third in a romantic triangle involving a fellow astronaut.

Lisa Nowak, a 43-year-old robotics specialist who last year soared 350 kilometres above Earth in the International Space Station, spent Monday night in a dingy jail cell awaiting her Tuesday court appearance…

Police said she drove more than 1,400 kilometres, donned a disguise and was armed with a BB gun and pepper spray when she confronted a woman she believed was a competitor for the affections of Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein…

Wait, it gets weirder:

Nowak raced from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers in the car so she wouldn't have to stop to go to the bathroom, authorities said. Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry…

I suppose she had an extra gas tank, too? I don’t know of any cars with a range of 800 miles per tank. Anyway, let’s see what else she carried along:

Police found a steel mallet, a 100-millimetre folding knife, rubber tubing, $600 and garbage bags inside a bag Nowak was carrying when she was arrested, authorities said. They also found a letter "that indicated how much Mrs. Nowak loved Mr. Oefelein," an opened package for a buck knife, Shipman's home address and handwritten directions to the address, the arrest affidavit said.

Now I’m no lawyer, but that sounds premeditated.

Police said Nowak told them that she only wanted to scare Shipman into talking to her about her relationship with Oefelein and didn't want to harm her physically.

Scare the dickens out of romantic rival? Check.
Flush career and marriage down the toilet? Check.
Embarrass space program? Check.

Not bad for a day’s work, huh?