READING TO YOUR CHILDREN

10 Classic Books to Read with Your CheadiRng BABYSITTING SIBLINGRSReadingMOST POPULAR SERVICES

Reading to your children is the best 

start in life you can give them

Reading with your child is an enjoyable activity that many parents love to do with their kids, and according to the U.S. Department of Education is one worth doing often. The U.S. Department of Education has stated that it will not only help her learn to read, but it will also help her to be successful throughout all of her education and onto her career.  Check out these classic stories that you may remember from your childhood and read them with your children.

1. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe published in 1719.  This book is about an adventurer who ends up being the only person to live through a disastrous ship wreck.  He survives alone on an island for almost 30 years, and the story offers an important lesson about learning to rely on yourself. The lessons can be applied not only to Crusoe in the novel, but also to any challenges your child may face.
2. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Rudolph Wyss published in 1813.  Amazingly enough this is another story about a ship wreck.  Back when these stories were written the big adventures happened on the high seas.  This story is about a family that survives for 10 years on a deserted island.  The details of how the family adapted to life on the island are marvelous and by reading this story you can reinforce to your kids how important it is to use their imagination in their everyday lives. 
3. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie published in 1904.  A classic story about Peter Pan who, as a baby, was rescued by fairies and taken to Neverland.  He becomes the leader of the Lost Boys, and wants a life with no responsibility and the ability to play all the time.  When Peter goes back to London he gets involved with Wendy and her brothers.  He takes them with him to Neverland and they have lots of exciting adventures with Captain Hook.  
4. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas published in 1844.  Set in France, this story is about a young hot head, D’Artagnan, who comes to town and fights with each of the 3 musketeers.  A musketeer was a soldier that carried a musket.  He ended up finding that they had a lot in common and he joined with them on an adventure to retrieve some diamond earrings for Queen Anne.  D’Artagnan is begged to do this task by the woman he’s in love with and convinces the 3 musketeers to help him, as they bind together to protect the kingdom.
5. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis published in 1950.  Four children are sent to the country during World War II to keep them safe.  The children are bored, and end up playing hide and seek one day, only to find that the wardrobe that young Lucy has hidden in is actually a doorway to another world called Narnia.  She convinces her brothers and sister to come with her to Narnia.  They are all shocked and amazed.  What further amazes them is that they learn they are to become the kings and queens of Narnia.  But before that can happen they have to defeat the witch, who has made it Winter all the time, and bring back Spring.    
6. A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne published in 1864.  There’s something about having to follow a map that leads to great adventures, and this fabulous science fiction novel starts out with just that.  The map leads to an opening that goes to the center of the earth.  Professor Trevor Anderson, Sean, and their guide, take off to find Trevor’s brother.  During their trip they find dangerous and fantastical animals and risk their lives to find a lost world at the center of the earth.
7. Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving published in 1820.  A curious story about Rip Van Winkle who was kind of lazy and wandered around having fun.  He ran into a bunch of guys bowling in the woods and ended up staying with them enjoying the games and the drink.  After he drinks this strange liquid he sits down under a tree and falls asleep for 20 years.  When he wakes up the world around him is quite different. 
8. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll published in 1865.  The book is very different than the Disney version of this story.  Alice gets bored as most children do, but Alice decides to follow this white rabbit down his hole.  She ends up in Wonderland and eats and drinks all sorts of magical things to make her big and small.  In the end she makes friends with many strange characters and learns that maybe her life isn’t so bad after all.
9. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain published in 1876.  Tom is a sneaky sort of boy and likes to play tricks on people.  During the story he is told he must white wash a fence.  To avoid this task, he manipulates people into doing his job for him.  He embarks on other adventures that teach him a few lessons in the end.
10. Heidi by Johanna Spyri published in 1884.  Heidi loses her parents and becomes an orphan.  She is sent to live in the mountains with her only living relative, her grumpy old grandpa.  Over time she wins him over with her bright personality and the two enjoy living together in the mountains.  Then it’s decided that Heidi needs to attend school in the city and take care of a girl in a wheelchair.  This girl ends up becoming Heidi’s best friend and then Heidi is forced to make the difficult decision between staying in the city with her friend and going back to her mountain home with her grandpa. 

Peter’s Comment

Early readers become fast learners and successful people.  I’m living proof of that. My mother read Pinocchio to me once and I was soon writing my own books. 

That's me, proof reading my first book. Fiction, of course.

YOU WOULDN'T READ ABOUT IT

Strange and funny laws in Canada

by Marc Phillippe Babineau Created on: September 29, 2009

There are many strange and funny laws in Canada, as there are in many other Countries, and most of them are left over from decades and even centuries ago. When the land was first settled, many laws were made to placate the people who were being dumbfounded by rude and ignorant people. For instance, it is illegal to drag a dead horse down Younge Street (one of the more infamous streets in Toronto) on a Sunday. Maybe they meant politicians, and why would dragging a live horse down the street be legal?

Vancouver, BC

In Etobicoke (a suburb of Toronto), it is illegal to fill a bathtub with more than 3.5 inches of water. Maybe a decent law here, as many babies die yearly from drowning in bathtubs while their parents had to attend to something else, leaving their baby in the tub for "just a minute or two". Staying with the "not on Sundays" rules, in Ottawa, the nation's capitol city, it is illegal to eat ice cream on Bank Street (the major shopping street in downtown Ottawa) on a Sunday.


Some laws, funny or silly, do make some sense, though. For example, in British Columbia, it is illegal to kill a Sasquatch. I guess you would have to find one first, and if you did, and shot it, you should be fined for being so stupid! A live Sasquatch would command hundreds of millions of dollars to rich collectors. Staying out west, in Alberta, it is illegal to use dice to shoot craps. How else can craps be played? It probably would have been easier to just make playing craps illegal. In Victoria, B.C., buskers (street entertainers) are not allowed to give children balloon animals.


In Quebec, if you want to put english on your store or business (or any) signs, the french must be at least twice as big as the english lettering, and both french and english must be displayed. You can place french only signs, but not english only signs. As well, in Quebec margarine must not be the same color as butter. And, in the beautiful city of Quebec City, a very french-influenced city, you can not swear in french (mon dieu!).


The Eastern Provinces, otherly known as The Maritimes, have their share of the silliness. In New Brunswick, it is still illegal to drive a car on the roads. Talk about a get-rich-quick scheme for the province if they decided to start enforcing that law! In Nova Scotia, again almost making sense, it is against the law to water your lawn while it is raining.


Canada-wide, it is still illegal to remove bandages from your body in public. If they fall off in public, do you get a reduced sentence? In Calgary (Alberta), when you are let out of prison, they must give you a gun, bullets and a horse, so that you can ride on out of town. Good idea, but a little late, and why the guns and bullets to a criminal? For safety's sake?


That is what laws are made for, for public safety. Giving criminals guns and bullets when they are released from prison might just send a wrong message. Seems that giving politicians the right to make laws should be against the law as well, sometimes.

Peter’s Comment

Canada, like many other places, may have some silly laws but it is a beautiful country with friendly people and I treasure my memories of traveling there.

Read about strange happenings with the law in

The Life and Times of Freddie Fuddpucker

by Peter Blakeborough

PO Box 110, Ngatea 3541, New Zealand

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THE LIFE OF A TRUCK DRIVER

Outback Australian Truck Drivers
doing the Business

This is not a job for softies. Click the link for real trucking action.

 www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgV1euc60qE

..............................................................................................................

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Read about the adventures of a Kiwi truck driver in America

Highway America

by Peter Blakeborough

PO Box 110, Ngatea 3541, New Zealand

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Consumer Warning: You won't put it down until you turn the last page!

CAMPING BATTLE LINES DRAWN DOWNUNDER

New Bylaws threaten freedom

 camping in New Zealand
by Peter Blakeborough

The writer's motorhome Wandering Wheels
camped at Lake Karapiro, New Zealand

Motor-home enthusiasts in New Zealand are gearing up for a battle with district councils in a determined bid to defend their right to freedom camp, in fully self-contained motor-homes, at the country’s beauty spots. Their organization, the New Zealand Motorcaravan Association with 44,000 members, is leading the charge.

New Zealand has an abundance of secluded and scenic places ideal for freedom camping and the NZMCA and its members are mindful of their responsibility to treat these areas with respect. ‘Leave only footprints and take only photos’ is a motto often heard in New Zealand motor-home circles.

The NZMCA believes that the Freedom Camping Act 2011 is being misinterpreted, or ignored, by some cities and district councils and they are prepared to fight in the courts to uphold the rights of their members to camp in any place that does not constitute a danger or nuisance to other people or the environment. The Freedom Camping Act regards freedom camping as a legitimate activity in all parks and public areas unless there is good reason for restricting it.

The Act and other legislation prohibits councils from introducing bylaws that protect local businesses from competition or loss of business. But some councils ignore this law and create bylaws that compel campers to go to commercial motor camps. It’s like outlawing home-baked bread to support bakeries.

Under the Freedom Camping Act councils are required to display signage in all areas where their bylaws prohibit camping and they cannot have a blanket ban over an entire council district. But some councils have responded by permitting limited motor-home parking in unattractive or undesirable places and banning it everywhere else. In the Thames-Coromandel District Council area a total of six car parking spaces have been provided in towns and freedom camping is prohibited everywhere else in the large rural and scenic district.

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The NZMCA and its members are strong supporters of fully self-contained motor-homes and the association is the official authority for issuing self-containment certificates. The rules for self-containment require, among other things, three days of fresh water and waste for each person the vehicle is licensed to carry.

But some councils are aggressively targeting motor-homers with instant fines for parking at night in the same areas where cars can legitimately park without restriction.

“All we ask is that the bylaws are a fair and reasonable application of the Freedom Camping Act,” acting NZMCA general manager Pete Jenkins was quoted as saying in the Association’ Motor Caravanner magazine.

The NZMCA was founded in 1956 by Andy and Gladys Anderson and is New Zealand’s largest camping and motor caravanning organization. The association website can be visited at:

www.nzmca.org.nz

QUEENSLAND RAIL

Australian rail firm shines light on privatization

By Greg Ansley New Zealand Herald

5:30 AM Saturday Jul 28, 2012

Photo / Thinkstock

As New Zealand bosses and workers at state-owned firms, prospective institutional investors and mum and dad punters get ready for the great asset sell-down, across the Tasman Sea in Australia rail company QR National is shining a light on the pitfalls and pay-dirt.

This week Australia's biggest rail freight operator, QR National, was in court, hammering out the industrial legacy of its switch from state to private ownership.

The Queensland company wants to cut more than 500 jobs, adding to 600 shed last year as part of a top-to-bottom overhaul of operations that chief executive Lance Hockridge said was needed to rid QR National of an inheritance of bureaucracy and excessive overheads.

As company negotiators went back to the table with unions, QR National was locking in new deals against the background of China's slowing economy, forecasts of an end to the mining boom, rising costs and domestic uncertainties.

In the past few weeks QR National has signed a 10-year contract to haul export coal from Cockatoo Coal's central Queensland mines, agreed to work with Indian-owned Adani Mining on a new line out of the coal-rich Galilee Basin, and will test the feasibility of building an independent railway with Atlas Iron in Western Australia.

Another major test lies ahead: the promised sale of the 34 per cent stake still held by the state Government some time after QR National announces its 2011-12 results late next month, a package worth almost A$3 billion ($3.9 billion) and potentially one of the biggest capital offerings of the year.

While the new state Liberal National Party Government elected in March has reversed its earlier opposition to the privatization of QR National, the timing has yet to be announced.

Premier Campbell Newman said when he took office that the Government's holding would be sold only when it could realize the best price. Although still well above IPO levels, QR National shares have eased from a peak of more than A$3.50 to A$3.14 on Thursday.

The sale will be used to help retire state debt of about A$62 billion.

Yet when the former Labor Government announced its plans to split the state-owned rail carrier into two divisions, keeping ownership of passenger operations and selling freight as a separate new company, many investors viewed it as flogging tarnished silver.

And the timing of a November 2010 float added to forecasts of doom: economic storms were still lashing the world, memories of Telstra losses scarred the mum-and-dad investors QR National hoped to attract, the market was suspicious of IPOs, and the failure of the Myer float circled like an albatross.

Warnings of future debt scared others. The company was committed to a A$3.75 billion capital building program and borrowings of A$2.4 billion, which a consortium of big mining companies led by BHP Billiton and Xstrata claimed would overstretch a privatized QR National.

The consortium's later A$5.1 billion offer for the company was declined.

Analysts and fund managers also warned that the terms of the float were unfair to retail investors, that the company was overvalued, its float was priced on growth estimates two years out when massive new debt would have been raised, and that more global turmoil lay ahead.

Billionaire miner Clive Palmer said he wouldn't touch the stock with a barge pole.

There was also brand awareness.

While other big IPOs had national recognition, QR National was almost unknown outside Queensland, forcing the launch of a A$15 million national marketing campaign.

And, politically, the knives were out.

Former Premier Anna Bligh's Government was in terminal decline and her decision to sell QR National as part of a A$14 billion privatization program to shed debt and regain Queensland's AAA rating triggered outrage.

The plan was lashed by the LNP despite its own policies of privatization, unions protested in the streets, voters abandoned Labor and party members quit in droves.

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But there were powerful underlying strengths, recognized abroad if not at home.

QR National is the nation's largest rail freight hauler with about A$12 billion in assets, 2600km of track and 746 locomotives and, outside Queensland's massive coalfields, carts bulk haulage in Western Australia and containers down the eastern seaboard.

And while doubts are emerging about Asian demand, resources will remain a massive powerhouse of the Australian economy.

On November 22, 2010, this was put to the test. QR National was floated at A$2.55 a share, discounted to A$2.45 for retail investors with a loyalty bonus and priority given to Queenslanders.

The float defied the gloomsayers, closing up 4 per cent on the first day. It failed to excite local institutions and retail investors, who bought a far lower than hoped 34 per cent of the shares on offer.

But heavy interest came from overseas investors, led by London-based hedge fund The Children's Investment Fund Management, which bought a 6.1 per cent stake.

Locals bought about half of the institutional allocation, although they have since increased their holdings: this month NAB spent A$414.9 million on a 126.4-million-share package.

By April last year retail investors had seen a return of almost 40 per cent and by the end of June QR National's 2010-11 annual report said its market capitalization had grown to more than A$8 billion, placing it among Australia's 50 largest listed organizations.

Peter’s Comment

Talk of shares for mum and dad investors in this part of the world always brings forth the loudest of the gloomsayers.

The gloomsayers play on the fact that many mums and dads have little understanding of share markets and would rather not know. They were raised to belief that spare cash should go into residential property, or just be left in the bank, and that only millionaires can afford to invest in shares.

Dealing with the last point first, shares can be purchased for less than the cost of a house, car, or overseas holiday and even less than the amount required to get the best interest rate at the bank.

Far too many people get their knowledge of share markets from people with little or no experience of shares. They sometimes also listen to people who did invest but made classic mistakes.

The share market is complex and people should get professional advice and proceed cautiously. A golden rule is never invest in one company only. A nest egg of $5,000 to $10,000 would be better spread over four or five companies. The brokerage fees will be a bit higher but that won’t matter to an investor in for the long haul.

Another classic mistake is ignoring market cycles when trading. Too many new investors buy shares in the euphoric but dying days of a long boom period and panic sell at a loss when the market correction takes place.

Finally, when a share is selling for less than you paid for it, you only lose if you sell.

VICTIM OR OFFENDER?

McVicar in smash with defense lawyer

By Anna Leask

7:38 AM Saturday Jul 28, 2012

Garth McVicar

A New Zealand defense lawyer has been involved in a car smash with the head of a lobby group for victims' rights.

New Zealand Sensible Sentencing Trust founder Garth McVicar was on his way to a meeting with Kylee Guy, the widow of slain farmer Scott Guy.

But his vehicle and the one driven by lawyer Nigel Hewat collided. Mr Hewat walked away from the accident scene on Thursday night.

Mr Hewat, who defended child-killer Jules Mikus at his trial for the kidnap, rape and murder of Napier schoolgirl Teresa Cormack, said he was involved in the crash but refused to comment on what happened.

Mikus had previous convictions for sex attacks and is one of many repeat offenders highlighted by the Sensible Sentencing Trust in its campaign for tougher sentences, bail laws and victims' rights.

Mr McVicar said he was travelling about 100km/h when the crash happened.

"It was dark and drizzling. There was traffic coming towards me and all of a sudden one car pulled out of that traffic and was coming towards me. It looked like he was passing," he told the Weekend Herald.

"There wasn't enough room for all of us on the road, so I moved over. There was a cyclist alongside me on my left so I couldn't move over too far without bowling her.

"I was concentrating on not hitting the cyclist and then next minute there was a thump."

Mr Hewat allegedly went to turn right down a side road when the cars collided.

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"He turned into my driver's door and shunted me off the road. I was busy trying to dodge a concrete power pole.

"I was spinning out of control by that stage ... I spun around and hit a wooden pole on the other side of the road and broke that and brought the wires down."

He had only just passed the cyclist, Colette Cregan, who had been working in a Napier cafe.

Mr McVicar was able to get out of his car, which was written off, to see if anyone was injured.

"I rushed over to the other guy's car and he was gone. I looked around and there was a person sitting on the grass. That turned out to be the cyclist. I asked her if she knew where the other person was and she said, 'Yeah, he's ... down the road."'

A group of men caught up in the crash when a powerline landed on their van offered to drive Mr McVicar to find Mr Hewat.

They soon spotted him down a side road and Mr McVicar approached him.

"I said, 'Are you okay? Were you driving that car back there?' and he said yes. I said, 'Look, you better come back because there's power wires down and we don't know if anyone's hurt."'

Mr Hewat identified himself and handed over his business card.

Police said an investigation was continuing. They refused to speculate on the cause of the accident.

A spokeswoman said no decision had been made regarding charges.

Ms Cregan, 30, said: "It was quite shocking, I got a bit of a fright, I just couldn't believe what nearly happened."

She added: "I just saw the car coming towards me ... then I saw it crash into the other one. I went left and just biked as fast as I could, jumped off the bike and ran into the grass. Then I saw the lines go down and I just ran."

Ms Cregan, who is Irish and due to leave New Zealand in two weeks after a working holiday, said after the crash Mr Hewat came up and asked her if she was okay. He then asked for directions before walking away.

She left before speaking to police as she was shaken.

"I probably should have stayed ... but I just couldn't believe it happened. I was very, very lucky."

Peter’s Comment

So now the man who advocates for tougher sentencing may now be wondering if he will face some kind of sentence. If he isn’t wondering, he should be, because these things can go either way.

A victim can just as easily become an offender and an offender can become a victim. Justice is never entirely fair or just. Victims and offenders alike are rarely satisfied with the outcome of court proceedings. So what is the answer?

It is not tougher penalties. Longer prison terms only lead to more anger and a reduced chance of rehabilitation after release.

Serious road crashes happen all too frequently and they can happen to anyone and usually when they least expect them to happen. However, one thing should be clear; incompetence is a primary cause in most accidents while criminal intent is almost non-existent.

But the police will be on the scene at any accident site to see if someone can be charged with an offence rather than to see what they can do to improve the competence of drivers. And why do the police have that approach? Because people like Garth McVicar have demanded it.

So, while I sympathize with Mr McVicar with regard to his unfortunate mishap and sincerely hope that he will not be charged, I do believe it is a golden opportunity for him to reflect on his campaign for tougher sentences.

DON'T GET HOOKED BY THIS SCAM

Would the real Melissa Johnson please stand up

From Fiona Mackenzie's blog   http://fionamackenzie.com.au/

Online Career Package – Legit or Scam?

Posted on 08 March 2012. Tags: Scam

Our popular friend, Ms Melissa Johnson, has turned up yet again. (We first met Mel at “My home wealth system” scam.)

So you know the drill when it comes to these things.

We stumble across an obviously dubious get rich quick scheme and need to decide – is it legit or a scam?

So far we have profiled the following little rippers:

·         Home Income Cash System (Verdict: Scam)

·         My Home Wealth System (Verdict: Scam)

·         Automated Home Profits (Verdict: Scam)

New mum, cute baby (and we know from previous scams that she’s appeared in a great many locations, not just Melbourne…. but I digress).

So let’s take a look at the Online Career Package.

(By the way, here is a screenshot of the website just in case it gets taken down as has happened to some of the others that have preceded it.)

The Internet is abuzz with people wanting to know: Is Online Career Package Legit Or A Scam?

I’m calling the Online Career Package a SCAM for these reasons:

1. Melissa Johnson is too cute by half. We’ve met her (and Kelly Richards) before. Same scam, different title.

2. Read the fine print (it’s here on the home page). “Photos used in this advertisement are not of the actual testimonial individuals and personal earnings claims of any type are strictly against our policy. Any results shown should be considered exceptional, as results will vary according to each individual’s own effort and commitment.”

In other words, the testimonials are FAKE by their own admission, let alone any financial results that the testimonials claim. Furthermore, if you hand over your credit card then find out that actually there is NO money to be made, don’t claim them. There in the fine print they told you that it was exceptional (in other words, uncommon) to make money from this scheme.

3. The website displays the logos of major Internet brands. This is always a giveaway especially when there is NO DISCLOSURE of those brands association or relationship with a money-making scheme.

In fact, you can be 99% certain that there is NO relationship other than the website has used their logos without written permission to confer an authority that the website doesn’t legitimately have in its own right.
And you gotta love the fine print. Bless their cotton socks if they are good enough to tell you that they don’t own the logos. “All trademarks, logos, and service marks (collectively the “Trademarks”) displayed, are registered and/or unregistered Trademarks of their respective owners.”

4. After a hunt around, I’m still at a loss to uncover the terms and conditions of the offer, so that is a BIG red flag.

If you’re smart, you’ll Google these schemes BEFORE you hand over any of your hard-earned cash. If you don’t google it, I guess you’ll learn the hard way.

Peter's Comment

Melissa Johnson has also been shown on these websites as being from Auckland, New Zealand. I think she is a fraud, if she exists at all.

A FREE FALLING HUMAN SPACESHIP

Skydiver Felix Baumgartner to Jump From Edge of Space

Felix Baumgartner preparing to launch
himself as a human spaceship over
the Mojave Desert on a test run

By GINA SUNSERI

ROSWELL, New Mexico, July 23, 2012

It seems appropriate that Roswell, ground zero for UFO hunters, is hosting the mission to the edge of space -- because the sight of daredevilFelix Baumgartner diving back to Earth this morning from 90 thousand feet will certainly spark new UFO conspiracy theories.

Baumgartner will go from zero to perhaps 509 mph in 30 seconds when he steps out of his space capsule Tuesday morning. He hit 365 mph when he jumped from 71,000 feet in March -- and he will go supersonic in August when he dives from 120 thousand feet. That's zero to 690 mph in 25 seconds -- a human body breaking the sound barrier without an airplane. Most people go to the edge of space or beyond in a rocket -- Baumgartner is going up in a capsule carried aloft by a huge helium balloon.

Most of us would never willingly step out of an airplane to skydive from 3,000 feet. So you have to wonder why Felix Baumgartner does this. He knows the risks and says he accepts the danger. He canceled an attempt this morning because of high winds.

"The pressure is huge, and we not only have to endure but excel," he said. "We're excellently prepared, but it's never going to be a fun day, I'm risking my life, after all."

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Red Bull is financing this daredevil skydive from space. The mission is named Stratos. Five years of planning by a team of experts, many volunteering their services, to break several records in one breathtaking plunge back to Earth:

 First person to break the sound barrier outside of an aircraft.

 Record for freefall from the highest altitude

 Longest freefall time –expected five minutes 35 seconds.

 Highest manned balloon flight.

This daredevil dive from near space is not a first. The Austrian Baumgartner will be breaking a 52-year-old record, and he wisely recruited the man who set the record, the legendary Col. Joe Kittinger, for advice. On Aug. 16, 1960, Kittinger jumped from a balloon at an altitude of 102,900 feet -- and fell for almost five minutes before opening a parachute to slow his descent at 18,000 feet. He made history for the highest balloon ascent, the highest parachute jump, and the fastest speed by a human being through the atmosphere. '

"Somebody will beat them someday, but when they do it, they'll be doing it to beat a record," Kittinger said in a 2008 interview with ABC's Jonathan Karl. "We didn't make those records at the time just for that purpose"

He now says he is happy to cede his record to Baumgartner -- but joked, "I told him if he changes his mind, I am ready to take over for him."

Dr. Jonathan Clark, a former NASA flight surgeon now with the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, heads the medical team monitoring Baumgartner's jump, ready to respond in an emergency. "We have run hours of tests in vacuum chambers, we are finessing life support systems, and monitoring his systems during the dive, calculating what he will need during the plunge back to Earth to survive," he said.

It is dangerous. Every member of the team acknowledges the risks. Clark said he can tick them off in his sleep: the near-vacuum of space, extreme cold, temperature fluctuations, the danger of an uncontrolled flat spin, drogue chute failure, spacesuit puncture, life support systems failure.

Is this a stunt? Clark scoffs at the suggestion. It is a scientific endeavor for him. His wife Laurel was one of the seven astronauts on the space shuttle Columbia when it broke up over Texas in 2003. A spacesuit like the one designed for this mission he said, might have saved her life.

"What the Red Bull Stratos does for me in some way is justify the loss of the of the Columbia crew," said Clark, "because it has pushed us to say we will never give up, we will always try to bring an un-survivable situation into a survivable realm. So for me this is personally important. It could lead to better crew escape systems. "

Weather is critical because the massive balloon is fragile and tears easily; it can't launch with winds in excess of 4 mph or under heavy cloud cover. Meteorologist Don Day also needs to consider where winds will push Baumgartner when he lands -- preferably not in the mountains west of the launch site.