A space shuttle is no tinker toy. But is it the most complex machine ever built?

Curiosity about the complexity of the reusable spacecraft inspired one of the questions in this edition of “Ask AP,” a weekly Q&A column where AP journalists respond to readers’ questions about the news. And the question led NASA to rethink the way it describes the shuttle program.

If you have your own news-related question that you’d like to see answered by an AP reporter or editor, send it to newsquestions@ap.org, with “Ask AP” in the subject line. And please include your full name and hometown so they can be published with your question.

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We’ve read that the FDIC, which insures depositors’ bank accounts, is currently out of money and operating in the red. What is the status of the finances of the National Credit Union Administration, which insures credit unions?

Fred Clark
Albuquerque, N.M.
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The National Credit Union Administration, like the FDIC, has an insurance fund financed by fees paid by the institutions. A new fee was assessed this year, and the fund stands at around $8 billion. As is the case with banks, regular deposit accounts in the 7,800 or so federally insured credit unions are covered up to $250,000.

Credit unions are cooperatives that are owned by their members. Twenty-three credit unions have failed so far this year, compared with 18 in 2008, and failures are expected to increase again next year. In March, the NCUA seized control of two large corporate credit unions in Kansas and California that provide wholesale financing for “regular” credit unions – a move the agency said was needed to stabilize the credit union system.

The NCUA last December made more than $40 billion available to support several corporate credit unions with new borrowing from the Treasury Department and provided another $2 billion to help struggling homeowners. The NCUA says most credit unions are vibrant despite the deep recession and its financial condition is strong.

Some experts, though, are more skeptical. A taxpayer bailout of the agency probably won’t be needed, says Bert Ely, a banking industry consultant based in Alexandria, Va., but “I wouldn’t want to swear to it.”

Marcy Gordon
AP Business Writer
Washington

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NASA claims, on its Web site and its iPhone app, that the space shuttle is the most complex machine ever built. Is that really true, even though it was designed over 30 years ago? What about newer machines like the Large Hadron Collider – the world’s largest atom smasher?

Jokton Strealy
Los Angeles

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Thanks to your query, NASA is backing off its claim that the space shuttle is the most complex machine ever built.

NASA spokesman Mike Curie said a more accurate statement is that the space shuttle is one of the most complex machines ever built, right up there with the International Space Station and the Saturn V rocket that carried men to the moon in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Curie assured AP that the NASA web site will be updated, at some point, to reflect this change in wording.

“It would be hard to compare it (the shuttle) to a collider,” Curie said from the Kennedy Space Center.

As for other space marvels, Curie said, “Certainly, the station is one of the most amazing engineering achievements ever – to assemble something as long as a football field with the capacity to generate its own power, recycle water and to be an environment for people to live and work 365 days a year, it’s an amazing accomplishment.”

But he noted: “It doesn’t generate 7 million pounds of thrust.”

Trying to ascertain which is the most complex – the shuttle, station or Saturn V – would entail “a really good discussion with experts for about an hour,” Curie said.

Marcia Dunn
AP Aerospace Writer
Cape Canaveral, Fla.

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I have a question about the priest sex abuse lawsuits against the Bridgeport Diocese. A Connecticut court was supposed to decide Nov. 9 how to release trial records related to the case to the press. What happened?

V. Reil
Queens, N.Y.

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On Nov. 10, Waterbury Superior Court Judge Barry Stevens ordered the release of thousands of documents connected to sexual abuse lawsuits involving Bridgeport’s Roman Catholic Diocese. Stevens ruled that the diocese should release the sealed documents by Dec. 1.

The files consist of more than 12,000 pages from 23 lawsuits against six priests settled by the diocese in 2001. The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this month refused to hear the diocese’s appeal of a Connecticut Supreme Court decision ordering release of the documents.

The records, which include depositions, affidavits and motions, have been under seal since the diocese settled the cases in 2001. They could shed light on how recently retired New York Cardinal Edward Egan handled the allegations when he was Bridgeport bishop.

John Christoffersen
Associated Press Writer
New Haven, Conn.

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Have questions of your own? Send them to newsquestions@ap.org.

Yesterday’s blog talked about a weather pattern that developed during the meteorological Fall. Temperatures were warm in September, cool in October, and warm again in November. A similar pattern also exists for precipitation.

The month of November recorded its first measurable rainfall last night with 0.01”. It comes as no surprise that it has been one of the driest starts to November on record. However, dry spells like this have occurred in the past. In 1976, there was no rain for the first 20 days of the month.

Rewind back one month, and the situation was completely different. October was dominated by cool and wet conditions. In fact, more than 5 inches of rain fell, in what turned out to be the second wettest October on record. The normal precipitation for the month is 2.17”, a level that was surpassed by nearly three inches.

September was just the opposite of October. Like November, it was defined by a warm and dry start. No measurable rainfall was recorded for the first 19 days of the month, making it the driest start to September on record.

Until Next Time,
Meteorologist Andrew Thut

Chief Meteorologist Patrick Powell’s Winter Forecast calls for above average temperatures. So far in the month of November, we’ve been headed in the right direction. Temperatures have been well above average in Green Bay.  Our average high, through the first 17 days of November is 53°. Meanwhile, the normal high for this time of the year is 42°.

But it hasn’t just been the high temperatures that have been warm. Our low temperatures are also running above average. Right now, the average monthly temperature is running 5.7° warmer than normal.

With this in mind, it is no surprise that Green Bay is on pace to be the third warmest November on record. Of course, for that to happen, the area would have to continue to see the kind of temperatures witnessed through the first half of the month. Something that looks unlikely, with long-range models pointing to a cool down at some point during the week of Thanksgiving.

With all the beautiful November weather, it is easy to forget October. October was characterized by cool, cloudy and wet weather. The average monthly temperature was 44.2° which was 3.2° cooler than normal – making it the 13th coolest October on record.

When looking back one more month in Fall, the weather roller coaster continues. September will be remembered for sunny and warm weather. The average monthly temperature was 2.5° warmer than normal – a level which would have been much higher if the month hadn’t ended with three consecutive days in the 50s.

And so the season of Fall has developed a pattern. Conditions changed from dry and warm in September to cool and wet in October… and now back to dry and warm in November. The next question, will the pattern continue?

Until Next Time,
Meteorologist Andrew Thut

A lot of the sunniest parts of the U.S. – like Florida and the Gulf Coast – are also prime hurricane country.

If you decide to take advantage of those rays by putting solar panels on your roof, is there a chance they could be ripped off in a storm?

Curiosity about solar panels and hurricanes inspired one of the questions in this edition of “Ask AP,” a weekly Q&A column where AP journalists respond to readers’ questions about the news.

If you have your own news-related question that you’d like to see answered by an AP reporter or editor, send it to newsquestions@ap.org, with “Ask AP” in the subject line. And please include your full name and hometown so they can be published with your question.

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I’m a citizen of Uzbekistan and I read an article of yours that mentioned the number of U.S. deaths in the war in Afghanistan. It said this:

“As of Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, at least 833 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department. The department last updated its figures Friday at 10 a.m. EDT. Of those, the military reports 640 were killed by hostile action.”

This gave the impression that members of the U.S. military had died in Uzbekistan. But how could this be? There is no military action in Uzbekistan, and I have never heard that any American has died here.

Zukhriddin Ibragimov
Tashkent, Uzbekistan

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AP maintains information on all U.S. troop casualties reported by the Department of Defense as part of the Afghanistan War effort. This includes service members who have died under non-hostile circumstances and deaths that have occurred outside Afghanistan.

While there have been no combat actions in Uzbekistan, one U.S. soldier, Pvt. Giovanny Maria, 19, of Camden, N.J., died in the country on Nov. 29, 2001, from what the Defense Department described as a “non-hostile gunshot wound.” Maria was among 1,000 soldiers providing security at an air base in southern Uzbekistan, which borders Afghanistan.

The day before his death, about two dozen soldiers from his group, the 10th Mountain Division, were being moved from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan.

According to officials at the time, their mission was to serve as a quick-reaction force in case of renewed Taliban resistance.

Details about Maria’s death and his assignment in Uzbekistan – including whether he was about to go to Afghanistan at the time of his death – are unclear. The Defense Department referred calls to the Army, and Army officials said they would look into Maria’s case but weren’t immediately able to provide more information.

Monika Mathur
AP News Research Center
New York

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I’d like to use solar power on my buildings in Lake Charles, La., but I’m concerned that hurricanes would destroy the equipment. Is there a risk of this?

Harvey Adams
Lake Charles, La.
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There’s certainly a risk. But solar panels should be able to withstand most of the weather that comes your way – even in Hurricane Alley. Unlike roof tiles, solar panels are designed to be bolted to the rafters so they’ll hold in strong weather. Some brands are even engineered to endure 140 mph winds.

Richard Smith, president of Superior Solar Systems in Longwood, Fla., said his company has installed 18,000 solar systems in the Southeast since 1984, and only a handful have blown off in a storm.

“The roof may come off, but the solar panel should not,” Smith said. “When it happens, it’s typically due to debris like a tree limb or something hitting it.”

Before buying solar panels, it’s a good idea to make sure the installer will fasten the panels to the roof rafters instead of the plywood surface. Also make sure there’s a warranty. Many installers will replace solar panels that pop off in a storm as a result of an installation error.

It also may be a good idea to keep nearby trees neatly trimmed, minimizing the chance that one of them will snap off in a storm and take a solar panel with it.

Chris Kahn
AP Energy Writer
New York

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How much money does the federal government owe the Social Security trust funds? And how much interest does the federal government pay on the money it has borrowed every year?

Jim Durham
Chillicothe, Mo.

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The Social Security trust funds have a balance of about $2.5 trillion. Over the years, the federal government has borrowed all of that money to spend on other government programs. In return, the Treasury Department has issued Social Security special bonds – think of them as IOUs, backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

Twice a year, the Treasury Department makes interest payments to the trust funds, though it is little more than an accounting exercise. No money changes hands, but the interest payments are added to the balance of the trust funds. In 2008, the trust funds earned $116.3 billion in interest, according to the 2009 annual report by the Social Security trustees.

Stephen Ohlemacher
Associated Press Writer
Washington

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Have questions of your own? Send them to newsquestions@ap.org.

More than 80 inches of snow have fallen in each of the past two seasons. That’s well above the average of 53 inches. Will more of the same happen again this winter? Find out what to expect on Thursday at 9 PM when Chief Meteorologist Patrick Powell releases his winter forecast. If you miss it on Thursday, it will also be re-aired Friday morning on Good Day Wisconsin.

Severe winter weather comes in many forms in Wisconsin, from extreme cold, to freezing rain, snow and wind. For each type of weather, a different alert may be issued by the National Weather Service. Here are the main products released during the winter months.

Winter Weather Advisory

Advisories are issued for winter events expected to cause an inconvenience, but are not as severe as warnings. They are often issued for 3 to 5 inches of snow which could include blowing and drifting snow as well.

It also isn’t uncommon to see winter weather advisories issued for weaker early season snowfalls, when drivers may not be accustom to the slick roads.

Winter Storm Watch

This is a planning stage. Watches are often issued 1 to 3 days before a storm system actual arrives. They are released when the computer models show the potential for a severe winter storm.

Winter Storm Warning

Winter Storm Warnings are issued when a dangerous winter storm is occurring or is expected shortly. Criteria includes snowfall of more than 6 inches in a 12 hour period. Winds can also lead to significant blowing and drifting snow, and travel is not encouraged.

Blizzard Warning

A Blizzard Warning is arguably the most extreme winter weather event. The difference between a winter storm warning and a blizzard warning comes down to wind speed. High snowfall amounts are still possible, but winds gusting to 35 mph or stronger can produce white out conditions. In fact, visibilities become limited to ¼ mile or less. These storms also last 3 hours or longer.

The last time Green Bay witnessed a blizzard was Winter Storm Christine which dropped more than 10 inches of snow in February of 2006.

Ice Storm Warning

Ice Storm Warnings can be just as difficult to drive in as a blizzard. These alerts are issued when freezing rain will produce icy roads. Freezing rain occurs when rain falls and freezes at the surface. In ice storm warnings, a coating of ice is expected to reach a quarter of an inch thick.

Wind Chill Warning

This may be one of the last things you want to witness. Wind Chill Warnings are issued when wind chills are forecasted to be -35 or lower with wind speeds of 10 mph or more. Meanwhile, a Wind Chill Advisory is issued for values between -30 and -34.

Until Next Time,

Meteorologist Andrew Thut

All I said was “Zoe got a hold of a Sharpie marker”. That’s all I needed to say. Moms all over Northeast Wisconsin responded with a “been there” and a helpful hint or two to remove the offending marks.

So here’s a list I compiled from email, voice mail, facebook and actual face-to-face encounters.

WD-40 (which it seems is made from fish oil_
Toothpaste
hairspray (cheaper the better)
vodka (the older the better)
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (lots of votes. don’t use on skin)
Zout laundry spray
Rubbing Alcohol
Peanut Butter (for stains on clothes)
Spin n Span
Mom’s Magical Goop
Motsenbockers #3
“Awesome” (at Dollar Tree)

Thank you! And stay tuned… I’ll let you know if it works!

By The Associated Press

Instead of figuring out where to put nuclear waste, why can’t we just find a way to neutralize it so it’s no longer hazardous?

Curiosity about what to do with nuclear waste inspired one of the questions in this edition of “Ask AP,” a weekly Q&A column where AP journalists respond to readers’ questions about the news.

If you have your own news-related question that you’d like to see answered by an AP reporter or editor, send it to newsquestions@ap.org, with “Ask AP” in the subject line. And please include your full name and hometown so they can be published with your question.

You can also find Ask AP on AP Mobile, a multimedia news portal available on Internet-enabled mobile devices. Go to http://www.apnews.com/ to learn more.

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How can animals not only drink and live in but even thrive in water that is so contaminated that it would make humans very sick, or kill them, if consumed? I don’t mean fish but mammals, reptiles and amphibians that can survive on water in polluted lakes, canals, rivers and ponds that are unsafe for human consumption.

Jeff Vanderslice
Plantation, Fla.

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Actually, animals often don’t thrive in polluted waters, said Linda Birnbaum, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program.

Seals near Central Asia’s Aral Sea and whales near the St. Lawrence Seaway along the U.S.-Canada border have had problems because of pollution, and mink near Lake Michigan don’t reproduce because of dioxin and PCBs, or polychlorinated vinyls, Birnbaum said. Amphibians are disappearing all over the world, for a combination of various and sometimes still unknown reasons.

The real issue, though, is that science looks at animals and people differently. In animals, we look for immediate events, like mass fish die-offs. In people, we look at the long-term chronic effects, like cancer. Rarely do we study cancer or other chronic effects in wild mammals, Birnbaum said.

It’s also worth noting that different species have different tolerances to toxicity.

Seth Borenstein
AP Science Writer
Washington

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How come, with all our technology and great scientific brains, we can’t figure out how to neutralize nuclear waste? What is the problem (in terms a layman can understand)?

Margaret Tabar
Pontiac, Mich.

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The federal government and the nuclear industry figure it will take decades to create the kind of technology that would reduce the volume and radio-toxicity of high-level nuclear waste so that it can be recycled to obtain more energy and improve waste disposal, according to Steve Kraft, senior director of used fuel management at the Nuclear Energy Institute.

The reason no plan has been developed to take care of waste? “It’s extremely complicated,” said Ed Lyman, senior staff scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists.

“Nuclear waste is a mixture of many different radioactive isotopes, all with specific properties. No one-size-fits-all solution exists to convert those into less hazardous materials,” he said.

Lyman said the problem with reprocessing spent nuclear fuel is that it can be hazardous, expensive and time-consuming – taking thousands of years to fully recycle the waste. And there’s another big potential problem, Lyman said: Plutonium that can be generated by the process can be used to make a nuclear bomb.

Kraft said that, for now, waste can be safely stored at nuclear power plant sites or central facilities. And no matter what technology is developed in the future, there always will be material that will have to be disposed of in a repository.

Mark Williams
AP Energy Writer
Columbus, Ohio

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The NFL seems to issue thousands of dollars in fines to its players every week for various infractions. What happens to that money?

Pedro Rivas
Chicago

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Player fines collected by the league are used in part to support the Players Assistance Trust, an organization that provides assistance to retired players who are in financial distress. They also go to charitable initiatives supporting youth and education programs and sports-related medical research.

Barry Wilner
AP Football Writer
New York

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Have questions of your own? Send them to newsquestions@ap.org.

Do you remember September? Let me refresh your memory. It was sunny and nice with above average temperatures. Boy did that change in October. October turned out to be a cool, cloudy and wet… Just the opposite of September.

In fact, temperatures ran more than three degrees below average, making it the 13th coolest October on record.

Meanwhile, October was the second wettest on record with more than 5 inches of rain. We more than doubled the average rainfall for the month. And when it wasn’t raining, chances are it was cloudy. 18 of the 31 days in the month were considered cloudy. It is a touch above average. There are 15 cloudy days in an average October.

If you are hoping that this trend comes to a halt, keep your fingers crossed. November is the cloudiest month of the year with an average of 19 days shielded from the sun.

It begs the question why. Why does it tend to be cloudier in the Fall and Winter than in the Summer?

The answer may partially come down to stability. The atmosphere tends to be more stable during the winter months. Therefore, when we see clouds we often see what is known as stratus clouds. They are the low lying clouds which can blanket an entire area.

This hypothesis may not be the only reason behind the cloudy weather. In November specifically, there maybe more cloudy days due to the weather pattern. Systems coming from Canada may draw in moisture from snow on the unfrozen landscape.

Until Next Time,
Meteorologist Andrew Thut

The sixth graders at Johnston-Montessori Elementary School in Appleton are learning about weather and the changing of the seasons.  I was glad Mrs. Pomplun and Mr. Appleton invited me to talk about some of the weather whys.  The students had some great questions including whether Appleton ever had a tornado touch down. (In 1984 a strong F4 tornado touched down in the Fox Valley and tore through part of the Outagamie County airport)  They also wanted to know about forecasting and what education is needed to be a meteorologist.  They even gave me a nice parting gift of a signed pumpkin complete with meteorological terms.  The pumpkin has a new home on the weather deck!