I try not to link to everything posted on The Big Picture, but my love of space travel and exploration overrules. 

NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour recently returned to the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, after its successful mission to the International Space Station. The shuttle, being a reusable spacecraft, has a cycle of preparation, execution and recovery – Endeavour has been through this cycle 22 times now, since 1992. Here is a look at one full cycle for one space shuttle, starting with the landing of Endeavour from its previous mission (STS-123) on March 26th, and ending with its return to Florida 9 months (and 6.6 million miles) later, after mission STS-126. (31 photos total)

Part 2 and part 3 of The Big Picture’s photos of the year. Wonderful stuff.

From Metro Zimbabwe:

The Botswana government has sealed off its Botswana-Zimbabwe border. Botswana Defence Forces have been deployed allegedly with heavy artillery, along the long boarder (sic) between the two neighbors.

It is suspected that this is the first step Botswana is taking along with breaking ties with Zimbabwe,as it reviews its recognition and legitimacy of the Zimbabwean government. Botswana might recall its ambassador Pelokgale Seloma from Harare and expel his Zimbabwean counterpart.

IHT.com:

The death toll from a spreading cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe has soared to 1,111, the United Nations said on Thursday, adding to pressure for a quick solution to the crisis in the southern African country.

South African ruling African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma ruled out military intervention and backed a diplomatic push as the way to end political deadlock and prevent a total collapse of the once relatively prosperous nation.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs Jendayi Frazer also backed a political rather than military solution but was far from hopeful about talks between President Robert Mugabe and the opposition on forming a unity government.

“We certainly think that the power sharing deal is on life support, it’s close to dead,” Frazer said in Mozambique.

I have had this in my drafts since October when a bunch of us at work were talking about the similarities between the Great Depression and this mess we’re in now. 

Take a look at this chart and think about the huge percentage decreases we’ve seen in 2008.

Try this: the Dow Jones lost nearly 17% of its value in 1929. In 2008, the Dow Jones lost more than 17% in October.

Andrew Mellon, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, just a few months after “The Crash of ’29″ when the Great Depression is in its first of four years, said:

“I see nothing in the present situation that is either menacing or warrants pessimism… I have every confidence that there will be a revival of activity in the spring, and that during this coming year the country will make steady progress.” (December 31, 1929)

I’m hopeful the spring will bring new life into the global economy, and not drag us all into a deeper depression like those dark days between 1929-1933.

(Thanks, Jeff)