fergie, doug, sandy and rex, good luck and godspeed.ittle fun up there. >> thank you, mike. until the very end, you all made it look easy. it's a reflection of what the world can do when it commits to be bold. we're completing a chapter of a journey that will never end. you and the thousands of men and women who gave their hearts, souls and lives to the cause of exploration have witnessed history. let's light this one more time, mike, and witness this great nation at its best. the crew of atlantis is ready to launch. >> thank you, sir. we'll get you going here in a couple of minutes. >> ntd, houston flight on 212. >> go ahead, flight. >> for the record, i'm go. >> ntd copies, and launch director, that is our entire launch team. we are ready to proceed at this time. >> copy that ntd, was that your clear launch, atlantis. >> i copy that, sir. thank you. >> the countdown clock will resume on my mark; three, two, one, mark. >> t-minus nine minutes and counting. >> launch sequence has been initiated. >> orbiter access arm retract. >> atlanti

. >> jay, today's crew includes the captain, christopher ferguson, they call him fergie at nasa.they woke up this morning to "god bless america." as you note, there have been no technical problems today on this final and historic landing. the question is, at the end of this, it will stay and be retired at the kennedy space center site, it will be on display at the visitors center, but the question is the future of the space program as we know it. this is the short term program, where the shuttles go, but where do you see americans going when it comes to outer space? >> reporter: well, nasa right now is cutting back to their commercial program. the good part about it, it will save the taxpayers a lot of money because shuttles did a great job, but they were very expensive to fly. commercial flight will be much cheaper. but nasa will also be building what they call a heavy lift rocket. they already have a multi purpose spacecraft called orion and its first mission will be to go to an asteroid. we're a minute and 43 seconds away from the touchdown, peter. >> we'll ask you to stay wit

fergie, you heard those words. we'll get you going here shortly.ood luck, guys. >> fantastic news, thanks, mike. >> ntd, you're clear to launch atlantis. >> i copy that sir, thank you. >> for our entire test team we have one minute 15 seconds of hold time at t-minus 9 minutes before we pick up the clock. we have a clear to pick up the clock at 9. >> ntd. >> go ahead, iso. >> activation complete. >> copy, thank you. >> this is shuttle launch control, t-minus 9 minutes and holding with 30 seconds remaining in this planned built-in hold. we'll pick up the countdown in 15 seconds. picking up in ten seconds. >> county down clock will resume on my mark. three, two, one, mark. t-minus nine minutes and counting. >> tls sequence has been niche sated. -- initiated. >> launch sequencer will check over 1,000 parameters between now and when it hands of to atlantis's on board computers at t-minus 31 seconds. and from 31 seconds on atlantis's on board computers will be completely in control of the countdown and for main engine start. and it will assess in the las

his nickname is fergie, christopher ferguson. he was 7 years old when neil armstrong made that historic walk on the moon. he actually saw the movie "the right stuff" and said that he saw so many astronauts early in life and navy pilots and he got the buzz like so many others we hear around here and he knew he wanted to be a part of the greatness that is produced here and in houston and the entire shuttle program. and it's so interesting, tom, we're just getting out of the president, and he's talking about the unemployment rate ticking up to 9.2. outside of this launch, which is so important, and it is a source of pride, we also have this second-tier story, and it's equally important, about the number of people who will lose their jobs with the end of this space shuttle program. two years ago 12,000 people had their jobs. when the wheels touch down on "atlantis," that number will go gown to 6,000. and by the end of august 1,000 people. >> here at the kennedy space center. yeah. it has been a devastating blow for the space coast up

side were given a tour of the university before the tournament starts at the weekend and even though fergie admits he's missed out on signing arsenal some imaginary he says there's always a chance a younger scholar from united's ranks could help. as i was. there's this group so i. often do my taxes move to somewhere. or america is. now josie marino has said they are closer to signing a manual addy by all permanently than either nine or so ago where though he was speaking ahead of his team's a new game against l.a. galaxy on saturday something christiana ranallo is looking forward to along with galaxy is david beckett. is a good game for us because we really still. and pretty soon saw. him because i always like to play. more motivated so we'll be ready and i hope of course we need him to be facing. actually since i left you know it's emotional because you you get attached to a club you get to the people at the club. and to be facing. a team with the talent that they've got in the team not just with the talented guys that they've got here but the young players and of course chose a. another t

side were given a tour of harvard university before the tone starts at the weekend and even though fergie admits he's missed out on signing arsenal some imaginary he says there's always a chance a younger scholar from united ranks could help finance big sis. i was. all one comma. helpers but. someone was often do my actions married to someone. or more of your own proves america is. becoming. a marine who has said they are closer to signing a manual alibi all permanently they need a nine or so where though he was speaking ahead of his team's game against l.a. galaxy on saturday something christiana ranallo is looking forward to along with galaxy's david beckett. is a good game for us because we re still going to pursue them so will be great it's really exciting because i always like to play and if you play against good teams it's better for a moment to vote so it will be very and i hope of course to win the game to be facing real madrid. actually since i left you know it's emotional because you you get attached to a club you get attached to the people at the club. and to be. seen with the

and showing support fergie thousand founds turn out to watch liverpool train in kuala lumpur of their manager returns home to sign a new filter. but first a golfer and a gripping british open where twenty year old english amateur tom lewis has fired a record equalling five on the past sixty five to take a joint one shot lead with thomas bjorn the dating myself and cast aside memories of his two thousand and three meltdown at the major he was denied the last time it came to this english course eight years ago bjorn blew a three shot lead with four holes to play here but he a ray some of those painful memories with a fine round the forty one year old only knew on monday that he was playing at the event after the withdrawal of b.j. singh and he went on to take the early lead by a strike from this man humanist the spaniard played flawless golf sinking birdies at the fourth night's twelfth and seventeenth holes however the galleries erupted after dustin johnson reached the past three sixteenth's having being for over at the twelfth the american sank a hole in one i mean a string of birdies

so, fergie, chunky, sand and rex, get her home safely and enjoy the last couple days into space shuttleee, two, one. we salute you. [cheers and applause] >> good morning, houston. and to the great folks in the space center who have cared for these vehicles for the last 30 years, a special good morning to you. >> chris ferguson, command of the final mission of the thirty-year space shuttle history, i want to ask you, what do you see as the future of the american space program? >> we were discussing this just the other day, you know, and it seemed like sort of an ending. and i suppose to a degree it is. the space shuttle has been with us, it's been the heart and soul for about 30 years. it's a little sad to see it go away, but we have to understand the systems to operate and maintain our extraordinarily costly. and in order to go beyond, because in order to go below low-earth orbit we have to pause and have to stand down and we will have to channel some of those resources that we used to fund and operate the space shuttle so that we can build another vehicle. we are going to go beyond aga

a two-part question for fergie enron. he should be less connections, wet have you made during your respective faiths. for fergie, have you seen the east coast of australia to the kubla yet? >> first of all, how are you doing? you know, i wish we had enough time to look out the window. we did catch a look at the philadelphia new york -- insight from the philadelphia new york area over there. i think it is a tube we had a chance to look out. and how we pass up the east coast of australia quite css that we have here that's one of the opportunities to look at the southern lights, but i didn't have a chance to do coastal searching at google to find out exactly where we were. alternate over to ron. >> well, sasha and i dream i have been near 101 days, but who is counting. so we've had a lot of opportunities to look out the window, opportunities to see our unbelievably beautiful letters. guess i've had the opportunity to see pennsylvania taking some pictures of one of my favorite places in the world, where he spent the happiest

and fergie never gets introduced other than the commander. but he's the glue that kept us together headed into the same direction. i think almost surreal from start to finish experience. and i don't think anyone of you appreciate the demands and pressures and e-mails that only chris gets that he dealt with. and there was no indication positive or negative to the rest of us. and he kept us going in the right direction. we can't say enough about sandy, but we also can't say enough about chris. he was a great guy to work for. and i would like to do it with him again, sooner than later. >> thanks. >> all right with that, we will take questions. be sure to give your name and affiliation when the microphone comes to you. and start in the front with marsha. >> marsha from the associated press. we heard from mike that tears were flying on the runway and i would like to know if tears were in the cockpit and what were those emotions? >> i would say that we each got choked up on different times of the mission. it's funny there are certain times you do n

. >> and then fergie answered to say from the screw, how th -- f crew, and i didn't catch all of it, but he said beginning of one journey, but it is a journey that ever ends. >> and example of what great nations can do the space exploration. >> and the launch will happen in ten minutes from now, and, man, that is a remarkable moment. this thing for the last one we will ever see. they are talking about doing kind of a smaller shuttle that will be able to taxi, they are calling it, to ferry people to space station or other missions. >> well, we have gotten so much understanding of how to get people up and down, and it is time for nasa to get out of that business so we can focus our expertise on harder problems that need solving which is to go further and to be the moon, and the mars and the asteroids, and so it is going to be -- >> go for launch. i heard the director say go for launch. they cleared the last issue which is return to launch site if god forbid if they had to try to come back here, they have cleared that issue, and that weather issue, and that is the last one they were fac

used, lying and having people being impersonated, the famous shake sting was carried out against fergie. this is all standard procedure at rupert murdock's london tabloid. but since fox news, "the wall street journal," "the times of london" were very different cull k uchs and operate independently, i don't think it's fair to tarnish them. although the murder ok brand is tarnished by this. >> why would murdock be so quick to let this newspaper fold? >> my reporting suggests that he had become such a liability that he may be trying to protect some of his top execs, like rebecca brooks. she was the editor of "news of the world" during these crucial years when the phone hacking took place. and i think this was a form of damage control, a desperate move to be sure by murdock to say, the paper is so tarnished and is the focus of so much outrage in britain over the targeting of terror victims, not just celebrities, why not get rid of it? and murdock is trying very hard to salvage a major media deal he wants to do in britain. it's a $12 billion deal and he wants to make this scandal just go awa

commander chris ferguson goes by the nickname fergie, and pilot doug hurley goes by the nickname chunkyknow about that, but we are back heret ta kennedy space center, and i'm joined by former democratic senator astronaut, and then in 1956, he flew on the space shuttle in "columbia" and they were to employ a satellite communications network, and we didn't know that there was a 30% chance it would happen, and thunderstorms and a lightning strike near the shuttle, and it went off, and it was a perfect day. what is your impression of the final launch of "atlantis? >> well, it was emotional launch, and every launch is emotional when you see 700 million pounds of thurust going skyward, but it was emotional because of so many people affected. of course, it is emotional for me every time, and say aprayer for the crew just before the ignitionings of the engines, and of course, it was a flawless mission. >> e yes, yes, it absolutely wa. let me get an insight on the tone here, and the fans, and the american public, we speak about nasa in presence tense and the future, and when i have watched en in

captain is known to his colleagues as fergie, chris ferguson, 49. doug hurley is the pilot. he's 44. marine corps colonel. mission specialist, sandra magnus is 46. and rex walheim is a retired air force colonel. looking well as they came out into the vehicle to go out to the pad this morning. just four of them because there's no shuttle rescue mission, should something happen to go get them. they would have to come back on a russian craft from the international space station. our launch is coming up in 2 1/2 minutes. you see the top of the apparatus come off. the solid rocket booster, there have been some questions for days now about the dicey weather conditions in south florida today. we have a special event here, and that is our own space veteran, jay barberie, 53 years covering all of man's space flight for this country, this will be his 166th mission. and jay, take us down to 30 second, especially for what this day means to you. >> reporter: well, brian, it means the end of an era, as you said, but again, it's about the same as always. it's always the same excitement, yo

. >> affirmative, ready for 106, fergie. [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] >> houston, contact from the mid deck, how do you copy? >> sandy, we have you loud and clear. >> very good. i have you loud and clear as well. >> yeah, it's good talking to you sandy. >> mission specialist sandy magnus now out of her seat of the flight deck making her way down to the mid deck to begin the preliminary configuration of the systems down there. in the meantime, rex walheim working on the flight deck hardware. commander chris ferguson and pilot doug hurley will be checking out the shuttle's robotic arm unfurling it from the port's seal of the shuttles' payload bay at about the six and a half hour mark of the mission, performing a check out of its systems before it's used tomorrow to grapple the orbital boom sensor system for the initial inspection of atlantis' thermal protection system. [no audio] >> houston, consider complete with the checklist. if you agree, we can compose insertion. >> we do agree with that atlantis, and while

fergie, as he's affectionately known among the astronaut corps. we'll be watching them.f the other economic news of the day. the labor department says only 18,000 jobs were added last month raising the unemployment rate to 2%. that sparked a major sell-off on wall street. a statement by president obama this morning. bill plante has that for us this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, chris. the president talked about these disappointing job numbers. he said they represent what every american knows that we still have a long way to go. he listed the number of things that he'd like congress to do including trade agreements and infrastructure job programs and things like that. and here's what he had to say about passing trade agreements. >> i urge congress not to wait. the american people need us to do everything we can to help strengthen this economy and make sure that we're producing more jobs. also to put our economy on a stronger and sounder footing for the future we've got to rein in our deficits and get the government to live within its means while

on their last concert, fergie told the audience it was a special show because it is "the last time weg time." what does that mean? will i. am said they would take a break. they releaead that black one, e end. remember they were amazing on "gma" last summer. we hope it's not the end. keep you posted on that. >>> finally, if you're looking for a summer read, next year, simon & schuster has confirmed they will post a second book by "jersey shore" star snooki. snooki's follow-up efforts or her extended best-selling novel is called "gorilla beach" and covers her cousins and the fight for the sexiest summer ever and that's what happening in the pop news heat index. >> best summer ever. >> thank you very much. >> not you but robin -- >> i didn't know we were clamoring for a follow-up. apparently we were. great for somebody. >>> meanwhile, this is my most favorite day on "gma." i've always wanted to do this. >> you but not bert so much. first of all, i thought it was just the glare of the lights but bert is actually bright red. >> we are making sure he's all right. he's okay but he does gener

. >> so fergie, chunky, sandy and rex, get her home safely and enjoy the last couple of days in space> reporter: jonathan amos, bbc news. >> very cool. this landing will take place tomorrow which will sort of happen on our shift. we'll be watchchg this every single moment. tomorrow will be 42 years ago to the day that astronauts neil armstrong and buzz aldrin walked on the moon. and that time we did it too. >> that was our little vacation, a little time from the show. we'll be right back, everybody, don't go far. medicare. it doesn't cover everything. and what it doesn't cover can cost you some money. that's why you should consider an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. all medicare supplement insurance plans can help pay... some of what medicare doesn't, so you could save... thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. call now for this free information kit and medicare guide. if you're turning 65 or you're already on medicare... you should know about this card -- it's the only one of its kind endorsed by aarp; see if it's r

world" last year that did that sting with the fake shake of a reporter impersonating a person asking fergie money on television. it's the same fabrication that's not so funny when it's applied to hacking into the voicemails or phones of ordinary people. as you know, what really made this scandal take off and led to murdoch's decision to close the paper on sunday was the fact that families of terror vicvict, a missing girl who turned out to be murdered, their phones also being hacked by the tabloid. >> what about this whole phone hacking, this kind of journalism they practice there? is that more acceptable in great britain that it is here in the states? >> well, certainly fleet street has its own sort of moral code or immoral code in this case. it gets winked at a lot more. there is allegations that police were paid off not just by "news of the world" but perhaps other newspapers as well. so it was a very cozy situation between the politician, the law enforcement who investigated this before and did a lousy job, frankly, as everybody now acknowledges, and the media who allow allowed this to

fergie told the crowd the group is taking a break for a while. that got the rumor mill going.ee us, though. >>> the u.s. women are one win away from a trip to soccer's world cup final. they haven't done that since winning the title in 1ku999 and they have to beat france in a few hours to get that. >> that is coming off the heels of a epic victory. amy incredible header. you'll see it in a second. there is the kick. never mind. there you go. >> celebration of the kick. >> a thrilling win. she says in today's match, lo losing is not an option. >> goal! it's not an option to discuss world cup as you know without our resident soccer guru richard roth. what is this all about? one of those things people haven't been following you've been seeing the last few days what they have been doing. >> this is the most important soccer football tournament in the world and for the women every four years. the u.s. team is on the verge of getting into the finals match should they beat france today. the latest goal ever scold in a world cup that rallied public support to this underdog. no contract

fergie never gets introduced. he is the glue that kept us together heading in the same direction for the surreal experience. i do not think any of you appreciate the demands and pressures and emails that only chris gets that he dealt with. there was no indication positive or negative to the rest of us. he kept us going in the right direction. we cannot say enough about sandy, but we also cannot say enough about chris. he was a great guy to work for. i would like to do it again with him sooner rather than later. >> with that, we will take questions. we will start down here in the front with march up here again to gsha. >> we just heard that tears were flowing on the runway. i would like to know if tears were slowing in the cockpit and what were the emotions. >> there are certain times you have to do nothing but concentrate in cannot feel the historic nature of it. for instance, when doug did the undocking. it was a magnificent sight. it was dark and we were departing. i was set back so i could be more detached for

anyway, fergie never gets introduced other than to say commander. he kept us together headed in the same direction for this almost surreal experience. two-hour hea >> good morning, i would like to call this hearing to order. today marks the first anniversary of the dodd-frank reform and consumer protection act. the act was a direct response to the worse financial crisis to the great depression. it created a foundation to protect consumers and investors to mitigate future crises. i am pleased to have an architect of this reformation, barney frank. and i welcome the panel to discuss steps they have taken to implement the provisions of this important law to enhance your agency's oversight of the services industry. but congress must also do its part. as chairman of this committee, i am committed to rigors of oversight of the implementation process of restoring american's trust in a credible, financial system. well, as it appears that the meeting on wall street and even some here in washington have already forgotten the real cost of inadequate financial

fergie said they define her. i raise. >> and for 43-year-old poker queen beth shak, they're an obsession. >> it goes from 1200 to 1400. that's the number of shoes she owns, designer shoes. in fact, her shoe collection is so big, it's feature in the upcoming documentary, "god save my shoes". >> you get to the point of safe limitation. that's why i gave away a few hundred pair. >> so are there shoes up here that you don't remember buying or you don't know you have? >> there are shoes that i definitely don't remember buying. but it's great because i pull them out and i feel like i got a new pair of shoes for free. >> but these shoes were anything but free. >> i love these. >> 700 of her 1200-pair shoe collection, they're the christian louibitan label. at an average price of $750, you can do the math. some are more than others. >> $4,000, probably? kind of crazy. >> how long did you wear these shoes. >> not a lot? >> i spent $40,000 on shoes and i have no place to live? i will literally be the old woman who lived in

the captain is known to his colleagues, fergie, chris ferguson. doug hurley is the pilot.x wealheim is a retired air force colonel. looking well as they came out of the vehicle going the pad. just four because there's no mission rescue mission. they would have to come back on a russian craft. our launch is coming up in 2 1/2 minutes. you see the top of the apparatus come off the solid rocket booster. there had been some question for days now about the dicey weather conditions in florida day. we have a special event here and that is our own space veteran jay barbee, 53 years covering all manned space flight for this country. this is his 166th mission and jay, take us down to 30 seconds, especially for what this day means to you? >> reporter: well, brian, it means the end of an era as you said but, again, about the same as always. always the same excitement. you got souls on board. you want to make sure they get into orbit safely. the launch team here has been performing as it's always performed. however there are 6,700 people on this launch team and that was this mission th