Missing Laptop? Try the "Lost in Space" Excuse

We now have an excuse that is even better than the old standby, "The dog ate my homework." Now it's astronauts fault.

According to a report released yesterday by the Government Accountability Office, when a NASA employee misplaced his $4,265 laptop, he explained the loss this way:

This computer, although assigned to me, was being used on board the International Space Station. I was informed that it was tossed overboard to be burned up in the atmosphere when it failed.

The employee was not disciplined -- not even for a lame excuse.

GAO took NASA to task for such poor management of agency equipment. NASA's weak controls for keeping track of equipment are "rooted in an agency culture that does not demand accountability,” according to GAO, leading to NASA losing $94 million worth of equipment over the past decade.

Hat tip: Bloomberg News