Why is the U.S. spending $100 billion to send nukes to Montana?
Wikimedia Commons license (courtesy of the Daily Montanan)
The locations of the 10th Missile Squadron, headquartered at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana
By: Darrell Ehrlick/ Daily Montanan
Posted at 8:13 PM, Feb 09, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-09 22:13:30-05
Montana is known to residents as either the âTreasure Stateâ or âThe Big Sky State,â but to defense experts, itâs just a ânuclear sponge.â
Thatâs a technical term that reveals, among other things in a new report published Monday by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, that while Montana is in line to get part of a new $100 billion land-based missile defense system to replace its Minutemen III weapons, the reasons behind the new system are mired in politics, lobbying and have little do with making America safer, reports The Daily Montanan.
The Rock Chalkboard
And while the Associated Press and Coaches polls won’t be released until next Monday, Kansas has already done the work of rising in some other, more regularly updated rankings. Kansas hopped back into CBS Sports’ Top 25 and 1 in the wake of the Jayhawks’ 78-66 win over a ranked Oklahoma State team (albeit at No. 26), while Kansas moved back into the top 25 of statistics website KenPom’s rankings, at No. 25.
The Jayhawks, currently sitting at 13-7 on the year and 7-5 in league play, were set to face K-State in Manhattan on Tues., Feb. 16. That game will now take place on Wed., Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. CT. The Jayhawks had previous Big 12 games against TCU, Iowa State and Texas also adjusted due to various reasons.
Abstract
Biosafety Level 4 labs are in the spotlight as speculation swirls that Covid-19 may have emerged from such a facility in either China or the US. In the US, the mass proliferation of high-containment germ labs since 9/11, and its track record of safety lapses, remains a concern with the renewed interest in the field of biodefense. In light of past accidents of anthrax leaks in US labs and SARS leak in Chinese labs, there needs to be improved regulation and governance of germ labs in order to mitigate rising risks of accidents that threaten public health, redress safety lapse providing easy access of pathogens by terrorists, and prevent a biodefense arms race.
A drive-thru coronavirus testing facility in South Korea. Credit: Republic of Korea.
It feels strange to look back on 2020 and try to think of anything good to say about the year, the last 12 months being largely defined by a deadly pandemic and a presidential election that seemed to expose the fragility of US democracy. It’s hard to look past the distressing stuff the pandemic lockdowns, the agonizingly long vote counts, the unexpected national importance of Wayne County, Michigan’s election canvassing board and to remember the positive things that happened.
But throughout the cataclysms of 2020, the
Bulletin, its expert contributors, and its staff produced excellent work. Here are a few stories that are among the best we produced within the category we call disruptive technology.
elisabeth eaves is here with us. your reaction. should he be disinsraoeupted to the white house? i think the the obamas made a gaffe by putting him on the list. i think he s an artist. we don t expect our artist to be uncontroversial and i don t have a problem with him being there. sean: you don t have a problem with the misogynist language, the use of the n word, killing cops. i m not a fan. i don t listen to his music. does it bother me we are saying this is part of the artistic face of america? sean: this is the best we can invite to the white house? they got 10 people coming there. i m a democrat. i believe in inclusiveness this is abhorrent this is a time for a sister souljah moment. the president should disinvite him and explain why. it is outside of american culture, just wrong. sean: isn t the irony, this president has been lecturing us about the tone in