The Nuclear Regulatory Commission intends to allow U.S. nuclear facility security guards to carry "enhanced weapons," aka machine guns and short-barreled shotguns and rifles.
On the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the NRC announced it had taken the first formal steps to permit the upgrade in weaponry for the guards, who commonly are employees of private security firms. Now, with rare exceptions, only federal, state or local law enforcement personnel are allowed to possess machineguns.
Since the attacks ratcheted up concern about nuclear facilities as terrorist targets, several plants have been fined by the NRC after their guards were caught sleeping. In January, the NRC penalized Exelon Nuclear after a videotape surfaced of armed guards fast asleep in the "ready room" of the Peach Bottom nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, where their job was to be poised to leap into action at any security threat.
Maybe the machineguns will serve to "enhance" the level of alertness, as well as security.
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A hotly pursued Washington rumor this past week had nothing to do with health care, President Obama's education speech, or secret doings at the CIA.
Instead, it was a media chase to find out whether it was the White House's wish to turn a nearby downtown D.C. street into a privately run farmer's market. Even though a White House chef touted the idea at a neighborhood commission meeting, and Obama himself publicly mused last month about the notion, presidential spokesmen refused to comment, and a company that organizes such markets was sworn to secrecy.
Some speculated that the White House wanted to distance itself from any howls of protest about the shutdown during rush hour of a street about a block from the executive mansion -- and smack in the middle of two of downtown's most congested commuter routes -- that would be site of the market. By week's end, word leaked that the city had approved the plan, but the White House still stayed mum.
Whatever the reason, the market will debut next week, and return once a week until Oct. 29. One near-certainty: some farmer will be peddling arugula, the up-scale lettuce favored by Obama.
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Military charities are suffering from a drop in donations, even as the number of injured troops and families strapped by long deployments is growing.
To blame: A combination of the recession and donor fatigue as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan stretch on.
Whatever the reason, the charities are hurting bad, according to Army Times, a non-governmental newspaper that covers the military. Even the well-regarded Fisher House Foundation -- which, among other good works, provides free housing for family members while their loved one is undergoing medical care -- is suffering from a 30-percent fall in donations. In 2008, the non-profit received $40 million in contributions.
Army Times reported that the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund -- which never before had to put out calls for donations -- has collected about 34 percent less so far this year. While the charity continues to make grants to needy Marines and their families, the average amount has dropped.
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Best argument yet for catch and release:
A recent U.S. Geological Survey study found mercury contamination in every fish sampled from 291 streams across the country; a quarter of them had levels exceeding EPA standards for human consumption.
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Your State Department made a bold move against piracy at sea this past week by signing the "New York Declaration, a non-binding political document committing ship registry states to promulgate internationally recognized best management practices for protection of their vessels against piracy," as State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs termed it in an announcement.
Translation: The U.S. signed on to a toothless memorandum that suggests countries that register ships should voluntarily encourage the captains to make sure their ship ladders are raised and pumps filled with water to repel would-be pirates trying to rappel aboard.
(E-mail Lee Bowman at bowmanl(at)shns.com and Lisa Hoffman at hoffmanl(at)shns.com.)
Washington Calling
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