Mereja

Blog

  • Guard course at Camp Grafton teaches valuable skills

    National Guard and Reserve combat engineers met here yesterday to finish their 11-day Advanced Leadership Course training…

  • Component commanders visit South Carolina

    Soldiers of the 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC) hosted Lt. Gen. Guy Swan III, U.S. Army North’s (ARNORTH) commanding general, along with Maj. Gen. Garry C. Dean, the commander of 1st Air Force (AFNORTH) during their visit here April 1…

  • Wisconsin Guard asset remains ready for state emergencies

    Imagine Alpine Valley Music Theatre packed with fans of several rock groups performing a joint concert in the cold, crisp air of a late March evening…

  • National Guard, Reserve children get Capitol Hill recognition

    When 9-year-old Valerie Gonzalez’s father deployed to Kosovo with the California Army National Guard, Valerie got a grant that helped her participate in extracurricular activities…

  • ClimateGate Whitewash by S. Fred Singer

    Article Tags: Fred Singer

    There is now a desperate effort afoot by assorted climate alarmists to explain away the revelations of the incriminating e-mails leaked last year from the University of East Anglia (UEA). A concerted whitewash campaign is in full swing to save the IPCC and its questionable conclusion that the warming of the last thirty years is anthropogenic. But ongoing investigations so far have avoided the real issue, namely whether the reported warming is genuine or a manufactured result by scientists in England and the United States who manipulated temperature data.

    Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) has repeatedly characterized anthropogenic global warming (AGW) as a “hoax” — and he may soon be vindicated. Certainly, the remedies invoked to “fight” AGW are a cruel hoax — mainly a tax burden on low-income households who will pay more for electricity, food, transportation, and other necessities of life.

    The UEA’s “internal” investigation has largely absolved Dr. Philip Jones, the head of its Climate Research Unit (CRU) and author of most of the e-mails, of any misdeeds. (The UEA has also commissioned an “independent” investigation by Sir Robert Muir-Russell, due in August.) Pennsylvania State University (PSU) has merely slapped the wrists of Dr. Michael Mann for various ethical offenses but sees nothing wrong with the science. The United Nations, at the urging of the Royal Society and U.S. National Academy of Sciences, has launched a supposedly independent investigation of IPCC procedures to be conducted by the InterAcademyCouncil (IAC), a creature of the science academies. It is likely to backfire and lower further the public’s opinion of the academies — and indeed of science generally.

    Source: americanthinker.com

    Read in full with comments »   


  • Solar powered cargo airship could provide zero emission cargo transport

    solarairship.jpg
    The High Speed Solar Airship (HSSA) is designed to utilize solar energy for flying. Made using thin-film solar panels producing 67.2kW of power and other commonly available components, the HSSA promises to deliver high speed air transport while consuming no fossil fuels. The HSSA claims to have flying speeds of 182 miles per hour during the day and 165 miles per hour during the night which are further increased during west to east travel due to jet streams. It uses an envelope of expandable gas cells which help the airship go from sea level to an altitude of 30,000, which is well above cloud cover and hence provides unhindered sunlight to the solar panels.

    According to specifications this airship will have a cargo capacity of 120,000 pounds and will cost about $5 million. Although, it is currently being tested on a smaller scale, this invention shows great promise to reduce fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
    [inhabitat]

  • Why aren’t more economists backing win-win climate solutions?

    by David Roberts

    I’ve been reflecting a bit on this post I wrote yesterday on Paul Krugman’s primer on climate economics. Long story short, I wish I hadn’t written it. Not because I’m not interested in (and obviously somewhat exercised by) the role of rational choice theory in mainstream economics, but because it wasn’t the main point I was trying to make and the cause I am trying to advance isn’t well served by a tribal war with economists. I have this tendency, when a blog post occurs to me, to think, well, before I explain that I need to explain that, and before that I have to lay that out, and so on, until I end up writing what amounts to a very long introduction … to a blog post I never end up writing. Grist is littered with such introductions.

    In this case, though, I actually want to write the post itself. So I’m going to start at the end rather than the beginning.

    Win-win-ssshhh

    My frustration is as follows: There are many policies that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving economic productivity—so-called win-win solutions. Since it is widely agreed that we need to reduce GHG emissions, you’d think this would be big news. You’d think such policies would top every think-tank wish list and thrill the pundit class. You’d think economists, in particular, would be discussing and studying them at every opportunity.

    But alas it is not so. In fact win-win policies are among the least discussed topics in mainstream climate politics. The economic research and case studies that vouchsafe them find little representation in the modeling that EPA, EIA, CBO, and others use to assess climate legislation. Most legislators talk like they’ve never heard of win-win policies or even considered the possibility. Activists beat the drums for them but often lack the vocabulary to make good economic arguments; regardless, DFHs aren’t taken seriously by Village arbiters of intellectual credibility.

    Lack of attention can doom such policies. They face a highly asymmetrical situation. In energy markets, incumbents have incredible advantages. They are the beneficiaries of a century’s worth of public infrastructure investments, to say nothing of decades worth of tax breaks, subsidies, lax regulatory enforcement, and political largesse. Incumbents are insulated from competition by a thick web of regulations, accounting practices, and simple habit. They have an enormous interest in maintaining their advantages, whereas the benefits of changing the status quo are often widely distributed, so there is rarely a powerful lobby to push for it. For these reasons and more, it’s very difficult to build support for policies that benefit the public interest at the expense of a particular industry. Losers cry louder than winners cheer.

    It is the job of progressives to build support for such policies—support sufficient to dislodge energy incumbents in the name of the public interest. That’s what progressive politics is, to me anyway. But it would be nice to get more help from economists, who for better are worse are often viewed (and view themselves) as neutral judges of the prudence and quality of public policy.

    Narrow-band spectrum

    Put aside, for a moment, economics as it manifests to a student of economics, or a professional inside the field. In any field of inquiry there is diversity, and sure enough there are economists doing great and innovative work on environmental problems. Instead, let’s talk about economics as it manifests in public discussions and political processes. In the U.S., the spectrum of economically reputable opinion (or sphere of legitimate controversy) runs roughly as follows.

    On one side there are conservatives, who argue against any regulatory, legal, or legislative reform that might threaten energy incumbents. They do so under the banner of “small government,” with recourse to Chicago school economics. (In reality today’s conservatives are, in Sen. Lindsey Graham’s words, “business friendly,” which means something close to the opposite of “market friendly.”)

    In the “middle” are “centrists” who argue against any regulatory, legal, or legislative reform that might threaten energy incumbents because “Americans are suffering” and “it’s not a good time to raise energy prices” and, you know, the deficit. (The climate bills that passed the House and the Senate Environment Committee would reduce the deficit and lower energy bills. But whatever.)

    And on the “left” end of the Very Serious opinion spectrum are environmental economists. As far as I can tell, they are working squarely within the neoliberal tradition—markets filled with self-interest maximizers finding optimal equilibria—with the addendum that some transactions produce negative externalities that should be re-integrated into the market via prices. In the context of climate politics, that means they advocate for carbon pricing, lending it an imprimatur of economic legitimacy. Their general equilibrium models show that carbon pricing, like any tax-and-transfer policy, will slightly reduce GDP growth. Their rallying cry to the American public is, quoting Krugman: “Restricting emissions would slow economic growth—but not by much.”

    Who, then, advocates for the win-win climate policies outside of carbon pricing? Not Krugman. Not the economists quoted in the newspaper or on cable news. Environmental economists, like most economists in the neoliberal tradition, tend toward skepticism of policies outside pricing. Like Krugman in his NYT piece, they tend to frame prescriptive “command and control” regulation as the only alternative to pricing, and a distasteful alternative at that. (Note the contortions Krugman goes through just to talk himself into accepting performance standards for coal plants.)

    But command-and-control regulation is a) usually effective, and more to the point, b) only one of myriad non-price-based climate policies. For example, the only time the words “public investment” appear in Krugman’s piece is when … he uses it as an analogy for carbon pricing. He never mentions reducing fossil-fuel subsidies, reforming utilities, implementing efficiency standards, boosting R&D, updating antiquated zoning codes, pricing congestion and parking … on and on. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your economics!

    There are dozens and dozens of economically credible policies that could serve as part of a full-court press against climate change. They desperately need the backing of political and media elites. Economists could do a great deal to advance that cause if they would descend from the theoretical clouds and into the real world, where energy markets are always and already compromised, inefficient, and ripe for both economic and environmental improvement.

    Related Links:

    The Real Problems with Paul Krugman’s Climate Economics Primer

    Hey Paul Krugman: How about less econ theory and more econ mechanics?

    Wind industry growing in blue and red states alike






  • Remarks by the President before Meeting with Bipartisan Congressional Leadership to D

    04.14.10 07:31 AM

    10:53 A.M. EDT

    THE PRESIDENT: All right. Hello, everybody. I want to welcome congressional leaders to one of our periodic meetings where, obviously, it’s the beginning of a lengthy work period coming off a very tough work period.

    One of the things that we’re going to be talking about is the economy. I’m going to be presenting to them the latest report from the Council of Economic Advisers on the impact of the Recovery Act. What we’re seeing I think is some significant improvement in the economy and stabilization. But, obviously, everybody here — Republican and Democrat — recognizes we’ve still got work to do; that there are too many people who are still unemployed, the housing market is still very soft, too many small businesses who aren’t getting credit. And so we’re going to spend some time exploring how can we build on the progress that has been made to make sure that ordinary Americans are seeing improvements in their own lives.

    I’m also going to be interested in talking to them about our ability to move quickly on a financial regulatory reform package. I think all of us recognize that we cannot have a circumstance in which a meltdown in the financial sector once again puts the entire economy in peril, and that if there’s one lesson that we’ve learned it’s that an unfettered market where people are taking huge risks and expecting taxpayers to bail them out when things go sour is simply not acceptable.

    As a consequence, I am actually confident that we can work out an effective bipartisan package that assures that we never have “too big to fail” again; that consumers are adequately protected when it comes to financial instruments — whether it’s mortgages or credit cards or debit cards; that we have a strong mechanism to regulate derivatives, something that we have not had, a derivatives market that is in the shadow economy but is enormously powerful, enormously risky — we want to get that into daylight so that regulators and ordinary Americans know what’s going on when it comes to this huge segment of the financial system.

    And I am confident that if we work together diligently over the next several weeks that we can come up with a package that serves the American people well and does not put Americans ever again in a position where they’re having to choose between a terrible economic situation or rewarding people for failed policies and bad risk-taking. And so that’s going to be a top priority of this meeting.

    Finally, we’ve got a range of issues — from a Supreme Court vacancy, a START treaty that I believe needs to be ratified, a host of other issues related to appointments — that we’re going to talk about and I’m going to be also obviously listening to congressional leaders about their priorities over the next several months.

    So I very much appreciate them taking the time to come and I’m hopeful that this will not only be a productive meeting, but we will see a productive session over the next several weeks.

    All right. Thank you, everyone.

    Q Is the bailout bill — is this a bailout bill as Senator McConnell says?

    THE PRESIDENT: Well, I am absolutely confident that the bill that emerges is going to be a bill that prevents bailouts. That’s the goal. All right.

    END
    10:57 A.M. EDT

    White House.gov Press Office Feed

  • New CEA Report Finds Recovery Act Already Responsible for about 2.5 Million Jobs

    04.14.10 05:44 AM

    Analysis Shows Half of Those Jobs As a Result of Recovery Act Tax Relief and Financial Assistance for Families

    WASHINGTON, DC – A new report released today by the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) finds that the Recovery Act was responsible for 2.2 to 2.8 million jobs through the first quarter of 2010 – half of which are as a result of the over $200 billion in Recovery Act tax relief and financial assistance that has gone directly to mostly lower and middle-income families. The report, which is the CEA’s third quarterly analysis on the economic impact of the Recovery Act, shows that Recovery Act tax relief and income supports have had an important impact on real disposable personal income in the last year and are contributing to the program being on-track to create or save 3.5 million jobs by the end of 2010. The report can be viewed in-full HERE.

    “Bolstering the purchasing power of middle class families through Recovery Act tax relief and financial assistance hasn’t just helped the hardest-hit among us – it’s also created over 1 million good American jobs,” said Vice President Joe Biden. “From tax cuts to construction projects, the Recovery Act is firing on all cylinders when it comes to creating jobs and putting Americans back to work.”

    “In addition to shoring up the overall economy, this analysis shows the ways in which the Recovery Act has made a real difference in the lives of families,” said CEA Chair Christina Romer. “The broad set of tax cuts and income supports enacted last year have clearly boosted consumption and employment growth in a way that has been absolutely essential.”

    More than $110 billion in tax relief and $90 billion in other income supports such as unemployment benefits and food assistance were provided directly to individuals and families through March of 2010. According to the report, without these provisions, household real disposable (or after-tax) income would have fallen substantially in 2009 and consumer spending would not have rebounded as it did. Instead, income in each of the last three quarters of 2009 actually surpassed its level in the fourth quarter of 2008 and the surge in Recovery Act tax relief this tax season is expected to yield the largest Recovery Act impact on household disposable income yet in the first quarter of 2010.

    The report comes at the peak of tax season as American taxpayers are filing to collect on more than a dozen new or expanded tax benefits available this year through the Recovery Act, including an $8,000 First-Time Homebuyer Credit, an up to $2,500 American Opportunity Credit for college expenses and up to $1,500 in Residential Energy Credits for some energy-efficient home improvements. In addition, ninety-five percent of working families are also collecting the up to $800 Making Work Pay tax credit in their paychecks – making it one of the broadest middle class tax cuts in the history of the country. At the time of the report, millions of Americans had not yet filed their 2009 taxes, indicating an additional economic and employment impact of Recovery Act tax relief is likely in early April as the tax filing deadline approaches.

    The White House recently launched the Tax Savings Tool on WhiteHouse.gov to help taxpayers see for themselves what Recovery Act tax benefits they are owed this year – and how to collect them. So far, more than 120,000 Americans have already accessed the Tool to generate a customized checklist of the benefits for which they are likely eligible.

    The Recovery Act was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. The program is a combination of tax relief, financial assistance and infrastructure projects designed to cushion the impact of the downturn and lay a foundation for economic recovery. Since the Recovery Act began a little over a year ago, the economy has posted its largest quarterly GDP growth in six years and largest monthly job gains in three years. So far, $525 billion in Recovery Act funds have been obligated, or committed to specific projects, and, of that, $370 billion has been paid out.

    White House.gov Press Office Feed

  • Read-out of President Obama’s Conversation with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy

    04.13.10 04:51 PM

    The President and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, discussed non-proliferation cooperation and important regional and bilateral issues during the opening dinner of the Nuclear Security Summit. They talked about the UAE’s strong commitment to non-proliferation, including the US-UAE Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy Agreement as well as close cooperation on port security. They also spoke about the need for Iran to comply with UN Security Council and IAEA resolutions. The two leaders covered other regional priorities including the need for Israelis and Palestinians to immediately begin proximity talks, leading to direct negotiations aimed at ending the conflict with a two-state solution. In addition, they discussed the broadening cooperation between the U.S. and UAE in areas like energy, science, and entrepreneurship. The President looks forward to hosting several Emiratis at the Washington Entrepreneurship Summit later this month. (Credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

    White House.gov Press Office Feed

  • Remarks by the First Lady and Dr. Biden at Thank You Event

    04.13.10 03:47 PM

    UN Logistical Center
    Port-au-Prince, Haiti

    3:22 P.M. (Local)

    DR. BIDEN: Thank you Mr. Mulet for that introduction, for hosting us on this important visit, and for the ongoing leadership that you and the United Nations team have provided here in Haiti. And good afternoon and thank you to everyone gathered here today.

    It’s truly an honor to be with all of you –- individuals from across the world, along with many Haitians, who have been at the core of the relief and the recovery efforts.

    I am honored to be with you today and want to simply say thank you for your heroic actions in recent months. Your commitment and compassion in the face of unthinkable challenges has inspired the entire world.

    Some of your very own here have lost lives, others have risked their lives, and all of you have made us incredibly proud with your determined efforts to save men, women and children –- to provide comfort, and to put Haiti on a path to a brighter future.

    All of you in this room know that the devastation in Haiti was unconceivable, and that there is much work to be done. But after visiting for just a day, I will leave with a renewed sense of hope and optimism because of the will of the Haitian people and the steadfast commitment of those of you standing here today and the international community you represent.

    As a teacher, I was especially pleased to visit a school this morning that is providing a sense of normalcy and hope for the children in this area. And I spoke with Mrs. Préval about the importance of a strong education system to provide young Haitians the chance at a better life.

    I also saw rebuilding efforts that will result in more schools. And with the leadership of the Haitian government, your help and that of the international community, I know these schools will educate Haiti’s future leaders of government, arts, science and business.

    Each of you is essential to these efforts. There is much hard work ahead. But I know that together with the leadership of the Haitian people, the commitment of the global community, and the ongoing sweat and compassion of those in this room today, we will help Haiti build back better. (Applause.)

    The First Lady and I came here to listen and learn, but also to deliver a sincere and simple message: Thank you for what you have done and what you will do for this ongoing mission.

    I am honored to join First Lady Michelle Obama for this meaningful visit to Haiti.

    The President asked Michelle to come here to reiterate the commitment of the United States to Haiti as a steadfast partner, and he could not have asked a more able, dedicated, or compassionate person to deliver this message on behalf of the United States.

    I am so proud — (applause) — I am so proud and honored to introduce my friend, and a woman we are so fortunate to call our First Lady: Michelle Obama. (Applause.)

    MRS. OBAMA: Well, thank you. Thank you, all. First let me start by thanking my friend, Jill — Jill and her husband, that character you know, Vice President Biden, for all that they’ve done over these past few months, especially in support of our wonderful Haitian American communities, in South Florida and across the United States. Let’s give Jill and Vice President Biden another round of applause. (Applause.)

    And also to Ed Mulet, to David Harland, to Nigel Fisher, General Cruz, and all the United Nations personnel who are here today, thank you. Thank you for hosting us. This has been an incredibly warm welcome. It’s been an incredibly informative visit. And I want to thank you all for your remarkable service under truly extraordinary circumstances, by any measure.

    The mission to help Haiti recover and rebuild is truly, as Dr. Biden said, an international effort — an international effort that is here at the invitation of the Haitian government and in support of — by the Haitian people.

    And we’re joined today by representatives from many countries, international institutions and NGOs who are playing a vital role in this rebuilding effort. It is truly an honor to be here with all of you.

    This has been a deeply moving day for Jill and I, a very emotional day in so many ways. And Jill and I first and foremost were grateful for the opportunity to be able to — sat down with President Préval and the First Lady. We again expressed to them, as Jill said, America’s deepest condolences, first of all, to the Haitian people for this terrible and tremendous loss.

    My husband, the President, asked that we remind President Préval and the people of Haiti that we are going to keep standing with them. That is for sure. (Applause.)

    So I repeated to President Préval the pledge that my husband made to him at the White House during his visit last month — that is, as Haiti recovers and rebuilds, you will have a steady and reliable partner in the United States of America.

    We had the opportunity also to visit some of the places that reflect the enormous needs of the Haitian people, but also it reflects their amazing strength and resilience.

    We visited families living in the tent cities in Champs De Mars — families who’ve lost everything, everything, and for whom every day is a struggle to stay dry, to feed their children.

    We visited a school — more so, a classroom in buses donated by the Dominican Republic — where some truly amazing kids were rebuilding and playing and dancing and laughing, even under the circumstances.

    We also visited a school that is being rebuilt so that children can realize their dreams of an education and a better life.

    We just had a very moving visit at our U.S. embassy with Ambassador Merten, our embassy staff — Americans as well as Haitians. They have worked so hard for the past three months. And some of the civilian and military personnel who’ve been part of the Americans’ contribution to this international effort, we got to spend some time with them.

    And like so many of you, they lost colleagues and friends and loved ones. And our purpose for these visits was to mainly say thank you — to thank them for their extraordinary service and for delivering on America’s enduring commitment to Haiti.

    But we wanted to come here today because, as I said, helping Haiti recover and rebuild has been an international effort.

    And those of you here — those of you here at the United Nations, our many partner nations, these incredibly — incredible NGOs have really been at the heart of this huge undertaking.

    And all of you have displayed such a spirit of compassion and partnership that, frankly, we could use a whole lot more of in the world today. You all are showing us all how it’s done.

    You’ve done this even though so many of you have endured heartbreaking losses yourselves.

    Here at the U.N, you lost Hédi Annabi and so many leaders and colleagues and members of the Stabilization Mission.

    For the U.N., I understand it has been the single largest loss of life in history. For each of you, it was the loss of a co-worker, a friend, a fellow peacekeeper. For those of you in the NGO community, I know that the loss was just as devastating — friends and partners and neighbors who you worked with every day.

    And as we mark the three-month anniversary of this terrible day, I’d like to ask us all to just take a moment of silence to honor all those that we’ve lost.

    (There is a pause for a moment of silence.)

    We honor every single one of these victims — people from dozens of nations.

    And every day that each of you gets up and go back to work and into the communities that you love, you should know that you’re not only carrying on their work, you’re also honoring their lives and you’re keeping their legacy alive. So please don’t ever forget that in these times of struggle.

    And despite all your loss, you have shown amazing courage and commitment, especially in those first hours and those first days.

    One of the first Secretary Generals of the U.N. famously said that the U.N. — and this is a quote — was “not created in order to bring us to heaven, but in order to save us from hell.” And that’s just what you did for so many people here. You saved them from devastation that was nothing like it on Earth.

    You’ve worked around the clock, day after day, clearing rubble, and building shelters, and delivering food, and water, and medicine and supplies to millions of people. And you’ve done this all with a true spirit of partnership.

    Yes, the United States is proud to play a leading role in this effort. But let’s never forget that this has been one of the largest and most complex relief operations the world has ever attempted — the world. And in one way or another, more than 140 nations has helped to make this a reality.

    General Peixoto and peacekeepers from dozens of nations restored security so the relief effort could proceed.

    And when more peacekeepers were needed, nations around the world stepped up — especially Brazil, even though it too lost so many in the quake.

    And because you live and work in the communities that you serve, those of you in the NGOs were often the first ones on the scene, providing food, and medical care and shelter under nearly impossible conditions.

    And I want to salute these inspiring organizations, especially all the Haitian NGOs — Haitians serving Haitians. (Applause.)

    And so much of your work would be impossible without the generous support of Haitians living abroad, including in the United States. (Applause.)

    To all these NGOs that you all represent, you represent them with the best spirit of service. And I commend you for joining forces, and working together, and pursuing a common vision of reconstruction. And as Haiti recovers and rebuilds, you’re going to be indispensable, and America is going to be your partner, too.

    So this has truly been a global effort — an amazing example of what nations and what people can do when they come together to do what’s right.

    The road ahead, as you know, is not going to be easy. And it’s not going to be quick. As you know, the rainy season is coming soon; it is here. The hurricane season is coming, too.

    But I heard a wonderful Haitian proverb that puts this all in perspective. And some of you probably know it. It says, “Little by little, the bird builds its nest.”

    And today, the needs of the Haitian people are still overwhelming. We know that. I saw that firsthand. But every day — and thanks to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s unprecedented Humanitarian Appeal — this international effort is bringing more supplies and more shelter so that little by little, daily life will improve.

    President Préval and the Haitian government have been working under unimaginable difficulties. But they have a vision for the future and they have a roadmap to get there. So little by little, Haiti will move forward.

    The destruction is catastrophic. But last month, the world came together — dozens of nations, including the United States; the U.N. and other international institutions; and NGOs — and they made an historic commitment to Haiti’s long-term reconstruction. So little by little, Haiti will rebuild.

    Now, some might ask, after so much misery, how can we still have faith? After so much ruin, how can Haiti rise again? After so much loss, how on Earth can you still have hope?

    Well, we have hope because we’ve been inspired — inspired by the resilience and the faith of the Haitian people — (applause) — people who have lost everything, except their belief that tomorrow can be a little bit better than today.

    And we have hope because the people of Haiti are not alone. America is standing with Haiti. (Applause.) The world is standing with Haiti. You are all standing with Haiti. And your commitment and dedication to this country is truly inspiring.

    It’s the commitment reflected in an e-mail that I received from one of your embassy staff before I came for this visit, Sonia Kim, who I just got to meet. And I think that her beautiful words speak to the commitment that all of you bring to this work, wherever you’re from, whatever language you speak.

    She wrote: “We are exhausted, traumatized and heart-broken. But we choose to stay here and work. We choose to stay because we love Haiti and its people. We choose to stay because we believe in our duty to help the people here in their greatest hour of need. We choose to stay because we believe in our mission. We choose to stay because we still hold out hope…for recovery and renewal…and for a Haiti built back better than ever before.”

    And that’s why I came here today. (Applause.) That’s why we have hope. And that’s why, little by little, we’re going to keep making tomorrow better than today.

    Thank you for your incredible service. We are so proud of you. The world is proud of you. The world is watching. And we wish you nothing but the best. God bless. Thank you so much. Applause.)

    END
    3:38 P.M. (Local)

    White House.gov Press Office Feed

  • NASA to Launch Human-Like Robot to Join Space Station Crew

    04.13.10 08:00 PM

    NASA will launch the first human-like robot to space later this year to become a permanent resident of the International Space Station.

    http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010…10-086_R2.html

  • NASA to Preview Final Scheduled Flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis

    04.13.10 08:00 PM

    NASA will preview the next space shuttle mission, the final scheduled flight of space shuttle Atlantis, during a series of news briefings Monday, May 3, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

    http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010…reflights.html

  • Governor Bob McDonnell Signs VA Restaurant Carry into Law!

    Posted: 04.14.10 02:08 AM

    Fairfax, Va. – Governor Bob McDonnell has signed into law a NRA-backed measure allowing right-to-carry permit holders to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense in restaurants, providing they do not consume alcohol. State Senator Emmett Hanger (R-24) and Delegate Todd Gilbert (R-15) were the principal sponsors of Senate Bill 334/House Bill 505.

    Source: http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=5720

  • Governor Bob McDonnell Signs VA Restaurant Carry into Law

  • Tennessee: Right-to-Carry in restaurants inches closer to floor votes in legislature

    Posted: 04.14.10 01:11 AM

    Tennessee legislators nudged the guns-in-bars bill closer to a Senate floor vote Tuesday, but delayed it for a week in the House. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 7-2 to send the bill to the floor, possibly by early next week. Republicans on the House Finance Committee defeated a series of Democratic-sponsored amendments to the bill’s House version, but time expired before its passage there, delaying a committee vote until next week.

    Source: http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/InTheNews.aspx?ID=13670

  • South Carolina: Legislators to debate allowing guns to be stored under car seats

    Posted: 04.14.10 01:10 AM

    Drivers on South Carolina’s roads could keep their handguns under their car seat under a proposal up for more debate by a legislative panel. A House Judiciary subcommittee will consider the bill on Wednesday.

    Source: http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/InTheNews.aspx?ID=13669

  • Georgia: Lawmakers debate loosening carry restrictions

    Posted: 04.14.10 01:09 AM

    The bell is scheduled to ring Wednesday for the second round on this year’s controversial gun law changes. Approved earlier in the Georgia Senate, the proposal now heads to the House of Representatives where members take their shots on the proposal. Among other things, the bill would allow licensed carriers to take their guns to bars and churches, providing the bar owners and pastors allow it.

    Source: http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/InTheNews.aspx?ID=13668

  • Pennsylvania: Radnor board tables local gun-reporting law

    Posted: 04.14.10 01:08 AM

    Radnor Townshipâ??s Board of Commissioners has temporarily abandoned its consideration of a proposed ordinance that would require residents to report a lost or stolen handgun or face possible fines or jail time.

    Source: http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/InTheNews.aspx?ID=13667

  • PTSA Bake Sale- April 15th OPEN HOUSE- 6-7:30 P.M.

    04.14.10 06:40 AM

    Please bring all baked goods to the PTSA table in front of Chancellor Hall by 6:00 p.m.

    Chatsworth High School …