It is heartbreaking to see the destroyed homes, scattered possessions, and lives shattered by recent tornadoes in Alabama, Missouri and elsewhere. Many have lost loved ones and businesses while large parts of communities have been tragically leveled. Yet creating a new federal program would not be a worthy response to the plight of those affected by the twisters. However, the Obama Administration—known for, in the words of former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, not letting “a good crisis go to waste”—wants to use the recent disaster to grow …
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano surveyed the damage of the tornado-ravaged South this weekend, promising federal supplies and aid to help victims of one of the deadliest storm systems in U.S. history. But before FEMA or government leaders stood in the wreckage, local community groups and church congregations were on the streets, assessing victims’ needs and providing emergency supplies. From organizing donations to setting up makeshift shelters in church basements, faith-based organizations, churches, and community leaders became unofficial first responders in the days after the tornadoes wiped out …
The tornadoes that blew through the Midwest yesterday damaged homes and buildings including a research nuclear reactor facility at Kansas State University. The reactor, a TRIGA Mark II model, has been operating since 1962, making it one of the oldest operating models of its design in America. One might think a hazardous explosion or a reactor core meltdown would occur if a tornado slammed into a 46 year old nuclear reactor, right? Wrong. Shutting down a nuclear reaction is a relatively simple process, and K-State’s research reactor was deactivated before …
