Short Takes – 4-14-23

Is the US in a Space Race Against China? DefenseOne.com article. Pull quote: “In the past, the space race was about who could reach the stars first and return home. Today, the goal has shifted to surviving and even thriving in the harsh environment of space. I believe it is not surprising that, despite its decisive lead, the U.S. has partnered with others to go to the Moon and beyond. China is doing the same, but on a smaller scale. The picture that emerges is not of a “race” but of complex system with the U.S. as a leader working closely with extensive networks of partners.”

Fake 911 Calls About Active Shooters Are Hitting More Schools. WSJ.com article. Pull quote: “Police responded to phony reports of shooters in at least 50 schools across New York on April 4, and at least 36 schools on March 30, state police said. In March, fake reports of school shootings in Iowa were made in a systematic pattern on a single day, hitting at least 30 schools in succession from east to west, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.”

Here's why downpour in Florida just wouldn't stop. ABCNews.com article. Pull quote: “One-day downpours have "increased in frequency and magnitude over the last several decades and will continue to increase in both in the coming decades,” University of Oklahoma meteorology professor Jason Furtado said in an email. “These heavy rainfall events coupled with sea level rise on the Florida coast need to serve as significant ‘wake up calls’ for the residents of South Florida about the severe risks that climate change poses to them.””

Hazardous Materials: Request for Feedback on Recycled Plastics Policy. Federal Register PHMSA request for comments. Summary: “PHMSA is publishing this notice to: (1) solicit information pertaining to how the potential use of recycled plastic resins in the manufacturing of specification packagings may affect hazardous materials transportation safety; (2) ensure transparency of its current policy pertaining to the use of recycled plastics in the manufacturing of specification packagings; (3) seek input on this policy to better inform potential regulatory changes; and (4) gather information for the evaluation of future approval requests and to better inform decisions pertaining to potential regulatory revisions and other related work.”