In a new study (pdf), the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government says that federal agencies have made little progress in improving their Freedom of Information Act programs, despite a year-old executive order directing them to become more requester friendly.
The JASON defense science advisory panel released a slightly revised unclassified summary (pdf) of its classified study on nuclear weapon pit lifetimes which concluded that most nuclear weapons primaries have “credible minimum lifetimes in excess of 100 years as regards aging of plutonium.” See Pit Lifetime, January 11, 2007.
In a careful review of the Zapruder film of the assassination of President Kennedy, Max Holland and Johann Rush propose a new way of understanding what the film does and does not reveal. See “1963: 11 Seconds in Dallas.”
PBS Frontline has been running an exceptionally interesting series called “Newswar” on current conflicts between government and the press, with an episode this week that focused on government secrecy. A website associated with the series includes transcribed interviews with dozens of national security and journalistic luminaries, and with me.
Russia currently maintains nearly 5,460 nuclear warheads, with an estimated 1,718 deployed. This represents a slight decrease in total warheads from previous years but still positions Russia as the world’s largest nuclear power alongside the United States.
The stakes are high: how we manage this convergence will influence not only the pace of technological innovation but also the equity and sustainability of our energy future.
We’re launching an initiative to connect scientists, engineers, technologists, and other professionals who recently departed federal service with emerging innovation ecosystems across the country that need their expertise.
With wildfire risk increasing and the potential for destruction along with it continues to grow nationwide, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) today joins with other organizations to launch a new coalition, Partners in Wildfire Prevention.