The value of volcanic monitoring, in terms of saved lives and property, was clearly demonstrated during the June 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.  According to a 1997 US Geological Survey Report:

The monitoring of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 and the successful forecasting of its cataclysmic June 15 eruption prevented property losses of at least $250 million (this figure is intentionally conservative and should be considered a minimum value). No monetary value has been placed on the more than 5,000 lives saved, although other cost-benefit analyses have used values from $100,000 to $1 million per life.

The estimated cost of the monitoring program was $1.5 million. 

I should note that the USGS is part of the Department of the Interior, an Executive Branch Agency that was under the administrative control of the first Bush administration in June 1991.

The potential argument that volcanic monitoring has no relevance when it comes to saving American lives and property is baseless.  In the case of the 1991 Pinatubo eruption outside of Manila, the warnings provided allowed for the safe evacuation of 15,000 servicemen and women (and families) from nearby Clark Air Force Base.

Closer to home, the USGS is closely monitoring of the active Redoubt volcano in Alaska, which they predict will erupt within the next days or weeks.  The scale of the monitoring program at Redoubt was significantly increased in the aftermath of the volcano's last major eruption in 1989-90 (again, during the first Bush administration).  This previous eruption caused economic losses estimated at more than $160 million, and sent a cloud of ash into the sky that caused engine failures aboard a Boeing 747-200 with 231 passengers on board, flying north of Anchorage (aircraft engines tolerate volcanic ash about as well as they tolerate birds).  Ash alerts issued by the USGS since that last eruption have been subsequently used to shut down or redirect air traffic into and out of the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage.

The potential loss of American lives and property is far greater when Cascade Range volcanoes are considered in the Pacific Northwest...hundreds of thousands of people live within the shadow of these currently dormant volcanoes. 

The ability to predict not only the timing of a volcanic eruption, but the magnitude of each eruption is nowhere near perfect.  Continued funding of USGS efforts to not only monitor active volcanic risks, but to evaluate and refine predictive eruption models is critical for anyone who is interesting in reducing the risk of loss of life and property.  It is not unlike ongoing governmental efforts to understand hurricanes, and to accurately predict where they will hit land, and how hard.

"Treasury will have full discretion over the management of the assets as well as the exercise of any rights received in connection with the purchase of the assets,"

The proposal doesn't detail how Treasury would manage the assets, but does give Mr. Paulson the authority to hire private financial institutions to conduct the program...

The plan offered to Congress also gives the Treasury legal immunity from any lawsuits. "Decisions by the secretary pursuant to the authority are non-reviewable … and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency,"

I am committed to streamlining burdensome regulations and effectively protecting American intellectual property in the United States and around the globe.

I am uniquely qualified to lead our nation during this technological revolution. 

While in the Navy, I depended upon the technologies and information provided by our nation’s scientists and engineers with (sic) during each mission. 

Under my guiding hand, Congress developed a wireless spectrum policy that spurred the rapid rise of mobile phones and Wi-Fi technology that enables Americans to surf the web while sitting at a coffee shop, airport lounge, or public park.

Don’t be.  The Governor has his back covered.

As reported Thursday in the Anchorage Daily News, Todd Palin could be held in contempt for ignoring the subpoena, and face a fine up to $500 and up to six months in jail.  But the Legislature has to be in session to bring contempt charges, and it isn’t scheduled to convene until January.

Of course, the Alaska State Legislature could be convened in special session, but only if the governor issues an “Executive Proclamation.” Like this one, from June 2008.

So will Sarah Palin consider it in “the public interest” to convene a special session of the Legislature prior to November 4 so that they can consider contempt charges?

Craig was caught last June by Sgt. Dave Karsnia in a sting operation at the airport. Karsnia was in a stall and said Craig peered in for more than two minutes from three feet away - so close the officer could see his blue eyes. When the next stall opened, Craig went in and then tapped his foot and waved his hand under the stall - behavior indicative of an interest in a sexual encounter, the complaint said.

But Martin said Craig was responding to Karsnia’s hand swiping and the senator’s behavior “was invited conduct.”

Took an early lunch and walked down to the RNC for some free entertainment. I wasn’t disappointed.

11:02am Passed a group of blanket-wrapped protestors who are squatting along the curb. It’s mid-50’s…perfectly normal Fall day in Minnesota. Thought about chiding them for being unprepared, but then again Chris Matthews had a blanket wrapped around his legs during the broadcast last night.

11:05am Practiced my sound bite comment on the Palin speech, just in case I get roped into a “man on the street” interview.

11:15am Grabbed some lunch and hit the rope line in front of the MSNBC stage in Rice Park. Chuck Todd was live, and Orin Hatch was waiting to be interviewed.

11:20am As a intern hands out “Countdown” and “Morning Joe” fans (useless, given the cool weather), a female RNC delegate next to me whines about Joe Scarborough being the only guy on MSNBC that she likes. I comment that Joe is the only one I don’t like, and the battle is joined. I tried to knock down the “Palin got more votes than Biden” lie that she parroted, but she didn’t want to listen to the truth, and shushed me because her hero was about to speak.

11:25am Orin Hatch says nothing memorable. He is, however, wearing a black soft cast on his right arm, just like Cindy sported a few weeks back. New Republican fashion statement?

11:29am As he leaves the stage, Senator Hatch gives a left-handed fist bump to a production assistant! Where’s my camcorder when I need it?

11:35am Got into an amicable discussion with another Republican, who laughs and shakes his head when he’s forced to agree with my assertion that Governor Palin is not just a talented speaker, but the biggest celebrity of the convention.

11:45am Chuck moves to the back of the stage to interview Governor Pawlenty. Tim exudes “Minnesota nice” as a make-up person hovers over him.

11:50am Chuck makes an uncharacteristic on-air gaffe when he discusses earmarks and McCain’s chances to carry Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. He states that Minnesota gets back more federal dollars than we pay in. Pawlenty gently tries to correct the mistake, but Todd pushes on. Tim then says something about federal aid and wastewater treatment plants that I didn’t catch. Wasn’t a wastewater treatment plant one of Wasilla’s successful earmarks?

11:55am Coverage is swinging back to Brian Williams in New York, so I walk around back to scope out the delegates as they pass through the hard fence line. Governor Pawlenty is there, having taken time to be interviewed by an obviously nervous high-school student reporter and camera crew. Did I mention that Tim really is a nice guy?

McCain camp's reaction?  Force Politico to publish an "update" that reads:

After reading this article, the McCain campaign issued the following statement: "The authors quote four scholars attacking Gov. Palin's fitness for the office of Vice President. Among them, David Kennedy is a maxed out Obama donor, Joel Goldstein is also an Obama donor, and Doris Kearns Goodwin has donated exclusively to Democrats this cycle. Finally, Matthew Dallek is a former speech writer for Dick Gephardt. This is not a story about scholars questioning Governor Palin's credentials so much as partisan Democrats who would find a reason to disqualify or discount any nominee put forward by Senator McCain."

DENVER - For one evening, their political world was perfect. Or so it seemed.

Speaking to reporters at a lunch sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, Romney said that while McCain deserved his houses because of the "hard work" of himself and his family, "Barack Obama got a special deal from a convicted felon."

"I think it was a strange thing for Barack Obama to seize upon," Romney said. "If homes is going to be the topic of discussion that Barack Obama is going to end up on the short end of that one."

Biden's career provides grist for McCain's mill

In August 2007, three men who later became entangled in a Mississippi bribery scheme raised money for Sen. Joe Biden's run for president. A month later, two of the three were overheard in a phone call recorded by the FBI discussing federal legislation and a prospective meeting with Biden's brother, Jim.

It's unclear whether any meeting ever occurred or whether legislation was ever discussed, so the episode may mean little — except as an example of the potential political vulnerabilities that Barack Obama's running mate brings to the Democratic ticket.

McCain also joked that he urged Cindy to participate in a campground beauty pageant that was taking place during his speech.

“I was looking at the Sturgis schedule and noticed that you have a beauty pageant and so I encouraged Cindy to compete. I told her, with a little luck, she could be the only woman ever to serve as both the First Lady and Miss Buffalo Chip,” he said to cheers.

The HuffRept notes that the "Miss Buffalo Chip" contest frequently involves topless (and occasionally bottomless) participants. There's also a youtube video of last year's contest that's borderline safe for work and way over the line in terms of trashiness. View (and vote for McCain) at your own risk.

He was a Tailhooker, right?