BETHESDA'S

LOCKHEED MARTIN

READIES

LIGHTNING MAPPER

THAT WILL REVOLUTIONIZE

WEATHER FORECASTING

Satellite Module will Provide More

Accurate Tornado Warnings

Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin is conducting final tests on a new addition to its long-deployed GOES weather satellite.

The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) will record all cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning activity over the entire Americas.

In other words, the whole enchilada: every single lightning strike will be detected by this near-infrared device.

That in-cloud lightning activity is critical to giving as much as thirty minutes' warning of a tornado spawning. The complete scan will reveal an individual storm's "jump signature," a sudden acceleration of cloud-to-cloud lightning activity. This will also reduce false alarms.

Lockheed has scheduled final thermal and thermal vacuum testing for the coming months.

The Goddard Flight Center right here in Maryland helps manage development of GOES instruments.

Deployment of this advanced storm detection can't come a minute too soon, as unusual tornado activity continues to wreak havoc across the nation's southern and midwestern regions.

BETHESDA RANKS #2 IN

PROJECTED JOB GROWTH

BY 2020, SAYS

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Need a job? You've come to the right place! The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says that Bethesda will experience the second-highest rate of job creation in America between now and 2020. Washington, D.C. ranked first.

I'm guessing this is based on two fairly-solid projections: continuing growth of county, state and federal government, despite growing deficits; and what is apparently an ever-expanding theater of war, which will result in more defense spending. Firms such as Lockheed - headquartered right here in Bethesda - stand to benefit from such developments.

But, although I hate to burst the bubble on this lovely dream, this projection is overly-optimistic in my opinion.

First, there is no guarantee of continued big spending in Washington. President Obama is suggesting deep cuts in defense, and has already turned over spaceflight to the private sector. (And what a sad statement about America today, that space exploration is something many Republicans and Democrats now mock and laugh at. Such people have no clue about science or the universe. If you didn't sleep through Chemistry 101 in high school, you know that there clearly are new elements and fuel sources out there to be discovered. Do these folks realize what will happen if Russia or China find them first?)

Second, Montgomery County - without a 180 degree change in the structure of government, taxes and regulation, and completion of its transportation system - could never attract the number of public or private jobs claimed by this projection. Not one single large employer has relocated here in years.

Our roads are jammed with traffic, and business travelers have no easy access to Dulles Airport.

If Bethesda aspires to claim its rightful spot on this list, citizens and the BCC Chamber of Commerce need to take action to make this area more attractive to large employers. We need to retain industrial zones and office parks, not sell them to developers as the county council just did in the Betco plant debacle last fall. Where will future corporate headquarters go?

Finally, we need to build the Rockville Freeway and Outer Beltway if we are to even begin to handle the traffic we have today.

To be number 2, we have to try harder.

BETHESDA'S HMSHost

CHALLENGES MARYLAND'S

CHOICE OF SPANISH FIRM

TO MANAGE I-95

TRAVEL PLAZAS

Bethesda-based hospitality management firm HMSHost is challenging the State of Maryland's decision to select Spanish subsidiary Areas USA to rebuild and operate two I-95 travel plazas.

By all accounts, HMSHost was not given equal negotiating opportunity to compete with a final, amended bid by Areas.

I have seen some of the proposed redesigns for the new facilities and they are promising. Areas brings a good track record and some interesting possible tenants for restaurant space in the Maryland and Chesapeake House plazas.

So I certainly don't have a problem with Areas coming to Maryland. It could be a great partnership with the state.

I don't have a problem with the state getting the best deal for the taxpayer; that is the job of our elected officials.

What I do have a problem with is the apparently unfair process. Only by fueling competition can one get the best deal. So if only one bidder is negotiating, the state clearly is going to pay more. With HMS at the table, the state could have still chosen Areas, but Areas would have had to sweeten its deal, in response to an almost-certainly sweetened offer from HMS.

To not take negotiations to their logical conclusion, state officials cannot credibly tell taxpayers they indeed have the best possible deal.

It's also troubling that Maryland would snub a company that has its international headquarters in Maryland(!!). And employs Marylanders right here in Bethesda.

Because of my great interest in interstate highways, I am familiar with HMSHost's rest stop operations around the country, and have always had a favorable impression. There's always room for improvement. And that's where competition comes in. Want the contract? Provide superior service at the lowest price.

If elected officials are going to talk a good game about jobs and efficient government spending, they'd better back it up with transparent negotiations. And not by excluding companies that pay heavy taxes in Montgomery County and Maryland.

We've witnessed the county council's attempts to drive out Lockheed Martin a few months back. Having contentious relationships with the few large firms willing to accept the pain of headquartering in Montgomery County is no way to run a railroad.

Or a travel plaza.