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Pro nuclear advocates stack Japan’s committee to plan retreat from nukes!

The subcommittee consists of 25 members, of whom only about eight favor abandoning nuclear energy.

Is this not odd for a group that is supposed to be discussing ways to steer Japan from nuclear power generation?

The Prometheus Trap/ Tug of war over future of nuclear energy, The Asahi Shimbun.  KIYOSHI OKONOGI 29 June 12, “…..The Fundamental Issues Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy, which advises the minister of economy, trade and industry, was in session on April 11 at the ministry building in Tokyo’s Kasumigaseki district. The task of this subcommittee was to discuss the policy of the administration of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to wean the nation off nuclear power generation. Continue reading →

July 2, 2012 Posted by | Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Australian govt lying to public about Julian Assange

Foreign Minister Bob Carr… claimed last week that there was “not the remotest evidence” of any US government desire to prosecute the WikiLeaks founder.

Fresh call on Assange ‘espionage’ SMH Philip Dorling July 2, 2012 THE head of the United States Senate’s powerful intelligence oversight committee has renewed calls for Julian Assange to be prosecuted for espionage. The US Justice Department has also confirmed WikiLeaks remains the target of a criminal investigation, calling into question Australian government claims the US has no interest in extraditing Mr Assange. Continue reading →

July 2, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, secrets,lies and civil liberties, Wikileaks | Leave a comment

No protection for whistleblowers at San Onofre nuclear power station

Paul Diaz is not protected by California’s whistle-blower laws – among the strongest in the nation — because San Onofre sits on federal land ceded to Southern California Edison back in the 1960s. “What’s unusual here is that if Mr. Diaz was working off the actual four corners of the San Onofre property and reported the same acts, he would be protected,” Seversen said. “But because he happens to set foot on the federal enclave, those protections are not available.”

San Onofre Workers Lack State Whistleblower Protections Safety Complaints High At Crippled Plant June 28, 2012 KPBS, By Amita Sharma  For the past four years, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station has had the highest number of safety complaints of any nuclear plant in the country.

“That’s not the list you want to be on top of,” said nuclear power expert David Lockbaum of theUnion of Concerned Scientists.

“I don’t think there is any doubt whatsoever that right now the workforce at San Onofre doesn’t trust management and when they have safety concerns they’re either not raising them at all or they’re raising them to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as the only option they have available,” he added. “That’s not the way it’s supposed to work. The workers are basically the canaries in the coal mine. They’re the first ones who see the problems. Their voices need to be heard, not ignored.” Continue reading →

June 29, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

Public participation eliminated, as Nuclear Regulatory Commission ‘streamlines’ nuclear licensing

David Lochbaum, director of the Union of Concerned Scientis’s  said “The old Soviet system was efficient, too,”  arguing that the streamlining sets up a system that approves an entire plan’s construction and operation upfront, a step that happens entirely based on blueprints and that offers fewer opportunities to contest a new project.

“It’s a paper battle – you’re looking at things that are done in cyberspace, and there’s no real evidence to point at,” Lochbaum said. “It has the effect of eliminating public participation.”

Streamlining Nuclear Regs, Energy Biz 28 June 12, AGENCY SEEKS TO
REMOVE IMPEDIMENTS  FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has been in the process of implementing new, streamlined licensing procedures, and this spring the first new nuclear projects in decades were approved – two new reactors at the SCANA-owned V.C. Summer Plant, and two others at the Southern Company-owned Plant Vogtle. Continue reading →

June 29, 2012 Posted by | Legal, secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

NRC keeping mum about their investigations into Palisades nuclear power plant

Nuclear cops snoop around Palisades, NRC team began investigation this week, Wood 8 TV , 28 Jun 2012, By Henry Erb GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) – When something goes wrong at the Palisades nuclear facility, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission does a technical review. Now, a team of nuclear cops is investigating the nuke plant in Covert Township.

Many of the people in the NRCs Office of Investigations are former agents of the FBI, Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Agency or have backgrounds with other law enforcement agencies. They’re not looking for things that have just gone wrong.
Their job is to look for deliberate wrongdoing, things that could result in criminal prosecution.

In the 2011 annual report from the NRC, the agents investigated 227 cases and turned 77 over to the Justice Department. It’s unclear how many actually ended up in prosecution. ….. This week, the nuclear cops began looking into the year-long leak from an emergency water tank that shut down Palisades on June 12. NRC inspectors at the plant knew about the slow leak since May 2011, and their spokesman said it wasn’t them who turned the case over for special investigation.

The Office of Investigations began the probe on its own this week, but a spokesman at their Chicago office said the agents are not saying why. http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mich/Nuclear-cops-snoop-around-Palisades

June 29, 2012 Posted by | safety, secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

Golden farewell for Fukushima nuclear plant directors and auditors as they leave for other lucrative jobs

VIDEO :  . http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-06-27/tepco-directors-quit-with-golden-parachute/968572    TEPCO directors quit with ‘golden parachute’, Radio Australia  28 June 2012, Directors and auditors at the Japanese operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant have used the company’s annual general meeting to resign. In theory, the TEPCO directors and auditors are doing so to take responsibility for last year’s disaster, but the ABC can confirm nearly half of those who have resigned will take up lucrative posts with other TEPCO group companies.

Some of the executives are also facing the biggest lawsuit in Japanese history – a $67 billion compensation claim from shareholders for what they describe as unforgivable negligence. Outside the company’s meeting on Wednesday, activists – most of them middle-aged women – handed out anti-nuclear leaflets to shareholders making their way in.

Among them was Yui Kimura, who bought TEPCO shares so she could attend and vote at meetings. She is one of 42 shareholders suing 27 company directors for failing to heed repeated warnings about the threat of a giant tsunami.
She is fighting for TEPCO to pay compensation for those affected by the Fukushima nuclear meltdowns.
About 100,000 Fukushima residents still cannot return home……

June 28, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, Fukushima 2012, Japan | Leave a comment

Conflict of interest, USA’s Department of Energy funds research into radiation

The Energy Department is also the main source of funding for radiation health research — much like having the tobacco industry determine the safety of smoking. This conflict-of interest is not new. Several prominent scientists on the nuclear payroll in the 1950’s and 60’s vigorously claimed that radioactive fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests was harmless. Some went so far as to assert that fallout might be beneficial because increased radiation-induced genetic mutations could weed out the weak.

A Radioactive Conflict of Interest  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-alvarez/mit-radiation-study_b_1623899.html  HUFFINGTON POST, Robert Alvarez,  06/25/2012  Having the Energy Department control radiation health research makes as much sense as giving tobacco companies the authority to see if smoking is bad for you.

VIDEO  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8YFe6Q08M8   MIT No-Evacuations Study Debunked   Last month, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) heralded an Energy Department funded study indicating that evacuation zones around nuclear power stations might not be needed after a major nuclear accident. The study, which exposed mice to radiation levels comparable to those near the Fukushima nuclear disaster, found no evidence of genetic harm. “There are no data that say that’s a dangerous level,” says Jacquelyn Yanch, a leader of the study.

According to theMIT press release “current U.S. regulations require that residents of any area that reaches radiation levels eight times higher than background should be evacuated. However, the financial and emotional cost of such relocation may not be worthwhile, the researchers say.”

It’s quite a leap to claim that evacuation zones around nuclear power plants might not be needed based on the chromosomes of 112 irradiated mice. In a devastating critique, blogger, Ian Goddard points out that the MIT study excluded extensive evidence of genetic damage to humans living in a radiation-contaminated environment. Although doses in a peer-reviewed study of 19 groups of children living near Chernobyl were consistently lower than the MIT mouse study, most showed lasting genetic damage from radiation. “MIT’s presentation of its study as the first scientific ever examination of the genetic risks of living in a nuclear disaster zone is pure science fiction, not fact,” Goddard concludes. Continue reading →

June 27, 2012 Posted by | Reference, Resources -audiovicual, secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

“Contracts For Difference” – the UK’s sneaky way to publicly subsidise nuclear power

‘Contracts for Difference’ are intended to provide support to low carbon technologies to aid their development and market viability. However, any subsidies that go towards nuclear energy from this source will lead to a corresponding reduction in the funds available for
developing new renewables technologies.

“It would be pure sophistry to try and claim that because the funds go directly from the customer to energy companies without entering the Treasury bank account, it is not a public subsidy. 

Committee must be recalled over nuclear subsidies, 20/06/2012  Following evidence from Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey MP, SNP members of the Scottish Parliament Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee have written to the rest of the committee calling for it to be recalled.

New nuclear power stations planned by the UK Government could cost Scottish consumers billions of pounds. Concern has been expressed by industry figures such as in evidence to the House of Commons Energy & Climate Change Committee from Ian Marchant of SSE. Renewables industry representatives have expressed concern that the Department for Energy and Climate Change intends to use ‘contracts for difference’ to subsidise a new generation of nuclear energy. Continue reading →

June 22, 2012 Posted by | politics, secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | Leave a comment

Japan’s nuclear authority did not pass on information on Fukushima radiation

The information was passed to the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) and the science and technology ministry by Japan’s Foreign Ministry but neither agency passed it to the prime minister’s office, which was overseeing the evacuations.

thousands fled in the same direction as the radioactive material was drifting.

People fled towards Fukushima radiation Stuff.co.nz, 20 June 12 Japanese authorities failed to disclose US data about the spread of radiation spewing from a crippled nuclear plant last year, leaving some evacuees fleeing in the same direction as the radioactive emissions.

News that Japan’s nuclear watchdog and the science and technology ministry sat on the information collected by US military aircraft – another sign of the chaos at the time – is likely to add to mistrust of nuclear power just days after the government approved the restart
of two idled reactors…

.. US military aircraft gathered radiation data from March 17-19 over a 45km radius and found that people in an area about 25km northwest of the plant – where some people were moving – were exposed to the annual permissible level of radiation within eight hours, Japanese media said.

The information was passed to the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) and the science and technology ministry by Japan’s Foreign Ministry but neither agency passed it to the prime minister’s office, which was overseeing the evacuations. Continue reading →

June 20, 2012 Posted by | Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

USA, Iran developed “Flame” computer virus against Iran’s nuclear program

Flame malware developed by US, Israel to slow Iranian nuclear efforts   http://www.slashgear.com/flame-malware-developed-by-us-israel-to-slow-iranian-nuclear-efforts-19234747/  Rue Liu, Jun 19th 2012  It turns out that the massive Flame malware attack last month was a sophisticated computer virus developed by the US and Israel in an effort to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program. Citing unnamed Western officials with knowledge of the effort, the Washington Post reported that the attack involved the National Security Agency, the CIA, and Israel’s military as well as the use of the infamous Stuxnet virus. The Flame virus was first discovered last month when Iran detected a series of cyber attacks on its oil industry. Although the attacks were allegedly carried out by Israel alone, the software used was developed in collaboration with the US, adopting much of the same code as the Stuxnet virus.

The virus is said to be the most sophisticated malware discovered to date. Masquerading as a routine Microsoft software, Flame was able to replicate itself across even highly secure networks, control everyday computer functions, send back secret information, log keystrokes, control computer cameras and microphones, take screen shots, and even extract geolocation data from images. Story Timeline……  http://www.slashgear.com/flame-malware-developed-by-us-israel-to-slow-iranian-nuclear-efforts-19234747/

June 20, 2012 Posted by | Iran, Israel, secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

Inadequacy of Fukushima radiation tests – to avoid “uneasiness”

Fukushima Prefecture asked university to stop radiation dose tests soon after disaster, The Mainichi, 14 June 12, The Fukushima Prefectural Government asked a research team from Hirosaki University to stop conducting internal radiation exposure tests on prefectural residents after the outbreak of the Fukushima nuclear disaster on the grounds that the tests were “stirring uneasiness,” it has been learned. Continue reading →

June 15, 2012 Posted by | health, Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Arrests of suspects alleged to have murdered Iranian nuclear scientists

Iran arrests suspects over nuclear scientists’ deaths, Iran intelligence ministry claims detained suspects are linked to assassinations of nuclear scientists and have ties with Israel Saeed Kamali Dehghan, guardian.co.uk,   14 June 2012   Iran has claimed it has arrested the “main elements” behind the assassination of two of its nuclear scientists, alleging they were spies working for Israel. Continue reading →

June 15, 2012 Posted by | Iran, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Dirty work at the crossroads – how the NRC got rid of Gregory Jaczko

Sen. Sanders says ‘McCarthyite’ tactics were used against outgoing nuke chief
The Hill, By Ben Geman – 06/13/12 Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Gregory Jaczko is on his way out the door, but Capitol Hill lawmakers aren’t done with battles over his controversial tenure atop the agency.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), at a Senate hearing to vet Jaczko’s replacement, defended the outgoing chairman against the various attacks over his management and behavior that have come from other NRC members and GOP lawmakers. “I am upset about the level of personal attacks that have been waged against him from within this committee and the NRC itself,” Sanders said at the Environment and Public Works Committee hearing.

Defenders of Jaczko — a Democrat who is a former aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) — say the attacks have stemmed from opposition to his nuclear safety efforts.

“Those personal attacks were a smokescreen for a philosophical divide that exists within the NRC,” Sanders, a critic of nuclear power, said Wednesday. “I think he was subject to McCarthyite tactics, and I hope we don’t see a repeat of that.”…. Jaczko announced his resignation in May but will remain with the agency until the Senate confirms his replacement….. http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/232539-sen-sanders-slams-mccarthyite-attacks-on-outgoing-nuke-agency-chief

June 14, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

Official disinformation on the seriousness of Fukushima radioactvity

this same pattern of disinformation is being tragically repeated in the failure to depict the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe as the true monstrosity of an emergency it really is. 

Fukushima Daiichi: From Nuclear Power Plant to Nuclear Weapon Global Research, by Prof. Anthony Hall , 13 June 12,  “…….Radioactivity as a Slow But Sure Weapon of Mass Destruction……..More than any other crisis to date, the nuclear debacle at Fukushima illustrates the failure of our species, but especially those who put themselves forward as our leaders, to adapt old ways of thinking to the changes ushered in by the splitting of the atom.

The science of measuring and understanding the effects of radioactivity on biological transformations is still in its infancy. Nevertheless since 1945 the tendency has been for promoters of applied nuclear power to deny, negate, or downplay the effects of radioactivity on life’s natural patterns of renewal.

This culture of denial has its origins in the official response of US government officials to the radioactive contamination of all people, plants and animals that survived the first wave of destruction from the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This unwillingness to contend with the effects of radioactivity on the public health of large population groups was captured in a headline in The New York Times on September 13, 1945. That headline proclaimed, “No Radioactivity in Hiroshima Ruin.” http://japanfocus.org/-Gayle-Greene/3672  Continue reading →

June 14, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Disinformation to Japanese public on the relative costs of nuclear and renewable energy

Weapons of Disinformation The most common item in this process of manipulating the public discussion in favor of a vested interest has been the publishing of studies and reports by private “scientific” institutes. These papers by so-called “energy experts” are disguised as objective scientific assessments of the current situation and future developments…. their sole purpose is to convince the public and industrial and political leaders who might not have enough subject knowledge to notice the bias.

Japan: Ignorance and/or Dishonesty of “Energy Experts”, Clean Technica, JUNE 11, 2012 BY THOMAS   Currently, the main focus is on the struggle about whether or not to restart two nuclear reactors at the Ōi Nuclear Power Plant, which has a combined capacity of 2.2 GW of electric power.
Those forces in favor of a nuclear comeback proclaim that there would be no alternative to a restart. According to them, reactivating two nuclear reactors is the only way to ensure the stability of the power grid in the Kansai region, Japan’s second-largest industrial area.
In order to convince the public, industry leaders and the government of this so-called existential necessity, the so-called “nuclear village” bombards the discussion with doomsday scenarios about how dangerous blackouts are – how they risk lives and the economy — as well as trying to reestablish the perception that nuclear power would be the cheapest form of electricity generation.
Considering that the so-called “nuclear village” of Japan finds itself in the unfamiliar situation of an uphill battle to regain trust and favorable public opinion, it is trying everything it can to change the odds in its favor once again. Continue reading →

June 13, 2012 Posted by | Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

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