nuclear-news

The hypocrisy and lies of the global nuclear lobby

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Has anyone noticed that Japan well and truly stuffed up in its planning and setting up of the Fukushima nuclear power plant – and yet is now preaching to India on the unsafety of India’s nuclear plants?

That strikes me as a dazzling bit of arrogance and hypocrisy. Yet Japan’s Prime Minister has the gall to tell India that because of Japan’s nuclear disaster, Japan is now an expert on nuclear safety!

And anyway, as if the Japanese government cared about India’s safety, anyway!  What they care about is making money selling their nuclear. technology.

But now – I’m here getting  a bit ahead of  the worldwide nuclear lobby. The comprehensive international report on the Fukushima nuclear disaster will not be completed until about June 2012.  However, the initial part of the report recounts all the errors made by the Japanese regarding the planning and setting up of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, and in dealing with the catastrophe.

I’m predicting that the nuclear lobby will come out with a whole lot of guff about how much safer nuclear technology is now.  How much they’ve learned from the disaster, so we can all rest assured that the nuclear industry is now safe! – Christina Macpherson, 27 Dec 11

December 27, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Parallels between Wall St and Fukushima

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Have you seen the film “Inside Job”?

I was amazed at how the top guys responsible for the global financial crash in 2008 continued to prosper. They’re still in charge, in financial institutions, in universities, advising government,  – nothing’s changed.

Similarly, in Japan, apart from 3 token (and generously rewarded retirements) the same complex of nuclear industry, government, academia are still in charge of nuclear policy.

September 27, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | 1 Comment

Despite pro nuclear hype, the industry is in big trouble

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

While the captains of the nuclear and uranium industries continue to sing the praises of new nuclear reactors, new types of reactors, and the long term glowing outlook for the industries –  the facts tell something else.

In Germany, the peak association of utility industries now states a clear wish to have all nuclear power cswiftly closed down – all finished by 2020.

USA has had the longest and biggest association with commercial nuclear power.  USA now appears to be leading the way in seriously questioning the viability of the industry.

The Fukushima disaster is not ending any time soon. Nobody dares to estimate the financial cost.  The human and environmental costs are not fully known, but already are extensive.   Japanese survivors of the tsunami and earthquake can now start to rebuild their lives.  Japamese affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident struggle on with uncertainty.

April 9, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Wobbly nuclear words – how reassuring they are!

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

There are just so many of these wobbly words, pouring out of the pro nuclear lobby, as the lobby develops its current strategy, in response to the Japanese nuclear disaster, and with the anniversary of Chernobyl coming up.   The two strategy themes are as follows:

1. Nuclear radiation  “low level” radiation is not so bad, quite good really.  Don’t mention the cancers and birth deformities from Chernobyl – or just gloss over the (relatively treatable) thyroid cancers.

2. Safety. New nuclear designs will be so safe –  Fukushima just shows us how safe they are.  And anyway, action is now taken to strengthen safety at old plants – Fukushima’s been a good reminder really.

Nuclear doublespeak has crept  into the mainstream media. And – note even a 7.1 earthquake is now labelled an “aftershock” –  sounds better, doesn’t it?    And – of course, any nuclear incident is “no immediate danger”

April 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | 1 Comment

The oceans – a great idea for a radioactive toilet

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Time was when Europeans emptied their toilet pans out of windows, into the street.

Now we think that’s disgusting.  But – now no  problem with the oceans. We’ve been dumping sewage, plastics and all sorts of rubbish into the seas for decades.

Now – the ultimate insult to the oceans –  it’s OK to dump radioactive water.  This could be a precedent for future nuclear waste problems. I’m sure that the nuclear establishment will be happy with that – if we are.

April 5, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Don’t be the nuclear industry’s April fool

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

When you check out the nuclear news, you find plenty of cosy little items saying how Chernobyl wasn’t so bad – very few deaths etc.  How low level radiation is not harmful to you, might even be good. How ‘progress’ is being made on the Fukushima cleanup. How it was all the fault of TEPCO anyway – the industry as a whole is safe, really. The new model nuclear reactors are really really really safe.

Don’t believe it.  In 2011 – 25 years after the Chernobyl explosion, it’s just the right time for cancers to emerge in those who were subjected to “low level” radiation in the Ukraine.  While it is true that one individual’s risk of cancer is small from exposure to low levels of radiation, exposure of many to this radiation will produce cancers in some of them. The world’s scientific authorities are united in pronouncing that there is no safe level for ionising radiation.

As to the safety of nuclear reactors, and the effects of radiation from even the normal operations of the nuclear fuel cycle –  ask yourself who is supplying this information – “What’s in it for whom?

There may be some legitimate grounds for minimising the effects of the Fukushima radiation – a reasonable aim by authorities to prevent panic, and perhaps to save the businesses of farmers whose produce is not radioactive. To avoid unnecessary anxiety in countries distant from Japan. Just ask  “What’s in it for whom? – Christina Macpherson

April 1, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Earth Hour – a challenge to the consumer society

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Some environmentalists dismiss Earth Hour as pretty much irrelevant to the global warming crisis, and to the issue of nuclear energy.

But I think that they are wrong. Earth Hour in itself might mean just a temporary drop in energy use, worldwide. But during Earth Hour, people realise how they can manage quite well, using less energy.

This is a subversive message – for it contradicts the whole “philosophy” behind society’s present rampant consumerism,
and ever-growing need to use more energy.

If the Consumer Society were to change to a Conserver Society, then the planet and its atmosphere would be treated with respect. Greenhouse gas emissions would diminish, and it would be obvious that nuclear energy is not needed. The nuclear lobby thrives on ever-growing consumption of energy and material “goods” – Christina Macpherson

March 26, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

USA’s nuclear “Waste Confidence Rule” – an act of religious faith?

The USA’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission has updated this rule – the “Waste Confidence Rule”

It sounds quite bizarre, to me. I am quite comfortable with the  idea of Pope expressing dogas.  After all, he is supposed to be infallible. But even the Pope is pretty careful these days, when he speaks infallibly, “Ex Cathedra”   the Pope nowdays at least tries to make it sound like something sensible.

But the “Waste Confidence Rule” expresses the idea that there’s no solution to nuclear waste now, but we fervently believe that somewhere down the track, somebody will produce a solution.  So , therefore, we should go ahead with new nuclear power.

Now I ask you?  Does that make sense to you? – Christina Macpherson

March 5, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Did you know about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s “Waste Confidence Rule”?

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

I can hardly believe what I read (in the post immediately below this).  Can it be true that the USA’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission can proceed to make policy on nuclear waste according to an act of faith?

a “predictive” safety “finding” that simply stipulates spent reactor fuel can be disposed of safely at some unspecified time in the future, whenever it becomes “necessary” to dispose of it.

This is like the Catholic Church’s dogmas.  You gotta believe it, because the Pope said it.

You gotta believe that a safe disposal  of radioactive nuclear waste will be devised – so whoopee – go ahead with more nukes!

This also reinforces the fact that the NRC has no idea what to do with the wastes

February 24, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Nuclear politics and propaganda in USA this week

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Christina Macpherson As a non American, I often puzzle over President Barack Obama’s statements and actions – especially his latest pronouncement of nuclear energy as “clean”, when we all know that it’s dirty.

However, many non Americans must be coming to realise the strange state of USA politics. With a Democrat controlled Senate, and a Republican controlled Congress – well, America could be facing an endless stalemate.

Somehow, some Republicans think it is their job to stop anything Obama does, regardless of whether Obama’s action is good or bad.

So – Obama is twisting around, and in the process, alas, twisting the meaning of words like “clean”, in a effort to get through this illogical opposition, and to actually get American politicians to work together.  It is painful to watch –  but it might just work.

Today’s posts include an article along those lines Renewable Energy a Priority in President Obama’s State of the Union Address – Business News – Energy Digital

Also included is some information on Patrick Moore, co-chairman of the pro-nuclear “Clean & Safe Energy Coalition. “, and paid salesman for the nuclear industry. Moore was at Plant Vogtle this week, trying to drum up public support for a proposed  new nuclear plant.

January 27, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

America’s expensive nuclear white elephant

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

With the title “Blue Ribbon Commission for America’s Nuclear Future”, it is pretty clear that President Obama’s expensive touring panel to “find a solution to nuclear wastes” is a waste of tax-payers’ money.

Wedded as they are to promoting nuclear energy,  the panel has e an obvious, not a vested, interest in producing more nuclear waste.  Hardly an encouraging outlook, as still there is no known way of getting rid of the existing wastes.

January 6, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Warts and all, perhaps USA should be congratulated about nuclear issues?

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Yeah – I know that USA media is full of pro nuclear government and corporate spin .

But – at least the USA talks about nuclear issues.  Today, I’m fascinated that Massachusetts is giving citizens a calendar about what to do in  a nuclear emergency.  Never mind that it all wouldn’t really work –  the point is that Americans even bother to raise the subject.

Other countries don’t seem to.  China is the biggest worry. Notorious now for its secrecy, bureaucratic corruption, discrimination against ethnic rural minorities –  China now propses to reprocess nuclear fuel for a battery of new nuclear reactors.  Do they care about the effects of the wastes – wherever they dump them? Do they care about proliferation risks?

At least the USA tries.  But they’re going to need to try harder, all the same. This pathetic new Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future – still promoting new nuclear when they’ve no idea what to do with the wastes!

A dream for 2011  – that USA media has the guts to  faces up to the reality of the nuclear problem – and move beyond government and corporate media releases.- Christina Macpherson

January 4, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

USA’ Blue Ribbon Commission on Nuclear Wastes – stupid or what?

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You gotta have a little laugh at the way they do the nuclear thing in the USA.

USA has more nuclear reactors than anybody, also more nuclear weapons, and as a result – more radioactive wastes.  All over the place. The federal government has been getting sued by States – for not disposing of the old wastes.

Yet – USA keeps on making new nuclear wastes – from its increasingly aging, dangerous and decrepit nuclear terrorism targets (correction – I mean nuclear energy plants).

Blind Freddy could tell that the thing to do is to STOP MAKING THE STUFF.  But – what does the USA government do, when setting up a grand panel to find out what to do with its EXISTING mountains of waste?

Do they consider the option of just shutting down the industry, and not making any new radioactive wastes? Oh no –  they title the new gee whiz panel –  the Blue Ribbon Commission for America’s Nuclear Future? Optimism?  or just plain stupidity?  Or – in the pockets of the  nuclear lobby?

January 2, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

US sues BP for $billions, while protecting nuclear corporations from liability in India

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Ethics and justice – out the door, as far as India is concerned, say the Western great powers. Nuclear corporations of  USA, France, Russia are all scrambling to flog their nuclear reactors to India.  But they want to be sure that they won’t have to pay up, if nuclear disaster happens.

The USA government is busily suing BP for the recent gulf oil spill –  for $20 billion.  Yeah, if a British-based corporation  does harm to USA interests, well, it’s only fair and ethical to make the corporation pay up.

And of course, an American company – Union Carbide, didn’t t have to pay up for the Bhopal gas disaster in India.  (After all, it was only Indian people who suffered)

India, having experienced the worst corporation-caused environmental event in history  – the Bhopal gas catastrophe, has come up with a law to indemnify nuclear corporations if their reactor is the cause of accident  –  the Nuclear Liability Law.

USA etc are out to wreck India’s nuclear Liability Law, at the same time as making BP pay up. Doesn’t the world notice these contradictions?

December 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment