Christina's notes « nuclear-news

Pro nuclear spin is getting funnier, and more tragic

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

It is probably the success of renewable energy and energy conservation, ( a success happening in local areas, rather than centrally, or government directed) that is causing a wave of panic in the global nuclear industry.

The result – a stream of jolly news about how low level radiation is good for you! About how Chernobyl is thriving, and we should all go there for our holidays!

And now – well, even a nuclear bomb attack is not such a worry any more! Older people will remember “Duck and cover” – what fun that was , too! (see the video at Nuclear attack survivable if you stay inside, U.S. government says | Posted | National Post)

But there were narks around then, too, in the 50s. Like Bertrand Russell, who pointed out that “the lucky few” would be those who were hit right in the centre by the nuclear bomb.

And there are narks around today – with scientifically thorough studies showing the long term effects of nuclear radiation, (not to mention the weapons, terrorism, and financially catastrophic risks of the nuclear industry and its mounting toxic wastes.) – Christina Macpherson

December 17, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

What IS wrong with education in America?

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The USA has just elected a majority of Republicans to their House of Representatives. Many were apparently swept up by the Tea Party movement, in a billionaire funded “peoples’ revolt”.

From outside USA, it seems incomprehensible that such a’ revolt’ could take place. With 10% unemployment, and many unable to pay mortgage debts – why on Earth would struggling people want to support policies that mean less taxes for the very wealthy, and less health care cover for the poorer citizens?

Are Americans, by and large, stupid? Or, more likely, is their education system failing very many of them, so that, in general knowledge, many are simply less well informed than citizens of other countries?

This is a worry when it comes to important issues – including global warming, and nuclear power. It seems that Americans are sitting ducks for the well-funded spin of polluting corporations. – Christina Macpherson, 3 Nov 2010

November 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, climate change, global warming | 1 Comment

Do you believe that aliens have deactivated US and UK nuclear missiles?

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Well, I don’t. But I wouldn’t rule out unidentified spying objects – could be the USA and UK spying on each other, for all I know.

Aliens have deactivated British and US nuclear missiles, say US military pilots Telegraph By Andy Bloxham 28 Sept, Aliens have landed, infiltrated British nuclear missile sites and deactivated the weapons, according to US military pilots. Continue reading →

September 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

In (muted) praise of USA

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

This website is so often showing the bad side of USA ‘s nuclear history and current affairs. And – it’s such a shame to see USA’s brilliant President Barack Obama kow towing to the nuclear lobby – even to the extent of not having the solar panels back on the White House.

BUT – I am reminded – by today’s news of THREE nuclear plant shut-downs in USA – that at least we get to hear of these incidents in the USA.

Do you think for a moment that Russia, China, France, even Britain – let the media know when there are incidents at nuclear installations?

Amidst the global nuclear lobby’s well funded hype about nuclear power’s “success’ – it’s a sobering thought that any negative economic news about nuclear just doesn’t get out, in most countries.

It might take a bit of hunting to find stuff, but at least USA has freedom of speech, freedom of the press. – Christina Macpherson

September 11, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, reactors, renewables, solar | Leave a comment

Germany, India, France, getting uncomfortable for the nuclear industry

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

The nuclear resuscitation could be falling apart faster than anticipated.

India has been the big hope for USA’s struggling nuclear salesman, Westinghouse and others. But its new Liability Bill does not give them the certainty from financial accountability – they wanted to never have to pay up, (just like Union Carbide didn’t have to pay up for the Bhopal gas disaster). They might have to pull out!

Germany – Angela Merkel’s government is on the line, as opposition grows within and without Germany, to the continuance of their old nuclear reactors. And the nuclear lobby so desperately wants to stomp on Germany’s success with renewable energy!

France – well, Areva’s and EDF’s the much touted new gee whiz nuclear reactors in Finland and France are becoming an embarrassment with their delays and soaring costs, and the UK is not too keen on their product either. And France was the poster boy for nuclear!

September 8, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, AREVA, EDF, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, renewable energy, Westinghouse | Leave a comment

Renewable energy in the news, more than nuclear

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Yes – I know this is supposed to be about nuclear news. But I can’t help noticing that all the interesting, forward-looking investment stuff is about clean energy, not dirty old nuclear.

Sure, the nuke lobby tries. They spruik about nuclear fusion (ridiculously costly and unproven), about Thorium (just as good or better, for nuclear weapons), about This New Generation design and That one.

The nuclear news is all about whether or not USA and Israel should bomb Iran. Tony Blair thinks so. But he was wrong before, wasn’t he, on Iraq? The Brits certainly think so. He can’t even market his book, without getting pelted with eggs, in the UK.

Then it’s all about USA, Russia, France, South Korea, desperately competing to sell nuke reactors to the Third World, ones they can’t even sell to their own people. Nuclear is becoming a bore. – Christina Macpherson

September 7, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, France, nuclear, nuclear costs, renewable energy, renewables | Leave a comment

Why the silence about floods and landslides in nuclear areas?

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Climate change is already having its impact in extreme weather conditions.

But nobody’s talking about the impact of these weather events on the nuclear industry.

Except for Russia, where government was forced to admit to (and to play down), the danger to its nuclear facilities, threatened by 400 wildfires.

What about the risks of flooding in nuclear powered Pakistan? What about flooding and mudslides in China’s Sichuan province, home of earthquakes and of nuclear waste dumps?

What about radioactive dust blowing around in the prolonged drought in uranium-mining Niger? Where is the mainstream media in all this?

Oh – I forgot – it’s not polite to talk about such things, not when our betters are trying so hard to sell nuclear power plants to everybody! – Christina Macpherson, 23 August 2010,

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Magnificent Nuclear Deception by France’s AREVA corporation

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Are Americans and Canadians really that stupid? Are they going to fall for AREVA’s deceptive sales strategy? The sales pitch is that nuclear power is clean, green and economic. All grand lies.

I suppose that France’s AREVA had to think up such a confidence trick – faced with the ruthless success of South Korea’s KEPCO in selling its wares to the Arabs, and USA’s Westinghouse pitching nuclear to India.

So – AREVA came up with the con trick of the “Clean Energy Park” – combining nuclear reactors with renewable energy generation. Not only does this pretend that nuclear energy is clean, – it also carries a threat – no nuclear, no renewable energy. What a toxic marriage!

Still judging from the actions of the USA government in funding AREVA’s uranium enrichment – Americans and perhaps Canadians, too, ARE that stupid.

July 9, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, AREVA, France, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, reactors, renewable energy, renewables, solar, uranium, wind | Leave a comment

Coastal nuclear plants endangered by sea level rise, and oil spills

the NUCLEAR INDUSTRY and CLIMATE CHANGE – our focus for July 2010

NUCLEAR POWER and SEA LEVEL RISE – All reactors on sea coasts endangered by sea level rise

They are also endangered by accidents such as OIL SPILLS, which can affect their cooling safety sytems

July 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, climate change, global warming, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium, water | 1 Comment

Climate Change is Real, but Nuclear Power is Not the Answer

Time is running out for the expensive, dangerous, dirty, nuclear power industry. The nuclear lobby’s desperate propaganda is that the industry is clean, and is a solution to global warming. That is a lie.

June 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, climate change, global warming, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, reactors, uranium | 1 Comment

Radioactive wastes are produced at all stages of the nuclear fuel cycle

The NUCLEAR INDUSTRY and the GLOBAL NUCLEAR WASTE PROBLEM – our theme for June 2010

June 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

At least the USA TALKS about nuclear wastes!

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

This website might well give the impression that it is anti-American, anti-British etc, – especially on the subject of nuclear wastes.

But – spare a thought for those two countries. At least the nuclear waste subject is RAISED there. (That’s how we can publish it)

Very hard to get a few lines about Russia’s nuclear wastes.

As for China, France and also a few other countries (India, Korea, European states , Israel...) – well there’s nary a word about their nuclear wastes! What do they do with radioactive wastes? It’s a worry. And it seems to me to be complete lunacy for countries like Australia to piously claim safety policy, while selling uranium to such countries.

June 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear renaissance, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, reactors | Leave a comment

Nuclear Non-Proliferation not solved, nor is Nuclear Waste

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

As the May Nuclear Non Proliferation conference ends, the nuclear industry and President Obama continue to use this story as a selling point for the “peaceful” nuclear industry. And for June, perhaps the critical issue is – how to convince the world that nuclear wastes are OK, that this problem is solved, – when it’s not!

Other selling points are emerging now – perhaps a sign of the desperation of the industry?

There’s a push to use a nuclear bomb as a cure for the oil spill – based on Russian experience – for goodness’ sake! Who in their right mind would trust the Russian history of things nuclear?

Then there’s the push for little reactors, thorium reactors, instead of uranium-fuelled reactors. Anything to look as though the nuclear industry is forging on. But it’s not – except for nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, despite all the propaganda, and lack of real government incentives, renewable energy technologies are forging on.

June 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, disarmament, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear renaissance, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, reactors, renewable energy, renewables | 8 Comments

Nuclear wastes, like diamonds, are forever

THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY AND RADIOACTIVE WASTES – our theme for June 2010. “The question whether one generation of men has a right to bind another, seems never to have been started either on this or our side of the water. Yet it is a question of such consequences as not only to merit decision, but place also, among the fundamental principles of every government.” – Thomas Jefferson, September 6, 1789

Half-life is the period of time it takes for a radioisotope atom to degrade to a state having half of its original intensity

As you can see the continued production, use, and dumping of such waste materials as depleted uranium and plutonium, into the world’s air, land, and water leaves a permanent problem for our children, grandchildren. great-grand-children ….

May 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, depleted, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear renaissance, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, nuclear weapons, plutonium, radioactive, reprocessing, uranium, wastes, water | Leave a comment

Women at the forefront of the Anti-Nuclear Movement

Women and Nuclear Power, Nuclear Weapons – our theme for May 2010

When it comes to opposing nuclear power, the toughest and most active and conspicuous resistance has been among women.

If women had been asked if nuclear power should be used for energy production or if nuclear weapons should be produced there would hardly be any nuclear power stations in the world and no nuclear weapons. Women represent half of humanity. Our voice must be heard! – Ulla Klötzer, WISE – Nuclear issues information service

May 8, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | 2 Comments