Christina's notes « nuclear-news

“Peaceful Nuclear Power” – it’s an oxymoron

Harmonious relationships between people and nations cannot survive in a nuclear power society, with its atmosphere of secrecy, surveillance , suspicion, fear, and ever-present real danger. Nuclear Power and Peace – our theme for April 2010

March 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, Christina's notes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, peace, peaceful | Leave a comment

The hypocrisy of Australia selling uranium to Russia

It’s amazing, the way that elected leaders can just go back on the promises that got them elected in the first place. Australia, as a federal government, and states like South Australia, have this wonderful ability.

When it comes to helping their corporate overlords to make very many fast bucks, Kevin Rudd’s Australian government has no problem in ditching their own inquiry about selling uranium to Russia.

Just as Russia goes ahead promoting Iran’s nuclear power, and Kevin Rudd has the gall to continue to pose as a world leader in nuclear disarmament.

March 19, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Nuclear Colonialism: Selling nukes to India, etc

It’s a sad thing, that with all their energy and intelligence, the “developing world”, the “Third World” seem intent on copying the “First” and “Second” worlds, no matter whether this is a good idea or not.

So – the “First” and “Second ” worlds – (Britain, Europe – USA, Canada, Australia) – found out how bad cigarettes, asbestos and nuclear power are. So – what do they do? Now sell them to the Third World.

Colonialism all over again!

March 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, AREVA, cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

Governments seriously pursue nuclear power despite unsolved waste problem!

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

The response below should be widely read. It is relevant for all places where new nuclear projects are planned, (as well as where longer life for aging reactors is planned.)

As a simple member of the “peasantry” “the great unwashed”, the “hoi polloi”, I am puzzled that the Experts and the Powers That Be – anywhere, can seriously contemplate going ahead with this new nuclear charade.

I fear that their inability to deal with existing nuclear waste is somehow propelling them into making more of the stuff – just so that future generations will have to cope with the problem, – as if, somehow, that gets today’s leaders off the hook, for now.

I know that this is weird and twisted logic – but IS IT THEIR LOGIC, anyway?

January 25, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes, politics, UK, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Anxiety as the Western world losing dominance of the nuclear industry

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

First and Second World countries are starting to look better, when compared with what is coming.

With very dubious safety and occupational health regulations, and with a big lack of transparency, South Korea embarks on a nuclear sales program to the Middle East.

China and India enthusiastically aim for nuclear power – also both with dubious safety, and secrecy.

Nuclear opponents have become accustomed to criticising France, UK, USA, Russia, Japan, Israel. But these First and Second World countries are starting to look better, when compared with what is coming.

For the U.S.A. and U.K. we have a chance of learning through free media about nuclear incidents. And possibly even for France. Not so sure about Russia. But at least they’ve all had experience of this so very dangerous industry. But for China, and the Asian and Middle East nations there’s likely to be an unhealthy combination of inexperience and news censorship.

Now we have countries with little experience or expertise and with dubious or no oversight of plants and of waste dumps, or uranium mines. And – countries that purport to want only ‘peaceful’ nuke power, Yet with obvious other power resources – e.g. Saudi Arabia, why would they want nukes? The answer that springs to mind is – for nuclear weapons.

And nuke weapons are not the only worry. How vulnerable are these “non-Western” nukes to accident, theft of plutonium, terrorism, and response to mistaken attack?

January 20, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes, politics international | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, reactor, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Nuclear disarmament nonsense

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Now really – does this make any sense to you? The International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament offers this change to a “no first use” policy – encouraging countries to make an initial statement to this effect – “the sole purpose of the possession of nuclear weapons is to deter the use of such weapons – “

This kind of stuff from world leaders shows us, as does Copenhagen, that we really can’t expect much sense from them. Let’s not feel too unkindly about well-meaning individuals such as Obama Barack, and Australia’s Kevin Rudd. They are, as Ralph Nader explained recently – “corporate prisoners”

December 16, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes, weapons and war | antinuclear, Copenhagen, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Why don’t they count radioactive wastes in nuclear costing?

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

In today’s news we learn that the USA’s existing nuclear wastes could cost $225 billion. Of course, the government is up for these costs, not the nuclear industry. So somehow – well, then, the pretty well eternal waste storage and security is not part of the costing for nuclear power!

That’s a pretty nice bit of sleight of hand, isn’t it? But the non-democracies do it even better. Nobody has any idea what are the real costs of France, Russia, China’s nuclear wastes, nor who actually ends up paying for them.

December 10, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Christina's notes | antinuclear, France, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radioactive, uranium, wastes | Leave a comment

Time we all woke up to the pro-nuclear con!

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

On today’s page I include an article on India and the planned nuclear reactors there. I was struck by the fact that it will be a “multi-billion dollar market to American firms” . But, at the same time, those firms want to make sure that the Indian government (i.e the Indian taxpayer) will pay for any “industrial accident”. (Quote ‘ India’s multi-billion-dollar nuclear market to American firms. US firms already worry over delays such as writing a new Indian law to limit US firms’ liability in case of an industrial accident’)

The nuclear industry wants the money – but not the responsibility. They must think that the danger is important, to be concerning themselves so much about such liability. Yet at the same time, they’ll tell us all that the industry is so very safe.

Do we take note of these contradictions? Is this a new and so much more sophisticated version of Western colonial oppression?

December 9, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes, India, spinbuster | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, radiation, radioactive | 2 Comments

The GNEP and the myth of ‘clean’ nuclear power

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Could it be that the nuclear powers are in so deep that they just don’t know how to get out? Despite the cost, despite the mounting unsolved waste problem, despite the countries seeking nuclear weapons, the Big Powers forge on with the myths of “clean” “cheap”, “climate friendly” nuclear power.

From the statement of Gordon Brown, and the US China joint statement (both quoted below) it looks as if the myths will continue to be perpetrated, and that even the failed idea of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership might get a re-run.

November 18, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Grand global hogwash about nuclear power

‘We can lead construction of a new global order’ Public service.co.uk November 17, 2009 The UK can shape the world of the future by leading in global co-operation, the Prime Minister said in his annual speech on foreign policy at the Lord Mayor’s banquet. Gordon Brown – “………..Britain must continue to lead the renewal of a grand global bargain between nuclear weapon and non-nuclear weapon states. A fair and balanced deal in which non nuclear weapons states must accept clear responsibilities to end proliferation by renouncing nuclear weapons in return for the right to access civil nuclear power;…..

‘We can lead construction of a new global order’ – Public Service

November 18, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, Christina's notes, spinbuster | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment