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The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry Fukushima Chernobyl Mayak Three Mile Island Atomic Testing Radiation Isotope

Nuclear foolishness: Bill Gates and his sci-fi reactors

these outlandish designs are extremely unlikely to be produced commercially and offer only another nuclear distraction from the far more urgent problem presented by climate change.

More sci-fi reactors Nuclear Reaction – 26 March 2010, It certainly seems a week for crazy nuclear inventions. Yesterday we had Bill Gates and his sci-fi reactor……The realities of the baseload myth and decentralized energy production seem to have finally occurred to nuclear boffins and they’re trying to catch up with the rest of us.

Unfortunately, just because you make a nuclear reactor smaller it doesn’t mean they don’t have the same problems as their larger cousins. Sometimes the problems are even worse. Continue reading

March 26, 2010 Posted by | climate change, USA | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

UK’s nuclear plants viable only with advance levy on customers

Budget 2010: Consumers face levy on energy bills to pay for nuclear plants The Guardian UK  25 March 2010 The government has officially confirmed plans for a new carbon levy on consumer bills which it hopes will make building new nuclear plants viable, as the Guardian revealed in October last year. Continue reading

March 26, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, UK | , , , | Leave a comment

Pakistan’s Mr Khan and the murky spead of nuclear technology

Pakistan judge delays ruling on nuclear scientist Google News (AP) – 25 March 2010, LAHORE, Pakistan — A judge on Wednesday delayed a ruling on a government petition aimed at questioning Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan over recent media reports that Islamabad arranged the transfer of nuclear technology to Iran, a lawyer said…..

Khan is regarded as the father of Pakistan’s nuclear program. He was detained in December 2003, and in early 2004 he admitted on television that he operated a network that spread nuclear weapons technology to North Korea, Libya and Iran…….

Khan is regarded by many Pakistanis as a hero for his key role in developing its nuclear weapons program. Government officials say he is kept under close watch for his own safety, but many analysts say the powerful military and intelligence agencies restrict his movement because they fear he may implicate them in past nuclear proliferation.

The Associated Press: Pakistan judge delays ruling on nuclear scientist

March 26, 2010 Posted by | Pakistan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | , , , , | Leave a comment

Tons of nuclear waste – $billions of cost to taxpayers

Nuclear Waste Piles Up, and It’s Costing Taxpayers Billions, 24 March 2010by: Mark Clayton | The Christian Science Monitor The Bush administration agreed to store nuclear waste from 21 new reactors. But the federal government still can’t meet its commitment to find permanent storage. Continue reading

March 26, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, USA | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Now U.S. taxpayer funds not only nuclear loans, but even the loans application!

Energy Department investing $45M for technology for southern Ohio uranium enrichment project, The Washinton Examiner, Associated Press03/24/10 EDTPIKETON, OHIO — The Department of Energy will invest $45 million in ongoing development and demonstration of centrifuge technology for a uranium-enrichment plant in southern Ohio.The department said Tuesday that it will provide the funding by taking title to depleted uranium from USEC Inc. The Bethesda, Md.-based company can then use the $45 million it set aside for uranium disposal. USEC also will provide $45 million in matching funds.

USEC says the demonstration and development work is needed to show progress to gain a $2 billion federal loan guarantee. The company says the guarantee is crucial to obtaining private financing to complete its American Centrifuge project in Piketon.The Energy Department last year delayed its final review of USEC’s loan guarantee application.Piketon is about 65 miles south of Columbus.

Energy Department investing $45M for technology for southern Ohio uranium enrichment project | Washington Examiner

March 25, 2010 Posted by | politics, USA | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ionising radiation’s long-term effects include heart disease and stroke

Correcting for other habits known to be associated with both conditions had no impact on their findings, suggesting that the radiation alone was responsible for their findings.

Survive the A-Bomb, Die Prematurely from Stroke and Heart Disease, Brain Blogger, March 24, 2010 | By T. A. McNamee, MD The survivors of the World War II atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki may have considered themselves lucky, at least at first. Shortly thereafter, however, those who didn’t die from radiation poisoning learned that the radiation from the bombings placed themselves and their children at increased risk of cancer. Now, they can add heart disease and stroke to their list of potential medical problems. Continue reading

March 25, 2010 Posted by | 2 WORLD, health | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear double-speak about peace

Nukes are “weapons of peace”, says Kakodkar Mumbai, fullstory Mar 19 (PTI) Nuclear weapons are “weapons of peace” which act as a deterrent, says former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar.

When India tested its nuclear bombs in 1974 and 1998, sanctions were imposed by many countries but for “us it became a real opportunity and our research and development today has reached a robust level” in some of the technologies, Kakodkar said at a function yesterday.

“The philosophical aspect of nuclear weapons can be peaceful and they act as a deterrent. So, I call them weapons of peace,” he said replying to questions posed by eminent science writer Bal Phondke and Dr A P Thatte, President of Vijnan Bharati, an NGO dedicated to science.

fullstory

March 25, 2010 Posted by | India, secrets,lies and civil liberties | , , , , | Leave a comment

Who guards the nuclear weapons lab guardians?

…the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) analysis which concluded that DOE needs more independent federal oversight, not less.

Mar 24, 2010The Problem with Providing Nuclear Weapons Labs with Relief from Federal Oversight, The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) Blog, Peter Stockton and Ingrid Drake, 25 March 2010, George Lobsenz’s article in yesterday’s issue of The Energy Daily correctly pointed out that the Department of Energy’s decision to provide the contractors who run the nuclear weapons labs with major relief from federal oversight was done “Without any prior public review or comment.” Continue reading

March 25, 2010 Posted by | safety, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Danger in providing nuclear technology to Pakistan

One cannot hand over nuclear power to a country so unpredictable.

Why Pakistan should not get a nuclear deal : Livemint.com Pradip Kumar Saha , March 24, 2010 “….Reports say the two countries [USA and Pakistan] could discuss a civil nuclear deal—nuclear power could help ease Pakistan’s energy woes at least. This has got India worried.There are several reasons why there should be no nuclear deal with Pakistan. Continue reading

March 25, 2010 Posted by | Pakistan, politics international | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Radiation effects: higher birth defects in Chernobyl area


Higher birth-defect rate seen in Chernobyl area NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Amy Norton Wed Mar 24, 2010
– Rates of certain birth defects appear higher than normal in one of the Ukraine regions most affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, according to a new study.The findings, reported in the journal Pediatrics, stand in contrast to a 2005 U.N. report stating that there is no evidence of an increased risk of birth defects or other reproductive effects in areas contaminated by radiation from the Chernobyl accident. Continue reading

March 25, 2010 Posted by | health, Ukraine | , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Disappearance of documents on secret nuclear deal

the country had for decades had a secret agreement with Washington that allowed U.S. nuclear-armed vessels to pass through the island nation’s territory

U.S.-Japan Nuke Agreement Papers Vanished, Ex-Official Says, NTI: Global Security Newswire March 22, 2010 A former high-level Japanese Foreign Ministry official told Tokyo lawmakers Friday that important papers that addressed the island nation’s secret nuclear agreement with the United States appear to have vanished, the Japan Times reported (see GSN, March 17). Continue reading

March 25, 2010 Posted by | Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | , , , , | Leave a comment

Desperate efforts to resuscitate the nuclear industry: why should taxpayers pay for this?

taxpayers shouldn’t have to offer billions in guarantees!

Nuclear Corporate Welfare, John Stossel, 23 March 2010, Today Energy Secretary Steven Chu took to the pages of the Wall Street Journal to sell his plans for more nuclear power:America is on the cusp of reviving its nuclear power industry.

Last month President Obama pledged more than $8 billion in conditional loan guarantees Continue reading

March 24, 2010 Posted by | general | , , , , | Leave a comment

Iraq’s babies pay the price of depleted uranium weapons

GENOCIDE BY DEPLETED URANIUM IN IRAQ Bruce Gagnon Monday, March 22, 2010 By Jalal Ghazi

Forget about oil, occupation, terrorism or even Al Qaeda. The real hazard for Iraqis these days is cancer. Cancer is spreading like wildfire in Iraq. Thousands of infants are being born with deformities. Doctors say they are struggling to cope with the rise of cancer and birth defects, especially in cities subjected to heavy American and British bombardment. Continue reading

March 24, 2010 Posted by | health, Iraq | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium mining companies flock like vultures to exploited Niger

Niger coup: Good for Tuareg rebels, bad for uranium investors,  The Christian Science Monitor 23 March 2010, The military junta announced it will audit all uranium exploration permits awarded before last month’s Niger coup. Evidence has emerged that the permits enriched the ousted president and devastated the Tuareg population……, foreign investors from China, Australia, South Africa, America, and Canada have flocked to the landlocked Saharan state. Continue reading

March 23, 2010 Posted by | environment, Niger | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Infant victims of depleted uranium weapons

VICTIMS OF URANIUM MUNITIONS USED BY THE US FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN: Creative-i /23 March 2010, Warning – Horrific Images aution: The images presented here are so horrific that it had me in tears just dealing with the ‘technics’ of uploading them. As with the Gaza victims file, I have left them off the Home Page. If you wish to view them click on the Continue Reading link. And I urge folks to do something about this, how can we stand aside? It is after all, being done in OUR name….. Continue reading

March 23, 2010 Posted by | Afghanistan, depleted uranium | , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment