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Ionizing radiation and other problems with mammography

The first problem with mammograms is that they use
ionizing radiation at a relatively high dose, which in
and of itself can contribute to the development of
breast cancer. Mammograms expose your body to radiation
that can be 1,000 times greater than that from a chest
x-ray, which we know poses a cancer risk.
False Positives are Alarmingly Common
The second glaring problem with mammography is its unacceptably high rate of false positives. …

The Dangers of Mammography: Ionizing Radiation, blogtalkradio, Lea Yekutiel, 1 Nov 10, Dr. Mercola’s comments:Mammograms are often touted as a “life-saving” formof cancer screening, responsible for reducing breastcancer death rates by 15-25 percent. But this reportedbenefit is based on outdated studies done decades ago Continue reading

November 3, 2010 Posted by | 2 WORLD, health | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear industry stalled as now uneconomic

Seven reactor projects around the country have been deferred in the last few months…..Other companies have looked at the economics of building nuclear reactors and decided to wait. In September, Exelon, the largest nuclear operator in the United States, stepped back from a plan to build a twin-unit reactor plant in Texas…..

Economy puts brakes on nuclear reactor plans The Blade ~ Toledo Ohio October 31, 2010 A third reactor for this Maryland site is stalled by an impasse over funding.  — Just a few years ago, the economic prognosis for new nuclear reactors looked bright. The prospect of growing electricity demand…..and government loan guarantees prompted companies to tell the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that they wanted to build 28 reactors. Continue reading

November 1, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, USA | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear accident a greater danger than nuclear war

Barrasso’s Nuclear Idiocy, Wonk Room, 29 Oct 10, In a sane world, the the malfunction of a squadron of ICBMs would cause great alarm at the instability of the US maintaining so many irrelevant nuclear missiles on a hair trigger alert.

After all, the Cold War ended 20 years ago and the US has no peer nuclear threat. Yet, in the current reality-warped world of tea-party gripped America, the mechanical failure of a squadron of ICBMs has actually prompted demands for more nuclear weapons.

Last week, a mechanical failure caused the Air Force to lose control of 50 ICBMs. This is not the first incident of its kind; a few years ago a B-52 flew across the country with “hot” nuclear weapons aboard, unbeknownst to the pilots and crew. Also, throughout the nuclear age there have been a number of mechanical and human errors that have almost led to absolute catastrophe, making a nuclear accident in many ways a greater and more likely danger than nuclear war…….

October 29, 2010 Posted by | general | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Survey finds Cumbria site wrong for nuclear waste dump

Cumbria not suitable for nuclear waste repository: survey | TopNews United Kingdom, 30 Oct 10, The initial study into the possible dumping grounds for nuclear waste has suggested that West Cumbria is unsuitable for the purpose. However, is still in the running for providing the deep geologic storage of nuclear waste.The study conducted by the British Geological Survey ruled out a tract of land alongside the coast, ranging from St Bees Head to Maryport…….

The government is in search for an apt ‘dumping ground’ for the nuclear industry as there are plans for building more nuclear power stations on eight sites, which require deep geologicalstorage by 2040….Cumbria not suitable for nuclear waste repository: survey | TopNews United Kingdom

October 29, 2010 Posted by | UK, wastes | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Turkey’s govt suppresses peaceful anti-nuclear protest

The petition we tried to bring before the parliament was signed by 170,000 people. This is one of the proofs that the vast majority of people are against nuclear power”…….

(Turkey) Anti-Nuclear Protestors on Trial, Bianet, 29 Oct 10, Anti-nuclear protestors stand trial because of their protest actions against the agreement with Russia on a nuclear power station. Diken from Greenpeace criticized, “We are tried because we made use of our freedom of expression”.Erhan ÜSTÜNDAĞerhan@bianet.orgAnkara -29 October 2010, Continue reading

October 29, 2010 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, secrets,lies and civil liberties, Turkey | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Glitches in nuclear weapons systems are cause for alarm

“It is yet another indication of the risk associated with having these types of weapons around,”

Missile Mishap Revives Alarm Over Nuclear Arsenal, AOL News, Joseph Schuman, (Oct. 27) — Computer glitches, hardware failures and unexplained communication outages happen all the time. But when the affected systems control nuclear-armed missiles, it gets a little scary. Continue reading

October 29, 2010 Posted by | safety, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear industry framing German govt policy?

Opponents accuse the government of pandering to energy companies. Thursday’s Greenpeace banner accused Merkel’s party of shaping “policies for the nuclear industry.

Anti-nuclear protests in Berlin, Bloomberg, 29 Oct 10, BERLIN Greenpeace protesters have rappelled from the roof of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party headquarters and hung a massive anti-nuclear banner over the facade as parliament debates government plans to extend the lives of Germany’s nuclear power plants. Continue reading

October 29, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , | Leave a comment

California debate on nuclear power stacked by pro nuclear interests

the electric utilities are big campaign donors at the Capitol.

State panel to debate nuclear power Los Angeles Times, Patrick McGreevy, 27 Oct 10, “………..David Weisman of the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility complained that the hearing lineup appeared stacked in favor of those who support expanded nuclear power in California Continue reading

October 28, 2010 Posted by | spinbuster, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

U.S. ambassador sheds doubt on Bulgaria’s nuclear plant

Bulgaria: US Ambassador Questions Feasibility of Belene Nuclear Plant – Novinite.com – Sofia News Agency, 24 Oct 10, US Ambassador James Warlick has expressed misgivings about the feasibility of Bulgaria’s planned second nuclear plant at Belene.”There are two questions that Bulgaria must ask itself – if the Belene NPP is an economically feasible project, and, second, if it provides Bulgaria and the entire region with energy security. I am not sure that there are answers to these questions. We are talking about billions of leva here, and the decisions that will be made with respect to Belene will affect Bulgaria’s energy system for decades to come,” Warlick said on the Bulgarian National Radio Sunday……Bulgaria: US Ambassador Questions Feasibility of Belene Nuclear Plant – Novinite.com – Sofia News Agency

October 25, 2010 Posted by | Bulgaria, business and costs | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Even top nuclear officials now doubt the future of nuclear energy

Says Claude Mandil, head of atomic energy for the French ministry of industry, “If France is unable to solve this [nuclear waste] issue, I do not see how we can continue the nuclear program.”…The bottom line: Even some of its biggest users are now doubting the wisdom of continuing dependence on nuclear energy, while claims that the atom is one answer to global warming don’t hold water.

Thomas D. Elias: Pro-nuke arguments deeply flawed Colusa Sun-Herald, 22 Oct 10, “………despite its dependence on the atom, France has no more solved the problem of nuclear waste disposal than we have. Continue reading

October 22, 2010 Posted by | France, politics | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium enrichment plant for Ukraine

Ukraine plans to build uranium enrichment plant: Voice of Russia, 22 Oct 10, Ukraine plans to build it own uranium enrichment plant, President Viktor Yanukovich said during his working visit to the Kirovograd region of Ukraine.The agreement on the construction of the plant is expected to be signed on October 27, he said.The Kirovograd region of Ukraine is known for its Novokonstantinovskoye uranium field, which is the largest in Europe.Ukraine has four nuclear plants but so far it has been the Russian concern TVAL to supply fuel for them. Ukraine plans to build uranium enrichment plant: Voice of Russia

October 22, 2010 Posted by | technology, Ukraine, Uranium | , , | Leave a comment

India not giving in to U.S. pressure on Nuclear Liability Law

In the run-up to President Barack Obama’s visit here in November, the U.S. side is looking for substantive changes in the nuclear liability law…..American companies such as GE and Westinghouse insist they will be unable to supply nuclear equipment to India unless they are fully insulated from all liability claims in the event of an accident.

India resists U.S. pushback on nuclear liability, The Hindu , Siddharth Varadarajan, 22 Oct 10, No change in the Act is possible, government tells U.S. NEW DELHI: After initially trying to dilute the nuclear liability law at the draft stage to accommodate the concerns of American suppliers, the Manmohan Singh government has told the United States that the Act, as passed by Parliament, is final and that no changes in any of its provisions are possible. Continue reading

October 22, 2010 Posted by | India, politics international | , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear renaissance bubble losing its puff

the simple reality is that a nuclear renaissance in the U.S. will be impossible if new reactors remain too expensive to build and natural gas remains “dirt cheap” while renewable energy costs continue to decline and consumer demand remains on a downward spiral……

underestimated costs, ignored risks, political ballyhoo and prodigious but inadequate subsidies — now make clear that we are dealing not with a renaissance but with a bubble. The main remaining question is just how much taxpayer money will go into keeping it inflated.”

Reactor under microscope  South Maryland News, Constellation, officials working to keep CC3 project going, Oct. 20, 2010, By MEGHAN RUSSELL“.………..even if EDF agreed to take the project under its wing, many skeptics, like the Nuclear Information and Resource Service, doubt the conditions are right for a “nuclear renaissance” and believe Calvert Cliffs 3 was doomed from the start. Continue reading

October 20, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear corporations big squabble over Maryland project

E.D.F. and Constellation Step Up Nuclear Battle.  NYTimes.com, October 19, 2010,The romance is over for Électricité de France and the Constellation Energy Group, partners in a nuclear power joint venture. Their very public squabble was ostensibly set off by Constellation’s withdrawal of its application to the Energy Department for a loan guarantee for the Calvert Cliffs 3 nuclear project in Maryland…..

E.D.F. and Constellation Step Up Nuclear Battle – NYTimes.com

October 20, 2010 Posted by | general | , , , | Leave a comment

Another dead nuclear reactor problem – Hanford

The other cocooned reactors are being left in long-term storage for 75 years to let radioactivity decay to more-manageable levels.

Energy Department wants to remove Hanford reactor | Seattle Times Newspaper,The Associated Press Tri-City Herald.20 Oct 10, TRI-CITIES, Wash. —The Energy Department wants to tear down the K East Reactor at Hanford rather than cocooning it like five other old reactors on the nuclear reservation. Continue reading

October 19, 2010 Posted by | decommission reactor, USA | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment