Honeymoon uranium mine ‘not economic’ says Mitsui trading company
Mitsui pulls out of Honeymoon mine, BY: BARRY FITZGERALD The Australian May 10, 2012 JAPANESE
trading house Mitsui is pulling out of Australia’s newest uranium mine, the 340 tonnes a year Honeymoon operation in South Australia’s outback….. Mitsui took up its stake in Honeymoon in 2008. It was a first for the trading house, adding uranium to its better known portfolio of oil, coal and global liquefied natural gas interests.
Honeymoon started production in 2010 after expenditure of $138 million, with Mitsui’s entry cost being a $104m contribution to the capital cost. Its annual production makes it the smallest of Australia’s uranium mines behind ERA’s Ranger mine in Kakadu, BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam in South Australia and Heathgate’s Beverley
mine in South Australia.
Mitsui’s exit follows the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami, which led to meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. But a Mitsui spokesman said the decision to exit Honeymoon was not directly related to the Fukushima tragedy.
Mitsui “could not foresee sufficient economic return from the project”, he said.
USA’s Heartland Institute, and Australia’s Institute of Public Affairs – attacking climate science
The chimerical construction of an ideologically-driven topsy-turvy reality by Heartland and its Australian equivalent, the IPA, is neither new nor surprising.
As the evidence for climate change continues to pile up, and as the frequency of severe weather events continues to sky-rocket, we can therefore be fairly certain that climate denial will take ever more scurrilous forms.
Are Heartland billboards the beginning of the end for climate denial? The Conversation, Stephan Lewandowsky 7 May 2012, The inversion of reality and morality has been a long-standing attribute of the climate “debate,” which reached a new watershed low a few days ago with the latest travesty from the Heartland Institute, a Chicago “think” tank.
Heartland posted on its website that “the people who still believe in man-made global warming are mostly on the radical fringe of society. This is why the most prominent advocates of global warming aren’t scientists. They are murderers, tyrants, and madmen.” Continue reading
Japan’s nuclear reactors shut – but still costing money and electricity for safety
unfortunately it’s not so easy to completely mothball a nuclear plant. When they get too old to operate safely or get shut early due to disaster they still need to be propped up on life support, to manage the site cleanup, to manage their waste and to cool that waste.
The end of nuclear, CLIMATE SPECTATOR, Matthew Wright, 8 May 2012 “…….Japan is now operating completely nuclear free. We heard claims that Japan would have widespread blackouts through last summer (they didn’t) and that this will occur this summer (they will not).
Japan still continues to electrically heat its toilet seats, light the highest number of neon signs per capita in the world, and run their ubiquitous vending machines – despite repeated warnings of a possible power crunch by vested interests and government.
In fact we’ve heard these kind of nuclear dependency claims before and they’ve been wrong time and time again. Continue reading
Japanese public prefers energy restrictions: clear opposition to restarting nuclear power
the survey shows 61 percent of people in the Kinki region, which is expected to face the most serious power shortage, say they “can endure” such restrictions. Seventy-ninepercent of people in the Kanto region, which took sweeping energy-saving measures last summer, also say they can put up with restricted use of power. Meanwhile, more than 70 percent of peoplepolled elsewhere in the country say they can live with such restrictions…..
63% of Japanese citizens say ‘no’ to restarting of Oi nuclear reactors: Mainichi poll. 8 May 12, Sixty-three percent of Japanese people stand against reactivating two idled reactors at the Oi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture, and 74 percent say they “can endure” restricted use of electricity in the summer, a nationwide survey conducted by the Mainichi shows, suggesting that the general public is becoming increasingly in favor of breaking away from nuclear power generation. Continue reading
Radiation hotspots still there in North Eastern Japan’s schools
Japanese schools have radiation hotspots after nuclear disaster Chicago Tribune, May 7, 2012 TOKYO —
Schools in north-eastern Japan are suffering from radiation hotspots more than one year after reactor meltdowns at a nuclear power station, a media report said Monday. Continue reading
Ausdtralian govt likely to sneak Aboriginal Intervention laws through, while Budget dominates the news
Fears intervention laws will sneak through 9 News May 7 2012 By Lisa Martin Indigenous leaders fear the government will use the cover of the federal budget to rush through controversial laws to continue the Northern Territory intervention program. Continue reading
Stop Northern Territory aboriginal Intervention laws – Australia’s Catholic bishops tell Senate
Bishops slam NT intervention extension Big Pond News, May 07, 2012 Australia’s Catholic bishops have urged the Senate to block draft legislation to extend the Northern Territory intervention in Aboriginal communities.
Labor’s Stronger Futures draft laws are likely to clear the upper house with bipartisan support when federal parliament resumes this week. Continue reading
Australian farmers’ economics at risk by anti wind farm campaign
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/anti-wind-farm-blowhards-threaten-farm-incomes/story-e6frgd0x-1226350204905
Australian government and scientists refute climate denial propaganda to kids
The document appeared on the department’s website last Wednesday — along with a list of other trusted sources on climate science, including the CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology, the latest Australian Academy of Science report and the latest review from the Climate Commission.
Dept of Climate Change rebuts Plimer’s book for sceptic kids Crikey, by Amber Jamieson, 8 May 12 The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency have confirmed that the decision to commission and publish a document called Accurate Answers to Professor Plimer’s 101 Climate Change Science Questions was made in reaction to outrage from teachers and scientists about Ian Plimer’s climate sceptic book aimed at children. Continue reading
1.This month.
Zoom webinar – “Nuclear Winter: The Environmental Consequences of a Nuclear Exchange.”
April 7th at 11:30 am PST / 2:30 pm EST
Nuclear Winter: The Environmental Consequences of a Nuclear Exchange”
Join us for an informative webinar with renowned atmospheric scientist, Professor Brian Toon, as he discusses the environmental risks and global impacts of a nuclear war. Despite the potential damage caused by the blast from even small nuclear weapons, many countries continue to invest in and expand nuclear arsenals. Professor Toon will provide a scientific assessment of civilian fatalities, agricultural failures, climate concerns, and complications with food supply that would follow any international nuclear conflict. We need to plan how to prevent nuclear conflict and avoid catastrophe. Politicians and military planners must be made aware of global climate and agricultural complications that would ensue. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from, and engage in, this vital conversation
The Road to War brings a sharp focus to why it is not in Australia’s best interest to be dragged into a war with China which will almost inevitably go nuclear very quickly. The filmmaker has interviewed some of Australia’s senior foreign policy analysts who have vast experience behind them in analysing what really is going on here as the United States rattles its sabres with China. And sets us up to be its proxy, like the poor Ukranians have been fed into the Meatgrinder. So America can remain the Top Dog. The Road to War reveals how the United States through its spy base at Pine Gap and by stationing six nuclear capable B52 bombers in the Top End (without permission from the traditional owners) is making Australia a prime nuclear target if the current war of words suddenly melts down into full scale war.
The Road to War shows the implicit connection between Carbon emissions (the US military uses a whopping 70% of America’s annual petroleum to move its armies and vast War Machine around the globe to its 800+ military bases..but under a loophole wangled at Kyoto, the US military does not have to report its C02 annual emissions). The Road to War starts screening at selected cities and regional centres in March. See the trailer end for details.
Antinuclear 