Nuclear submarines, later nuclear weapons? – phallic symbols for Australian politicians
All those who sit in power – whether it’s in Tokyo or on Adelaide Avenue – seemingly can’t quite resist the temptation to hold their own firm, erect missiles. And this is the reality that lurks behind the submarine debate here in Australia.
And that is the whole point of the bigger submarines our politicians are determined to buy. They aren’t being designed for carrying nuclear missiles, of course, but they will be able to do so.
As Britons posture on nuclear needs, reflect on what is happening at home Canberra Times , Nicholas Stuart, 20 July 13 Imperial hubris dies hard. Britain still can’t quite get used to the idea that it is no longer ”Great”. This week five former Conservative and Labor defence ministers, together with their force’s chiefs, warned the country it must never, ever, abandon its own nuclear deterrent. Even though Australia remains the only country on which Britain has ever successfully detonated a bomb, a small and vociferous lobby group of apoplectic lords, sirs and doctors have joined bewhiskered admirals and fuming former military chiefs to demand and insist that Britain must never reduce its own independent fleet of nuclear submarines.
We are not talking about abandoning the bomb, mind you. The proposal on the table is simply to reduce the number of missile-carrying submarines to two, instead of four. A mere 96 nuclear-tipped warheads, instead of 192. The ability to utterly destroy a continent, rather than the world. And why?……… Continue reading
South Australian govt considers council rate charges for wind farms on private properties
Council rates bid for wind farm turbines on private property http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-19/council-rates-bid-for-wind-farm-turbines-on-private-property/4830326 Jul 19, 2013
Mr Parnell is on the committee and says farmers pay rates on infrastructure such as sheds, but multi-million-dollar wind farms are currently exempt as they are considered to be plant and equipment.
“A big part of the wind farm debate has been how we share the benefits of renewable energy, so one of the things we have to look at is how do we make sure the returns from wind farms are spread through the community?” he said.
“Rates is one way of doing it, community development funds is another way of doing it. “We’ll see at the end of the day which one the committee recommends.”
2000 Fukushima workers have increased risk of thyroid cancer, TEPCO says
Workers at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant see raised cancer risk http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/international/workers-at-japans-fukushima-nuclear-plant-see-raised-cancer-risk/article4931822.ece TOKYO, JULY 19: Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company said on Friday that 1,973 employees who were at the nuclear power plant damaged after a 2011 tsunami are facing a higher risk of thyroid cancer.
Workers at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station have estimated thyroid radiation doses exceeding 100 millisieverts, the widely accepted level for an increase in the risk of cancer, the company said.
They are to undergo annual ultrasonic thyroid examinations, it said.
Health tests were given to 19,592 workers — 3,290 Tokyo Electric employees and 16,302 employees of its affiliated companies.
They were involved in the struggle to bring the plant under control after the world’s worst nuclear crisis since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
The Fukushima plant suffered meltdowns at three of its six reactors after the earthquake and tsunami two years ago.
Solar Energy to be prominent at Melbourne All-Energy Australia Exhibition
Solar industry shines at All-Energy Australia http://ecogeneration.com.au/news/solar_industry_shines_at_all-energy_australia/082613/ Fri, 19 July 2013 Many of the world’s solar industry leaders have recognised the commercial advantages of attending Australia’s biggest clean and renewable energy show and are coming in record numbers.
All-Energy Australia 2013, now in its fifth year, has always had a healthy solar representation, and those figures are continuing to escalate. In 2012, of 4,700 people from 23 countries attending the free-to-delegate two-day multi-stream conference and exhibition, 2,200 were solar industry professionals.
Organisers expect that total to be exceeded at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on October 9–10 2013. Continue reading
Energy efficiency, renewable energy- World bank will fund these solutions to poverty
World Bank fights poverty with renewable energy, EcoSeed 19 Jul 2013 The World Bank is now promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy, limiting its financial support for coal-fired power plants so as to reduce poverty and build shared prosperity.
The World Bank released a paper back on July 16, titled “The Energy Sector Directions Paper,” which sets a principles-based course for the Bank Group’s work in the energy sector that will focus on expanding energy access and sustainable energy.
Based on the new course of the bank, the institution aims to expand access to energy, along with accelerating energy efficiency and renewable energy, Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 