Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Method in Obama’s madness- nuclear power just not viable?

Though the President’s critics on the left do not recognize a strategic move in the loan guarantees to new nuclear, there is very likely method in what seems madness. The nuclear industry proved in the 1970s and 1980s, to those who were paying attention, that it is not viable.

New Nuclear to be Hoist on its own Petard, RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD, February 23, 2010“…the phrase hoist with one’s own petard…means ‘to be harmed by one’s own plan to harm someone else’ or ‘to fall into one’s own trap’…” (Wikipedia)Announcements from the Obama administration of new financial support for the nuclear industry were met by declarations that the long-anticipated nuclear renaissance is finally at hand but the reality is quite different. There is a very real possibility that the President has just caught the nuclear industry in a trap of its own making. Continue reading

February 24, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , , | Leave a comment

Plan for U.S nuclear waste dump in Australia

No container will last 500,000 years. Oh and do we expect payment for looking after the stuff for that long?

OBAMA WILL SEND NUCLEAR WASTE TO AUSTRALIA Talking Headlines, by Bill Green, February 18th 2010 Strange that Obama is subsidising huge nuclear plants in Georgia while his government is panicking about nuclear waste. The country has been unable to contain it safely. The huge waste facilities in Washington State are leaking into the Columbia River. Continue reading

February 22, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy, politics international | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

U.S. nuclear energy future depends on solving waste problem

Nuclear energy can’t expand without a nuclear-waste site The Columbus Dispatch, February 21, 2010 “….No permanent place exists in the United States to store high-level radioactive waste. ………. the waste from the power plants already in operation just keeps piling up in temporary storage sites around the nation, which is not safe. Continue reading

February 22, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , , | Leave a comment

Dr Caldicott’s message on nuclear health dangers

”That’s the ace up the sleeve of the nuclear industry,” she says. ”It’s a silent, cryptogenic disease that doesn’t denote its origin. You have to do big epidemiological studies like the German study to find out what’s going on.”

Why nuclear energy struggles to get private sector funds Sydney Morning Herald , Paddy Manning, February 20, 2010

People have forgotten – a younger generation perhaps never knew – what is scary about nuclear energy.

Anti-nuclear campaigners such as Dr Helen Caldicott are routinely disparaged nowadays. A quick trawl through the clippings yields choice descriptors: “inane”, “hysteric”, “rabid”, “ageing”, “anti-nuclear messiah” and “warrior princess”. Continue reading

February 20, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, spinbuster | , , , , , | 3 Comments

Over 65 per cent of U.S. energy budget goes to nuclear military facilities

Nukes Aren’t the Answer, OpEdNews, Robert Alvarez 19 Feb 2010 “…………..- More than 65 percent of our energy budget covers military nuclear activities and the cleanup of weapons sites. It’s single largest expenditure maintains some 9,200 intact nuclear warheads. Continue reading

February 20, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear power rebirth in USA? Not likely

Obama’s Nuclear Option – Amy Goodman Truthdig 16 Feb 2010
“……….Obama’s publicly financed resuscitation of the nuclear power industry in the U.S. is bound to fail, another taxpayer bailout waiting to happen.Opponents of the plan, which includes a tripling of existing nuclear plant construction-loan guarantees to $54.5 billion, span the ideological spectrum. Continue reading

February 19, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , | Leave a comment

Radiation Exposure to Nuclear Plant Workers

The CNSC said the workers were exposed to alpha contamination, a dangerous form of radiation that, if breathed in or ingested, poses a risk of cancer.

(Canada) Nuclear watchdog investigates possible mass radiation exposure – The Globe and Mail  Martin Mittelstaedt  Feb. 16, 2010 As many as 217 workers involved in November incident at Ontario plant, according to filing from Nuclear Safety Commission Continue reading

February 18, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , | Leave a comment

Australia’s one nuclear reactor cited as a terrorist target

possible targets for bombings included the Lucas Heights nuclear facility.

Terrorism tools still missing, says judge Sydney Morning Herald MALCOLM BROWN February 16, 2010 A ”WIDE RANGE” of materials collected by conspirators in a terrorism case has not been recovered by authorities and may be used by others bent on terrorism offences, a Supreme Court judged has warned. Continue reading

February 17, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, safety | , , , , | Leave a comment

France’s nuclear tests: radioactive experiments on soldiers

French soldiers used as ‘nuclear guinea pigs’ The Age MICHEL MOUTOT February 17, 2010 – France used soldiers as guinea pigs in nuclear tests in the 1960s, deliberately exposing them to radiation from atomic blasts to test the effects, according to a report revealed on Tuesday. Continue reading

February 17, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , , | Leave a comment

Germany’s Environment Minister will shut down nuclear reactors

Environment minister stands firm on nuclear power plant closure  Deutsche Welle | 15.02.2010

Germany’s   environment minister has thrown his weight behind shutting down the country’s nuclear reactors. Continue reading

February 16, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , , | Leave a comment

800 Peaceful Protestors block UK nuclear site

(UK) 800 peaceful protestors block gates to Aldermaston nuclear site | Ekklesia 15 Feb 2010
Around 800 nonviolent protesters have succeeded in blocking access to the majority of gates at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston in Berkshire. Faith groups are playing a major role in the protests, which began at 7.00am this morning. Continue reading

February 16, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , | Leave a comment

International walks against nuclear weapons and nuclear power

Participants said similar walks have taken place or are planned in Europe and Australia — and they denounced the financial, environmental and societal costs of nuclear weapons and power.

Walk for nuclear free world

By John Huotari | john.huotari@oakridger.com
The Oak Ridger
Feb 15, 2010

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. —

Calling for an end to nuclear weapons and power, about 30 activists began a three-month peace walk on Saturday from the Y-12 National Security Complex to the United Nations in New York City. Continue reading

February 16, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Maralinga nuclear tests and the environment

areas of fused or ‘glazed’ sand are still contaminated with levels of plutonium which are of a high and dangerous level

The impact of nuclear testing on the Australian environment | Blog About All 16 Feb 2010 “………..As well as the tests at Monte Belle islands, between 1952 and 1963 the British government, with the agreement and support of Australia, carried out ‘major’ tests at two other sites on the Australian mainland at Emu Field and Maralinga in South Australia. Continue reading

February 16, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rudd Govt Betrays Australians on Nuclear Waste Dumping

The Australian Government, aided by an inert mainstream media, is lying and cheating Australians. Martin Ferguson and the Rudd Government pretend to change the Howard Government’s laws on nuclear waste, and pretend to have aboriginal support for the dumping of radioactive waste on aboriginal land in the Northern Territory.

Rudd Government, elected on the promise to over-turn discriminatory and anti-environment laws about radioactive waste, is now producing a new and worse version of those laws. (More about Martin Ferguson’s new Bill at.Bernard Keane – Crikey )

Australia is obligated to take back a small amount of radioactive waste from UK and France. That waste originated from the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney – and could perfectly well be stored there.  Or on Commonwealth land elsewhere in Australia.

February 15, 2010 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Northern Territory Intervention all about Uranium and Nuclear Waste Dumping

Stop the Intervention – Neil E Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement Inc – 9 February 2010 “I find the continuation of the racist NT Intervention by the Rudd Government disappointing.

I remind everyone that the Intervention is about access to Aboriginal land by business interests (mining) and the location of a dump for uranium waste.

SA, WA and Qld will not accept uranium waste so we are deluding ourselves the Intervention is anything but accessing Aboriginal land in the NT.

It has NOTHING to do with children.If it was about children, then the Intervention would have occurred elsewhere due to the undeniable fact that child abuse per capita is not as significant in the NT as it is in another State. NT is well down the pecking order.My question is why not have an Intervention in that State rather than the NT? The answer is simple. The Federal Govt does not have the Constitutional power to invade a State like it has in the NT.

Stop the Intervention – Neil E Gillespie, CEO, ALRM 9-2-10

February 12, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , , , | 3 Comments