WHAT HAPPENED AND IS HAPPENING AT THE CALHOUN NUCLEAR PLANT?

"The plant is still dry," "Everything is still safe."-Mike Jones, Senior Media Specialist 

Hmmm, not exactly reassuring. But, it's what you would expect from the PR person from the Omaha Public Power District. But, is the Obama administration being "transparent" with what is actually happening at the flooded nuclear plant?  The photo above is not reassuring either. Here is another take:

"A shocking report prepared by Russia’s Federal Atomic Energy Agency (FAAE) on information provided to them by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) states that the Obama regime has ordered a “total and complete” news blackout relating to any information regarding the near catastrophic meltdown of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant located in Nebraska.



According to this report, the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant suffered a “catastrophic loss of cooling” to one of its idle spent fuel rod pools on 7 June after this plant was deluged with water caused by the historic flooding of the Missouri River which resulted in a fire causing the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) to issue a “no-fly ban” over the area." -The Nation

While I am also skeptical of what the Russians might say about many things going on here in the U.S.A. The U.S. media seems to be very uncurious about what's going on at the Calhoun plant too. Especially since the disaster that happened in Fukishima Japan was caused by water. Oh well! Now back to the U.S. media coverage of Ms. Obama and "the girls" in South Africa.

 

OBAMA & THE BOMBS IN OUR BACKYARDS

I was an opponent of the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant back in the eighties.  I gathered research, had letters published in various publications, protested in front of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission building in Washington D.C. Even did an editorial reply on TV opposing the plant. Ironically, Just two days ago I burned a whole crate full of my research, newspaper clippings etc... in my fireplace. Got some nice BTU's to help heat the house out of them too. I did this because I have not looked at this stuff in years and decided I really did not need it anymore because the Shoreham nuclear plant was dead and gone and so was the crazy idea that nuclear power was really a good economical way to boil water in the corporate boardrooms of the power companies. Then President Obama came out with this idea:

"In a speech in Lanham, Md., Mr. Obama announced government approval of an $8.3 billion loan guarantee to help the Southern Company build two reactors in Burke County, Ga., near Augusta." -NY Times



Talk about corporate welfare! Hows that for "change" in Washington. The liberals should be livid about this subsidy. I am.  Of course it will mean a few jobs in building these plants but, we taxpayers will be on the hook for a lot of the money. So this is Obama's change idea? Excuse me while I spit. Because what he did not mention is this will be really helping the economy of Japan:

"these reactors were designed by Westinghouse, a subsidiary of Toshiba, and many major components will be fabricated abroad. And nuclear power is of limited use in offsetting oil imports."

But, the real reason I am so upset about this tax payer financed corporate welfare plan for new nuclear plants is that the Obama administration obviously has not read the MEMO:

"FBI headquarters has provided the following information to all field offices. During debriefings of an AL Qaeda senior operative, he stated there would (be) a second airline attack in the U.S. The attack was already planned and three individuals were on the ground in the U.S. The attack was already planned and three individuals were on the ground in the states recruiting non-Arabs to take part in the attack. The plan is to fly a commercial aircraft into a nuclear power plant to be chosen by the team on the ground. The plan including diverting the mission to any tall building if a military aircraft intercepts the plane."

Just like when Bin Laden and his pals turned U.S. airliners into cruise missles on 9/11 to be used against us. Al Queada has had plans in the works to use our nuclear plants as bombs in our backyards. If you think this idea is far fetched here is the money quote from KSM:

"I was responsible for surveillance needed to hit nuclear power plants that generate electricity in several U.S. states."- testimony of Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed  March 10, 2007

The question is has somebody picked up where KSM left off.

Nukes in the news again.

Yet another article talking about the comback for the nuclear power industry in today's Washington Post. The industry that brought you the most expensive way to boil water wants another chance. Just guess who they want to help pay for it? Hola sucker taxpayers! Here are some of the money quotes:

"The nuclear industry has been lobbying Congress to expand it to $50 billion or more. A Senate appropriations bill would remove the ceiling altogether. "

"For each nuclear plant seeking federal approval before the end of 2008, the act provides tax credits of up to $125 million for eight years, loan guarantees for up to 80 percent of a plant's cost, shared application costs and insurance that would cover the costs of regulatory delay.

Nuclear plants also receive other subsidies, including local tax breaks and limits on liability for catastrophic accidents. "

"Even if every plant could get loan guarantees for 80 percent of its cost, Crane said, projects would each require more than $1 billion in equity. "That's a lot of money at risk,"

Risk you say? Have anyone who is even thinking about a nuclear power comeback read the THE MEMO?

Nuclear Power is good for something.

As is usual I picked up the POLITICO and Hill newspapers in Union Station for my trip back to Long Island from Washington. There were ads in the papers including companies like Areva promoting the "wonders" of nuclear power. I guess energy legislation is coming up in congress soon. After skimming those papers I opened up my mail and found that I was somewhat richer thanks to the nuclear power industry. Let me explain.
Back in the 1980's I was opposed to the Shoreham Nuclear Power plant here on Long Island. It really awakened my activism and involvement in politics. I did the usual things like attending rallies, wrote letters to the editors, visited my elected officials. but, I thought something was missing. That was taking my personal message to the LILCO (the utility building the nuke plant) directly. So I bought shares of stock in the company. I just did not buy one share just so I could speak at the shareholders meeting. I think people who do that get dismissed easily by the audience and the media. Lucky for me that the stock price was low and over a pretty short time I was able to buy several hundred shares. I spoke at the LILCO shareholders meeting the following year and armed with my research and statistics asked a question of the CEO about the plans for electric production when the Shoreham plant was shutdown for maintenance or an extensive outage. He could not answer it. I still remember the stunned silence from the audience of stockholders as the executive fumbled for an answer. Moving forward the Shoreham Nuclear plant never opened. LILCO became a public power utility it's gas operations were sold to KEYSPAN which was then sold recently to NATIONAL GRID. My low priced shares were finally sold to National Grid for forty two dollars a share (and had been paying dividends for several years before that to boot) When I deposit the check I feel the final cord will have been cut between me and my opposition to the Shoreham plant. But, I am still continuing to cut the cord between me and the utility companies. I keep moving forward in my own personal energy plan for Rancho de BCP aka my house. Thanks to advances in conservation and my solar additions to my house I am getting closer energy independence all the time. Meanwhile, the nuclear industry is pushing for a revival of nuclear plants. Part of me is laughing all the way to the bank. But, another part of me is ready to take them on again because unlike most other Americans and the mainstream media I HAVE READ THE MEMO!

60 Minutes and nuclear bombs in our backyard

The 60 Minutes program on CBS had a puff piece on nuclear power plants last night. The report might had the look of a PR spot for the nuclear industry and the producers ignored a few things. Like this:

"I was responsible for surveillance needed to hit nuclear power plants that generate electricity in several U.S. states."- testimony of Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed March 10, 2007

They even ignored this memo here is the money quote:
"FBI headquarters has provided the following information to all field offices. During debriefings of an al Qaeda senior operative, he stated there would (be) a second airline attack in the U.S. The attack was already planned and three individuals were on the ground in the U.S. The attack was already planned and three individuals were on the ground in the states recruiting non-Arabs to take part in the attack. The plan is to fly a commercial aircraft into a nuclear power plant to be chosen by the team on the ground. "

It seems in the rush to promote the "virtues" of nuclear power 60 minutes forgot to mention that they are looked at as bombs in our backyard by the terrorists.

The bombs in our backyards!

"We believe in nuclear power. "

-Remarks by the President Bush at the National Republican Congressional
Committee Dinner Washington Hilton Hotel 3/15/07 Washington, D.C

.

"I was responsible for surveillance needed to hit nuclear power plants that generate electricity in several U.S. states."

- testimony of Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed

March 10, 2007