One email; easy deleting; lotsa answers; Happy Hanukkah!!

[Norman Cohen <ncohen12@HOME.COM>]

Howdy radsafers,

Hope you had a good week! Answers and comments to your posts below:



To JP Andrews (Brits say no nukes): My response is not scientific, but

political - if more countries like Britain and Germany make it their

policy to invest in renewable and not nukes for future energy, the more

likely that

the cost of renewbles will come down.



To Bates Estabrooks: (wind kills birds): I can't quote the sources, but

I've read in the last couple of years about improvements to wind power

that lessens the killing of birds. I too, would not be in favor of mass

slaughter of birds, just like I;m not in favor of the nukes that

slaughter fish. Probably a check of the American Wind Association

website would have some answers to your concerns. As far as how

windmills look, I can live with that for the sake of clean energy. Noise

concerns should also abate as wind power becomes more sophisticated. And

anyway, if they are out in the Dakotas - no one lives there anyway! ;-)

--

  On your question about 'ecological' studies: Wouldn't you consider the

Tooth Fairy Project an "ecological study" by your defintion?



To John Flood (and the others who commented on Lochbaum): I agree that

the other side of Dave's report is that safety systems did work. And

that is, of course, a good thing. I do feel tho, that pro-nukers rely

too much on the 'defense in depth' concept, that there are enough layers

of protection to cover any mistakes. I think a survey of problemss at

nuke plants over the years would show that we've been darn lucky that

there has only been one TMI disaster. Lochbaum's book "Fission Stories"

(available from UNPLUG Salem for 10.00, shipping included) has numerous

accounts of close calls. I'd rather not continue to play "safety Russian

Roulette"

given that we have alternatives.

   As far as your complaints about Dave's report: remember that he's

UCS's "Nuclear Safety Engineer". It's his role to look for trends, to

look for declining safety margins, to look for violations of NRC rules.

These increases in serious aging-related safety problems, combined with

the 'bathtub curve' (which states that as nukes age more safety problems

occur) lead Lochbaum to conclude that safety margins are getting too

thin.

   Yes, in all the cases cited, back-ups, and safety systems worked. But

will they always?

   As far as "willful misconduct on the part of the NRC": one example

would be found in the NRC Inspector Generals report on Indian Point. ---



To Franz S.: Yes I know about Temelin. In fact, Frieda Berryhill, who is

well known as Delaware's oldest 'anti', has family living near Temelin,

and has done her part to shut that nuke down. NIRS is now part of WISE,

and so works world-wide. Thank you for the websites. As far as newspaper

articles, from the time I first joined radsafe, Sandy Perle has always

posted a daily review of newspaper articles. Franz, I don't recall that

you ever criticized him. Are newspaper articles OK, unless Norm posts

them?

   And Franz, thanks for discovering I have a sense of humor and for

calling that post about making 'anti' nukers into lab rats 'disgusting'.

There is no reasoon why we an't all communicate, be civil to each other,

and even crack a few jokes occasionally. And Franz, we do agree on

nuclear weapons, so I can't be all bad, can I?



To: Steve Frey (Norm's bluster): Steve, I've tried marketing my non-stop

bluster as an energy source, no takers yet. I'm looking for a way to

directly change bluster to electricity. Maybe you can help with the

theoretical details. ;-) ---



To Gerald Lahti & J Presig: (nuclear propulsion): I grew up in the 50's

and 60's on sci-fi writers liek Heinlein. I would love to see us reach

the stars. Heck, there's gotta be civilization somewhere out there! As

I've stated before, I support nuclear space ships.One of the problems

with our space program in the 60s/70s ws that we had no real goal once

we reached the moon. The space station should have been built 30 years

ago....Lets go to Mars! --



To Glen Vickers (chiding Ted's comments; risks): I appreciate your

attempt to keep things civil. I agree with you that zealots of any

stripe (including 'anti's) tend to lose perspective (and have zero sense

of humor). As far as risk, I've written about that before. My risk

tolerance to nukes is just very low. I respect your position on risk.



To Ken Jenkins (whats so dangerous about nukes?): Much of the 'dangers'

are threats, and risks; so the threat of a meltdown or a radiation

release, etc. Nukes do  IMHO, have a role in higher cancers and immune

system diseases (I knnow you'll disagree) around them, ala the TFP

studies; nukes do produce nuclear waste. --



To Joel Lazewatsky (lochbaum; airplanes; FAA): One difference between

FAA and NRC is that, when there

   is a problem, the FAA will require inspections/replacements of the

offending part, and would even be willing to ground an entire class of

airplane in order to preserve safety. Too often, NRC relies on 'defense

in depth',



To Kurt Bittner (fly to Mars to avoid Norms posts); Hey Kurt, whats the

matter, is your delete key broken?

         You can also use alt-f4 in many cases!  Have a nice flight.

Maybe I can send you radio messages! ;-)



To: Mark Sasser (all the nukes are safe; buy a bridge; kill baby seals):

Hey Mark, don't take your anger out on defenseless baby seals! I

understand that you've worked at many nukes and feel that they are

safe.I respect your opinion. But what this post was talking about was

specifically cracked reactor nozzles. This is a safety concern that the

NRC had to be dragged kicking and crying to get NRC to pay attention.

---





To: Jim Muckerheide (lochbaum rhetoric): When you say "aging management"

do you mean managing aging plants or do you mean that the management of

the plant is aging and thus is older and wiser? I hope you are correct,

that the industry continues to respond to aging problems. --



To Patricia Milligan (Long Island rejects wind): Yes, it is a problem

when rich people in their McMansions reject wind because it might not

look nice. Perhaps off-shore wind power is an alternative. --



To Sandy Perle (lochbaum): I don't think that Dave is demanding that all

nukes shut down because of aging. He is demanding that safety rules and

regs be followed. He is saying that as nueks age, that the chances for

failure are greater and thus require more attention.



To Mark Somerville (norm poking animals in a cage): Mark, does that mean

radsafers are animals in a cage? ;-)

   I'll gladly join your new committee. Gotta protect butterflies from

nukes!

    (on your side looking good): I certainly agree that you 'pro-nukers'

could do a better job on your PR. Heck, you pay NEI enough money! ----



OK boys and girls, have a great week!



Peace

Norm







Coalition for Peace and Justice and the UNPLUG Salem Campaign; 321 Barr

Ave., Linwood, NJ 08221; 609-601-8537 or 609-601-8583 (8583: fax, answer

machine);  ncohen12@home.com  UNPLUG SALEM WEBSITE:

http://www.unplugsalem.org/  COALITION FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE WEBSITE:

http:/www.coalitionforpeaceandjustice.org   The Coalition for Peace and

Justice is a chapter of Peace Action.

"First they ignore you; Then they laugh at you; Then they fight you;

Then you win. (Gandhi) "Why walk when you can fly?"  (Mary Chapin

Carpenter)





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