ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

It is good to see that defending civil liberties and First Amendment rights is now considered "liberal".

From his bio:
http://talk-radio.20m.com/gene_burns.html
A staunch Libertarian and defender of First Amendment rights, Gene Burns consistently appears on Talkers Magazine's list of the "100 Most Influential People in Talk Radio." To keep his show timely, Burns reads seven newspapers every day along with countless books and magazines. Industry observers say a key reason for Burns' popularity is his knack for rubbing listeners of all political persuasions the wrong way.

Brian, honestly i learned at least three VERY interesting and valuable things about radio just from your post!

Radio good. Fission bad.

Isn’t it time we forgot about nuclear power? Informed capitalists have. Politicians and pundits should too. After more than half a century of devoted effort and a half-trillion dollars of public subsidies, nuclear power still can’t make its way in the market. If we accept that unequivocal verdict, we can at last get on with the best buys first: proven and ample ways to save more carbon per dollar, faster, more surely, more securely, and with wider consensus. As often before, the biggest key to a sound climate and security strategy is to take market economics seriously.
http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid467.php

Ten myths about nuclear power
‘It's dangerous, wasteful and too expensive!’ Greens are busily putting the case against nuclear, but there is not a spark of truth in their arguments.

http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/4259/

Here are some excerpts from the July 24, 2008 Beyond Nuclear Bulletin. (Sorry it's still a little long. Took me half hour to edit this.)

The nuclear power industry has been the most heavily subsidized in the energy sector over the past 50 years.

Amory Lovins (Hunter Lovins spoke in Ojai last year)at Rocky Mountain Institute estimates the total giveaways to nuclear power at half a trillion dollars.

During this year’s behind-closed-doors negotiations about climate change legislation, pro-nuclear U.S. Senators sought to secure hundreds of billions of dollars in further taxpayer support. Although the climate bill was blocked by a Republican filibuster, the first Republican amendment would have been to secure these nuclear power subsidies.

The nuclear power industry’s army of lobbyists is busy even now laying the groundwork for securing these billion dollar boondoggles in future bills.

Despite nuclear receiving the lion’s share of subsidies – and renewable energy mere crumbs – wind power is currently half as expensive as nuclear power, and solar power is becoming cost competitive with new nuclear reactors.

Lovins calculates that efficiency is seven to ten times more cost effective than nuclear power at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

To compensate for decades of unequal subsidization, cost-effective energy solutions like renewables and efficiency should now be generously supported.

(Part Two to follow)

Brian, if you read this, I admit I'm not an expert on this topic but am reporting on items that I find critical Life on Earth.

In March, 2005, I heard Helen Caldicott, M.D., speak at the Ojai Art Center on "The Medical Hazards of the Nuclear Age." She is president of the Nuclear Policy Research Institute, Founder of Physicians for Social Responsibility and author of numerous books, including, "Missile Envy," "Nuclear Madness," and "If You Love this Planet."

Here's the article: The French Nuclear Medusa

Beyond Nuclear’s Linda Gunter has just returned from a fact-finding mission in France where she also spoke at a rally of 5,000 demonstrators in Paris on July 12 calling for a nuclear-free world.

During Linda’s visit, there were coincidentally – but not inappropriately – two accidents at nuclear sites both operated by Areva. Although the company tried hard to downplay the accidents, they represented a serious black eye for an industry anxious to hide its ugly under-belly from public view.

When uranium leaked into the groundwater at Areva’s enormous multi-complex nuclear site – Tricastin – in southern France, operated by its subsidiary, Socatri, residents were rightly perturbed. It took more than 12 hours after the accident before the public was told not to bathe in or drink the water.

The ban lasted two weeks during which frightened residents began to file suit – not only because of the unacceptable health risks they endured but also because their agricultural livelihoods were destroyed and the value of their homes rendered negligible.

Testing by an independent French radiological lab found the presence of isotopes that likely leaked at an earlier date from the site’s nuclear weapons installation, casting doubt on the safety of the groundwater at all French nuclear facilities.

The lab condemned the authorities for their delay in safeguarding the health of residents. After a second leak at a different nuclear facility in the area the same week, Areva chief, the Cheshire Cat-grinning Anne Lauvergeon, paid a visit to the community and assured the press and public there was no danger while bemoaning the fact that her company’s “transparency’” had led people to be unnecessarily afraid!

However, since then, authorities have admitted that at least 100 workers at the Tricastin site were “slightly contaminated.”

All of this occurred at the same moment that French president and nuclear salesman par excellence – Nicolas Sarkozy – took over the presidency of the European Parliament. He is expected to use his six-month term to heavily promote nuclear energy to his European partners.

http://www.alternet.org/environment/91198/?page=entire