OPPOSE INDIAN POINT RELICENSINGI've been blogging now for a period of around four years, my first blog if memory serves correctly was started over on Bravenet, though do not quote me on that. Boredom, causes not going anywhere, and a host of other reasons, including just life have seen many of these blogs abandoned, left along the the berm of the proverbial Internet Super Highway. What I've written about has never really attracted any major attention, absence a few compliments from some, disagreements from others, and the occasional angry poster. That is, until I started posting on the subject of Entergy's Indian Point Nuclear Reactor...my first posts on this topic were posted on the Congressman John Hall Blog. Indian Point, shutting it down was a cornerstone of the John Hall campaign...the blog was put up to track his career, to create a record, and to hold him as our elected official accountable to promises made on the campaign trail. Bringing my case, my thoughts on Indian Point out on this blog was/is the right thing to do.
Quietly, subtly, but almost immediately after posting about Indian Point on said blog, the attacks started...at first, comments left on the blog written in a kindly, articulate, albeit condescending manner, as if speaking down to an errant child. When it became clear I was not going to change my view of Indian Point specifically, and the entire nuclear industry as a whole, the comments took a decidedly nasty turn...I stopped giving them a second glance, deleting them for the garbage they were.
It was during my time working with John Hall's staff as a volunteer, that I started becoming MORE AWARE of just how severe the situation was at Indian Point. As the campaign waned, I turned my efforts to other of my blog projects, such as the Washington Scandal's blog, writing about illegal aliens, the Iraq War, even idiot politicians. However, Indian Point became personal too me, especially living a scant three miles from the plant, and with a wrong re licensing looming over my community, I began launching blogs targeted at this issue, positioning myself to be a part of the movement to close it down. Watching the goings on at other sites, such as Pilgrim and Vermont Yankee, it was obvious that the fix was in, that the NRC, DOE and the Nuclear Industry intended to grant re licensing regardless of the community's being forced to play host to reactors felt about the matter, regardless of any health and or environmental issues.
Several blogs were launched, each meant to serve a particular purpose, but the Green Nuclear Butterfly became the one that flew the farthest the fastest, became the primary vehicle for the cause I choose. I am not subtle, it is not my style. The attacks from the Pro-Nuclear side of the equation escalated, but I did not give it all that much thought...some hot headed nutcase looking to blow off a bit of steam after a night of drinking at the local bar. My blogs are set up with comment moderation...that is to say, that no comments go to the public blog until I have approved them. Comments comparing me to Hitler, suggesting I was a ANTI NUKE idiot all come with the territory...right? I ignored them, deleted them and kept writing.
Then, earlier this week, the attacks escalated greatly, and took on a far more sinister tone when I posted an article on Summer Rayne being prevalently present on the ETS Energy Store website...I pointed out that this GREEN STORE had as partners, one BGA Engineering who does work for Indian Point, and posed the question...should a GREEN super model, should a supposed GREEN STORE be associated with a company that is actively seeking work within such a NON GREEN industry as Nuclear, seeking work at a sight such as Indian Point. At almost this exact same time, I attended Congressman John Hall's send off party, asked him point blank with Channel 12's camera rolling what his intentions were, if he intended to keep his promise to oppose re licensing, keep his promise to work with the grassroots to shut down the aging, problem plagued Indian Point reactors with their structural design flaws, such as the cracks now forming/appearing in the domes of reactors 2 and 3. He is on record as stating he opposes the re licensing, on the record saying he will work to close it. One or both of these events obviously struck a serious nerve on the pro nuclear side of the battle, as the severity of the attacks against me show: http://hate-blog-watch.blogspot.com
This is the second such hate page put up against me this week. Both "out my wife", her place of employment (as if delivering a veiled threat of seeing her lose her job), her full name, and in this second hate page, our home address. Someone has decided to paint a target in the center of my forehead, but more importantly, someone has decided to attack my wife to get to me. My views are not her views, her place of employment has nothing to do with my political activism, yet they have chosen to OUT HER in an attempt to SHUT ME UP. This action is something that EVERY environmentalist out there should be concerned with, especially if you are in any way against the wrong sighted attempts of the DOE and NRC to rubber stamp the re licensing of 104 aging, problematic Nuclear Reactors. (They, NRC, have yet to vote down one single re licensing request by the Nuclear Industry.)
So as to be an OPEN BOOK myself:
1. YES, I have a political agenda...SO WHAT, so does every lobbyist, so does every company in America, including Entergy who has spent literally MILLIONS in trying to BUY FAVOR in Washington, DC...see the Open Secrets. Care to talk about the quarter of a billion that the National Chamber of Commerce has spent on lobbying our members of the Congress and Senate? You want to know why Washington refuses to deal with illegals, refuses to close the loop holes that allow companies to employ illegals, look right at that quarter of a billion dollars spent on OWNING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. Every one has an agenda, but that does not mean I or any one else should start attacking the spouses, children and extended family of those who have a different agenda than mine. Don't like my views, don't like my agenda, then A) do what you need to do to get your own AGENDA OUT, or B) present me with FACTS that prove me wrong in my thinking. Don't attack my wife, don't wrap kernels of truth in disparaging lies and fabricated untruths based on some errant speculation.
2. I opposed the re licensing of Indian Point, and other antiquated Nuclear Facilities. One of, but not the only reason why I supported John Hall's efforts to get elected, was his stand on Indian Point. On the campaign trail he made it clear to us, that he wanted to CLOSE DOWN INDIAN POINT, wanted to BRING OUR TROOPS HOME. Now, someone wants to accuse me of trying to coax, coerce and force him into being a shill for the ANTI NUKE movement? HELLO, he and his staff made him an ANTI NUKE, close down Indian Point candidate, it was a part of why he was elected. Governor Spitzer made similar promises, and now people such as myself are doing our best to make sure those promises ARE KEPT, not just campaign rhetoric. Congressman Maurice Hinchey, and members of his staff have stated their opposition to the re licensing of Indian Point...well, it's GAME TIME as the old expression goes, time to put up or shut up, and I'm not going to sit quietly waiting for people to do what they have promised to do. We want action, and WE DESERVE ACTION. By the way, so there is no question about my own beliefs...I think some of the staff selections that were made are pathetic...OH WELL, that's the way it goes...only time will tell if I views of some of these hiring choice are correct, or if I am wrong, and John Hall made the right decisions. From my perspective, too many of the staff choices SMACK of politics as usual, politics where getting re-elected supersede effecting true change inside Washington, and here in the district.
3. Like many people on the net who own blogs, I have more than one...not sure how many active ones I have, but the number is close to 20. Most are political blogs of one type or anther, though a few are more mundane. How many PAC's does Entergy have, how many PAC's does the nuclear industry have? How many PRO NUKE BLOGS are out there...I know of at least three directly associated with the nuke industry's lobbing arm, the NEI. GEE, what is the NEI trying to pull, what is THEIR AGENDA? Like many people, I also post under various PEN NAMES...most of the blogs out there do the same. Even Sue Kelly said you should not post your real name to the web, and she WAS A CONGRESSWOMAN. Does not take a rocket scientist though to figure out who I am, I've made no efforts to hide, have even posted emails owned by me on most of my blogs so people can contact me. Further, if you look at the bottom of many of my posts, it identifies Royce Penstinger, Porgie Tirebiter, and Pinto Bean as one and the same person.
4. My Congressman John Hall blog is NO SECRET, especially to the people in the inner circle of the John Hall campaign, and among members of his staff. I told them about it from almost day one, have even requested press credentials so that I could keep the blog up to date on what John Hall is doing. Yes, I have emails to members of John Hall's staff to verify this fact. If any one reads the first entries on said blog, it states very clearly that said blog is MY BLOG, and what it's purpose is. Agenda yes, HIDDEN AGENDA, absolutely not. The Internet gives the little guy, gives the average citizen a way to LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD...why should it be that only people and companies with DEEP POCKETS can gain access to Washington, make their own views heard?
5. Do I like John Hall...YES. Does that mean I should rubber stamp his views, or not bring things up that I, and others I know in the grassroots disagree with him on? NO...it's a blog all about keeping Washington Honest. I've not seen eye to eye with John Hall since the first day I spoke to him on some issue, such as Illegal Aliens. I don't agree with AMNESTY, do not support earned citizenship, and want enforcement only, including the 700 miles of fence approved by Congress and signed into law back in October. John Hall sees this issue differently than I do. People would not expect him to change his views to suit me, nor should they expect me, or my blogs to TOW THE PARTY LINE just to keep up appearances that we all see eye to eye. We don't see eye to eye on all the issues, and probably NEVER WILL...grassroots activist do not have the millions that Entergy has for wining and dining of politicians, to gain access to them. What we do have now is the Internet, and the ability to create and put out onto the world wide web blogs targeted at a single issue, or a myriad of issues.
6. Life does not exist in a vacuum...the hate blog would have the world believe that every view spouted and shouted is all my own, Representative of nothing more than my own delusional mind spilled upon the written page. People are free to believe that, I am not about to OUT my friends, not about to OUT those I am in contact with on a regular basis in some attempt to prove I speak the voice of more than just myself. Sure if any one bothers to do an Internet search they can find numerous voices out there similar to my own...Pilgrim, Vermont Yankee public hearing transcripts are one good place to start.
7. Claiming I am a VAGABOND...in the past almost 30 years of my life, I have lived in, claimed residence in only four homes, three of which I have owned. As an artist and crafts person, my profession required a tremendous amount of travel, but I did and do have roots.
8. Attacking people I once courted...on three important issues in America right now, there is NO MIDDLE GROUND.
A) The Iraq War-I don't support a surge, I do support pulling the plug on the war and feel it is time to bring our troops home.
B) Illegal Aliens, and what to do with them-I support building a fence, I support armed troops on our Southern Border, support deportation of all who entered America illegally.
C) Nuclear Power and Re licensing of old facilities, building of up to 200 new facilities. Some may want to buy into the folly of GREEN NUCLEAR, I know better. The NRC is not out to protect HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT, they are out to protect their own licensees, it is that simple.
I am not going to stop posting, am not going to stop pushing people like Congressman John Hall, Congressman Maurice Hinchey, and Governor Spitzer to do the right thing by doing whatever it takes to SHUT DOWN INDIAN POINT. I am not going to stop posting the obvious, such as the fact that Rudi Giuliani has a serious conflict of interest where Indian Point is...of course he is going to embrace an aging and decrepit facility when it's owner (Entergy) is throwing millions into his company's cash register. I'm going to keep demanding answers to questions such as "Where did CASEnergy get it's money, who is funding said organization's GREEN NUCLEAR rhetoric?"
Entergy wants to prove their reactors are SAFE, let them PROVE IT TO ME, Indian Point, NRC and FEMA want to claim that our and other reactors evacuation plans work, then why have they excluded them from the re licensing debate, in the same fashion they have also excluded design flaws in the reactors by grandfathering them in...or, saying security concerns from a plane crashing into A) the reactors or B) the spent fuel rods should not factor into any re licensing decisions. Sue Kelly was a rubber stamper, and now we have the NRC being a rubber stamper for the industry's desire to re license and extend the life span of reactors built to operate for a given period of time...even if communities agreed to host a reactor for X years, they did not sign on for and additional period of time...especially NOT WHEN THE GOVERNMENT cannot effectively deal with the waste streams STACKING UP AT THESE REACTOR SITES.
I don't go away, I'll keep writing, and keep organizing. Those on the pro nuke side know where to find me, my phone line is always open, so is my email...you want to discuss the issue, bring it on, but stop with the attacks on family members, as it has nothing to do with the issue at hand, but everything to do with trying to silence the voice of opposition. Last I looked, this was still America, even if George Bush wants to change that with the creation of the North American Union...but then, that is another subject most people seem ignorant to as well.
YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, EMAIL IT:
roycepenstinger@aol.com
As for the politicians mentioned here...they are big boys. They can hold a press conference tomorrow to state they have changed their minds, are now FULLY SUPPORTIVE of Indian Point being given another 20 years of operation here in District 19...sure their constituents would be UP IN ARMS the second such an announcement made the news, and make the news it would. However, token small efforts so they can say "We tried" are not adequate, there is too much at stake. People need to take sides...for instance, it's disturbing to know that our own Paramount Theatre here in Peekskill gets a large portion of it's funding from Entergy...it's a tacit endorsement of Entergy's environmental record, from my perspective represents DIRTY MONEY.
So as to be an OPEN BOOK myself:
1. YES, I have a political agenda...SO WHAT, so does every lobbyist, so does every company in America, including Entergy who has spent literally MILLIONS in trying to BUY FAVOR in Washington, DC...see the Open Secrets. Care to talk about the quarter of a billion that the National Chamber of Commerce has spent on lobbying our members of the Congress and Senate? You want to know why Washington refuses to deal with illegals, refuses to close the loop holes that allow companies to employ illegals, look right at that quarter of a billion dollars spent on OWNING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. Every one has an agenda, but that does not mean I or any one else should start attacking the spouses, children and extended family of those who have a different agenda than mine. Don't like my views, don't like my agenda, then A) do what you need to do to get your own AGENDA OUT, or B) present me with FACTS that prove me wrong in my thinking. Don't attack my wife, don't wrap kernels of truth in disparaging lies and fabricated untruths based on some errant speculation.
2. I opposed the re licensing of Indian Point, and other antiquated Nuclear Facilities. One of, but not the only reason why I supported John Hall's efforts to get elected, was his stand on Indian Point. On the campaign trail he made it clear to us, that he wanted to CLOSE DOWN INDIAN POINT, wanted to BRING OUR TROOPS HOME. Now, someone wants to accuse me of trying to coax, coerce and force him into being a shill for the ANTI NUKE movement? HELLO, he and his staff made him an ANTI NUKE, close down Indian Point candidate, it was a part of why he was elected. Governor Spitzer made similar promises, and now people such as myself are doing our best to make sure those promises ARE KEPT, not just campaign rhetoric. Congressman Maurice Hinchey, and members of his staff have stated their opposition to the re licensing of Indian Point...well, it's GAME TIME as the old expression goes, time to put up or shut up, and I'm not going to sit quietly waiting for people to do what they have promised to do. We want action, and WE DESERVE ACTION. By the way, so there is no question about my own beliefs...I think some of the staff selections that were made are pathetic...OH WELL, that's the way it goes...only time will tell if I views of some of these hiring choice are correct, or if I am wrong, and John Hall made the right decisions. From my perspective, too many of the staff choices SMACK of politics as usual, politics where getting re-elected supersede effecting true change inside Washington, and here in the district.
3. Like many people on the net who own blogs, I have more than one...not sure how many active ones I have, but the number is close to 20. Most are political blogs of one type or anther, though a few are more mundane. How many PAC's does Entergy have, how many PAC's does the nuclear industry have? How many PRO NUKE BLOGS are out there...I know of at least three directly associated with the nuke industry's lobbing arm, the NEI. GEE, what is the NEI trying to pull, what is THEIR AGENDA? Like many people, I also post under various PEN NAMES...most of the blogs out there do the same. Even Sue Kelly said you should not post your real name to the web, and she WAS A CONGRESSWOMAN. Does not take a rocket scientist though to figure out who I am, I've made no efforts to hide, have even posted emails owned by me on most of my blogs so people can contact me. Further, if you look at the bottom of many of my posts, it identifies Royce Penstinger, Porgie Tirebiter, and Pinto Bean as one and the same person.
4. My Congressman John Hall blog is NO SECRET, especially to the people in the inner circle of the John Hall campaign, and among members of his staff. I told them about it from almost day one, have even requested press credentials so that I could keep the blog up to date on what John Hall is doing. Yes, I have emails to members of John Hall's staff to verify this fact. If any one reads the first entries on said blog, it states very clearly that said blog is MY BLOG, and what it's purpose is. Agenda yes, HIDDEN AGENDA, absolutely not. The Internet gives the little guy, gives the average citizen a way to LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD...why should it be that only people and companies with DEEP POCKETS can gain access to Washington, make their own views heard?
5. Do I like John Hall...YES. Does that mean I should rubber stamp his views, or not bring things up that I, and others I know in the grassroots disagree with him on? NO...it's a blog all about keeping Washington Honest. I've not seen eye to eye with John Hall since the first day I spoke to him on some issue, such as Illegal Aliens. I don't agree with AMNESTY, do not support earned citizenship, and want enforcement only, including the 700 miles of fence approved by Congress and signed into law back in October. John Hall sees this issue differently than I do. People would not expect him to change his views to suit me, nor should they expect me, or my blogs to TOW THE PARTY LINE just to keep up appearances that we all see eye to eye. We don't see eye to eye on all the issues, and probably NEVER WILL...grassroots activist do not have the millions that Entergy has for wining and dining of politicians, to gain access to them. What we do have now is the Internet, and the ability to create and put out onto the world wide web blogs targeted at a single issue, or a myriad of issues.
6. Life does not exist in a vacuum...the hate blog would have the world believe that every view spouted and shouted is all my own, Representative of nothing more than my own delusional mind spilled upon the written page. People are free to believe that, I am not about to OUT my friends, not about to OUT those I am in contact with on a regular basis in some attempt to prove I speak the voice of more than just myself. Sure if any one bothers to do an Internet search they can find numerous voices out there similar to my own...Pilgrim, Vermont Yankee public hearing transcripts are one good place to start.
7. Claiming I am a VAGABOND...in the past almost 30 years of my life, I have lived in, claimed residence in only four homes, three of which I have owned. As an artist and crafts person, my profession required a tremendous amount of travel, but I did and do have roots.
8. Attacking people I once courted...on three important issues in America right now, there is NO MIDDLE GROUND.
A) The Iraq War-I don't support a surge, I do support pulling the plug on the war and feel it is time to bring our troops home.
B) Illegal Aliens, and what to do with them-I support building a fence, I support armed troops on our Southern Border, support deportation of all who entered America illegally.
C) Nuclear Power and Re licensing of old facilities, building of up to 200 new facilities. Some may want to buy into the folly of GREEN NUCLEAR, I know better. The NRC is not out to protect HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT, they are out to protect their own licensees, it is that simple.
I am not going to stop posting, am not going to stop pushing people like Congressman John Hall, Congressman Maurice Hinchey, and Governor Spitzer to do the right thing by doing whatever it takes to SHUT DOWN INDIAN POINT. I am not going to stop posting the obvious, such as the fact that Rudi Giuliani has a serious conflict of interest where Indian Point is...of course he is going to embrace an aging and decrepit facility when it's owner (Entergy) is throwing millions into his company's cash register. I'm going to keep demanding answers to questions such as "Where did CASEnergy get it's money, who is funding said organization's GREEN NUCLEAR rhetoric?"
Entergy wants to prove their reactors are SAFE, let them PROVE IT TO ME, Indian Point, NRC and FEMA want to claim that our and other reactors evacuation plans work, then why have they excluded them from the re licensing debate, in the same fashion they have also excluded design flaws in the reactors by grandfathering them in...or, saying security concerns from a plane crashing into A) the reactors or B) the spent fuel rods should not factor into any re licensing decisions. Sue Kelly was a rubber stamper, and now we have the NRC being a rubber stamper for the industry's desire to re license and extend the life span of reactors built to operate for a given period of time...even if communities agreed to host a reactor for X years, they did not sign on for and additional period of time...especially NOT WHEN THE GOVERNMENT cannot effectively deal with the waste streams STACKING UP AT THESE REACTOR SITES.
I don't go away, I'll keep writing, and keep organizing. Those on the pro nuke side know where to find me, my phone line is always open, so is my email...you want to discuss the issue, bring it on, but stop with the attacks on family members, as it has nothing to do with the issue at hand, but everything to do with trying to silence the voice of opposition. Last I looked, this was still America, even if George Bush wants to change that with the creation of the North American Union...but then, that is another subject most people seem ignorant to as well.
YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, EMAIL IT:
roycepenstinger@aol.com
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