Civil Disobedience Will Shut Down Indian Point

Four lone anti-nuclear protesters this week shut down a private road a few hundred metres from the nuclear plant at Sizewell, Suffolk for 15 minutes without being challenged. No arrests were made, and in fact the police were NEGOTIATING with the protesters who had put concrete tubes around their arms to end the stand off. Think about that for one minute...four protesters successfully blocked access to a nuclear facility in England. More importantly, they laid across the road to the facility for 15 minutes before PLANT SECURITY noticed they were there...can you imagine if they had been TERRORISTS?

One thing becomes abundantly clear...American communities being forced to play host to ancient, dangerous nuclear facilities for another 20 years have a very powerful weapon at their disposal. Civil Disobedience. We have over 20 million people who live within 50 miles of Indian Point. Properly organized, said facility could easily be laid siege too in a peaceful act of civil disobedience as hundreds, even thousands, or tens of thousands of protesters descended on the gates of the facility with their camping gear.

It is doubtful that County Commissioner Andy Spano would authorize the use of force to remove such protesters, and in fact he just might surprise everyone and join the fun by parking a RV across the entrance to the sight as a Command Center for such a peaceful protest. We could even shuttle people in shifts, keep a round the clock protest going for weeks, if not months. If Congressman John Hall grew a back bone, he could bring in the entire MUSE contingent, and we could turn it into the biggest spontaneous musical protest against the nuclear industry since the No Nukes concerts back in 1979. The traffic grid lock alone from such and event would prove conclusively that the Emergency Evacuation Plan will not work.

Such a act of Civil Disobedience would leave Senator Clinton no choice but to get off the NUCLEAR FENCE and choose sides in this confrontation. Quoting Arlo Guthrie, we would have us a MOVEMENT. Imagine similar events with local politicians joining in at other nuclear plants simultaneously. Vermont Yankee, Pilgrim, Oyster Creek, Millstone and others all besieged in the same fashion at the exact same time.

Illegal Aliens and their supporters put half a million people into the streets of Los Angeles demanding Amnesty...surely we can put ten or twenty thousand people out in front of say five or so nuclear reactors?

Protesters block road to N-plant

Press Association
Saturday December 1, 2007 10:28 AM

Four protesters blocked a private road leading to a power station to highlight the threat they say terrorists could pose if the nuclear industry was expanded.

Demonstrators said they stood a few hundred metres from the plant at Sizewell, Suffolk for 15 minutes without being challenged.

The group staged the protest days after plans were announced for a new generation of nuclear reactors in England.

Police said no arrests had been made and officers were negotiating with demonstrators. They said the three women and one man were fastened together by concrete filled tubes attached to their arms.

Protesters said they wanted to spell out the dangers of nuclear expansion to Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

"We were lying across the road for 15 minutes fastened together before the security guards came," said one protester, Mell Harrison, 36, of Bungay, Suffolk.

"We were 200 metres from the reactor. If we can do it so can terrorists. Imagine that. We didn't get inside the fence. But protesters have done that before.

"If Gordon Brown wants to expand the nuclear industry he should realise that he will face an awful lot of opposition. All the old problems with nuclear power have not gone away.

"What will we do with the waste? What about coastal erosion and the effect that will have on plants. There are accidents. Three Mile Island and Chernobyl really happened. It could happen again. And what about terrorism?

Ms Harrison, who works for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, added: "The Government will discover that an awful lot of people have concerns and people will protest. The answer isn't nuclear power. We must explore alternatives."

Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2007, All Rights Reserved

Mobilize To Stop Loan Guarantees Next Week

Next week the House and Senate will try to reconsile their two versions of the Energy Bill, and neither version is very friendly towards truly sustainable energy sources. More importantly, the nuclear industry will have all Lobbyist on Deck to try to push through ONE HUNDRED PERCENT loan quarantees for new reactor builds. It is imperiative that the entire GREEN community be on the phones next week doing everything possible to have the loan quarantees and the $50 Billion nuclear gift GUTTED from any bill sent to the White House.

Already, Constellation Energy is trying to use fear, threats and intimadation to force through the 100 percent loan guarantees, announcing this past week that they will not break ground on a new reactor build next year without said loan quarantees in place...so, stop the loan guarantees, and we stop the new builds in their tracks, slow down the Nuclear Renaissance train.

So, this weekend send emails to every one of your elected officials in Washington DC, and starting Monday lets be prepared to SWAMP the House and Senate switchboards with calls demanding that the $50 billion in loan guarantees be stripped from the Energy Bill.

AP
Industry Pushes Nuclear Loan Guarantees
Wednesday November 28, 1:25 pm ET
By Dan Caterinicchia, AP Business Writer

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071128/constellation_nuke_loans.html?.v=1

Constellation Energy Executive Says Nuclear Plans Will Be Delayed Without Loan Guarantees

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Constellation Energy Group Inc. will not break ground on a new nuclear plant in Maryland next year unless a federal loan-guarantee program is in place, an executive from the power company said Wednesday.

"If the loan-guarantee program is able to materialize in early 2008 so we are able to secure loan guarantees for construction of a new plant at the end of 2008," the company's board could move forward, said Michael Wallace, president of Constellation Energy Generation Group. "If it doesn't, we won't."

The Energy Department last month said it will guarantee loans for up to 80 percent of the construction cost of new nuclear reactors, but that budget constraints mean the earliest any company proposing a new reactor could benefit is 2009.

Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said then that he would seek "substantial" budget increases for loan guarantees to support seven to eight nuclear plants.

"The trend line is positive and encouraging, but today we're not there," Wallace said at a conference in Washington, referring to the industry's ongoing dialogue with the Energy Department, Congress and the White House. But he said it's not a question of whether it will happen, but when.

Three companies already have submitted complete construction and operating license applications for new reactors to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and Constellation filed a partial application earlier this year for a proposed new reactor in Lusby, Md.

Giving Credit To Standard Bearers in Indian Point Battle

This has been a very emotional week for Green Nuclear Butterfly, and our grassroots group, FUSE USA. Due to some horrific rookie mistakes on the part of Susan Shapiro in filing our many FUSE USA petitions with the NRC, every single one of our contentions were dismissed and set aside. I do not feel the NRC, and the Atomic Safety Board (a bias pro nuclear board if one ever existed) acted fairly in their unilateral decision, but I also cannot argue with their belief that a licensed attorney at law like Susan Shapiro should have known better, should have known the basic steps required to execute a Certificate of Service, and see that all parties were adequately served. Oh well, water over the bridge, and in the fight to close Indian Point, we here at GNB, and over at FUSE USA simply do not have time to cry over spilt milk.

Pulling a 48 hour stretch, FUSE USA revamped our contentions, and filed them with the NRC early this morning with a proper Certificate of Service to all parties. Further, hard copies of said filings are being mailed First Class delivery to all parties of record as of the time of the filing early this morning. We also made sure to include our Notice of Appearance, so it seems we have all our I's dotted, and T's crossed. If we missed one or two, one would hope that the NRC and the Atomic Safety Board would do what is in the best interest of Public Health and Safety, rather than kowtowing to NEI and the nuclear industry, and give us a chance to fix minor errors, rather than simply trying to deny us our rightful involvement in the process...however, we will not hold our breath waiting for said board to DO THE RIGHT THING.

That being said, lets go on the record here. FUSE USA, Green Nuclear Butterfly and Sherwood Martinelli want to let it be known, that the NRC's rules and regulations have been deliberately set up to see citizens fail. Neither NRC, nor the nuclear industry want us actively involved in the process, so they hold AVERAGE CITIZENS to the SAME STANDARDS that licensed attorneys are held to. That is WRONG. Further, by holding average citizens, and small unfunded or under funded grassroots organizations to the same standards as attorneys, raises a serious Environmental Justice issue. A community's right to redress and representation in the process should not be curtailed, even eliminated because of a lack of money. Complicated procedural rules in the Licensing Renewal Hearing process that can only be understood by high priced attorneys does exactly that...denies poor unfunded or under funded citizens and grassroots organizations our voice in the process. As a perfect example, FUSE USA is having to spend money we do not have refiling our petitions. We are talking thousands of pages of printing has to be paid for, several hundreds of dollars in postage has to be covered. Unlike Entergy, we do not have a multi-million dollar budget to work with, are facing a real hardship in having to resubmit our documents. The board should be ASHAMED of itself for caving into Entergy's back room demands, carefully presented publicly to avoid any appearance of wrongdoing in their Motion To Strike that was inconveniently filed on the Eve of Thanksgiving.

FUSE USA had our contentions tossed out, not because they did not have merit, not because they failed to raise serious health, safety and environmental issues that are or should be in scope, but on technicalities. Entergy, and other key players (such as NY AREA, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation) want us out of the game, want to sink our small row boat before we even get fully into the water. That is not the intent of the Intervention Process, but it sadly is the reality. Those with the most money, the shrewdest attorney almost always win. Contentions that should be heard and that are worthy of further review because they were not worded EXACTLY RIGHT. That is WRONG.

We all know this is an uphill fight, and we know that our side is outgunned. Entergy has a $40 million dollar war chest, and some of the finest demon spawn attorneys from hell that money can buy. Couple this with Entergy, and the nuclear industry's (NEI) multi-million dollar propaganda campaign, and it is obvious that our side has the deck STACKED AGAINST US. That's OK, we here at GNB and FUSE USA like being the dark horse, the long shot in a star filled field.

So, let's applaud some of the Standard Bearers in the fight to "Close Indian Point", acknowledge those that are marching us into the Valley of Death.

Today, Nancy Burton of Mothball Millstone weighed into the fight, and we could not ask for a more seasoned veteran. Millstone, much like Vermont Yankee and Entergy's decaying Indian Point represents one of the most despicable and unsafe facilities in the entire American Nuclear Fleet of decrepit reactors. Never giving up, fighting against overwhelming odds, Nancy Burton this week was able to argue her issues before Connecticut's Highest Court. She's a trooper, and glad to know she is going to be in this fight to the bitter end.

Flanking her in this David verse Goliath on steroids fight is Westchester County Commissioner Andy Spano...now, I have to admit to having some differences with Andy Spano (do not like his robo dialer). So, when we here at GNB state that he is a serious warrior that has his heart in the right place where Indian Point is concerned, we hope it carries a LOT OF WEIGHT. He understands what is involved for our community, understands that Indian Point MUST BE CLOSED. He has been in this fight for a long time, was been battling Indian Point in the courts long before Entergy filed their License Renewal Application. Unlike Hillary Clinton, Maurice Hinchey, Nita Lowey, and sadly, even John Hall, Andrew Spano is willing to take a stand, and is DOING EVERYTHING HE CAN to shut down an unsafe nuclear facility. For that, he has the respect of GNB, and FUSE USA.

The State Attorney Generals of numerous states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont deserve credit for their involvement in this and other fights to close down dangerous reactors. Groups like NIRS, WISE and Mothers For Peace all deserve a standing ovation. NEC up in Vermont is another dedicated group of warriors that are giving Entergy a serious battle, and as the old saying goes, "It ain't over till the fat lady sings."

There are other groups, well funded groups that should and must do more, have been far to silent so far in this battle. With Kennedy's recent endorsement of Hillary Clinton (who has taken BIG MONEY from Entergy and NEI donors), Riverkeeper needs to publicly DISTANCE THEMSELVES from Kennedy, as he is betraying the cause, is not being the stand up player that he should be in this fight. Further, we here at GNB hope that Riverkeeper and Clearwater when they file their contentions have not narrowed their fight to a very small group of contentions doomed to failure, not really aimed at closing down the aging, dangerous Indian Point facility. They get the LION's SHARE of the GREEN DONATIONS, and as organizations with the most, it is right to expect them to be doing the most. It is fundamentally wrong for Riverkeeper to be holding a Donor's breakfast at the home of the Rockefeller Fund, and DENYING other grassroots organizations a SEAT AT THE TABLE. God forbid that some of the smaller groups that are in this fight steal a crumb or two of support from one of their donors!

This more than any other License Renewal fight is a defining moment, will decide the path we as a community, and a nation will travel. So far, the NRC has wrongfully granted 48 reactor operators a License Renewal over community objections. However, with the gallant efforts of the folks up in Brattleboro, with Mothers For Peace stunning victory in the Ninth Circuit Court, the tide has begun to turn. Respected leaders are now speaking out AGAINST GNEP, and average citizens are beginning to realize that nuclear is not as safe and green as the industry tries to make us believe it is. If we stop the License Renewal of Indian Point, there is a good chance we stop the Nuclear Renaissance train from leaving the station, and that is a fight we need to all be involved in. For ourselves, and for our children, License Renewal for Indian Point must be stopped at all cost.

This is a "All Hands on Deck" movement, and we need every boat in the water if we are going to have a chance of killing the nuclear giant that is Entergy. So, to the real leaders in this movement, a heartfelt thank you as we all prepare to march into a battle that is going to get very ugly.

Karl Grossman & John Gofman quoted in new book

Poisoned Nation: Pollution, Greed, and the Rise of Deadly Epidemics
by Loretta Schwartz-Nobel

240 pages
St. Martin's Press
August 21, 2007
ISBN-10: 0312327978

An award-winning investigative journalist links the soaring epidemics of cluster illnesses and many other diseases to the chemical contamination of our water, air, food, and everyday products for the profit and power of a reckless few.

With irrefutable evidence and moving personal stories of the sick and dying, Loretta Schwartz-Nobel demonstrates that the human equivalent of global warming is already upon us. She shows how governments of both parties operate in tandem with America’s most notorious polluters and how they have deceived the public, buried evidence of spreading disease, and suppressed critical scientific data. She traces relationships between organizations whose products cause diseases and those who profit from diagnosing and treating them, as well as their efforts to avoid research into environmental causes and possible cures.

Poisoned Nation is an urgent call for action that delineates the problem with such clarity that the truth shines through. The author issues a plea to religious leaders of all faiths to work together for change, to create a movement to defeat greed and guide us toward a safer, healthier future.

Poisoned Nation Reveals:
- Americans are being denied urgent health information about the poisoning of our water, food, air, everyday products, and vaccines for the short-term profit of a reckless few.
- The blood of every baby born today is already contaminated by more than two hundred industrial chemicals, pollutants, flame-retardants, and carcinogens.
- Perchlorate, a highly toxic chemical used in the manufacture of rocket fuel and linked to thyroid disease, cancer, and a host of other illnesses, has already entered the drinking water of at least thirty-five U.S. states and is currently threatening the health of untold millions.
- Despite a global ban on methyl bromide, an acutely toxic chemical known to cause devastating birth defects, it is still being sprayed on Christmas trees, fruits, and vegetables sold in America. The EPA has refused to reveal the extent of methyl bromide’s use and our country’s stored supply of the product. - The soaring epidemic of autism could not have taken place without the cooperation of drug companies, the government, scientists, and health officials. The worldwide poisoning of children during routine vaccinations continues today, especially in Third World countries.
- The FDA allows thousands of cosmetic hair dyes and personal-care products known to contain carcinogens to remain unregulated and to be sold daily to millions of American men, women, and children even as links with cancer have been clearly established.
- The American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute have long known that mammograms used for diagnosis actually increase the risk of breast cancer, especially in younger women, yet they continue to recommend this diagnostic method. But it is not too late.

Interfaith religious groups working together still have the collective power, the resources, and the moral obligation to demand and implement change. Praise for Growing Up Empty“Loretta Schwartz-Nobel’s Growing Up Empty is a forceful reminder of the great shame in our society that hunger still plagues millions of Americans. She puts a human face on hunger around us and shines a moral spotlight on a problem that is largely ignored. More than just a forceful call to action, Growing Up Empty is a mandate for reform.”
—Senator Edward M. Kennedy

About the Author

Loretta Schwartz-Nobel is the author of six previous books. Among her awards are the Women in Communications Award, the Society of Professional Journalists Award, the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism Award, and the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the problems of the disadvantaged.

'Poisoned Nation' ludicrous
Reviewer Ros Smith, Charleston Net
Sunday, October 21, 2007

A shadowy figure on a grassy knoll in Dallas, the mysterious death of a blond bombshell and the Roswell crash site are compelling topics for conspiracy theories. "Poisoned Nation" exploits our persecution paranoia by investigating the contamination of the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.

Rocket fuel, methyl bromide and mercury are just a few toxic chemicals that, according to the author, are infecting our digestive systems, lungs and breast milk. Loretta Schwartz-Nobel chronicles the voices of the sick and dying, which resonate with the horrors of cancer, asthma, autism, lung illnesses and rare forms of disease.

Schwartz-Nobel uses carefully chosen facts and statistics, from resources such as the Food and Drug Administration and National Center for Health Statistics, to draw superficial conclusions. For example, the skyrocketing rates of asthma in Harlem must be due to the air pollutants that big business chose to ignore. She uses unscientific quotes; for example, pediatric asthma occurs because "pound for pound, children breathe more air." Her ludicrous statements are served up with hyperbole and a sense of outrage at our government.

This book is sure to engage the furtive imaginations of those who believe that the moon landing did not happen. For the rest of us, this book should be placed somewhere between the fictions of the Bermuda Triangle and UFO phenomena. A word of warning for the believers: Don't drink the water, eat the tuna or use sunscreen.

Rockefeller's LED Tree

Rock Center's Eco-Friendly Tree Is Lit
By SAMANTHA GROSS

NEW YORK (AP) — This year, all the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lights are green.

The holiday display, lit at a Wednesday night ceremony, still includes a rainbow of colors. But this year the 84-foot-tall Norway spruce is sporting energy-saving bulbs, and an array of solar panels atop 45 Rockefeller Plaza will help power them.

Early revelers began gathering around the tree Wednesday afternoon, hoping to snag a good view of performances by such stars as Tony Bennett, Josh Groban and Ashley Tisdale.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Radio City Rockettes helped flip the switch for the tree lights shortly before 9 p.m.

The 60-year-old spruce has been covered with five miles of wire and 30,000 multicolored bulbs known as light emitting diodes, or LEDs.

Using the new lights is expected to reduce the energy consumption of the holiday display from 3,510 to 1,297 kilowatt hours per day — a savings equal to the amount of energy used to power a 2,000-square-foot home for a month.

The rooftop solar panels installed to power the lights will become a permanent fixture to help offset the energy demands of Rockefeller Center.

Organizers are planning to recycle the tree by using it as lumber for Habitat For Humanity projects in New York, the Gulf Coast, India and Brazil.

The tree's topper can sparkle even without any lights: The Swarovski star is adorned with 25,000 crystals. It's almost 10 feet in diameter.

NBC broadcast part of the tree lighting event, which also included performances by Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Natasha Bedingfield, Sean Kingston and Taylor Swift.

This is the 75th formal tree lighting ceremony at the Art Deco plaza in midtown Manhattan.

While the first official lighting was in 1933, the first Rockefeller Christmas tree was put up two years earlier by workers helping to build the complex.

On the Net:
The Tree at Rockefeller Center:
www.thetreenyc.com

Refusing To Die When Everyone Wants You Dead

This afternoon I received notice that all of FUSE USA's contentions have been dismissed for an assortment of filing errors. The NRC does not give a rats ass about public health and safety, does not give a crap about the merits of the contentions, they only care about PROCESS, and may the best funded attorneys win. Further, they have their heads so FAR UP THEIR ASSES, that they never even READ FUSE USA's third filing, which was completely different...instead, they read Entergy's pleading, denied it to seem impartial, and then dismissed everything under the guise of keeping a TIDY DOCKET, thus giving ENTERGY EVERYTHING THEIR MOTION ASKED FOR. Yes, as I am sure any one reading this knows, I am now officially PISSED OFF, and getting me OFFICIALLY PISSED OFF means I am going to start being a world CLASS PRICK where both Entergy and the NRC are concerned...they can choke on their rules as far as I am concerned.

A part of me blames myself...I should have known better than to trust anyone but myself to do the filing. I was talked into believing that a former nuclear industry expert, and a licensed attorney knew better, allowed myself to be convinced that having FUSE USA documents filed by an attorney LOOKED BETTER, gave us more legitamacy as an organization. Maybe if your attorney had a FREAKING clue this all might be true, but enough of that, what is done is done. I should have stepped in when the first filing prepared and put together by Ulrich Witte and Susan Shapiro was found to have significant shortcomings in it. Instead, I continued to move forward on other contentions, continued to do research instead of stepping in and demanding to take over the process of fixing the problems.

I have no choice but to reshuffle the cards, pull up everything that has been filed, review it one page at a time, and rework, reprint and refile it all because Entergy and their FUCKING hot shot attorneys have no hearts or souls, but are only interested in doing what ever it takes to win License Renewal for Indian Point, public health, safety and the environment be damned, as that is what they are handsomely paid to do...FINE, this is WAR.

They won the first round, had all of FUSE USA's months of hard work dismissed on technicalities by the fucking Atomic Safety Board judges that suck the ass of the nuclear industry. NRC employees acting as judges...what a FARCE. If the board, and Entergy think they are keeping FUSE USA, and me out of this, they are SADLY mistaken. We will have contentions filed by the deadline. As for those in the Close Indian Point camp who don't like my tactics, who think I am a little rough around the edges...just do me a favor, and stay the hell out of my way.

Trust me, when the filings go in, the NRC will have their Certificate of Service, their notice of appearance, and everyone will get a copy of every GOD DAMN PAGE of EVERYTHING WE FILE. Further, there will not be someone acting as a buffer between Entergy and me as a stakeholder in the community. Entergy and their Park Avenue hot shots can deal with me, a dumb old farm boy, their INDUSTRY EXPERTS will answer my questions under cross examination. When the dust settles, Entergy may win their precious License Renewal, but not without the biggest fight that has ever taken place in a License Renewal Application.

I read the rules, and no where in them does it say STAKEHOLDERS have to be represented by an attorney at law...let the games begin.

Electrifying Minnesota

Renewable Energy Expo

FREE

Thursday, December 6, 2007

6:00-9:00 p.m.

New "Electrifying MINNESOTA" Exhibit

See how everyday life has been shaped by electrification through artifacts, photos, first-hand accounts, early advertisements and film from the 1880s through the 1950s.

The exhibit recounts the history of electricity since one of the nation's first hydroelectric power plants whirred into action 125 years ago at St. Anthony Falls.

It demonstrates electromagnetic induction, how the process utilizes natural resources to generate electricity and how the use of those resources impacts the environment.

You'll learn how you can take responsibility for our electrical future by joining The Bakken team and taking the Minnesota Energy Challenge.

The Bakken

A Library and Museum of Electricity in Life

3537 Zenith Avenue South

Minneapolis, MN 55416-4623

612-926-3878 Fax: 612-927-7265

Explore and discuss sustainable energy solutions and learn how to make our community a better place to live!

• Listen to Mark Rathbun speak from Great River Energy Renewable Energy Project

• Participate in a green design workshop from Studio 2030 and a solar energy workshop from Minnesota Renewable Energy Society

• Check out eco-friendly kids’ activities from Kiddywampus and Kidwind

• See demonstrations and exhibits from Xcel Energy and the Center for Energy and Environment

• Take the Minnesota Energy Challenge for a chance to win great prizes

• Sample cake from organic baker Amy Kovacs and coffee from Peace Coffee

Electrifying Minnesota Exhibit Sponsored By:

Xcel Energy

Great River Energy

With Support From the City of Minneapolis

Will Ferrell Makes Fun of Planetary Survival

From:
Ecorazzi

Fundamentalist right wing pro-nuke night watchman Iraq Vet Marine nut job takes on John Hall

From:
MidHudsonNews

November 26, 2007

Peekskill – Republican Kieran Michael Lalor Sunday officially announced his intention to seek his party’s nomination for the 19th Congressional District seat now held by Democrat John Hall.
Lalor of Peekskill, served with the Marines in Iraq in 2003.

He said Hall does not represent the people of the district as he believes he could.

“I don’t think John Hall’s views are representative of the 19th district and I don’t think his ideology fits with the people here,” he said. “I’ve lived here my whole life; I know what these people are all about, they are about the same thing I am about – taking care of your families, less government, traditional values and securing the nation from threats around the world.”

Lalor taught at Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie and is a graduate of Pace University Law School.

Meanwhile, Hall’s spokeswoman, Meaghan Smith, said, “No matter who is running against him, Congressman Hall will continue to do what he has been doing since taking office in January: working hard to solve problems for the people of the Hudson Valley and being an accessible and accountable representative.”

From nyjournalnews comment section:

"Kooky Kieran Lalor, the Pace law school grad who currently works as a night watchman, is going to be quite entertaining to watch campaign. My only hope is that Greg Ball gets in the Repub primary race. Seeing those two crackpot neanderthals go at it will be hilarious."
Posted by: BBD on Mon Nov 26, 2007

Iraq war veteran announces bid for Congress in Peekskill

THE JOURNAL NEWS
By AMAN ALI

PEEKSKILL - Kieran Michael Lalor says he wants to send Rep. John Hall "back to Woodstock" come 2008.

In announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 19th Congressional District race, Lalor said the freshman Democrat "wants to spend your glorious tax dollars on hippies."

"When it comes to the people in Peekskill, I'm one of them," Lalor said. "We can't have a leader that is out of touch with 80 to 90 percent of the people here."

Lalor, a 31-year-old Iraq war veteran, is seeking to represent a district that covers Putnam County and parts of Westchester, Dutchess, Rockland and Orange counties. He has yet to file paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission, but he said he would do that this week.

Lalor said Hall was a backer of bill that contained a controversial $1 million earmark to build a Woodstock festival museum. It was yanked from a Senate appropriations bill earlier this year.

He described himself as a follower of "Ronald Reagan's School of Conservatism" and said Hall has no relationship with the traditionally Republican district.

"I'm just like everybody else," Lalor said. "I don't owe any favors to anybody."

Lalor, who served in the Marine Corps, said he would make national security a top priority in his campaign, citing it as the pressing item at "family dinner table discussions" in the district.

"It's no secret we live in a different world after 9/11," Lalor said, tying Iraq to the war on terror. "Success in Iraq will make us a secure country."

Another priority for Lalor will be improving border security. He said Congress has had a lack of will to tackle the issue and said the country should be more aggressive in enforcing its immigration laws.

"Fighting (terrorists overseas) while letting them in over here is a deeply flawed policy," Lalor said.

Lalor also said he opposed abortion and gay marriage. He concluded by saying voters could expect him to run a substantive campaign of "optimism."

The National Republican Congressional Committee has listed Hall's seat as one of many key districts it hopes to recapture in 2008. Hall won the seat in 2006 with 51 percent of the vote, and has raised over $1 million for his re-election bid, according to Federal Election Commission reports.

The National Republican Congressional Committee had listed Katonah businessman Andrew Saul as its top recruit to challenge Hall, but the multimillionaire pulled out last week, citing personal reasons.

Lalor said he hopes for the GOP endorsement as well as nods from Conservative and Independence lines.

Reach Aman Ali at 914-694-5063 or aali@lohud.com

Kieran Michael Lalor 2008
PO Box 2215
Peekskill, NY 10566
(845) 616-3509
info@kml2008.com
www.kml2008.com

Keiran want to "reclaim our seat in the House of Representatives so it reflects our values, not those of Hollywood elites and liberal extremists."

[[ In otherwords, Keiran wants Hollywood to come calling. Fess up Kieran... you'd love a good choice meaty role in a sturdy war flick! Hey, as far as I'm concerned, you and John Hall can both take the high seas in your ALL NUCLEAR NAVY ships... Planet Destructo Galore! RemyC. ]]

Nukes in new issue of Sleek magazine

SLEEK magazine
Issue 16
Download PDF

"Rather than delivering his environmental message with a sledgehammer of ugliness, Jürgen Nefzger chooses to frame his photos of atomic plants in scenes of beautifully lyric everydayness. the message, however, still comes through loud and clear."

The rest of the issue is dedicated to garbage, using dumps as backdrops for fashion shoots!

"What with global warming and environmental meltdown taking centre stage in the world’s consciousness, it’s perhaps no surprise that so many artists are drawing such rich inspiration – a virtual art goldmine, as it were – from the garbage dump, then literally bringing their trash into museums and galleries everywhere."

"in a world drowning in its own trash, you might as well go down with style and a lot of colour. Photographer Alfredo Piola shows that even trash – with the right fashion and accessories – can be fabulous."

Just In From The Fake Jim Steets Prayer Blog

Breaking News From Fake Jim Steets...seems he has his new Christmas Cards!

Dear God, Got My New Corporate X-Mas Cards

Dear God:

In keeping with the $pirit of the $eason, and to let the community know that we are good neighbors, I just got my Entergy Greeting Cards. I have to say, Entergy's PR folks have out done themselves this year.

The kids are really excited about the upcoming lighting of the reactor domes, and of course they always love doing their Christmas shopping in the Entergy gift catalog. The ten percent employee discount really helps save us money. I'm getting the wife that Entergy bed throw this year, and may splurge for a set of the Entergy coffee mugs.

By the way God, could you put in a word upstairs, and ask management to bring back the Christmas giveaways. The maintenance team really misses those canned hams.

Amen

GNB blogger on cover of Route 66 Pulse newspaper

Last year I took a drive down Route 66 promoting electric cars, so tourists can still drive the old road without spending $1000's worth of gas.

My trip was a big hit... Garnering the support of just about every road side attraction owner and preservation leader. Jim Conkle of Route 66 Pulse and Electrifying Times, the electric car magazine published by Bruce Meland, carved a strategic alliance.

I chronicled my two week odyssey through Americana with a Sony kindly lent to me by Wendy Brawer of Green Map. Sadly, silly me, I stuck the mini-dv video tapes in a coat pocket with my cell phone, erasing precious pixels. Dreams of a high end DVD documentary went out the window.

Despite the tear in my eye, Brian Howard of The Daily Green edited the damaged footage at Columbia University, into something way cool for Google video, with an original soundtrack by Ken Sasaki and the Tiki Boys. We named it Toaster 66, after a nickname for the Scion xB. Another nickname is The Box 66 where you can find lots of photos and contacts from the trip.

The Route 66 Pulse newspaper is distributed all along the old Route 66. They are sharing a booth with Electrifying Times at the EVS23 electric vehicle symposium in Anaheim Dec 2nd thru the 5th. Yesterday we heard from Bill Martin, the mayor of Atlanta, IL who is throwing his official support for America's first Electric Highway.

"We want to go on record as saying Atlanta is very interested in working with Remy Chevalier in helping realize his dream of establishing recharging stations along Rt. 66. Atlanta, being the midway point along Rt. 66 in Illinois, definitely wants to help locate a recharging site here in town."

I look forward to driving down Route 66 again soon with a 100% electric car, helping all the wonderful people I met along the way realize what is now become our common dream.

NRC Has MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) With Father Winter?

I know, weird question right? WRONG. Earlier this year I was on a rant, trying to force the NRC, and Westchester County to answer a simple question. If there is a significant fast moving event at Indian Point, and we are ordered to "Shelter In Place" in our homes in the middle of a snow storm with no heat, how long would we have before the effects of hypothermia start setting in. At the time it seemed like a simple enough question, but try getting and answer.

So, fast forward, and as Old Man Winter (Father Winter) settles in for a long cold snowy season, the issue started to dance again upon my mind. That's right, nine months after the fact, the NRC, FEMA and Westchester Emergency Management have refused to give us here at GNB a straight answer, but instead suggested we make sure to have extra blankets in our basement shelter area. I started doing some research, and found out a rather disturbing factoid if you well that I feel like sharing with our readers.

First, lets set the stage for everyone. There is a Nor'easter brewing, our local Channel 12 weather forecaster is warning us to stay inside and off the highways. The snow is already falling, and we are expected to get 15-18 inches of the white stuff! A few hours later, winds gusting to 70 MPH, snow drifts six feet tall in places, our cars BURIED, a reporter interrupts to bring us and important BREAKING NEWS STORY. There is an EMERGENCY at Indian Point, a LOCA (Loss of Coolant Accident).

Remember our Emergency Evacuation Plan? Seems there is some not very publicly advertised FINE PRINT that FEMA, DHS and the NRC would just as soon we as citizens not focus on:

The Emergency Evacuation time estimates do not cover severe winter storms, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission recommends that the adverse weather time estimate tables clearly state: 1) that they do not include [1] the time necessary to clear roads; and 2) that the time to clear roads be added to the time necessary to clear all lanes of all roads, and safely evacuation the citizens.

Houston, we have a problem!

If you live close to a nuclear reactor, and want to say something like, "You have got to be f**king kidding me!" we here at GNB completely understand. Just last winter, one storm saw us not fully plowed out for two days! Sure if there was a significant NUCLEAR INCIDENT at Indian Point in the middle of a Nor'easter, that we could be trapped in our homes for a far longer period of time...however, even if we are not trapped in our homes, there is that small issue of shoveling our cars out during nuclear fallout.

OK, so evacuation is OUT, at least in the near term, so we pull out that Emergency Planning booklet and resort to plan B, sheltering in place. Follow along with me here:

1. Stay inside!
2. Make sure to CLOSE all windows and doors!
3. Turn off your heat, and shut all wood burning stove and fire place Flues!

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM.

It is the middle of FREAKING winter, we have maybe two feet of snow on the ground, no one is going anywhere, and now we HAVE NO HEAT? For those of you thinking you'll use the electric blanket, forget about it. There is a very good chance that we also will not have electricity if Indian Point blows.

So, no heat, no electric, huddled behind plastic sheeting duct taped over our basement windows, we stare at our battery powered radio, listening, hoping for any kind of news, and find ourselves asking the same question, "How long do we have before the effects of hypothermia set in?

PS...if we are snowed in, wondering how Entergy plans on getting their workers back to the plant from Dutchess County to help deal with the crisis. Maybe the NRC has and MOU with Father Winter.

A Green Christmas Shout Out To Green Home Solutions

We met the wonderful folks at Green Home Solutions back in October at a Fairfield Green Drinks event. After the event, around ten of us decided to break bread, and Bill and his wife were a part of that contingent.

Now, for most of those who know the Green Nuclear Butterfly, we are not ones to give praise easily. So, when we tell you this is a place where every Green Santa should be shopping for ways to Green up the home, it is a heartfelt recommendation. When it comes to walking the walk, Green Home Solutions is one of the leaders of the pack, bringing concerned citizens products that will help each of us do our part in solving Global Warming.

GREEN HOME SOLUTIONS

Showroom:
167 Main Street
Norwalk, CT 06851
(203) 846-6060 F (203) 849-9494

Click here for Showroom directions

Green Building Supplies 2008

Coming in 2008 a new state of the art interactive showroom and distribution center. We will update you soon as to when and where.

If you are looking for a green employment opportunity, please fax your resume to
203-849-9494 or e-mail us at
greenhomebuilders@yahoo.com

PS: They feature some great articles

The plot thickens... Robert Kennedy Jr. & Paul Newman have their eyes on the same Connecticut Theatre!!!

OK, you're not going to beleive this... Things were weird, things just got weirder.

I'm sitting here a couple of weeks ago thinking to myself, where can I host Rock The Reactors shows... Nuke Free and Clearwater only think in terms of folk music, yet I'm an old heavy metal horse, and Sherwood's been to 200 Dead shows... (OK, that explains a lot!)

See, Wetlands was a Deadhead hang out... Although I installed all the environmental activities at the club, it's never been where my musical heart was... I grew up at the feet of Black Sabbath... I'm into what they call "industrial", basically instrumental metal... which is pretty close to classical in appreciation, but to most people who haven't developed the sensibility, just sounds like noise... it's an acquired taste, it's not for everyone... it's basically where you end up once you've exhausted every other emotional avenue.

But I digress... I'm thinking, here we are, Entergy has its own theatre in Peekskill, the Paramount, where they won't allow anti-nuclear musicians. It's not uncommon. GNB has since discovered the nuclear power industry is invested in many local live music theatres, which is why a band like Phish would only donate anonymously to the New England Coalition working to shut down Vermont Yankee, because they were afraid their anti-nuclear activism would black list them from too many live venues.

So why can't the anti-nuclear forces have their own stage somewhere, where parts and proceeds of the performances could go to fund anti-nuclear efforts, like Wetlands did... except Wetlands happened prior to the anti-nuke revival, because no new nukes were being built, and everybody had given up trying to shut down all the old ones... the sea was calm, let sleeping dogs lie... until NuStart and the relicensing period... threw the whole shebang into high gear again.

So willy nilly, quite innocently in fact, I seek out a meeting with the new owner of the old Globe Theatre in Norwalk, via a mutual friend, a local real estate agent who has been trying to help the Environmental Library Fund find a permanent home for its collection.

I meet with co-owner Andy Kydes at his favorite Greek restaurant, Ambrosia in Norwalk... we shoot the shit about the future of the theatre... He wants to put in condos... God awful idea... I try to demonstrate to him that the building as a theatre is still a very viable formula... it just needs a little tender loving care and nurturing.

He has me draft a short proposal he could show to his partner... introduced me to the leader of the local neighborhood block association, Christien A. Ducker, the owner of the Flow of Art gallery, who seems to share my dream of seeing the theatre light up again. I start to do my homework a little bit... and guess what I find out?

Andy bought the theatre last year for 1.3 million... the place is a mess, a disaster area inside... I'm told there's asbestos needs cleaning out, bathrooms were trashed, it's being used as storage for an antique store. It's structurally sound, but years of piss poor use by unscrupulous promoters ransacked the place... no wonder the new owners don't want to be bothered, they just want to blow windows through the brick face and rent out luxury condos.

They do want to preserve the facade, that's at least something...

But this doesn't fare well with my desire to promote a few metal shows there, so I can raise money for FUSE USA, and other worthy anti-nuclear organizations, organizations that won't sell out to two-face politicians or play nice with Entergy stock holders! So I jam my foot in the door... network the locals.

This large "green" development company, Poko, plans to build 300+ low-income dwellings on the whole city block, wants to acquire the theatre... claim they want to restore it. I'm inclined to beleive their intent because the Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) tells me they've already spent $30.000 on a theatre feasibility study with Poko.

Get this... MTC is currently running their theatrical productions in the basement of the same building as the business office of Newman's Own in Westport, CT... it's a fair bet to assume, extrapolate, that this theatrical company wouldn't be welcome in the basement of Paul Newman's building if they weren't in his good graces. MTC claims they already have commitments of $10 million to restore, rehabilitate the Globe Theatre, so it's easy to see, after the successful reconstruction of the Westport Country Playhouse, where some of that money might be coming from.

This is where it gets really interesting... I looked up the head of PR for Poko developers... Lorraine Gimblett, and would you beleive, she's the marketing director for Keeper Springs, the bottled water company founded by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.!!! And who is partner with Robert on his venture other than John Hoving, the development director of Riverkeeper who put Riverkeeper on the map as a high powered environmental organization.

This begs the question, are Robert Kennedy Jr. & Paul Newman working to acquire the Globe Theatre together, wanting to restore this amazing old vaudeville house, to rehabilitate it as a music hall? If that's indeed the case, how do these two sit at the same table, when one claims he wants to shut down Indian Point, and the other is being paraded around as Entergy's pro-relicensing poster boy?

Interesting dynamics, don't you think? Remember, it was the metal band Heart who saved Radio City!

Marilyn Elie of IPSEC Worried About FUSE USA Fallout?

From the little bird department...it seems that Marilyn Elie is worried about the possible negative fall out surrounding the departure of Susan Shapiro from the FUSE USA board of directors. Apparently, she feels Sherwood (that would be me) has opened up another battle front by going so PUBLIC about the FUSE USA break-up. She is worried about what might happen when Entergy gets hold of this information.

For starters, Marilyn Elie can quit worrying, as Entergy already knows, which is verified in Entergy's Thanksgiving Eve Motion To Strike wherein they note the resignation from FUSE USA of Susan Shapiro. First, lets look at the meat of the motion:

As discussed below, FUSE has repeatedly flouted the Commission's Rules of Practice as well as explicit directions by the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board regarding, among other things, service of its Petitions.

Hysterical accusation coming from a company with as many EXEMPTIONS from the rules as Entergy has. Now, FUSE USA obviously disagrees with Entergy's assessments of the situation, but moving on, let us see what these attorneys have to say about Susan Shapiro:

Footnote 6

It is reasonable to have expected that Ms. Shapiro, as an attorney, would have mindful of these very elemental requirements without the need for a reminder by the board.

OUCH...talk about a sucker punch from her own colleagues! FUSE USA is in the process of correcting these issues, and will be providing adequate service to Entergy as relates to our "Non-Susan Shapiro" Petition filed in November. It is noted here in defense of Susan Shapiro, that the Federal Registry Notice is at best cloudy on the issue of "Service" stating that Petitions should provide Entergy with a copy of their filings.

As to Marilyn Elie's advice that I should remain mute should a news reporter call for a comment, she can rest assured that FUSE USA just today spoke with a reporter, though not directly related to her areas of concern. Marilyn apparently wants it to appear, that everyone is on the same game page when it comes to shutting down Indian Point.

Now, what I find amazing, is Marilyn's announcement on the IPSEC list about a slew of filings they are intending on filing with the NRC this week. Considering her private email to me last month wherein she stated IPSEC would not be filing any contentions, curious where this major change came from, and how they are planning to hit the ground running now on be a player in this game? Could it be, that they are taking FUSE USA work product, the work product of Sherwood Martinelli, and redrafting it as their own? If so, do they plan on giving CREDIT WHERE CREDIT is due? Have they obtained a release of any kind from FUSE USA for work product created by FUSE USA in preparing their contentions? Inquiring Minds want to know.

GNB Accepting Nominations For Baboon Ass Awards (BAA)

Greetings Readers:

First, we here at Green Nuclear Butterfly hope that each and every one of you had a wondrous Thanksgiving at home with your families. My wife and I sat down to dinner at around seven last night with all the trimmings that a feast should include. Turkey, stuffing, olives, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, deviled eggs, pies and a host of other goodies. It was a great day, a fabulous meal, and we have a lot to be thankful for.

Meanwhile, Entergy tried to RUIN THE HOLIDAY with an NRC filing done very late in the day on Wednesday, wherein they moved to have all contentions filed by FUSE USA tossed out of the License Renewal process. Talk about scrapping the bottom of the barrel dirty tricks! Don't get me wrong, trying to get everything dismissed in the door is a standard nuclear industry trick...forget the fact that a contention brings up a serious public health and safety issue, if they can get it dismissed on a technicality, they are HAPPY CAMPERS. But to serve legal filings on the day before Thanksgiving! Talk about SCROOGE!

This low life timing on the part of Entergy and their attorney (Morgan, Lewis & Bockus, LLP) is simply Baboon Ass Ugly, the lowest of the low. Just goes to show you, that life in the nuclear industry is like a baboon's ass, colorful and full of shit. So, in the spirit of generosity, we here at Green Nuclear Butterfly are launching the Nuclear Industry Baboon Ass Awards (NIBAA or BAA). If you would like to nominate a company, or individual involved in the nuclear industry for a BAA (Baboon Ass Award) send us your nominee, along with a brief explanation of why they are deserving of such an honor to uraniumhotspot@aol.com no later than December 26th,2007 (our one year anniversary). We will announce our BAA Top 10 List on New Year's Day.

Happy Thanksgiving...

Little Atomic Bomb

Little Atomic Bomb
Animation of Charles Bukowski Poem
by Stephano Picco

AllGreen is All Right

I have just seen the new premiere edition of “AllGreen,” the winter edition, and have to say that this is a welcome addition to the environmental community, and a concept that I hope to see spread to other states, or turn into a national publication.

We need publications that can steer people towards Green Solutions to living their own lives, and in doing so, helping families in making a contribution towards solving Global Warming, and healing our Mother Earth. AllGreen helps to provide that conduit.

I myself am thinking about doing some extensive renovation of my 100 year old home here in Peekskill, New York. The magazine has led me to reach out already to two of the advertisers, Green Home Solutions, and Green Demolitions as I figure out how to make me and my wife’s house our dream home, while leaving a smaller foot print on the environment. Another’s discarded kitchen cabinetry may become the foundation of our new kitchen. A green builder may be able to see that the new roof and siding on our home help us to conserve energy.

Moving forward, I hope to see AllGreen include some articles on important issues facing all of us, hope to see them publish articles that make us think, even debate important issues and choices as we move to seek solutions to Global Warming. All and all though, their first issue was a great read.

AllGreen is widely distributed throughout the state of Connecticut. You can also visit their new website, www.allgreen.com, where the entire content of the allGreen premiere issue is available as a Flash file.

Why We Should Give Edwards A Closer Look

There are a whole lot of important issues in the upcoming 2008 election cycle, but none more important than Global Warming, and how we go about trying to solve it. That makes energy perhaps the most important issue in the campaign. That being said, we need to take a look at the three front runners for the Democratic Ticket (Clinton, Obama and Edwards). Of the three, both Clinton and Obama are hedging their bets publicly, riding the proverbial fence in a non committal way. Privately, they are lapping up the generosity of the Pro-Nuclear donors, with Hillary even taking money from Entergy attorneys.

Edwards on the other hand has come out and stated in no uncertain terms that he is OPPOSED to nuclear energy as a solution to Global Warming. That in and of itself makes him a candidate that we need to give a second look too, and perhaps even a third or fourth look. Unless Hillary Clinton is willing to return ALL NUCLEAR TAINTED Campaign Funds, and stand up on the Anti Nuclear side of the equation, the citizens of Connecticut, New Jersey, Vermont and New York should REJECT HER.

Why The Nuclear Industry Is Pushing Carbon Trading, Why We Should Be Leery of It.

Green Nuclear Butterfly Has a Better Idea, and It Is NOT NUCLEAR.

A big issue for debate lately has been the issue of carbon trading, or at least a carbon-pricing framework in the name of reducing Global Warming. It is no accident that the Nuclear Industry is one of the largest proponents of this program, and for their own good reason. Without carbon trading, or at least a carbon penalty placed on other energy sectors (primary among them coal, oil and gas) the nuclear industry simply cannot compete in the market place, their hoped for Nuclear Renaissance dwindling away to maybe 10 new reactor builds here in America.

Some might say such a claim is heresy, state that carbon trading would be good for the environment. That may, or may not be true...what is true, and this according to the Chief Executive of GE, Jeffrey Immelt, is that nuclear CANNOT COMPETE without strong financial incentives (loan guarantees). He goes further to state, that large-scale nuclear construction would go ahead only if a high enough cost was placed on carbon-dioxide emissions.

One of the supposed SELLING POINTS of nuclear, is CHEAP ENERGY. Carbon Trading or carbon penalties will do nothing but put more profit in rich corporate hands, and drive up the average American family's monthly electric bills. That you can bank on. So, when NEI and your local nuclear power company such as Entergy, Exelon, or First Energy (just to name a few) tries to sell you on the wonders of nuclear energy, you had best listen to them with your hand on your wallet.

Going further, it is the hope of George Bush, and the nuclear industry to put us into a very precarious position where we have no choice but to travel their nuclear highway. Samuel Bodman, US energy secretary while in Rome told the World Energy Congress (speaking about just America), "We don’t need 30 of these additional units, we need 130 or 230. We are going to need a substantial increase in nuclear power if we are to deal with generating electricity on the one hand and protecting the environment on the other.” This would double the current number of reactors we now have in America, triple that number if his suggested 230 reactors is added to the 104 currently in operation. This raises two significant questions:

1. Are you prepared to have a nuclear reactor sitting in your own back yard? It is easy to embrace nuclear when your community is not being asked to make the sacrifices, your community is not the one faced with elevated cancer risks. What happens when it is your community? Do your views change?

2. In nuclears first fifty years, not one ounce of high level nuclear waste has been safely disposed of, we still do not have a viable disposal means for the waste from nuclear reactors. Are we as a nation really comfortable doubling or tripling the number of reactors in America before the DOE and the nuclear industry have a PROVEN means with which to deal with these deadly waste streams?

Just for the sake of alternatives, since the nuclear industry always claims the anti-nuclear forces never offer up other options. What if we made converting the houses in our communities to renewable energy public works projects, much like sidewalks and sewers. The town appraiser comes to your home, prices out what it will cost to put your solar systems and things on your home, and does the same for every other house in the town. Much like paying for say new sidewalks, you would pay for making your home a shining green example through increased property taxes over a period of say 15-20 years. There is a very good likelihood that your savings on your monthly ELECTRIC bill would offset the increase in your yearly property taxes. Can you imagine a town like Peekskill converting every home over to renewable energy?

Looking at my own electric bill, we would be looking at say a $200 a month savings per home on average. Times lets say 4,000 homes in the area. Do the math, and that is $800,000 a month. The big electric utilities would be HOWLING. In an earlier article, it was pointed out that some 2.5 million homes could be converted to renewable energy for the $50 Billion the nuclear industry wants in just the next two years in the form of Loan Guarantees. Again, at $200 a month per home for electric usage, we are suddenly talking $500 MILLION per month, or $6 BILLION a year that would not be going to companies like Entergy, Exelon, and First Energy. In less than nine years, citizens could REPAY that $50 Billion in loan guarantees, all the while, taking care of most of their own home energy needs themselves.

Now, there is another HUGE ADVANTAGE to this plan. It would free up that proverbial BASE LOAD that nuclear utility companies are always waving in our faces. How much BASE LOAD could be freed up if suddenly 2.5 million homes were put on self generated renewable energy? More importantly, with that kind of CASH INFLUX into the renewable energy industry, how much more affordable would the equipment be? With volume production comes price drops as renewable energy finally becomes available to the masses. Imagine using this same basic premise to put energy efficient appliances in every American Home, or too properly insulate older homes, or put in energy saving windows. The energy SAVINGS would be tremendous, and we could jump start a stalled construction sector in the process.

Just something to think about. Call me crazy, but how much environmental healing would be done with this idea? How much could we reduce the effects of Global Warming with such thinking? Living Green requires we explore new ways of living our lives, and new ways of conducting our business. and perhaps it is time to start, by rethinking how we get our energy to run our homes?

Susan Shapiro Strategy for Shutting Down Indian Point?

This past Monday, PHASE held a news conference in New York that got ambushed by Entergy and their PR people. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what is one propaganda video worth to Entergy? You be the judge...does the shut down Indian Point movement look good in this video found on a Norris McDonald blog?

Now Hugo Chavez Wants a Nuclear Program

So, the thought of Iran having the nuclear bomb SCARES people...well, hold on to your seats, as now Hugo Chavez wants his own nuclear program, and rest assured, he will want more than just a few reactors.

Chavez Says Venezuela To Develop Nuclear Energy Programme

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has said his country will develop a domestic nuclear power programme to “enable us to deal with the future energy crisis”.

In an interview with the international television news channel ‘France 24’, Mr Chavez said Venezuela will follow its neighbours Brazil and Argentina in developing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Deadly Plutonium Lost in Himalayan Avalanche

Four decades ago, the CIA planted a nuclear-powered spy camera at the top of a Himalayan mountain. Although it stopped functioning a long time ago, the device has never been recovered.

Four pounds of plutonium, enough to kill every person on the planet, could be moving inexorably toward the Ganges River.

At some point during the inhumanly cold Himalayan winter straddling 1965 and 1966, a peculiar collection of box-shaped objects — one sprouting a six-foot, insect-like antenna — plummets nine thousand feet down the sheer flanks of a remote peak.

Ripped from its moorings by an avalanche, the jumbled apparatus slides down a funnel-shaped hourglass of hard snow and shoots over a black cliff band, careening a vertical distance six times the height of the Empire State building. The boxes come to rest on the glacier at the mountain's base.

One, an olive-drab casing the size of a personal computer, begins to sink. Then, trailing a robotic dogtail of torn wires, it slowly burns through the snow, melting into solid blue glacial ice, eventually disappearing beneath the surface, and never seen again.

No one actually witnessed this event. But as you read these words, nearly four pounds of plutonium — locked in the glacier's dark unknowable heart — are almost certainly moving ever closer to the source of the Ganges River.

Eye at the Top of the World, provides a harrowing present-day account of Takeda’s expedition to solve the mystery of Nanda Devi.

Read large sections of this story on Google Books