The six months since Fukushima has brought out a certain class of professional worriers who ignore history to fret about topics that have already been the source of concern for many years. In this particular case, the worriers want to assert that nuclear power plants are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of earthquakes, which are…
In my engagement with the Sierra Club group on LinkedIn (note – the group is not sponsored or affiliated with the actual Sierra Club) I ran across a commenter who would probably find some kindred souls among the Peak Oil pessimists and the skeptical survivalists. Here is what he told me after I had described…
My new word for the energy sources popularly known as “renewables” is “unreliables”. Though there may be some tiny exceptions, the general characteristic is that they are all diffuse sources that cannot actually be controlled by humans or automated control systems. One of the main reasons that energy has been a huge political topic since…
A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash (2/2) (PL) by DobrySamarytanin Part 2 of A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash adds more stark images and historical footage that shows the importance of energy in the form of readily accessible oil, but it also illustrates some of the toxic hazards and armed conflicts that we have accepted…
During the next few days or weeks, I am going to try to develop an energy story that I hope will inspire action, not depression. I may not succeed. The first installment is the first half of a 90 minute documentary video titled A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash a 2007 documentary film that includes…
Representative Ed Markey, a man who is quicker with antinuclear press releases than almost anyone, is once again trying to ratchet up the cost of licensing, owning and operating nuclear power plants. This time, he is using the recent Mineral, VA earthquake as his reason for reacting. Here is a quote from a recent story…
Proving the Principle provides some wonderful and inspiring stories about the days when the United States had a place where atomic tinkerers could explore new ideas and test those ideas with real reactors and real materials. It also provides some insights about the economically and politically motivated reasons that a place with those characteristics no…
This is a personal reflection of an event that altered world history. If you are already overwhelmed by other stories and coverage of the event, please forgive me, read something else and come back to Atomic Insights later. In July 2001, I was transferred from my job as the Associate Chairman of the Weapons and…
Apparently, when his current season of “30 Rock” ends, Alec Baldwin is interested in running for office, perhaps to become the mayor of New York City. His thoughts about energy technology and energy policy are thus gaining a new level of importance. During a September 2, 2011 interview posted on Huffington Post, Alec Baldwin claimed…
I’ll admit my bias – my father spent his whole career in the business of making electricity. I learned very early in life just how important that job is. Some of the unsung heroes that I have celebrated over the years include the linemen who restored our electricity nearly two weeks after Hurricane Hugo decimated…
I am a subscriber to a Google group of fast reactor experts and advocates who strongly believe that the Clinton Administration’s decision to eliminate funding for the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) project was an enormous political mistake that has had long term impacts on America’s national security and economic vitality. Recently, two members of the…
Ray has released the final chapter of the Shoreham documentary. He has also established a store on CafePress.com that features merchandise and artwork. The proceeds from any purchases will help support the documentary artist as well as the educational efforts of PopAtomic Studios. I hope you enjoyed this production. There appears to be a burst…