On Wednesday, January 9, I posted Atomic Show number 78, a chat with Armond Cohen, the Executive Director of the Boston-based nationally active environmental group called the Clean Air Task Force (CATF). Here is how the group describes its focus: Founded in 1996, the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to…
Dr. Allison MacFarlane is an Associate Professor of Environment Science and Policy at George Mason University. She is also a self proclaimed nuclear agnostic who is not sure that nuclear power can grow much. About a month ago a friend sent me a link to an interesting panel discussion that was held at MIT on…
Ask Atomic: What was your point regarding the 760 million mile per gallon carburetor? Reader Patrick recently asked me a question about an article titled “The 760 Million Mile Per Gallon (MMMPG) Carburetor” that I originally wrote for an online publication called Power Online a bit more than 5 years ago. With current interest in…
This posting needs a little context. I occasionally get into conversations with people that wonder why I am so passionate about atomic energy. Explanations of that sort often require some background information. I composed this letter as part of a conversation with a journalist whose views are completely divergent, but who is willing to listen…
Yesterday morning (3 March 2005) I heard a story on National Public Radio (NPR) that reminded me why I chose an engineering focused career instead of one focused on science. (Aside: I carefully avoid calling myself an engineer, though I served as one in the Navy for a couple of decades. My undergraduate degree is…
The ‘n’ word is definitely back in fashion. There are at least five large partnerships in the United States that are preparing to build new nuclear power plants, though all of them are keeping a rather low profile. The five identified efforts include a consortium led by Excelon that is investigating an early site permit…
It is easy to find recent news stories describing the effects of high energy prices on the world’s economy. A more challenging task is finding articles or analysis describing effective alternatives to watching increasing quantities of money flow from energy consumers and to energy suppliers. A large portion of this torrent of cash is flowing…
It made my day to watch the lowly Florida Marlins beat the 26 time “World Champion” New York Yankees. I nearly wept when the mighty Notre Dame football team kicked a last second field goal to squeak out a victory over Navy for the 39th time in a row. I cheered madly when the American…
Imagine how different the world political stage would be if oil was just another commodity instead of being seen as THE vital ingredient in the world’s economy. Whole power structures and economic arrangements would shift dramatically. No longer would we be treated to the spectacle of democratically elected leaders groveling to despots that just happen…
As I continue to read as much as I can stomach about Israel’s current struggle for its very survival, I have developed strong desire to shout on the streets. My message to Sharon and all the other leaders in the world is that we do not need oil. That fact should make the equation far…
As a scientist whose career includes the management of a plutonium laboratory, I am keenly aware of the many attributes of plutonium. Over the years I have also learned that advice from nuclear critics about plutonium is consistently unreliable. The critics are again offering unreliable information to the Secretary of Energy about the disposition of…
In a press release carefully coordinated with mass internet mailings to all the old anti-technology political action groups, Nader’s well-funded Critical Mass organization tries to create the impression of “a growing coalition of national, international and grassroots groups” joined by “many scientists, experts and the public.” But there is nothing spontaneous or grass-rootsy about this…