Atomic Insights

Atomic energy technology, politics, and perceptions from a nuclear energy insider who served as a US nuclear submarine engineer officer

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The Atomic Show #132 – Ray Squirrel Interviews (Atomic) Rod Adams

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Ray Squirrel is the screen name used by a documentary film maker who is collecting material for a film about nuclear power. You can find some of the work he has done so far at RaySquirrel’s youtube site. I am not sure how the film will come out, but I thought you might be interested in the interview that Ray’s assistant, James conducted with me on Wednesday, 13 May.

Warning – this podcast is the longest Atomic Show yet at about 105 minutes.

He asked a lot of good, probing questions with an open attitude. Topics include Adams Atomic Engines, Inc., small nuclear power plants, the nuclear renaissance, French nuclear power experiences, Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, nuclear waste, hazards of other energy sources, my thoughts on large scale renewable energy systems, and the importance of understanding commercial energy competition.

During the interview I mentioned a local natural gas explosion that injured 8 firefighters and one employee of the Washington Gas Company. Here is a link to more information about that accident – which had more serious effects on the public health than the far more widely publicized Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident.

Explosion a good reminder there are no ‘routine’ calls

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The Atomic Show #116 – John Rubino, Author of Clean Money and Greenstockinvesting.com

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John Rubino and Rod Adams discuss Clean Energy: Picking Winners in the Green-Tech Boom

I recently received a review copy of John Rubino’s Clean Energy: Picking Winners in the Green-Tech Boom. I almost did not read the book after reading the first few pages where John disqualifies nuclear power as a green investment, but I decided it would be worthwhile to dig a little deeper.

Though I do not agree with everything in the book and I found a lot of nuggets that stimulated thought. I also found myself wishing that I had been able to read the book back in December of 2007 when I was smugly confident that I had picked a winning strategy since I did not have a dime invested in either real estate or financial stocks. If I had read John’s chapter about how the weakness in those sectors could spread through the economy, my portfolio would be in much better shape now than it is.

During our conversation, John had much more positive things to say about nuclear power than I expected.

I recommend that you add Greenstockinvesting.com to your investment reading list.

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The Atomic Show #110 – George Karayannis, Executive Director, EnergizeAmerica

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George Karayannis, Executive Director, EnergizeAmerica chats with Rod Adams and Kelly Taylor about energy policies and proposed actions. Here is the mission of Energize America as found on the organization’s web site: EnergizeAmerica is a comprehensive and compelling 20-point plan developed by informed citizen activists to wean the U.S. from its fossil fuel addiction and […]

Atomic Show #098 – Chris Nelder, Co-Author of Profit from the Peak

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Chris Nelder, who co-wrote Profit from the Peak with Brian Hicks, is worried about energy supplies. He favors conservation, population control, wind, solar and geothermal. He is pessimistic about nuclear. I was recently offered the opportunity to read a review copy of Profit from the Peak by Brian Hicks and Chris Nelder. The book, despite […]