The Atomic Show #118 – Steve Kirsch, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Converted Fan of Integral Fast Reactor (IFR)
Two years ago, Steve Kirsch, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist, was sure that the US did not need nuclear power. Now he thinks it can save the planet. Find out what changed his mind.
More and more people who are sincerely concerned about the impact that human activity is making on the planet are recognizing that nuclear fission has a role to play in our future energy supplies. Some even believe that it has reached a state of art where it can save the planet.
Steve Kirsch, an entrepreneur, philanthropist and respected member of the business and social community in Silicon Valley was sure that the US could get by without nuclear fission power. In August 2008, he learned about the Integral Fast Reactor and has immersed himself in learning more.
Last week, he published an op-ed in the San Jose Mercury News titled How a 24-year-old technology can save the planet. Now, it is certainly possible for experts in the field to take issue with some of the technical details in Steve’s commentary, but just remember, he only started really studying the field a few months ago.
In my opinion, he has progressed rather well. That MIT education (Bachelor’s and Master’s in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) has come in handy. With friends like Steve Kirsch, fission advocates can make some real progress.
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Rod,
I enjoyed like usual those interviews, but the sound capture of your voice is awful. Both this one and the last one, the guest voice is perfect, but your voice sound like you swallowed the microphone.
I am listening to you on my nokia n810 connect to my car radio and even if I put the bass at -9 and treble at +9, I cannot properly understand what you say.
Keep on the good work and let me know if you need help to find solution to this.
Regards,
Simon Filiatrault
Rod…your part of this interview is almost totally inaudible! the guess comes in through loud and clear. You? Not so much.
David
Steve Kirsch would be one of the first people to regcognize what drives energy allocations of venture capital and Government funds. It is not realistic to attempt to circumvent issues in congress and the executive branch of government that are totally influenced by controls of energy companys. The flow of capital throughout the pyramid or house of cards has as it’s keystone, hydrocarbon fuel. But let me suggest a way around that.
Consider the flow of resources: Iron, Aluminum, and hydrocarbon fuel. Perhaps that flow could be redirected to: Resin and Carbon fiber vs. Iron and steel as used for structural steel or car bodies. Resin and Carbon fiber from Coal and Oil would make use of smaller import volume to a value added modern auto and aircraft industry in the form of Composite materials. Aluminum production could increase based upon a new source of fusion nuclear power. Initially, fast breeder reactors might be employed to start the flow of resources turn around. Non of this suggestion is directed at a reduction of profitability or large scale employment. It is only a shift in our out dated brainwashed paradigm. Companies are going to fail because the public deep pocket is being picked and they will not tolerated being robbed. How to fill the void with a minimum shift in resouces? Rebuilding after this debacle will take time, but the time may be shortended by a redirection of resouces already at hand. Redirect human resources as goverment funded public works projects to jumpstart the implimentation of redirecting resources instead of paying unemployment that has few material benefits.
We have experienced bad and criminal mismanagement of the public trust by our Congress and Executive branch in pandering to hydrocarbon energy lobbies. I recommend simply a shifting of the flow of vital commodities to augment a faster recovery.
I humbly apologize for the sound quality for the last couple of shows. I will troubleshoot and improve.
I have not changed anything on my set up, but it appears that my microphone is muffling all of the high pitched components of my voice. It does not seem to be a problem with my “asides”, which are recorded in GarageBand, just with the normal recording, which is done using WireTap Pro.
Hints would be welcome. Of course, the first option is to simply switch to a new microphone.