|
46787. judithathome - 12/22/2016 9:07:21 PM Well, clearly, our votes DON'T matter...mine (from Texas) hasn't mattered since Ann Richards was trotting around this state.
Why we can't CHANGE an antiquated system which was created so long ago that MEXICO still owned the lower quarter of our country is beyond me. Did we hold on to other laws from back in that day? Laws like stealing horses would get you strung up and hung by the neck? No...the country changed as it grew...but we treat this part of the constitution as though Moses brought it "writ in stone" down from the moutain top.
I seriously doubt one third of the residents in all the states in this country could name...or even CARES...who their "electors" are or how they get to BE electors...and yet we hold their actions to be sacrosanct every four years. 46788. Trillium - 12/23/2016 3:12:22 AM Was curious about your take on Ryan Zinke, iiibbb.
WaPo on Ryan Zinke
"During his time in Congress, Zinke has established a 3 percent voting score with the League of Conservation Voters. But he has broken ranks with the panel’s GOP majority on occasion, opposing a measure by Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) that would have allowed each state to buy up to 2 million acres in U.S. Forest Service land to boost timber production. He has also pushed for full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a high priority for outdoors groups." 46789. iiibbb - 12/25/2016 6:59:44 AM Trillium.
- As a general rule, I am against the US divesting itself of federal natural lands.
- As a general rule, I am for science-based forest management; I am not a preservationist and think that forest lands benefit from some level of silvicultural prescriptions.
- Trump does not have my confidence, and while he might be right about a few over-arching principles... his execution will likely be sub-optimal.
- I am not a fan of fossil fuels, and the sooner we eliminate geogenic carbon from our energy portfolio the better. I am pro-nuclear at this point as it is the only energy system that can meet demand and bridge us to the point where we an rely on renewables alone. I view the risks associated with fossil fuels far exceed those that are associated with nuclear. 46790. iiibbb - 12/25/2016 7:02:03 AM - Pollution is many orders of magnitude more expensive to recover from than prevention.
- Trump's vision is lemon socialism; people are going to profit mightily from energy production, but it will be future generations that will pay the cost. The people that profit, never pay their fair share of recovery... particularly with cleanups and dirty water. 46791. winstonsmith - 12/26/2016 1:08:47 AM Judith, I am doing generally well but life does have it's challenges. My son has had some health issues and that has caused some disruption and consternation in the family. He is back home now and his prognosis is good. Living in the liberal bubble that is Portland, it is a bit disorienting when presented with the reality of Trump when literally no one that I interact with (other thana few people on Facebook) like Trump. In fact, just about everyone here has utter scorn for him. 46792. judithathome - 12/26/2016 1:23:13 AM Sounds like a place we'd like to move to...however, it might be a bit chilly for Keoni...
How is the golf there, though?
The other day he came home from visiting a friend in the hospital who has had several health problems lately...younger than us....and she was talking about moving to Washington state because they have "Death With Dignity"...Keoni was all of a sudden hot to move there until I reminded him of the fact it was/might be pretty brutal in winter...thus probably no golf then.
This man is the picture of health for 72...but definitely not cut out for the COLD. Hawaiians think "cold" is lower 70°!
46793. winstonsmith - 12/26/2016 1:52:55 AM The climate in Portland is pretty mild overall. There is a lot of dark, rainy, overcast days though. It is beautiful and verdant when the sun comes out. 46794. judithathome - 12/26/2016 1:57:13 AM I hope your son is doing better...trust me, I know what having a son with health problems is like....and what it can do to a family. Best wishes for the new year! 46795. winstonsmith - 12/26/2016 8:52:11 AM Thanks Judith, best wishes to you too! 46796. judithathome - 1/9/2017 9:45:38 PM Well, keeping it "all in the family"...Trump just appoints his son-in-law, Jarod Kushner, as "Special" whatever to the President...Trump said not long ago that Kushner could "fix this Israeli/Palistine problem" in a flash.
Really, Donald...and why is THAT? "He's Jewish, after all..." That is what this idiot SAID! 46797. Trillium - 1/10/2017 7:02:17 AM Just saw your response iiibbb. Thanks.
I'm dubious of nuclear energy -- somebody has to take care of the waste and there are no inexpensive ways to do it. There's not much talk about Fukushima, but that is an unimaginable mess 46798. Iiibbb - 1/10/2017 2:39:26 PM I don't mean 50 yr infrastructure. I mean modern nucleat. Standardized designs, fuel recycling, or better yet, 4th gen molten salt designs that physically can't melt down and use everything up.
Fossil fuels are worse and arguably we aren't doing a good job with that waste either. 46799. Ms. No - 1/10/2017 11:43:59 PM There have been exponentially more mishaps with fossil fuels than with nuclear. 46800. Ms. No - 1/10/2017 11:45:16 PM I would imagine we are more careful with nuclear materials because everyone can really and truly imagine and fear nuclear fallout and radiation poisoning while they have a hard time projecting into the future where global warming wipes us out like the dinosaurs. 46801. Trillium - 1/11/2017 8:18:47 PM Energy is an area that I don't know a lot about, and I went to try and learn more about salt reactors. This is an interesting site, and they reference the labs in Oak Ridge TN (ORNL) where I have some personal connections.
What is nuclear.com
Problems with Molten Salt Reactors
All those wonderful benefits can’t possibly come without a slew of problems. Lots of people promote these reactors without acknowledging the issues, but not us! A reactor concept has to stand on its two feet even in the face of disadvantages (and we think the MSR can do this). Let’s go through them.
"Mobile fission products...If lithium is used in the salt, tritium will be produced, which is radioactive and extremely mobile (since it is small, it can go through metal like a hot knife through butter). ORNL used a special sodium fluoroborate intermediate salt to capture most of it, but a large amount still escaped to the environment...."
46802. Trillium - 1/11/2017 8:24:05 PM Runaway rad still an issue at Oak Ridge sewer plant
"OAK RIDGE — In early 2014, evidence of radioactive pollution was discovered in the city of Oak Ridge's sewage treatment facility on the west side of town.
"The unwelcome surprise was blamed on technetium-99 that had migrated from a demolition project at the federal government's K-25 uranium-enrichment plant on the other side of the Clinch River.
"The radioactive contaminants, which can be mobile in the environment, had infiltrated pipelines leading to the sewer system. Although the radioactivity reportedly didn't not pose a health threat to workers at the plant or drinking water supplies in the area, it prompted a number of cleanup actions — including efforts to remove the technetium in the sewage treatment systems.
"Over the past two years, about 75,000 gallons of radioactive sludge have been removed from the city facility and shipped out west for treatment and eventual disposal. But the Oak Ridge problem still hasn't been resolved fully, and it's not clear when it will be..." 46803. iiibbb - 1/12/2017 4:58:57 AM I work at Oak Ridge. It is a mess there. I'm not sure how their legacy issues are relevant for evaluating modern nuclear power and safety. For one the wide variety of technology that was developed and tested there. Second, since it is located on karst topography, it's about the worst place in the world for such a facility.
Look to France for a modern nuclear model.
There are molten salt reactors going online in Russia and China. There's more than one kind.
Again, I am not dismissing their risk. I'm just saying comparatively speaking, I consider Fossil Fuels to be far far worse.
46804. Trillium - 1/12/2017 4:10:02 PM Googled and found the following World Nuclear Association link in an article at Daily Caller. These paragraphs describe the basic categories, and I edited slightly, adding paragraph breaks to make it easier to read:
World Nuclear Association
"Several generations of reactors are commonly distinguished:
Generation I reactors were developed in 1950-60s, and outside the UK none are still running today.
Generation II reactors are typified by the present US and French fleets and most in operation elsewhere.
So-called Generation III (and III+) are the advanced reactors discussed in this paper, though the distinction from Generation II is arbitrary. The first are in operation in Japan and others are under construction or ready to be ordered.
Generation IV designs are still on the drawing board and will not be operational before 2020 at the earliest.
"About 85% of the world's nuclear electricity is generated by reactors derived from designs originally developed for naval use." 46805. Trillium - 1/12/2017 4:21:30 PM Recent Nov. 2016 news about French nuclear energy issues
"Industry regulators have shut down 20 French nuclear reactors, causing power prices to spike across Europe.
The reactors were shut down due to a scandal about sub-standard parts....France’s production of nuclear power has been steadily falling since May, according to Reuters, largely due to a law passed by the French government last November intended to prop up solar power. The law requires the country to reduce its share of nuclear energy production from 75 percent to only 50 percent by 2025.
"The legislation could force...the country’s state-controlled utility, to close 18 to 20 of its 58 nuclear reactors by 2025. France’s nuclear industry is one of the most advanced in the world and is still very active in developing nuclear technology and is building some of the world’s most advanced reactors." 46806. Trillium - 1/12/2017 4:29:47 PM Link from Powermag on France's reactors:
France's nuclear storm: Many power plants down due to quality concerns
"The discovery of widespread carbon segregation problems in critical nuclear plant components has crippled the French power industry—20 of the country’s 58 reactors are currently offline and under heavy scrutiny. France’s nuclear safety chairman said more anomalies “will likely be found,” as the extent of the contagion is still being uncovered."
|
