Nuclear Hotseat

FEATURED INTERVIEWS:

Listen as veteran activists of the battle to shut down San Onofre celebrate the win by recalling where they were, how they received the news, what it means to them and where our movement goes from here (you didn't think we were done, did you?).  Hear from:

• Gary and Laurie Headrick of San Clemente Green
• Gene Stone of Residents Organized for a Safe Environment (ROSE)
• Donna Gilmore of San Onofre Safety
• Ray Lutz of Citizen's Oversight
• Urban planner Torgen Johnson
• Cathy Iwane, who works with many groups as our direct connection to Japan

PLUS: National activists Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear, Diane D'Arrigo of Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS), and Priscilla Star, founder of the Coalition Against Nukes (CAN).

Southern California activists and their expert advisors celebrate permanent closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant

PLUS: 

• Davis-Besse NPP protest gets boost from SanO closure;
• Browns Ferry NPP implicated in increased mortality rates in surrounding counties;
• Fukushima child thyroid cancer cases rise to 12 confirmed, 15 suspected; more than double February, 2013 rates;
• Japanese parents take child thyroid testing to private testing events because they don't trust the Fukushima Health Survey;
• Transformer at France's Catenom NPP explodes;

Cattenom NPP in France, explosion in transformer June, 2013

• Swedish utility Vattenfall buying up land for possible new nuke;  SWEDEN, DON'T TOUCH IT!  IT'S EVIL!

LINKS:

• Mamabears Protest against Uranium Mining in the Grand Canyon - at the Grand Canyon.  Details here:  https://www.facebook.com/mamabears.againstnukes?fref=ts
• Support Independent thyroid screenings for Fukushima Children by donating here:  http://bit.ly/Wcfe2A
• Signatures sought for group and individual endorsements in support of UN Special Rapporteur's recommendations on the Right to Health:  http://bit.ly/129eEIy

Former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan

FEATURING:

"The Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Disaster: Lessons for California from Former Japanese Prime Minister Kan" was a public meeting of historic consequence for the anti-nuclear movement.  This week, we cover the speeches of the Hon. Naoto Kan and former Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Gregory Jaczko, plus an interview with event visionary and organizer Torgen Johnson and a few sage observations by Arnie Gundersen of Fairewinds Energy Education.  Next week: an exclusive interview w/Naoto Kan.

Nuclear Hotseat Producer/Host Libbe HaLevy asks her question of former Japanese PM Kan, NRC;s Jaczko and Branford (Better pictures next week when I figure out how to upload them.)

VIDEO EXCERPTS (Courtesy Mary Beth Brangan and EON - www.EON3.net)

NAOTO KAN:

http://youtu.be/15Uh1jBwidM" class="text-nh underline hover:text-nh-dark"> http://youtu.be/15Uh1jBwidM

GREGORY JACZKO:

http://youtu.be/TRTtGNtJ8sQ" class="text-nh underline hover:text-nh-dark"> http://youtu.be/TRTtGNtJ8sQ

PETER BRADFORD:

http://youtu.be/MC4SbppHGak

ARNIE GUNDERSEN:

http://youtu.be/MwnAvXOqJKc" class="text-nh underline hover:text-nh-dark"> http://youtu.be/MwnAvXOqJKc

KENDRA ULRICH:

http://youtu.be/PqEPHi717Dw

Entire village of Idinthakarai sleeps on the beach to protest Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant,  Credit: Amirthraj Stephen/Gallery Ske
from, "Koodankulam: In My Backyard"

FEATURED INTERVIEW:

Kumar Sundaram, Research Consultant with India's Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace, (CNDP) on the Indian government's violent repression of the non-violent anti-nuclear movement, Japan's push to sell nuclear technology to India; and the country's massive, growing anti-nuclear movement.

NUMNUTZ OF THE WEEK:

A video is worth a thousand words...

As George Takei might say, "Oh, my.........!"

PLUS:

• Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) demands Justice Dept. investigates SCE after 2004 letter surfaces showing company VP already expressed doubts over San Onofre steam generator design;
• Paducah, Kentucky faces nuclear disaster if/when TVA turns off the lights  at uranium plant for nonpayment of the bill ;
• JELLYFISH AWARD FOR NUCLEAR HEROISM: Seaweed shuts down two nuclear reactors in Scotland;
• Greenpeace lands a warning on Sweden's Ringhals reactor...and gets no reaction;
• Navaho Nation blocks uranium mining company from transporting ore across their lands - and there's no other way out;
• TEPCO has problems keeping employees -- can you imagine?

Friends of the Earth's mobile billboard, roving the 50-mile evacuation radius from San Onofre in      So. California.

FEATURED INTERVIEWS:

Daniel Noonan of Washington state Physicians for Social Responsibility fills us in on history of the Hanford Nuclear Site, with its leaks threatening the Columbia River and the entire Pacific Northwest.  Includes information on this week's Public Meeting on Hanford to be held on May 23 at the Husky Union Building at the University of Washington, Seattle.  www.WAMEC.org

Paul Frey, an organic farmer and winemaker, on the impact of a nuclear reactor accident on agriculture.  He's the man who superimposed the plume patterns from Fukushima and Chernobyl on a map of California to give a graphic picture of the damage that would be caused by a meltdown at either reactor.  Learn how to make a plume map for your local neighborhood nuclear reactor by contacting Paul for his Powerpoint: [email protected].

NUMNUTZ OF THE WEEK:

• Hanford Nuclear Site requires only a PARADE PERMIT to move high level nuclear materials through the streets of Richland, WA!
  

PLUS:

• Belgium's 2 nukes cracked "but safe!";
• Hamburg ship fire threatened radioactive materials AND explosives in same cargo hold ;
• Massive anti-nuke protests in Taiwan;
• Fukushima growing rice for sale in former hot zone ;
• German company to build wind power farm to power US weapons plant.  Huh???
•   The inside story on Friends of the Earth's mobile billboard on San Onofre.

And so much more...!

LINKS:

• How the US Turned Three Pacifists into "Violent Terrorists":http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/15-7
• Nuclear Powered Cancer Clusters:http://spoonsenergymatters.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/nuclear-powered-cancer-clusters/
• Japan Industry Ministry Behind Private Panel's Push for Reactor Restarts:http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/AJ201305190024

Nuclear Hotseat Takes the Cake! 100 episodes and counting...

INTERVIEWS:

• Rudolph Herzog, author of A SHORT HISTORY OF NUCLEAR FOLLY: MAD SCIENTISTS, DITHERING NAZIS, LOST NUKES AND CATASTROPHIC COVER-UPS.
  
• Kendra Ulrich, Nuclear Campaigner for Friends of the Earth, explains the significance of the May 13 Atomic Safety Licensing Board (ASLB) ruling that mandates an adjudicated public hearing on Southern California Edison's (SCE's) scheme to restart the dangerous, damaged Unit 2 at San Onofre.
  

The leaking, damaged nuclear reactors of San Onofre

NUMNUTZ OF THE WEEK:

When is dumping radioactive material into the ocean not dumping radioactive material into the ocean?  Leave it to Fukushima to figure out a loophole in that International law!

PLUS:

• 83-year-old Sister Megan Rice and two associates found guilty of conscience-driven break-in at Y-12 nuclear processing plant in Tennessee, could get 30 years ;

Plowshares Protesters: 83-year-old Sister Megan Rice w/57-year-old Greg Boertje-Obed and Michael Walli, 64 - guilty as charged and fearless in admitting it.

• California Public Utilities Commission tries to stop all recording of its hearings on San Onofre but activists already told them: have digital cameras, will travel;
• Palisades NPP crack caused leaks into Lake Michigan and Michigan Congressman w/clout demands full accountability;
• Hanford may be "too dangerous to clean up" - huh?;
• NRC Commissioner Ostendorff owned stock in NRC licensee Honeywell during labor lockout ;
• Horses dying and stroke rate spiking in Fukushima; 
• SCE still trying to get someone to take that senior management position as Nuclear Communications Project Manager - any takers?

LINKS:

• Three Soma (Fukushima) High School girls write and perform their original play, "Unheard Voices."  Powerful truths emerge from this heartfelt piece of student theatre.

Unheard Voices (with English Subtitles) by thedeaconrulz

• California Public Utilities Commission restricts public access to San Onofre Hearings:  http://www.copswiki.org/Common/M1357
• NRC Commissioner Ostendorff owned stock in Honeywell during labor lockout:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/14/william-ostendorff-honeywell_n_3272376.html?utm_hp_ref=tw