NH #549: Nuclear Numnutz of the Year 2021!​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍​‌‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‌‌​​‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‍‌​‍​​‍‌​‍‌​‍​​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌‍‌‌‌​​‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍​‌‍‌‌​‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌‍​​‌‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​​‌​‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‍​‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍​‌‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‌‌​​‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‍‌​‍​​‍‌​‍‌​‍​​‍‌‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌‍‌‌‌​​‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍​‌‍‌‌​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍‌‌

Libbe HaLevy

00:00:00

Nuclear 2021. Wasn't it supposed to be better than 2020 LOL. But as the years go by, nothing really changes in nuclear land except to take another year off the 24,000 year half-life of radioactive plutonium. Let's see. Since the Dawn of the atomic age, that would be what, 23,924 to go. And that's just the first of 20 half life cycles. Oh, well, it's just another same old, same old for those of us stuck, which we all are in that awful dangerous seat that we all share

Announcer

00:00:40

Clear hot seat. What are those people thinking? Nuclear hot seat. What have those boys been breaking their hot? See the Ms. Sinking our time to act is shrinking, but nuclear Hotsy. It's a bomb.

Libbe HaLevy

00:01:11

Welcome to nuclear hot seat. The weekly international news magazine, keeping you up to date on all things, nuclear from a different perspective. My name is Leebee Halevi. I'm the producer and host as well as a survivor of the nuclear accident at three mile island from just one mile away. So I know what can happen when those nuclear so-called experts get it wrong. This is our annual special edition of nuclear hot seat, numb nuts of the year in it. We take a look back at 2021 through the lens of the most rant worthy stories that crossed my desk. Now these are not necessarily the most important or influential stories, but certainly the most infuriating nonsensical risk inducing, head shaking and heartbreaking stories of nuclear short-sightedness misdirection, miscalculation, propaganda, criminal incompetence, and the people and governments and media outlets that fell for their nonsense. I'm leading the Olympics out of it because they were so 20, 20 and 2021.

Libbe HaLevy

00:02:20

But other than that, we'll hear all about the headliners Fukushima Chernobyl, the media weapons, reactors, radiation waste culminating in the highly prized award numnuts of the year. I can just hear Holtec the nuclear regulatory commission, Tokyo electric power company, and George Monbiot chomping at the bit to find out which one of them gets this year's award when let's face it. They are all so worthy. Today is Tuesday, December 28th, 2021. And here is this week's special numb nuts of the year, starting off where else with Fukushima where Tokyo electric power company TEPCO and the Japanese government are always engaging in blatant numnuts Surrey. Take this appeal to residents of the area around Fukushima Daiichi from episode number 4 99, January 14th, 2021.

Libbe HaLevy

00:03:27

The Japanese government is so desperate to have people move back into Fukushima, to continue their cover up of the dangers of radiation. Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, that they will pay you to move back. No really Japanese government grants of up to 2 million yen will be provided next fiscal year to people who move to one of 12 municipalities surrounding the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster site. Now, before you get all excited at that sound of 2 million, know that that translates into us dollars 19,200, and that's over a period of five years. So it comes out to only $1,500 a year. And over five years, it breaks down to $321 a month. Is that what your life and your genetic future is worth? The 12 municipality is all in Fukushima. Prefecture are who Taba Kuma. Tomioka NABI it Tata calamata minima Soma katsu, REL Narada Kawaguchi Tamora.

Libbe HaLevy

00:04:43

And Hirono the 2 million yen grants will be offered likely next summer or later to families that did not live in the 12 municipalities at the time of the 2011 accident for a single person household who is a newcomer to the prefecture. The grant will be 1.2 million yen. And somebody from Fukushima prefecture who scoots on back it's 800,000 yen or $7,685, which breaks down to $125 a month. And they would have to live there for five years. Well, I don't know about you, but there isn't enough money in the world to get me to move back to that kind of contaminated environment. And that's the exact same problem you heard about in the previous story? We are 65% of evacuees from Fukushima. Took a look at what was going on there and went, nah, I don't think I'm coming back, but still anybody connected with nuclear things, money is more important than any other consideration. And what do you mean we can't bribe you and trick you into coming back here? And that's why government of Japan, whoever is behind this scheme to broad people back into Fukushima prefecture, you are this week's

Announcer

00:06:11

I'm like,

Libbe HaLevy

00:06:12

Okay, we'll cut down on the tags from now on. So what kinds of things our former residents around Fukushima being asked to return to how about considerations for their health episode 5 0 1 from January 28, the review committee for this thyroid test, which has found more than 200 people with thyroid cancer raises the theory of what's being called. Over-diagnosis put that in quotes. And this is what is being said among the so called experts who deny the effects of radiation exposure. They say that they are finding thyroid cancer, that they do not have to find. And there is growing opinion that the mass examination of school should be reviewed. In other words, canceled showy chiro to gunny. A member of the national cancer center said the discovery of thyroid cancer has little benefit in avoiding death or poor quality of life, especially when you are diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Libbe HaLevy

00:07:13

I think it will be a huge disadvantage for those who do thyroid examination in a group of asymptomatic, healthy people is not desirable what you've not heard of diagnostic testing. And it gets worse because members of the prefectural health investigation committee, especially members who reside outside of Phillip Kashima prefecture are calling for the cancellation or reduction of examinations because Hey, when you have a radiation induced public health crisis, the last thing you want is verifiable data as evidence that confirms that the problem is just as bad as people thought, if not worse in truth, thyroid cancer has recurrence and metastasis and early detection and early treatment are beneficial for the child. And that's why you miserable duplicitous members of the perfectional health investigation committee in Japan. You are this week's none.

Libbe HaLevy

00:08:16

Then there's word on the condition of the storage tanks that hold radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi reactors. It's so reassuring, not from episode 5 43, November 17 in Japan, Tokyo electric power company has released new information about solid radioactive waste containers. 5,338 containers were inspected and of those 304 had significant corrosion and 342 had significant dents. So how did TEPCO repair put that word in quotes? These radioactive waste containers by applying large adhesive backed plastic sheets to the areas of the metal containers that had suffered corrosion, damage and leaks, no other ceiling work appears to have been done to these containers. They didn't even use duct tape and no word was offered on this plastic sticker material or the expected durability of the adhesive used. Maybe that's because TEPCO is still is kept co-planning on disposing of this solid waste, along with the radioactive water into the Pacific ocean in 2023.

Libbe HaLevy

00:09:32

Well, shoot, we're just going to have to wait to find out. And that's why once again, Tokyo electric power company, KEPCO, you are this week's none that simply info.org has the visuals on that. So if you want to see what numnuts Siri really looks like around Fukushima, that's the place to go. Then of course, there is the threatened promised planned for release of that radio active water into the Pacific ocean, a story tech and the Japanese government has been plugging since 2012. It registered so high on the numbness scale in 2021, there were four times at one, the honor, here's just one from April 28, episode number five 14 in response to the protests and international pushback to Japan's plans to release Fukushima's radioactive water into the Pacific. How does the Japanese government choose to try to dispel concerns with a cute cartoon mascot treaty?

Libbe HaLevy

01:10:32

The snub nose tritium mascot is the latest brain bust by advertising megalith, Dentsu, the company behind all those failed Olympics, promoting schemes on Tuesday, April 13 Japan's reconstruction agency released a flyer and video on its website, featuring the harmless little guy to explain that ocean release of water containing Tridium is standard practice at nuclear power plants around the world. Yes, but that doesn't make it right. Let alone in the quantities that Japan is proposing to release from Fukushima as Rick and Komatsu, a writer involved in reconstruction activities in a Walker treated about the character. It makes a mockery of risk communication. The gap between the gravity of the problems we face and the levity of the character is huge faced with universal mockery, shaming and loss of face. Trinity was removed from public view after only 24 hours, but not people were screenshots made it infamous around the world for its tone, DEP response to an ongoing nuclear tragedy.

Libbe HaLevy

01:11:42

And that's why Japan reconstruction agency and Dentsu public relations. You are this week's none. That's how do they get away with it? The communications media, both online and mainstream are the unindicted co-conspirators in the hiding, covering up for skating or just lazy, getting wrong. All of these nuclear stories. My longest numnuts ever was earned by the new Yorker as it went full on pro nuke. Here's what I had to say for episode number 5 0 5, April 25th, 2021. This one is so heinous and duplicitous. I don't even know where to start the new Yorker. Once an honored publication published a massive article, entitled the activist who embrace nuclear power, make no mistake. It is a full-on propaganda piece, unbalanced by any genuine concerns expressed by genuine activists who oppose nuclear. This one got all his talking points from pro nuclear sources and focuses on two women who are employees of the Diablo canyon nuclear power station in California, and who were coached into creating an organization that is supported and promoted by the nuclear industry to spread lies and keep Diablo canyon operating beyond its announced 2024 and 2025 closures.

Libbe HaLevy

01:13:09

I only have time to cover a few of the lies put forth, but among them, the two women cited as so-called activists have been financially supported by their nuclear employees. Being allowed to take time off from work, have their travel expenses reimbursed and who knows what other kinds of bonuses, perks and raises have come their way as they did their nuclear master's bidding. They ripped off their name, mothers for nuclear to descend and undercut the 48 year old San Louis Obispo mothers for peace, which is a genuine activist group that was formed in large measure to protest Diablo canyon. Indeed mothers for peace was not even mentioned in the article, nothing counter to the pre-chosen narrative was these women have been intensely coached by the shill Berger himself, Michael Shellenberger, who they booked to speak to Diablo canyon employees to organize them quote for the sake of their jobs and the planet.

Libbe HaLevy

01:14:10

While the two women baked chocolate chip cookies for attendees, still doing kitchen duty with sly wording. This article repeats the laws that nuclear screen and carbon-free every volitional adjective that could be used on nuclear. Minimize the risks, huge amounts of energy, small footprint. The risks are minimized double with no evidence or plan to minimize it. No footnotes at all. The article cited as proof that nuclear was safe. The oft told lies that not only did nobody die at three mile island quote, the accident had no detectable health consequences, which will come as a real shock to epidemiologists, Mangano of radiation and public health project who has the medical evidence and the numbers and sources to back it up nuclear engineer and whistleblower irony, Gunderson Fairwinds energy education who has done a massive and intensive investigation into the causes of three mile island and why there were not enough radiation monitors and they weren't in the right places to register how much radiation really was released.

Libbe HaLevy

01:15:15

And there are the more than 4,000 members of the online Facebook, three mile island survivors site who regularly compare notes on cancer deaths and radiation related illnesses. They and their families have suffered through the years. It slams Fukushima survivors is having quote few health risks connected to radiation exposure in Japan while on nuclear hot seat, number 4 98, Dr. Alex Rosen of international physicians for the prevention of nuclear war explains exactly how Japan has rigged the medical data to not reflect the actual situation. Specifically thyroid cancer cases, rates and deaths among Fukushima's child survivors. Other basic criticisms and issues were dismissed with a single sentence, usually couched in parentheses. The question of long-term storage remains fraught fraught. That's the best word you can come for the forever nightmare of nuclear waste, the small modular nuclear reactors being loudly touted as nuclear solutions with only a tiny sentence in parentheses.

Libbe HaLevy

01:16:23

These reactors are still in the experimental phase, meaning they don't exist. What is being touted is a fiction, a fantasy, a lie. There's an excellent rebuttal to this slobbering piece of pro-nuclear garbage that was sent to the new Yorker editors by Dave craft, the head of nuclear energy information service based in Chicago, we'll have a link up to his talking points on our website, but damage has been done lies in shrined liars, burnished to a nuclear glow. As they quote, are here to offer the motherly side of nuclear nuclear for the future nuclear for our children, for the planet hogwash and all those words, I can't say on a broadcast program. And that's why new Yorker naive non investigative talking point pusher, Rebecca to Hoose Dobro and you to traders to the future, your children and the planet you are this weeks, months. And so far, this year's most despicable.

Libbe HaLevy

01:17:32

None, not even long time. Favorite reporters and new sources of mine came in for the rap of numb nuts. Here's what I had to say about Dan, rather a news and guts for episode five 40 on October 27, such nuclear myopia this week, the Biden administration released four separate reports on how climate change threatens us national security and will likely create conflict around the globe. These included a report on migration, the national intelligence estimate and separate analyses from the defense department and the department of Homeland security. And how many times did they mention anything? Nuclear just once as in some of the countries, most vulnerable to climate change like India and Pakistan are nuclear powers. Climate catastrophes might jeopardize the security of their weapons. Yeah, but what about right here in the good old USA in case you haven't noticed the United States is a nuclear power and climate catastrophes might jeopardize the security of our weapons.

Libbe HaLevy

01:18:45

And then there's the potential flooding of coastal nuclear reactors from sea level rise, sea Fukushima, to understand what that can lead to. And then there's the possibility of dam overflow flooding from torrential rains and dam failures, upstream of nuclear reactors that could flood out emergency cooling systems. Again, if you want to understand what that means, see Fukushima, and then there is this finding more powerful storms and more frequent flooding are threatening military preparedness domestic basis like Tyndall air force base in Florida and Marine Corps base camp Lazoon in North Carolina have already endured billions of dollars worth of damage and sea level rise in the Pacific jeopardizes key quote, war fighting infrastructure. Well, we can't have anything damaging our ability to make war. Can we, all of which goes to show that when it comes to nuclear dangers created by climate change, the current administration in Washington has just as big a blind spot as the previous ones.

Libbe HaLevy

01:19:56

And that's why Biden administration and all those reports on climate change and national security, you are this week's food is always a great topic for delicious radioactive contamination and succulent official coverups take a taste of this numb nuts from episode number 5 0 2 on February 4th, PBS presented a story entitled California wines contain Fukushima radiation. And it's not a bad thing. Say what? According to this report written not by a PBS new staff member, but by somebody just wafting through on a student fellowship. The only thing that radiation and wine does is prove the vintage different levels and kinds of radiation show up for different years. Well, that's great if you're a wine snob worried about the vintage, but as for the health consequences, this report claims that the amount of cesium 1 37 radiation in a bottle of California wine from vintage years, 2011 on is quote too small to harm a person's health well on its own, that might be true.

Libbe HaLevy

02:21:13

But that measurement is based upon the impact from external radiation dose, not internal, and let's face it. The purpose of wine is not to apply it topically one atom of Caesium, 1 37 stuck anywhere in the body puts the gamma radiation. It releases up close and personal with your organs, blood brain, all your bodily systems. And over time that one Adam can create cancer or other health damage. It's just impossible to track it back to that glass of wine. You drink also radiation from your wine is not the only radiation our bodies are subject to. So whatever comes internally from wine is in addition to anything that you might breathe, drink, or eat that has radioactivity in it. And one never knows when that radiation will try and turn back and impacts your answer. So when wine scientists declare that it's safe to drink, radioactively contaminated wine because there's not a lot of radiation in it.

Libbe HaLevy

02:22:20

And besides it's an excellent vintage, they're not looking at the cumulative effect of that radiation. They're just flogging wine and pay no attention to that little radioactive man behind the curtain. Well, I'll drink to that or preferably not. And that's why PBS news hour and article author, Amanda Grinnell, who was a PBS news hour fellow is not a nuclear expert and has written not one other paper on radiation because she doesn't know the field. You are, this week's none that China has got its branding focus just a wee bit off episode 5 23 from June 30th in China, the based bottled water brand known Fu spring has received backlash from its Chinese netizens. After its peach flavored. Sparkling water was marketed as sourcing peach ingredients from Japan's Fukushima prefecture tastes good. And it glows in the dark, a Chinese netizen posted a photo on social media platform.

Libbe HaLevy

02:23:32

Weebo showing an advertising board in a supermarket saying a peach flavored sparkling water from non-food spring uses Kuti peach from Japan's Fukushima prefecture as an ingredient along with screenshots of the drinks introduction from non poo Springs official, we have account stating the peach is from Japan, Fukushima prefecture upon learning of this citizen led outing of their ingredient. Non-food spring updated their website saying that the company just used a recipe to imitate the taste of the peach later. They changed their story to emphasize that it was the type of peaches mentioned in the advertisement that originated from the Fukushima, but they had been introduced to China in the last century. Still no word from the company, whether they were using artificial ingredients to imitate the flavor of Fukushima peaches, whether they were using originally from Fukushima peaches that were now in China or whether they had been caught out in something else.

Libbe HaLevy

02:24:40

Meanwhile, the shares of non-food spring fell 1.5, 8% on Monday following the online backlash that started on Sunday, using anything from Fukushima as a sales promotion point, what were your advertising people thinking? And that's why knowing who spring you are, this week's numbness. And when it comes to making long-term decisions about safety and radiation, the us is never far behind with bad thinking, episode number 5 37, October six on Wednesday, September 22nd, the United States lifted an import ban on food products from prefectures hit by the earthquake to NAMI and triple nuclear meltdown disaster that struck Fukushima as Northeast Japan in 2011, the ban following the Toonami triggered meltdowns included rice peaches and Shataki mushrooms produced in Fukushima. This decision came after the U S food and drug administration determined quote, a very low risk to American consumers from radioactive contaminated foods, imported from Japan. Now let's unpack that statement, which is a direct quote.

Libbe HaLevy

02:26:03

First of all, anything that has any radioactivity in a is not no risk. It may be what they consider low risk, but low compared to what, just one atom of a radioactive element injusted into the human body that sticks there. We'll continue irradiating it up close and personal with your internal organs for as long as it stays there, which could be until you die, possibly from its effect, which could include cancer. Also, they're not saying that there is no radioactive contaminated food imported from Japan. They're just saying it's a very low risk, but they admit that there is radioactive contaminated food imported from Japan. Now this might be a Freudian slip. It might be semantic shenanigans or just another money-based nuclear decision to go, Hey, don't worry about it. It's not a problem, at least until it is. And that could take a lot of years to show up, but that doesn't mean it's not going to. So, you know, for the sake of your health and your safety, it's not that hard to read labels and just avoid anything that may have been imported from Japan. And in the meantime, this is why food and drug administration for this decision, you are this week's nun.

Libbe HaLevy

02:27:35

We'll continue with our annual feature numnuts of the year in just a moment. But first as we come to the end of the holiday season, we understand that gifts come in all forms. For example, my weekly gift to you is nuclear hot seat, a program that brings you up to date on nuclear issues around the world. From that different perspective, guests this year alone have included activists, attorneys, medical doctors, epidemiologists, engineers, downwinders authors, filmmakers, anyone of interest I could find who is fighting against some aspect of the nuclear industrial complex. It's my honor, and privilege to be able to speak with such people, ask them all the questions I can and then share their answers with you. The listeners literally around the world, but producing the show takes more than just my time and energy. It requires money unlike so much of the rest of the world at this time of year.

Libbe HaLevy

02:28:31

That's what I'm reaching out to you about. Quite frankly, the COVID pandemic continues to hit this show hard. We've not been making our monthly, not which means that I am out of pocket and I don't have a pocket to keep nuclear hot seat going is going to require your support. So whether you're a weekly listener or just pay attention to the occasional episodes, if you find you get value from what you learn here, please help us keep doing it. It's easy. Just go to nuclear, hot seat.com and click on the big red donate button. That's where you can send a one-time donation of any size or set up a recurring donation of as little as $5 a month. The same as a cup of coffee and a nice tip here in the U S so by nuclear hot seat, a cup of coffee every month, if you would please, we won't drink it.

Libbe HaLevy

02:29:21

It will support the show and know that as we face ear, that we hope will be better than 2020 or 2021 nuclear hot seat. We'll continue to provide you with nuclear news. Know that however much you can help at this time. I'm deeply grateful that you're listening and that you care. And now we continue with this week special feature numnuts of the year 2021, the threat of nuclear war and weapons is a serious subject that gets covered regularly on the show, but let's face it. There's nothing like the threat of nuclear war to make military Hawks and munitions makers, excuse copious, bodily fluids, meaning they drew dead people and broken DNA. They're too busy counting profits to count bodies and to worry about a little thing like life from episode five 18 on May 23rd, who can fathom the military mind writing in the U S Naval Institute journal Admiral Charles A. Richard warned that the military must quote, consider the possibility of great power competition crisis or direct armed conflict with a nuclear capable peer and as a result, update and modernize its approach to its two principle adversaries.

Libbe HaLevy

03:30:39

Admiral Richards went on to say, there is a real possibility that I regional crisis with Russia or China could escalate quickly to a conflict involving nuclear weapons. He wrote demanding that the United States quote, prepare for the conflict we prefer instead of the one we are likely to face and that the U S risk suffering quote, unquote, embarrassment or worse. If they do not act, excuse me, I opt for embarrassment rather than nuclear war what's with this, we get to use our big bang before you get to use your big bang thinking actually makes sense. Even the headline of this article, head of strategic command, us must prepare for very real possibility of nuclear war with China. Well, if you're preparing for it, if you are visualizing it, if you are intending and if you build it, they will come or we will go. And there goes the planet as former military analyst and whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg explained in his book, the doomsday machine confessions of a nuclear war planner in the event of a totally successful widespread American nuclear strike against the Soviet union with no retaliation whatsoever, at least 99% of the world's population would die as Ellsberg noted.

Libbe HaLevy

03:32:02

It is the smoke after all, not the fallout, which would remain mostly limited to the Northern hemisphere that would do it worldwide, smoke and soot lofted by fierce firestorms in hundreds of burning cities, into the stratosphere where it would not rain out and would remain for a decade or more enveloping the globe and blocking most sunlight lowering annual global temperatures to the level of the last ice age and killing all harvests worldwide causing near universal starvation within a year or two. So Admiral Richards and all you military rah, rah nukes, people who just can't wait to set off one of those puppies in order to compensate for your own shortcomings and inadequacies know that you are this week's

Announcer

03:32:49

Numnutz of the week!

Libbe HaLevy

03:32:52

As for profiteering. How's this for numb nuts, Surrey episode number five 30 on August 17 as that old song goes, whoa.

Announcer

03:33:02

Oh, good. God. Y'all what the heck it good for? Absolutely.

Libbe HaLevy

03:33:08

Well, nothing. Unless you're a weapons maker. In which case you break out the champagne, the Washington DC based advocacy group, public citizen sent out a tweet last week saying entrenching us forces in Afghanistan was the military industrial complex has business plan for 20 plus years. The group added Hawks and defense contractors. Co-opted the needs of the Afghan people in order to line their own pockets. Never has it been more important to end war profiteering in today's tweet, public citizen highlighted returns on defense stocks over the past 20 years as calculated in a jaw-dropping analysis by the intercept and stated the military industrial complex got exactly what it wanted out of the war. Focusing on the five biggest defense contractors, Boeing Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and general dynamics. It was calculated that a $10,000 investment in stock evenly split across those five companies on the day in 2001, that then president George W. Bush signed the authorization preceding the U S invasion that $10,000 would be worth $97,295 this week put a different way.

Libbe HaLevy

03:34:32

Defense stocks outperformed the stock market overall by 58% during the Afghan war. This may be the very definition of blood money. The intercepts John Schwartz, who examined the returns on these stocks and came up with these numbers, said that the numbers suggest that it is incorrect, that the Taliban's immediate takeover of Afghanistan upon the U S is departure means that the Afghanistan war was a failure on the contrary, from the perspective of some of the most powerful people in the U S it may have been an extraordinary success. And that's why warmongers weapons manufacturers and those who support them with your investment dollars. You are this week's none.

Announcer

03:35:20

That's

Libbe HaLevy

03:35:22

The nuclear industry is always coming up with new and crazy ways to promote itself, including some really bad applications of its technology. Here's one from episode number 4 98, January seven, a way to start the, you thought small modular nuclear reactors were bad enough. We'll Argonne national laboratory is developing a nuclear micro reactor. They say, could be deployed at rest stops. Meaning truck stops providing a reliable quote, unquote carbon free. That's a lie right there. Charging source for electric semi-trucks. These guys are so teeny tiny. They're only about the size of two home water heaters. And what kind of terrorist possibilities does that present critics have pointed out the obvious that there's insufficient evidence, that small reactors are safer than large nuclear power plants, and also will take years before they're ready to be deployed. Whereas new solar and wind resources could be built much more quickly.

Libbe HaLevy

03:36:28

So stop linking green electric vehicles to nuclear let alone nuclear that has not even been constructed at this point. So Argonne national laboratories and the brainiacs behind this particular idea, you are this week's, here's another one from episode number five, 12 on April 14, a mammoth 984 foot giga yacht is planned to sail the open seas while housing 160 scientists working on board 22 laboratories, and in a giant space sphere. This vessel is guaranteed to be packed with green technology and the capacity to hold more than 400 people and introduce features found on cruise expedition, research and luxury yachts and more Naval architect. Yvonne solace Jefferson said we wanted to create a design that would inspire them to protect the earth, to become an ELCA must have global solutions, and what powers this Giggy yacht nuclear, a molten salt reactor. So forget about clean green and saving the planet. And all those scientists are going to be on board. The brainiacs behind this giga yacht, which is not supposed to launch until 20, 25 and may not get there. All of you are this weeks.

Libbe HaLevy

03:38:02

And when it comes to tech problems, you can always count on the nuclear regulatory commission episode 5 0 4 from January 17, the nuclear regulatory commission was trying to hold a webinar, but had to cancel because of bad audio and video claiming it was technical difficulties. This particular league called the Santa and Oprah activists, dozens of whom got up at the crack of Dawn in order to make the 9:00 AM Eastern time for the call. The NRC recently moved to the WebEx platform instead of zoom, because it turns out the Chinese own a controlling interest in zoom though. I don't know what information would be lost by using zoom because Hey, it's a public meeting. Anybody can get in. It makes you wonder how they regulate power plants. A and that's why as is so often the case nuclear regulatory commission. You are this week's none that's climate change in nukes is always a major topic.

Libbe HaLevy

03:39:07

And we'll have more about that later, but here's a time when our side finally won one in preparation for the UN conference on climate cop 26. And to those crybabies on the other side, can't concede gracefully because bullies always think that they are destined to always win and can't stand when they don't episode 5 35 from September 22nd, bullet poor widow nuclear industry had their feelings hurt. And they'd complained about being excluded from cop 26 prompting environmentalist to say it should have no place there, but back to the numnuts Alak Sharma, who is UK president of the world, nuclear association, a global trade body and spewer of pro nuclear propaganda has written a letter saying that every application made by nuclear groups for exhibits at the conference has been rejected. And that this was quote unquote, very disappointing

Libbe HaLevy

04:40:14

In rebuttal. Richard Dickson, director of friends of the earth. Scotland said the nuclear industries disastrous history of cost and time overruns show very clearly what they offer would be too little too expensive and too late and added with renewables and energy efficiency, cheaper and quicker to build and run the nuclear. They have already lost this argument and should have no place to spout their lies at cop 26, to which we say Brava to cop 26 and to the world nuclear association, which lists 193 nuclear companies as its members, as your consolation prize, you are this week's nun.

Libbe HaLevy

04:41:02

Now governments around the world, love to misuse taxpayer money at all kinds of nuclear numnuts Surrey, and how better way than to use it to hire propaganda shields for their own destruction. This story about the hiring of a Judas goat came from the UK on November 24, episode number 5 44 in the nuclear industry's never-ending quest to disassociate themselves from the deadly radioactive mess that they create with their nuclear power reactors among other sources. They always try to locate the nuclear waste dumps in small communities that look like they could use. They short term short-sighted economic boost. They found that bamboozling, the local population is helped if they have some community worker dedicated to implanting their twisted propaganda in the minds and hearts of unsuspecting locals case in point plans to dispose of Britain's nuclear waste stockpile underneath the Irish sea off the UKs Cumbrian coast, 240 miles Northwest of London.

Libbe HaLevy

04:42:07

That campaign for building the latest in nuclear waste pit toilets will soon be aided and abetted by a propaganda flunky who will be hired and paid for by the Columbia city council. That's right, their tax dollars at work. The council has posted a want ad for what they call a nuclear engagement coordinator that person's role will be quote to support the councils engagement in partnerships with government industry, business and community stakeholders, to find a willing host community and suitable site for a geological disposal facility for longterm management of higher activity, radioactive waste as a further c'mon that person will gain opportunities to gain experience in a range of areas from nuclear policy to climate change or economic development, and oh yes, unstated, but still intended selling your soul and earning the condemnation of any friends and neighbors down through the generations who survived this invitation of the forever contamination of your land and water.

Libbe HaLevy

04:43:17

This is all part of the new exterior's ongoing campaign to kick the radioactive waste can down the road to somewhere they don't live by hiring a Judas goat from the local populace who sees this as a means of moving ahead in the world, if not shortening one's life, Hey, pay in the UK is between 27 and 29 and a half thousand pounds, meaning 37,000 to 40,000 and a half us dollars. But then again, how much do the cancer treatments cost for you, your family, your neighbors, and beyond what about the emotional damage? The DNA is that anywhere in the job description? Nah, that's because this is just another example of the nuclear industry's game plan for increasing their profits while avoiding your consequences. And that's why Columbia city council and your overlords at radioactive waste management, you are this week's none when it comes to the issue of radioactive waste.

Libbe HaLevy

04:44:24

Again, this is an issue we cover all the time in the new segment and the interview segment of the show, but sometimes what we learn transcends the news quality and fits best in. Numnuts such as this story, episode 5 41 from November 13. How about taking some time off from your COVID and crusted life and going someplace new? For example, if you're looking for a hot new vacation hotspot look no further the nuclear industry has you covered episode five 15 from May 5th vacation time is fast upon us. And with COVID restrictions on travel, being dialed back, many people are determined to go out and have a life affirming adventure getaway. And so they are heading straight to Chernobyl. That's right. Since the 2019 HBO hit series Chernobyl aired around the world, people are just dying to go visit the radiologically contaminated site, literally dying, but of course not immediately Chernobyl anticipates a major tourism bump in the wake of the historic nuclear disasters, 35th anniversary on April 26th of this year tour companies tout the area as quote, safe for tourists before adding some areas are higher risk than others.

Libbe HaLevy

04:45:48

And recommending that visitors avoid lingering near them, but even lingering in the so-called safe for tourists areas puts everyone they're at risk just because people can walk away today. Doesn't mean that they're not taking home with them. Some unwanted souvenirs, radioactive particles sequestered away in their hair, on their clothes in their lungs, maybe in their digestive tract from food or liquids consumed while onsite. Of course, by the time that souvenir makes itself known through cancer in fertility, birth defects, autoimmune conditions, or a wide range of other diseases or death, it could be years or decades from now. And with so much time elapsed, it's doubtful that anyone will trace their health breakdown back to this wild post or mid COVID excursion. But just because you don't see the connection doesn't mean it's not there. And that's why anyone who is crazy enough to go to Chernobyl for a little vacay in a hot meaning radiologically hot climate, you are this week's nun, or maybe what you're looking for is a great new hunting trip with maybe some newly mutated species to shoot episode 5 33, September nine on August 30th, 2021.

Libbe HaLevy

04:47:09

The department of the interior announced that the U S fish and wildlife service has opened new or expanded hunting and sport fishing opportunities across 2.1 million acres, the largest expansion of outdoor recreation opportunities in recent history. And what does that include? The Rocky flats, radioactive materials dump, excuse me, national wildlife refuge. Put that part in quotes. Yes. The former nuclear weapons manufacturing site near Denver, Colorado is open for you to shoot radiation, addled, mutant critters. These are beneficial because they will cook themselves from the inside, out with the residential radioactive heat that they have ingested bad. And that's why department of the interior you are this week's none.

Announcer

04:48:03

That's

Libbe HaLevy

04:48:04

Like propaganda for nukes takes all forms. And just when you think it couldn't get more despicable, there's this episode 5 29, August 10, Hey, fun lovers action seekers, and kids of all ages want to earn a really cool junior ranger patch or badge. Then come on down to one of three Manhattan project, national historical parks. Yes parks. That's what they call them. Meaning Oak Ridge, Tennessee, home of the uranium enrichment plants, the liquid thermal diffusion plant and the pilot plutonium production reactor. This is where the uranium 2 35 for the bomb dropped on. Hiroshima came from then there's Hanford Washington, and the beautiful Columbia river, where beginning in 1943, the site was used to produce plutonium for the bomb we dropped on Nagasaki. It's now considered the most contaminated location in the Western hemisphere. And of course there's Los Alamos in New Mexico. The top secret atomic weapons laboratory, where the first atomic bombs were designed and built lots of fun for the whole family.

Libbe HaLevy

04:49:19

So heck why not visit all three? All you have to do for your patch or badge boys and girls is go to the visitor center at any of these sites, pick up your junior ranger, booklet and tour the site while you're there. Be careful not to inhale any radio active dust, fill in the answers and either hand it in at the visitor center or mail it to the Manhattan project, national historical park, and bam, you will get our really cool patch or badge. It's much more exciting than a boring forest or a cookout with marshmallows. You'll get to see nuclear waste experience our history of ecological and human disaster propagated on the world and received some propaganda that will neutralize any critical thinking by the younger generation. And that's why Manhattan project national historical parks put that word in quotes and your sugarcoated history of planetary destruction.

Libbe HaLevy

05:50:23

You are this week's none and the fall. That's not numb nuts enough for you. Here's a real humdinger from episode 5 22 on June 24th, Fukushima with its three melted down reactors, overflowing tanks of radioactive water, radiation, hotspots, and so much more desperately needs an image overhaul to attract tourists. So why not make it into a UFO research center? Yep. Those brainiacs and Fukushima prefecture have decided that's just what they need. And so a research facility on UFO's will open this week in the city of Fukushima in the hopes that the facility will become a new tourist hotspot wrong languaging, there a tourist attraction located inside UFO for Rhea con the center will analyze witness reports, create a network of researchers in Japan and abroad and plan events to lure UFO's to Fukushima prefecture. I wonder what those will look like, but that begs the question to what end to use advanced ITI technology to fix the melted down reactors, neutralize the radiation siphon off the tritium laced, radioactive water stored onsite to use as well. I don't know the extra terrestrial equivalent of lemonade. The project has been funded by focusing a prefecture, which obviously has more money than sense and is desperate to recast itself as something other than the hot mess that it is. And so, yeah, the truth may be out there, but you're not going to find it in focus Shama. And that's why, and the Foria con center on unidentified flying objects, you are this weeks. And now here it is that moment. You've all been waiting for numnuts of the year 2021.

Libbe HaLevy

05:52:32

The lie that nuclear is some kind of green energy that it's some ultimate fix for the climate crisis. What kind of mass hypnosis is this that makes people think nuclear is green? Is it lack of education and critical thinking skills combined with the relentless drip, drip, drip marketing of nuclear industry. Self-promoting talking points. If something that's very existence makes deadly radioactive garbage that we have no way of safely storing or neutralizing for the next half million years and is dangerous to our health and survival. How can it ever be considered good for the environment? Even short term it's like in the 1870s, morphine addiction ran rampant back then and thus a new drug was heralded when it was marketed as non-addictive and a substitute that would rescue the addicts, hence it was named for an ultimate rescuer heroin. Yeah, that's right. And we all know where that's gotten us now.

Libbe HaLevy

05:53:39

The addictive substance is nuclear and addled by mega funded propaganda campaigns to keep that industry in the full upright position and charging ahead, making millions upon billions of dollars that even with the truth, right in front of governments, very noses, they don't believe the truth. The worst example of this is the European union right now, even as I am recording this, the EU is considering whether it is think billions of euros into supporting the development and build untried, untested designs of small modular nuclear reactors to combat climate change. Really, really, I thought European education was better than what we have here in the U S and that European still valued, critical thinking skills. Well, apparently not at least not in government, either that or the money under the table is so good or the economic promises so juicy or the economic threat, so great that even otherwise intelligent and discerning people are falling for it.

Libbe HaLevy

05:54:49

The only thing green about nuclear is the way that radiation is depicted in graphic design, the money being wasted on keeping nuclear oligarchs in power, their sons in $4 million cars and their daughters in stables filled with Olympic grade dressage horses, that money could be used more beneficially and immediately for a full on build-out of solar wind, geothermal, hydroelectric title, and all the other genuinely safe, clean, and renewable energy sources that won't damage us to a future plagued by radiation and its damages. If the old technologies have to die in order for us to have safe, clean, and renewable energy, let them die. Buggy whip makers have to bite the bullet. When cars took over and they became obsolete, let the buggy whip nuclear industry mavens take their licks and bow out with only their off shore fortunes and their missile silo, hidey holes to console them. Then bless the rest of the world. Experience energy, sanity, and work on getting genuinely renewable energy in place before it's too late. All that is just to explain why anyone, any government or ruling body that believes that nuclear is somehow a green energy and has anything to do with handling the climate crisis is this year's nuclear hot seat numb nuts of the year.

Libbe HaLevy

05:56:34

This has been nuclear hot seat per Tuesday, December 28th, 2021. My deep gratitude to all of you who listened to the show because without you, I just be talking to myself in my living room and my dog would just be freaked out for no reason at all. Now, if you haven't already done so and would like to get nuclear hotseat delivered via email every week, it's easy. Just sign up for it@nuclearhotseat.com. Look for the yellow box and sign up for a weekly email. It will give you the link as soon as it posts as well as a short description of some of the material that's inside. We are also open to your suggestions. So please you're on the ground in your neighborhood. If you have a story lead, a hot tip or a suggestion of someone to interview, send an email to info@nuclearhotseat.com. And if you appreciate these weekly verifiable updates on nuclear issues around the world, take a moment, go to nuclear, hot seat.com.

Libbe HaLevy

05:57:37

Look for that big red button, click on it, follow the prompts and know that anything you do will help. And we really appreciate your support. This episode of nuclear hot seat is copyright 2021 libi Halevi at hardest street communications, all rights reserved, but fair use allowed. As long as proper attribution is provided. This is Leiby Halevi of hardest street communications. The heart of the art of communicating wishing all of you, a 2021 that is energy, renewable and nuclear free. But in the meantime, don't go holding your breath. That has been your final nuclear wake up call of 2021. So whatever you do do not go back to sleep because we are all still in the nuclear hot seat,

Announcer

05:58:29

Clear hot seat. What are those people thinking? Nuclear hot. Hotsy what have those boys been breaking clear? Hotsy the Ms. Sinking our time to act is shrinking, but the visceral Hotsy it's the bomb.

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