STOP CASSINI Newsletter #225 -- November 11th, 1999 (evening edition)

Copyright (c) 1999

STOP CASSINI Newsletters Index
To: Subscribers, government officials, members of the press
From: Russell David Hoffman (and friends)
Re:  From the mailbag: STOP CASSINI #225
Date: November 11th 1999 (evening edition)

This issue's subjects:


(1) From the mailbag: Jonathan Mark (letter to Senator Bill Bradley):

----- INCOMING EMAIL FROM JONATHAN MARK TO SEN. BILL BRADLEY: -----


Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 09:38:25 -0500 (EST)
To: Post Cassini Flyby News Feedback <noflyby@yahoo.com>
From: Jonathan Mark <noflyby@yahoo.com>
Subject: Contact Bill Bradley on Nukes in Space and Leonard Peltier

Post Cassini Flyby News Feedback
P.O. Box 1999
Wendell Depot, MA 01380 USA


Dear noflyby friends,

i realize it has been a while since my addressing post cassini feedback. My
primary focus is on my regular job developing a sustainable energy
technology. However, I am still anxiously awaiting word on the DOE decision
about if they plan to expand PU-238 development for the civilian space
program. Recently I wrote to Bill Bradley to address this and other issues.
I encourage you to write him and let him know of issues of importance, for
justice, freedom, security, health and the survival of the human species. We
need to change the directions we are headed towards.

Thanks for any of your efforts.
Jonathan Mark

ps: the official website for bill bradley is http://www.billbradley.com/
    the new official website for the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee is
    http://www.freepeltier.org/

Senator Bill Bradley
Presidential Campaign
395 Pleasant Valley Way,
West Orange, NJ 07052

Tel:  973-731-2100                                                      October 30, 1999
        

Dear Senator Bradley:

        Thank you for running for President. The issues that you have spoke about,
especially for better race relations, justice and opportunity for all, are
critical for everyone. I am writing to support your candidacy by offering
ideas that I believe are compatible with your interests.

        First, I spoke with Ms. Shelly Nelkins, who met you on the campaign trail
in New Hampshire and she that told me that you agreed to respond to Leonard
Peltier freedom month, which coincides with Native American Heritage Month
by speaking in front of the White House during the campaign to help support
the Executive Clemency freedom of Leonard Peltier. I will enclose a copy of
an E-mail communication that includes a legal critique of a recent CNN TV
program on Leonard, also an article from the London Guardian newspaper for
background on Mr. Peltier's case. Please contact the Leonard Peltier Defense
Committee to set up the White House press conference on this important
issue. Leonard Peltier filed his petition for clemency on November 19, 1993
and there has been no response to date. Normally the clemency process takes
six to nine months, although President Clinton's campaign office in 1992
promised to give Mr. Peltier's case "a fair and impartial review.".

        I learned shocking details (see CNN review) of Leonard's case after
attempting unsuccessfully to lobby leaders of the Million Man March to lead
voters to endorse a Presidential candidate in the '96 election that would
support legislation to make all nonviolent and nonvictim crimes a
misdemeanor, paying half the costs of incarceration to place such offenders
in community service programs. I hope you take on this issue that is
especially fair and gives integrity to people now under a system that
disproportionately fills the prisons with those from minority races.

        Another issue I hope you consider taking an active role to help transform
is the dangerous weaponization and nuclearization of space. I founded the
Action Site to Stop Cassini Earth Flyby and will enclose a letter to the
U.S. Department of Energy and NASA that are planning to expand the use of
certain extremely dangerous plutonium isotopes for the civilian space
programs. I believe this is due to the push by the military to control
space, which got the senate to vole 97-3 for a Star Wars bill that funds
such future offensive weapons when they are technologically feasible. This
is going in an incredibly dangerous direction. More information to learn
about this is in the mentioned enclosures.

        Best regards for your campaign. I hope you can ignite more trust in
government that uses a viewpoint from many indigenous cultures, to consider
seven generations for every major decision, the three present and four
generations yet to come.

        Sincerely,

        Jonathan Mark

----- END OF INCOMING EMAIL FROM JONATHAN MARK TO SEN. BILL BRADLEY -----


Jonathan Mark also included his letter from October 4th, 1999 to the DoE (published in STOP CASSINI newsletter #203). -- rdh


(2) From the mailbag: Marvin Lewis (on Koskinen's recent comments):


----- INCOMING EMAIL FROM MARVIN LEWIS TO THE STOP CASSINI EDITOR: -----


To: rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 11:28:17 -0500
Subject: Re: [y2k-nuclear] All the President's Men are lying to him: 
        STOP CASSINI #223: November 10th, 1999
From: "Marvin I. Lewis" <marvlewis@juno.com>

The worst parts of Koskinen's answer to questions of committee are
1. That Y2K is a 'local issue.'
2. the suggestion in Y2K brochure for 3 day supply must be evaluated for
each individual.
        This is the same as saying that I wash my hands of
responsibility.
marvlewis@juno.com
Marvin Lewis
PS I already sent my own letter about Koskinen about other nuke issues.

----- END OF EMAIL FROM MARVIN LEWIS -----


It should be noted that blood does not wash off the hands, no matter what you do. -- rdh

(3) From the mailbag: John Hallam to Clinton, Cohen, Yeltzin etc.:


----- EMAIL FROM JOHN HALLAM TO THE STOP CASSINI NEWSLETTER EDITOR: -----


Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1999 12:52:12 +1000
To: "Russell D. Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign <nonukes@foesyd.org.au>
Subject: GO CODES FOR GLOBAL FAX CAMPAIGN

Dear Russell,

Sometimes issuing the go - codes can be a pleasure - like now, as I issue
the 'go codes' for the global fax campaign.

I'm hoping that you will be able to distribute these to all and sundry on
whatever lists you have of your own.

Basically there is an appeal, asking people to start faxing, telling them
that it's a potentially end - of - the - world issue, and asking them to
get everyone they know to do it.

In the US, I am asking people, if they can make only one fax, to fax
secretary for defence Cohen, then Clinton. Outside the US, I am emphasising
getting people to fax Yeltsin/Sergeyev and then Clinton about equally.

I'm asking my Russian friends to fax Yeltsin/Sergeyev, and then only to fax
Clinton if they have energy to spare after avoiding the FSB.

I'm hoping this time that people will keep on faxing till mid/late
December. But the sooner they do it the better.

I'll send you the appeal and sample letters (which you have already seen
anyway) in the next email.

----- END OF EMAIL FROM JOHN HALLAM TO THE STOP CASSINI NEWSLETTER EDITOR -----


----- INCOMING EMAIL FROM JOHN HALLAM, FOE SYDNEY: -----


Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1999 12:55:50 +1000
To: nukenet@envirolink.org, y2k-nuclear@egroups.com, y2k-nukes@envirolink.org,
        abolition-usa@lists.xmission.com
From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign <nonukes@foesyd.org.au>
Subject: FAX NOW TO TAKE N-WEAPONS OFF ALERT FOR Y2K
Reply-To: nonukes@foesyd.org.au
Sender: owner-Y2K-nukes@envirolink.org

FAX COHEN, YELTSIN NOW TO TAKE N-WEAPONS OFF ALERT FOR Y2K
(Please forward this email to everyone you know. Sorry for the inevitable
multiple postings.)

Dear All who receive this email,

I am emailing you to ask you to send a fax to the US Secretary for Defence,
William Cohen and to President Yeltsin and his Defence Minister Igor
Sergeyev, asking them to take their strategic nuclear weapons off
hairtrigger alert over the Y2K 'rollover' period at least.

Arguably it could be the most important fax you ever make. That is why I
have sent this out to so many people unasked, and that's why this appeal
will be posted a few times. I ask you to be patient with that, as the
subject is (at least potentially)  literally the end of the world.

If you are an organization, I also urge you to sign on to the global
de-alerting letter to Yeltsin and Clinton, now signed by over 460
organizations, that can be found on:
http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd/nuclear/bbletter.html

We are 54 days away from the Year2000 date change. The largest, oldest, and
initially at least, the least Y2K compliant computer systems in the world
are those that control and monitor nuclear weapons systems in the US and
Russia.  The US has some2,000 nuclear warheads in land- based silos, and
the Russians have some 3,600 warheads in land based silos. (this doesn't
count weapons in submarines, bombers, etc). These land- based missiles are
able to be launched at a few minutes notice.

A number of respected commentators have said that unless nuclear forces in
Russia and the US are taken off hairtrigger alert before late December,
there will be  small but definite risk of accidental nuclear war due to
simple Y2K- related computer error.

In any case, with or without Y2K, taking nuclear weapons off hairtrigger
alert is a commonsense idea, strongly recommended by the 1996 Canberra
Commission and by a number of UN resolutions including one passed in the
last few days.

A global campaign exists to take all nuclear forces off hairtrigger alert.
The UK has already done so.

If you think it's an irresponsible risk to the entire planet to keep
nuclear forces on alert even over the Y2K rollover, when no matter how much
has been spent on Y2K 'remediation' we cannot be certain that it is all
going to work flawlessly on the day, then PLEASE let Secretary Cohen,
Clinton, Yeltsin and Sergeyev (in that order of priority)  know that you
want them taken off alert.

You can fax US Defence Secretary  Cohen on +1-703-695-1149,
Clinton on +1-202-456-2461, and Yeltsin and Sergeyev on +7-095-205-4330,

If you have the time it's best to fax all three. if you can only fax one,
fax Cohen.

Sample letters are below. Study them and write your own, or just send this
as below.

Do study the sample letters below and fax to Cohen/Clinton and
Yeltsin/Sergeyev. And if you are an organization, do please sign the big
sign-on letter. It will help to make the planet a safer place!

1) SAMPLE LETTER TO COHEN/CLINTON

(THIS IS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO USE TO SEND TO COHEN AND CLINTON YOURSELVES.)

TO:
WILLIAM COHEN, US SECRETARY OF DEFENCE,
+1-703-695-1149,

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON,
WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, US,
+1-202-456-2461

Dear President Clinton and Secretary for Defence Cohen,
I am writing  to urge your administration to take US nuclear forces off
'hairtrigger alert' even if only during the Y2K rollover period.

It is particularly disturbing that you are reported as having stated in
Moscow that de-alerting of nuclear forces is 'off the table' as a stability
building measure. You have also been quoted as saying  that 'The better
course is reduction, limiting the number of weapons, and establishing
shared early warning centers'.

These measures are not in competition with each other. All of them -
reductions in the number of weapons, the establishment of shared early
warning centers and de-alerting - are  vital to the reduction of tension
and the establishment of strategic stability.

This is particularly the case in view of the uncertainties posed by the
millennium date change (Y2K).

As you are well aware, the largest and oldest computer system complexes in
the world are those that control nuclear weapons systems.

The very nature of the Y2K problem makes it impossible to be sure
everything has been fixed until well into the new year.

Russia has, until recently, made little effort to even  acknowledge the Y2K
problem, let alone fix it. It is therefore quite possible that Russian
computerized control systems are not Y2K compliant and that they will
experience widespread failures during the Y2K rollover period.

Even more disquieting is the fact that that the Russians have constructed
the system known as 'Perimeter', or the 'dead hand'. This system seems to
include additional ways in which Y2K failure might lead to an accidental
launch.

The establishment of a Y2K strategic stability center in Colorado is
certainly an advantageous move and an absolutely essential one.

However, it does not entirely remove the danger of an accidental launch of
nuclear weapons.

The fact that the Center is scheduled, as far as we the public are aware,
to come into operation only on December 27th, four days prior to the
rollover, is far from reassuring. A four day delay will render it useless.

Similarly, the center itself will depend on the availability of
ultra-reliable hotlines between it and Moscow. The  Y2K vulnerabilities
discovered in six of the seven hotlines established during the cold war
period are also cause for deep concern.

If nuclear weapons are removed from a status in which they can be launched
within minutes, and placed in one which would require at least days to
launch, the risk of an accidental missile launch induced by Y2K or other
errors in command and control systems will be virtually eliminated.

This  has been done by the UK, which has moved the 'notice to fire' for its
missile forces from minutes to days.

De-alerting of nuclear forces was strongly recommended by the Canberra
Commission in 1996 as a way to develop strategic stability and build trust
between the US and Russia. It has also been incorporated into last year's
and  this years text of the New Aganda Resolution in the UN General
Assembly.
In addition it has been the subject of two resolutions passed by the
Australian Senate on 12 August and 20September.

In taking De-alerting 'off the table', the United States is making a
serious error. Failure to take nuclear forces off hairtrigger alert over
the Y2K 'rollover' period is an error that has the potential of causing
unthinkable consequences.

The probability of this may be low,  but it  will never be zero as long as
nuclear forces remain on hair-trigger alert.

In a previous administration, President Bush took strategic bomber forces
off alert. We urge you to do this with all US nuclear forces.

(SIGNED)
etc.


2) SAMPLE LETTER TO YELTSIN/DEFENCE MINISTER SERGEYEV

(THIS SAMPLE LETTER IS FOR YOU PERSONALLY TO FAX, CUSTOMIZED AS YOU FEEL
BEST, TO YELTSIN AND DEFENCE MINISTER SERGEYEV. PLEASE DO FAX IT AND SEND
IT NOW.)


PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN,
IGOR SERGEYEV,  RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER,
+7-095-205-4330,

Dear Defence Minister Sergeyev and President Yeltsin,

I am writing to convey my deep concern that Y2K-related computer failures
in the command and control systems for nuclear weapons may lead to an
accidental nuclear war.

I am aware that both Russia and the US have taken this problem seriously
enough to establish a joint strategic stability center in Colorado.
However, I am very much concerned that this facility will come into
operation only by 27th December 1999, so that a delay of just four days
will make it useless.

I am also very much concerned that Y2K problems have been found in six out
of seven of the 'hotlines' that would be used if a crisis of any sort arose
over the Y2K rollover period.

I am aware that there have been a number of occasions when either the US or
Russia have mistakenly believed that the other nation was in the process of
launching a nuclear attack.

With 3,600 Russian warheads on 700 missiles and 2,000 US warheads on 500
missiles, with each side capable to launch within roughly 20 minutes, this
must never be allowed to happen, either over the Y2K 'rollover', or at any
other time.

The use of 5,600 warheads would certainly mean the end of what we call
civilization, would likely mean the end of the human race and could
possibly mean the end of all life.

I therefore urge both you and the United States, to place all your nuclear
forces in a status in which at least days not minutes, would be required to
launch . The United Kingdom has, I understand, already done this.

The immediate stakes are so high and the potential for global catastrophe
is so great, that mutually verified de-alerting of nuclear forces in the
face of the Y2K computer problem must take precedence over all other
considerations of political and national security.'
(Signed)
etc.

John Hallam
Friends of the Earth Sydney,
17 Lord street, Newtown, NSW, Australia,
Fax(61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903
nonukes@foesyd.org.au    http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd
http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd/nuclear/bbletter.html


----- END OF INCOMING EMAIL FROM JOHN HALLAM, FOE SYDNEY -----



(4) From the mailbag: Kim Edwards (letter to Tony Blair):


----- INCOMING EMAIL TO TONY BLAIR FROM KIM EDWARDS: -----


From: "Kim Edwards" <Edwards_27@tesco.net>
To: "Russell D Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>, <gbrun@undp.org>
Subject: Nuclear backups
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 16:48:30 -0000

dear mr. blair,  could you let me know how much fuel has been put into storage for the diesel back up generators in the uk for the nuclear reactors. is this the only back up plan that will be used in case of an emergency at the nuclear site? how many monitors are in place around each site? what plans are in place for the public sector to ensure their safety? i haven't seen much public response on the news to help the public understand the cause and effect on nuclear usage in the uk, do you have a site where one could go and learn about how to keep our children safe during one of many nuclear problems that could occure not only at the roll over date but at anytime as we know that this is not the safest engery package that the governments have put together is it. does your government have all the details on what happen at TMI and is your report from Mr.Jimmy Carter, as it has been rumored he hasn't told the whole story  on the nuclear effects from this type of meltdown problems.  on the polls at the moment you are  the popular one and will be most likely the one to lead your people into the new yr, so why can't we shut down the nuclear reactors just for a six month period and slowly make sure we can continue with this type of power usage or maybe continue the efforts towards alternetive powers. which is my next question, how much is your government into working with alternative power sources, such as, tidal or solar and wind?  i thank-you in advance and hope we can continue to support you and your government into the new yr without meaningless tragity such as meltdowns or fuel pools not been keep cool, these are the real issues and if not then you could enlighten me. you have given an image of the family man and support family values and i am concerned for my children's safety and i for one would like the option to know what is going to or could harm us and not from a program that has no contingency plans for the public at large. i would be happy to spread your word on we are totally and un doubtly safe from these issues.  bottom line ARE WE REALLY SAFE using nuclear power.
 
regards,
Kim Edwards
 
Kim Edwards
PO Box 11
Bingham,Notts
England
NG13 8HX
 
07932 312778
44-1949-875427
edwards_27@tesco.net
edwards_27@hotmail.com

----- END OF FORWARDED LETTER TO TONY BLAIR FROM KIM EDWARDS -----

(5) Tell Clinton how you feel -- Official government contact points

To contact the top government officials: President Bill Clinton
White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20500
Phone -- (202) 456-1111
Fax -- (202) 456-2461
e-mail -- president@whitehouse.gov

Vice President Albert Gore
White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.,
N.W.,Washington, D.C. 20500
Phone -- (202) 456-1414
Fax -- (202) 456-2461
e-mail -- vicepresident@whitehouse.gov

Secretary William Cohen
1000 Defense
The Pentagon
Washington D.C. 20301
Phone -- (703) 695-6352
Fax -- (703) 695-1149

Secretary Bill Richardson
Department of Energy (DoE)
1000 Independence Avenue SW
Washington D.C. 20585
Phone -- (202) 586-6210
fax -- (202) 586-4403

Always include your full name and postal address in all correspondence to any Government official of any country, because otherwise they will throw it out unread, or hand it directly to their police force to try to identify the author. (Thus, nothing good will come of it.) Also, ALWAYS include a personal message of some sort, indicating YOUR OWN VIEWS, even if you include a lot of material written by other people (me, for instance).

NASA needs to be told in no uncertain terms they have lied too often to the public and we want a SEA CHANGE away from their nuclear policies!

To learn about the absurd excuses NASA used to launch Cassini and its 72.3 pounds of plutonium in 1997, ask them for the 1995 Environmental Impact Statement for the Cassini mission, and all subsequent documentation. At the same time, be sure to ask them for ANY and ALL documentation available on future uses of plutonium in space, including MILITARY, CIVILIAN, or "OTHER" (just in case they make a new category somehow!). To get this information, contact:

Cassini Public Information
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena CA 91109
(818) 354-5011 or
(818) 354-6478

Here's NASA's "comments" email address: comments@www.hq.nasa.gov

Daniel Goldin is the head of NASA. Here's his email address:
daniel.goldin@hq.nasa.gov
or
dgoldin@mail.hq.nasa.gov

Here's the NASA URL to find additional addresses to submit written questions to:

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/facts/HTML/FS-002-HQ.html

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT NASA IS DOING TO YOUR HEALTH.

NASA should never have been allowed to launch monstrosities like Cassini and Galileo, but the next breed -- such as Europa Orbiter and Pluto-Kuiper Express are not much better and the policy is being set for greatly increased rates of missions! The danger continues! To complain to NASA about their future nuclear space probes, here are two addresses you can use:

For Europa Orbiter:
Europa Orbiter comments" osseuropa@hq.nasa.gov

For Pluto-Kuiper Express:
"Pluto-Kuiper Express comments" osspluto@hq.nasa.gov

Be sure to "cc" the president and VP and your senators and congresspeople, too.

(6) Newsletter subscription information:

Thanks for reading! Welcome new subscribers!

Home page of our STOP CASSINI movement:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/cassini/cassini.htm (Beware of imitations!)

To subscribe, simply email the editor at
rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com and state:
SUBSCRIBE STOP CASSINI NEWSLETTER
Please include a personal message of any
length and subject matter. Thank you!

To unsubscribe email me and say
UNSUBSCRIBE STOP CASSINI NEWSLETTER

Published by Russell D. Hoffman electronically.
Written in the United States of America.
This newsletter is free and is not distributed for profit.
The opinions expressed are those of the individual authors.
Please distribute these newsletters EVERYWHERE!

"There can be no democracy without truth, no justice without mercy, and no nuclear dispersals without ill consequences."

(7) Newsletter Authorship notes and additional URLs:

Note:

Many of the issues presented by Russell Hoffman in this letter are based on conversations with Dr. John W. Gofman (who isolated the first working quantities of plutonium), the late Dr. Karl Z. Morgan (who was known as the "father of health physics"), Dr. Ernest Sternglass (a noted epidemiologist who has done statistical studies about LLR), Dr. Jay Gould (ditto), Dr. Horst Poehler, Dr. Helen Caldicott, Dr. Ross Wilcock and dozens of activists, as well as many others on both sides of the nuclear debates, including ex military nuke expert Jack Shannon (responsible for the design of the D2G Navy reactor, the most widely used reactor in the U. S. navy), award-winning investigative reporter Karl Grossman, ecologist and human rights advocate Pamela Blockey-O'Brien, etc. Also, I've read a few dozen books on the various subjects. And scads of government documents purporting to explain how something so dangerous can be safe. Professionally, my pump training software is used throughout the pump industry and even in some nuclear power plants around the world to train their staff about mechanical pumps. Any errors herein are regrettably my own, but I believe it would take an extremely unlikely preponderance of errors to invalidate my basic position on these issues.

Russell D. Hoffman, Carlsbad, California, Peace Activist, Environmentalist, High Tech Guru:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/whoisrdh.htm

Hoffman's Y2K Preparedness Information:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/environm/no_nukes/y2k/index.htm

Learn about The Effects of Nuclear War here:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/environm/no_nukes/tenw/nuke_war.htm

************************************************************
** THE ANIMATED SOFTWARE COMPANY
** Russell D. Hoffman, Owner and Chief Programmer
** Carlsbad CA
** Visit the world's most eclectic web site:
** http://www.animatedsoftware.com
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First placed online November 11th, 1999.
Last modified November 11th, 1999.
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 Copyright (c) Russell D. Hoffman