To: "Tyson Slocum" <tslocum@citizen.org>, <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>, <pelofson1@attbi.com>, <kgrossman@hamptons.com>, <pgunter@nirs.org>
From: "Russell D. Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Subject: Our precious DNA is being threatened by this constant, unstopping escalation.
To Whom It May Concern,
Today's BIG MEDIA EVENT was the decision to let the bereaved families of the 9-11 victims walk down the plank, into the pit where the WTC once stood, on 9-11-02, the anniversary of that tragic day, a little more than a month away.
Hiroshima? To these media-frenzy types, it's half a world away and more than half a century ago; that makes it irrelevant.
Dirty scum! They ignore (at OUR peril!) the fact that a nuclear attack on New York (and on many other American cities, or on ANY American city) is unquestionably being planned RIGHT NOW by someone. And they ignore the fact that RIGHT NOW, someone else -- this time paid for by US, the citizens of the United States of America -- is planning to use a nuclear weapon on someone, who may or may not include the person planning to use one on US, but will surely include many additional people besides those threatening us directly. We are all just human pawns.
57 years after Hiroshima, the world still stands on the brink of nuclear war, and won't even globally look back at what we have done. Not even one day a year is devoted to remembrance of the victims of war (and what better day than Hiroshima Day?). Ah well, let's wait for the 75th! That will be a big one! Or maybe the 100th.
Here's a U.S. Government Photo Montage from 1946, showing New York under a theoretical nuclear attack. In 2002 the buildings are bigger, there are more people, and the bombs are bigger. Nothing else has changed:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/hotwords/unique/newyork.gif
It is included in my "Demon Hot Atom" Glossary of Nuclear Terminology (under "Ground Zero"):
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/hotwords/index.htm
Despite all the rhetoric, we have not changed. We have not done what is necessary to protect ourselves and our progeny from nuclear (and other) horrors. Our airlines are not safe. Our shipping is not safe. Our borders are not safe. We look back almost a year after 9-11, and somehow pretend to ourselves that the killing will stop with this once-seemingly-too-horrible-for-words, unthinkable tragedy.
Meanwhile, thousands of wised-up citizens, and a few of us grizzled long-time activists, try to warn people that we were actually quite lucky on 9-11. The terrorists could have easily attacked Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, and several other nuclear facilities. But what most people DON'T yet realize is how easily Indian Point, or any nuclear power plant, can catastrophically fail all by itself without any help from terrorists. We have to come to grips with THAT reality too, BEFORE it happens. The nuclear industry has been lucky, at Davis-Besse, with a hole in its reactor head, and at San Onofre, with its dreadful track record of near-catastrophes, and at many other nuclear power plants. Since 9-11, Calvert Cliffs, 45 miles from Washington D.C., was nearly struck by the largest tornado in Maryland's history. At Calvert Cliffs, used reactor cores sit out in the open, with just a "dry cask" to protect them. The tornado came within 2 miles of the plant. Had it hit the plant, the tragedy of 9-11 would have been virtually forgotten overnight.
You simply cannot estimate the "chance" of terrorism -- your only reasonable alternative is to behave as if it is INEVITABLE. But while we worry about terrorists, meanwhile, mother nature, old age (embrittlement), operator errors, design oversights, and construction mistakes are, overall, probably a much greater threat to our nuclear power plants. The primary containment at one plant (Monticello) was unavailable for 30 years, because of a simple construction mistake. Thankfully, it was never needed during that time. Earthquakes can strike anywhere. The whole nuclear fuel cycle is dangerously unprotected from natural and manmade hazards. WHY? Because of the greed of the operators! You can't protect nuclear power plants or spent nuclear fuel cost-effectively. It simply can't be done, hasn't been done, won't be done, and if it possibly could be done, it would be resisted by the nuclear industry anyway, on the grounds that the cost would put them out of business (even if it really wouldn't).
Every new pound of waste (10 tons a day across the country, approximately) must be protected for longer than the Pyramids will stand -- far longer than they've stood. It is, to say the least, uneconomical.
The nuclear threat won't stop until the world puts away its nuclear weapons globally, and shuts down the nuclear power plants.
Internationally offensive nuclear actions, such as designing nuclear "bunker busters", using nuclear materials in space, and permitting -- or worse, subsidizing -- nuclear power plants, all encourage a global proliferation of similar nuclear reactions, to the detriment of human health. Our precious DNA is being threatened by this constant, unstopping escalation.
Neither George the Lesser, nor the rest of America who elected him (or nearly so), should be ignoring Hiroshima Day. Instead, today would have been a good day to finally announce a nuclear disarmament. But it didn't happen.
Shame on our government. Shame on the media. Shame on America. Shame on us all. What a shameful time to be alive.
Sincerely,
Russell Hoffman
Concerned Citizen
Carlsbad, CA
Below is some recent correspondence, the publication of which will certainly shake up PUBLIC CITIZEN, whether they admit it or not, and will ALSO shake up the NRC (whether THEY admit it or not!). I have not heard from any of the participants since the pair of letters to T. Slocum went out yesterday, so I'm publishing what I have so far. Happy Hiroshima Day, everyone!
============================
Re: Response to PUBLIC CITIZEN'S participation in Nuclear Renaissance conference (addendum to previous comment)
Mr. Slocum,
FYI; here is one more comment to add to the mix. Is the panel the only opportunity Ms Hauter will have to speak?
Regards,
Russell
At 09:28 AM 8/6/02 , sara@cleanenergy.ws wrote:
All--
This is totally outrageous - a "Nuclear Renaissance" conference scheduled
from 9/10-12--right around the 1st anniversary of Sept. 11th. The address
is www.pmaconference.com but the 2nd one tells all -
http://www.pmaconference.com/nucren_pma.pdf which is an 8-page brochure and
guess who is one of the featured speakers, NRC Chairman Meserve. There's
mention of new reactors, Yucca status, nuclear security, etc., etc.
I see Wenonah Hauter w/Public Citizen is on one of the panels. The "early
bird" special prices end Aug. 9th (Nagasaki Day--another bad timing
decision) and are QUITE high regardless of any "special."
This is disgusting, really. Is anyone able to go?
Any input from presenters?
Thanks!
Sara Barczak
Georgians for Clean Energy
sara@cleanenergy.ws
N U K E - W A S T E @ I C G . T O P I C A . C O M
To send a message to everyone on the list, address your message to:
nuke-waste@igc.topica.com
To unsubscribe, send a message to:
nuke-waste-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com
Problems or Questions, contact James Quinn, Citizen Alert, Las Vegas NV:
nuke_waste_moderator@hotmail.com
==^================================================================
This email was sent to: rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com
EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://igc.topica.com/u/?aVxipP.a35RQM
Or send an email to: nuke-waste-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com
T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================
Mr Slocum,
One addition to my previous email (shown below): In a real democracy, all of the other participants at the Nuclear Renaissance conference would be in jail right now for crimes against humanity. I'm hardly alone in this feeling: See Bill Smirnow's email, also shown below.
If all the other participants were where they should be in a true democracy, that would make PUBLIC CITIZEN pretty lonely, up on the podium all by yourselves, don't you think?
The NRC and the rest of the Nuclear Mafia aren't afraid of anything you might say at this insider pep rally, or you wouldn't have been invited. And there is no way you can represent the country's entire anti-nuke -- pardon me, pro-DNA -- viewpoint all by yourselves. You're being duped, and the reality of it is: You should treat your invitation to represent the pro-DNA community at the Nuclear Renaissance pow-wow as the mark of shame that it is.
Sincerely,
Russell D. Hoffman
Concerned Citizen
Carlsbad, CA
When the Bomb Struck -- Uncensored (Hiroshima Tribute):
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/hotwords/nuclear_war/nuclear_war.htm
========================================
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
========================================
Mr Slocum,
Regarding your complaint (shown below) that I misquoted you, it is a trivial difference at best, barely above semantics. I don't know why you even brought it up. Certainly it wasn't my intent to misquote you; I hardly would have sent you a copy in that case, would I have?
And for your information, this is NOT a democracy -- in a democracy, the people would not be subject to the random genocidal attacks of the Nuclear Mafia. The lie that the original civilian nuclear power plants were for electricity and not weapons-grade plutonium would not still be promoted by the mainstream media. (And the modern truth would be told, that the whole industry is little more than a full-employment program for retirees of the Nuclear Navy.) The lie that LLR doesn't kill wouldn't be perpetuated, either. The lie that sea dumping of nuclear waste is safe wouldn't be, either. OSHA and other government agencies would have shared regulatory control at the power plants, instead of having all the control in the hands of the NRC. And those are, of course, just for starters. A democracy wouldn't threaten other nations with Global Nuclear War.
What a democracy would do, is switch to renewable energy because the current choice is uneconomical at best, not to mention undemocratic (highly centralized) and extremely risky and lethal.
And speaking of misquoting, I did not call Public Citizen a "sell-out organization", though perhaps it would not have been inappropriate. Also, I did not "yell" at you over the phone at any time.
I asked you to give me the details of how your participation in the Nuclear Renaissance event came about, and to justify why adding your name to the meeting did not add credibility and respectability to what will obviously be a very biased event with NO purpose but to IMPRESS THE PRESS. Also, I asked for details such as whether you would be talking to the whole audience (yes, you thought), and when you would be speaking (you didn't know), and how much time you would be given (you didn't know that, either).
I realize now that the problem may be that you are absolutely right -- PUBLIC CITIZEN's attendance will not add any credibility or respectability to the meeting.
Sincerely,
Russell D. Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA
----------------------------------------------------------
At 03:47 PM 8/5/02 , "Tyson Slocum" <tslocum@citizen.org> wrote:
Mr. Hoffman,
Never in my phone conversation with you did I say that these individuals "wouldn't think to criticize" Public Citizen. After you yelled at me accusing Public Citizen of being a sell-out organization for accepting the invitation to speak at the "nuclear renaissance" conference, I stated, "Well, maybe you should contact Mr. Gunter and others and ask them whether they believe Public Citizen to be a sell out organization." I do not appreciate being mischaracterized in your email.
Mr. Hoffman, I appreciate your obvious commitment as an anti-nuclear activist. But I do not appreciate the very aggressive tone you took with me over the phone. But, as I told you over the phone, "this is a democracy and we are all entitled to our opinions."
Thanks for your consideration,
Tyson Slocum
>>> "Russell D. Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com> 08/05/02 06:42PM >>>
Dear Karl, Paul, and Paula,
I just got off the phone with Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen, who assured
me that Public Citizen's attendance in the Nuclear Renaissance conference
to be held on the anniversary of 9-11 in no way lends credence or
respectability to the conference. I disagree completely.
I pointed out that the only "unbiased" point of view besides theirs was NRC
Chairman Richard Meserve, who, as the head of the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, is supposed to be unbiased.
I also quoted each of your comments concerning Meserve's participation,
shown below (the previous email where I collected them is included in its
entirety, below, and is also available online at my web site).
Mr. Slocum assured me that each of you are strong supporters of Public
Citizen and wouldn't think to criticize them -- on anything, he seemed to
presume. I attempted to explain to him that each of you all already has
condemned Public Citizen, by dint of your condemnation of Meserve's
participation in the conference which Public Citizen has agreed to attend
(I wasn't invited to attend, for the record, but I'll be interested to know
if anyone besides Public Citizen was invited, and if so, what their reasons
were for choosing not to attend).
Mr. Slocum asked me to ask each of you directly your definitive opinion
about Public Citizen. I resisted, because, as I explained to him, I felt
that there was a possibility that none of you would want to criticize
Public Citizen directly because "yesterday you (Public Citizen) were
probably good, and tomorrow you will probably be good (but today you have
made a mistake)". He stridently insisted that I contact you all for
clarification, so I am doing so with this letter.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration, and any comments any
of you care to make will be appreciated.
(Noting that, more useful than responding, I think, would be to comment on
Pamela Blockey-O'Brien's comment at the bottom of the email shown below,
about needing Nuremberg-type trials for the Nuclear Mafia. If we could all
come to agreement on THAT, there wouldn't be a need for ANY of this
silliness and the "trials" could begin. We would ALL be allowed to attend
the PUBLIC trials, or at least, watch them on CSPAN-235.)
Sincerely,
Russell D. Hoffman
Concerned Citizen
Carlsbad, CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The attachment to the original letter can be found here:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/environm/onofre/2002/nct2002b.htm
========================================
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
========================================
At 11:34 PM 8/5/02 , "Bill Smirnow" <smirnowb@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
Re: PHONE, FAX CAMPAIGN TUESDAYS TO SHUT DOWN & JAIL NRC
Dear All,
I'd like to suggest that once a
week [not month] we barrage Schumer, H Clinton &
our Rep with faxes and calls telling them that NRC
is a criminal lapdog, not watchdog and that they
must be replaced immediately with true watchdogs.
This, of course, as any remotely knowledgeable
rational person knows will entail the permenant
closing and decommisioning of Indian Point, all
nuclear power plants in NY state and everywhere
else. For those of you reading this outside the
NYC area please act acordingly re the NPPs in your
area including the equivalent of NRC if you live
outside the USA.
Let's start TODAY-August 6, 2002 Hiroshima Day
2002 with our fax & call campaign. All Senators
and all US Reps can be reached via phone through
the Congressional switchboard at: 202-224-3121.
Fax#s can be obtained from their offices and often
from: http://www.senate.gov and
http://www.house.gov
Phone/Fax Day #1: Tuesday August 6, 2002
Phone/Fax Day#2: Tuesday August 13, 2002
Phone/Fax Day#3: Tuesday August 20, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #4: Tuesday August 27, 2002
Phone/FaxDay #5: Tuesday September 3, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #6: Tuesday September 10, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #7: Tuesday September 17, 2002
Phone/Fax Day#8: Tuesday September 24, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #9: Tuesday October 1, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #10: Tuesday October 8, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #9: Tuesday October 15, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #10: Tuesday October 22, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #11: Tuesday October 29, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #12: Tuesday November 5, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #13: Tuesday November 12, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #14: Tuesday November 19, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #15: Tuesday November 26, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #16: Tuesday December 3, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #17: Tuesday December 10, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #18: Tuesday December 17, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #19: Tuesday December 24, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #20: Tuesday December 31, 2002
Phone/Fax Day #21: Tuesday January 7, 2002
Suggestions for repacement watchdogs:
Greenpeace, NIRS, SECC, Critical Mass, Bozo The
Clown.
Just a few of the countless reasons for getting
rid of NRC:
http://www.mothersalert.org/nrccongress.html
http://www.mothersalert.org/violations.html
NRC is paid by reactor operators.
NRC is allowing mass medical experimentation on
the US public and much of the public in Canada,
Mexico, Central America and Caribbean countries.
NRC's mandate is to protect the US public. NRC is
and always has been doing exactly the opposite and
lying about it.
NRC belongs in jail for life without parole like
their brethren at Enron, Worldcom, etc. Let's
start with Head Criminal Meserve. Accountability
Now.
-Bill Smirnow
========================================
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
========================================
"It may not happen in my lifetime, but I am convinced that one day there will be trials of this entire Nuclear Mafia similar to the Nuremberg Trials, and it will include every animal-torturing pseudo-scientist, every nuclear weaponeer and warhead designer, not to mention the IAEA and the Death-of-the-Earth squad."
-- Pamela Blockey-O'Brien, Douglassville, Georgia, in comments to the Department of Transportation, July, 2002:
http://dms3000.dot.gov/docimages/pdf1a/181877_web.pdf
(RSPA-1999-6283-117 Comment(s) 07/30/2002 Pamela Blockey-O'Brien)
========================================
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
========================================