August 2nd, 2005
Dear Activists;
The item shown below appeared as shown recently in RADBULL, so obviously, it's been widely distributed all over the world.
What a shame. The "event" is today and tomorrow.
Rochelle Becker's "suggestion" that people call 911 and complain during siren tests is simply not funny -- and besides, nowhere does she actually assert that it's a joke.
Who might take it the wrong way?
Dimwitted activists? I've met a few.
Movement infiltrators? They certainly exist, and I'll bet I've met a few of them, too.
A foreigner, who might not speak the language very well, or know our customs (or our laws), but knows that nuclear power is wrong? Sure, why not?
Reporters who are making an honest effort to read opposing views regarding nuclear issues? They might not be used to her sense of humor (or lack thereof).
The 911 call centers, who might bring in extra staff to handle the potential problem? Can they afford to be wrong?
The State Police? The FBI? Homeland Security? Let's hope not!
The person who can't get through because others tie up the line? They certainly might not think it's funny!
It's not that the nuclear issue isn't an emergency -- all reactors should be shut down IMMEDIATELY -- not just when the current licenses expire. For Diablo Canyon, the licenses don't expire until 2021 and 2025, and for San Onofre it's not until 2022. Shutdown NOW makes much more sense. Yesterday would have made even more sense. Tomorrow is better than a couple of months from tomorrow, by one new dry cask forevermore for California to guard and to worry about.
Nevertheless, to even hint at clogging 911 lines as an act of civil disobedience is improper. Let OUR worst crime be our failure to convince our fellow citizens to oppose these plants in large enough numbers, and with enough of a sense of urgency, and with enough of a unified voice, to get it done. (A crime we activists are all obviously quite guilty of.)
If anyone calls 911 when the sirens are tested, the reputation of nuclear activists around the world could be damaged permanently. If anyone calls pretending to be an activist, our reputation could suffer anyway. What a pickle!
Admittedly, those sirens are in many ways nearly useless, in part because they will be ignored or misunderstood, should the time come that they are needed (also because many are likely to fail in an actual emergency). But for whatever good they are, the willingness of the government to even test them at all will be diminished if anyone carries out this suggestion. There could be a backlash, both from an outraged community, and in the nuclear establishment, which will become more reluctant to use the only warning device available to protect citizens from odorless, colorless, tasteless, and invisible radiation.
Emergency responders are going to have a terrible time when a nuclear accident occurs in America -- our own Chernobyl. They will be short-staffed, short of supplies, short of hospital beds to put people in, short of pain medication, short on KI, short on everything except victims to handle.
Please notice I didn't say "if" a nuclear accident happens in America, I said "when." That's because without shutdown, the laws of statistical probability ensure that sooner or later (and note especially the word "sooner" as in, it could happen tomorrow) a catastrophic sequence of events will occur at an American reactor. It is inevitable. Davis-Besse proved that beyond any shadow of doubt, if Monticello's problems didn't before that, and on and on and on. California has had a few very close calls, too. It's just a matter of time before the inevitable happens UNLESS shutdown and spent fuel protection better than either Spent Fuel Pools OR Dry Casks is implemented -- it's our only hope.
And that's no joke.
Sincerely,
Russell Hoffman
Concerned Citizen
Carlsbad, CA
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30 Re: [HD-L] The Safe Friendly Peaceful Atom-Nuclear Power
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2005 12:53:39 -0700
That's right, Sheila.
On the other hand, we could all call 911 when we hear those sirens, and complain about the disturbance, and let the authorities know that we object to the presumption that we can simply be shepherded out of our houses like sheep on the way to market, never to return, and receive no compensation for our possessions or property, so that PG&E can make a profit at enormous cost to taxpayers and electricity ratepayers, by creating 70 tons of highly radioactive nuclear waste that will remain on our coast indefinitely, threatening the next thirty thousand generations of Californians.
(SImply had to get that off my chest!)
We would also take a moment to make a small contribution to the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility, to help prevent relicensing of Callifornia's two commercial nuke plants, beyond their current operating licenses.
http://a4nr.org
Also SLO residents could visit the library on August 9th for a special event:
Diablo is 20 - 20 years is enough
If you participated in the early actions involving Diablo, then come and see yourself without gray hair and wrinkles fighting to protect the future. If not, its time to come out of woodwork and stop the insanity of license renewals NOW!
Mark the 20th anniversary of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant and the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in the best way possible: With the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility, viewing a rare copy of the landmark documentary on the Diablo Canyon plant, A Question of Power and getting a update on how to prevent license renewal
Re-live the beginning of the movement to halt nuclear power and help plan the successful conclusion of this long-term campaign. Aug 9th 7-9 at the SLO Library, 995 Palm St. Donations welcome.
--r
On Jul 24, 2005, at 8:53 AM, Sheila Baker wrote:
San Luis Obispo County hosts Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. -Sheila http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2005/07/24/news/local/news11.txt
San Luis Obispo
Warning system test at start of August
the public is urged not to call 9-1-1 during these times, according to Meg Swearingen, coordinator.
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31 Santa Maria Times: The Safe Friendly Peaceful Atom-Nuclear Power
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2005 08:53:50 -0700 (PDT)
San Luis Obispo County hosts Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.
-Sheila
www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2005/07/24/news/local/news11.txt
San Luis Obispo
Warning system test at start of August
The San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services will be
testing the Early Warning System sirens on Aug. 2 and 3 as part
of operation and maintenance checks, to prepare for an emergency.
The sirens are sounded once for twenty seconds until all 131
sirens in the system are tested. The testing will take place
between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., and the public is urged not to call
9-1-1 during these times, accor ding to Meg Swearingen,
coordinator.
From staff reports