November 2nd, 2006
Dear Readers,
The Democratic National Committee should be ashamed of themselves, because here in North County, San Diego, the heart of Republican institutionalized corruption, where Randall "Duke" Cunningham had to resign after God-Knows-How-Many-Crimes (and a very serious one only he and I (and God) know for certain he did), the democratic candidate -- Francine Busby -- could easily unseat the man who got Cunningham's seat in a close race against her, earlier this year. She's neck-and-neck in most polls, and usually lost by slim margins previously. I've met her and she's good. She could make it TO Washington and she could make it IN Washington.
But she has no money left to campaign with. The Republicans aren't spending much money in my district, either, presumably because they figure it's a sure enough win since they know she has no money left.
But if Clinton and Kerry and all the other big Democrats would come in and help our locals understand that THIS campaign is important and WINNABLE, and if the DNC would give her funding support from the DNC's national "war chest," she could win the district.
My local Congressman, the man who took over for the disgraced Cunningham, Brian Bilbray, claims to be an environmentalist -- doesn't everybody? But over the years, he has received campaign support from just about every major energy corporation in California, including the owners of San Onofre in San Diego, Diablo Canyon in San Luis Obispo, SMUD in Sacramento, and numerous other nuclear power plants around the country.
It's time for all of us, including Republicans, to reject not just "their" president but ALL the foolish, corrupt leaders who are destroying America with their ghoulish support of "The Demon Hot Atom." Low Level Radiation is like SECOND-HAND CIGARETTE SMOKE ON STEROIDS and MUST BE STOPPED. Forgive them, for they know not what they do? Forgive them for refusing to learn? Forgive them for killing our future? Forgive them for killing our babies? For destroying our DNA? For destroying our planet?
Renewable energy IS sufficient for all humanity's needs. The only other choice besides "sustainable existence" is "UNsustainable" which ISN'T EXISTENCE AT ALL! So why DID Donald Rumsfeld sell nuclear power to North Korea in the 1990s, when he worked for French-owned ABB? Will he ever tell anyone?
Republicans are rejecting the President THEY elected in droves. But WHY? Perhaps it because there are very few people who like being lied to. And Bush lies. Everyone knows that, now.
Brian Bilbray lies. He says he's an environmentalist, but the NUMBER ONE ISSUE for the environment IS SAN ONOFRE. And he's in the pocket of its owners.
Last week I called Brian Bilbray, because I received a letter from "the family of Brian Bilbray" and it said at the bottom "If you have any questions, please give me a call at (858) 457-5500. I'd be happy to talk with you." I only got an answering machine and the voice on it was someone from his office, so I left a message and asked Brian to call me back. He has not done so. I encourage other residents of his district (the 50th) to also try calling him, and if you get through, please ask him about San Onofre. The letter "from the Family of Brian Bilbray" was "paid for by Brian Bilbray for Congress ID#C00300830."
Sincerely,
Ace Hoffman
Resident of Brian Bilbray's District
Carlsbad, CA
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Vote for the environment this November!
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Thanks to Gai Oglesbee for that cute URL!
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Jim Bell's Voting Suggestions on the Props and the Candidates in San Diego County, CA:
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Below are Jim Bell's voting suggestions for San Diego County, California. It is most unfortunate that the Republicans seem to think that trashing the environment is a Republican Mantra, and the Democrats want to hand off protecting the environment from the ravages of the Republicans to the Green Party, as if the idea is too "out there" for a "mainstream" political party. But protecting the environment is EVERYONE'S responsibility -- including Republicans, who talk about it all the time as if they cared, but back up their words with opposite actions. -- Ace
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From: "Jim Bell" <JimBellelsi@cox.net>
To: "Russell 'Ace' Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Subject: Re: Voting Suggestions
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:29:44 -0700
I'm voting the Democrat slate on the props too. See web site at bottom.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Russell 'Ace' Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
To: <jimbellob@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 10:47 AM
Subject: Re: Voting Suggestions
Thanks! Can you help us with the props, too?
Yours,
Ace
At 10:10 AM 10/25/2006 -0700, Jim Bell wrote:
Please Delete If You Don't Live In San Diego County
My Voting Recommendations
Mark Hanson for State Senate in the 36th District. Mark is a personal friend and good person. He wants to make our region renewable energy self-sufficient and life-support sustaining. He was twice honor as Teacher of the Year and is the founder of the Heartland Foundation that helps displaced workers get the training they need to move into new and better jobs. For more info on Mark, check out his web site,
www.hanson4senate.com or call me a 619 758 9020.
Terry Thomas for South Bay Irrigation District Division. Sweetwater Authority
Terry is also a friend and a just retiring much lauded college biology professor. I have given presentations in many of her classes. She knows her biology and will be a wonderful asset to the South Bay Irrigation District.
Bob Filner for Congress in the 51st District. Bob is the real thing. Just one example, he is the only democrat in office who endorsed me when I ran for Mayor. He understands the need for a life-support sustaining economy and ways of life on our planet.
Jeeni Criscenzo for Congress in the 49th District. I don't know Jeeni as well as Mark, Terry and Bob, but I have talked with her a number of times. She is intelligent, open, and understands the big picture issues our country is now facing.
Maxine Sherard for Assembly 78 District - Maxine is about doing good and she also understands the need to move toward the creation of a life-support sustaining world.
Steve Padia for Mayor of Chula Vista. Steve is totally committed to Chula Vista becoming cost-effectively renewable energy self-sufficient to the greatest degree possible.
Patricia McCoy Imperial Beach City Council. I have known Pat for decades. She is intelligent, caring, common sense and all about creating a life-support sustaining future.
Dustin Johnston Carlsbad City Council. Dustin is a good friend and totally committed to creating a life-support sustaining future in Carlsbad and on our planet.
Francine Busby for Congress in the 50th District. I am just getting to know her but I am sure she will do better job as our Representative in Congress than her opponent who has clearly lost his way.
In addition to recommending the special candidates listed above, I am voting
Democrat across the board. To get a copy of the Democratic Party Voters guide call (858) 277-3367. info@sddemocrats.org -
www.sddemocrats.org.
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Dry Cask Storage WILL KILL AMERICA if we don't stop it (but someone will get rich in the meantime):
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Oscar Shirani was employed by the nuclear industry, and realized it was behaving in a dangerous and CRIMINAL manner. He tried to get his employer to straighten up and obey the industry standards for the critical welding and fabrication they were doing. That didn't work, and he was forced out.
When he complained to the NRC about the dangers, his arguments were so compelling that the man who listened had to resign! Dr. Ross Landsman resigned from the NRC in May, 2005, six days after a nationwide PBS broadcast of Dr. Landsman's statements regarding Shirani's findings.
In the document shown below, Shirani is talking about one specific dry cask storage system, but there are problems with all of them, in part because the standards set by the government are INADEQUATE TO PROTECT US. The more dry casks we make, the greater the danger, in a linear progression, except when they are packed together -- which is exactly how they are stored (since the destruction of one can lead to the destruction of a second, and a third, dry cask, and since one bomb or plane can destroy more than one at a time, the increase in danger as new dry casks are added is exponential, not just linear).
Every dry cask we stop is a considerable safety accomplishment. Each one could kill millions. And will, if the law of averages holds up over the length of time these things are hazardous. Grasping this fact, even a little, is precisely why the federal government is trying to build Yucca Mountain, but that, too, is a catastrophe-in-waiting and an inadequate solution, which probably will never open and is just a big excuse to keep on keeping on with the creation of radioactive, poisonous, corrosive, carcinogenic, hazardous waste.
EVERY NUCLEAR FACILITY CUTS EVERY CORNER IT CAN. They are currently spending BILLIONS ON RECONSTRUCTION of the current operating reactors, often in ANTICIPATION of getting a license, which they KNOW is a SURE THING from the reactor overseers -- the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which couldn't regulate the thickness of a paper bag -- they would let the industry tell them how thick the bag should be and write regulations to match. And if the bag breaks? It won't matter to the NRC! They ALREADY HAVE SPEECHES WRITTEN BY "EXPERTS" to hand out to the media in the event of a MELTDOWN or SPENT FUEL FIRE! Millions condemned to horrible, painful death, but the NRC, which could have prevented it ENTIRELY in the first place, instead, spent its time WRITING SPEECHES TO BE HANDED OUT IN THE EVENT OF A CATASTROPHE.
The NRC is criminal beyond belief. They are the ones who set the legal standards that places like Japan and even NORTH KOREA use to prevent so-called "activists" and "environmentalists" (who often are scientists, lawyers, and other skilled and knowledgeable experts) from gaining a foothold. The NRC's regulatory structure is being used virtually statute-by-statute by other nuclear regulatory agencies in other countries to prevent honest debate, to obfuscate, and to lie.
What a scam! What a deadly, disgusting scam!
Ace Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA
At 08:10 AM 10/26/2006 -0700, Oscar Shirani <obshirani@yahoo.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: NRC Intends to lax more code requirements on spent fuel dry casks
NRC:
In addition to the existing problems with the dry cask design and manufacturing processes descibed in my audit report of August 4, 2000 and as shortly elaborated below, there is the possibility of release of energy stored in the system that would present the danger of brittle fracture due to sudden change of heat into cold temperature by avoiding the due process of adequate cooling prior to flooding operation.
NRC has ignored all the previous warnings by me and Dr. Landsman about these Holtec Faulty dry casks.
Cooling is also very important step during the welding operation. When welding is performed, the yield strength of the material will go down drastically and when the heat is absorbed from the welding rod. After the repair is performed, then ASME Section IX (Welding) and ASME Section XI (In Service Test/Inspection Criteria) requires the normal cooling period at an ambient temperature (100 degree F) without force cooling. And during the welding operations, the Quality Control (QC) has many hold points and witness points to ensure that all the layers of the welds are done appropriately by qualified welders and QC witnesses all these hold points and witness points during the fabrication processes to ensure that production does not violate any provisions of the codes.
If the material does not cool properly, then the voids inside the heated zones from the heating operation could maintain inside and could cause lamelar cracking or quench cracking in some period of time. These cracks may not be detected by ultrasonic Test (UT), VT, MT or other testing performed right after.
This is the reason that Codes of Federal Regulation, 10CFR50 App. B Criterion III (Design Control) and ASME Nuclear Quality Assurance NQA-1, Section III requires that "Repair" Operation is considered as Design Change to ensure that Post Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) and Weld Coupon Testing is performed to ensure that the reduced Yield Strength during the welding operation is back to its original design intent. All these required code steps were by-passed by Holtec and its approved suppliers. Engineers have to witness all these records and revise the original and conceptual designs, but most of the dry cask design is still in the conceptual phase and calculations were never revised to document the design chanages with all the fabrication violations.
Since All types of the Holtec dry casks were bypassing the above code requirements (by passing the PWHT, Coupon Testing, etc.), then the Design Changes were not performed according to the above codes of federal regulations. When you lose the design change control mechanism during the fabrication/welding, then the structural integrity of the cask is already lost. These casks are not manufactured to the codes to begin with. Now avoiding the cooling period prior to flooding adds another uncertainly in the final cask structural integrity.
Up to now, NRC has not given me any reason why they have closed my issues about the "Repair" and "Use-As-Is" disposition of 100's of non-conforming conditions which bypassed the above code requirements during the fabrication processes. These casks are already faulty with no reasonable assurance for their structural integrity. Avoiding any other steps (like avoiding cooling prior to flooding) is another nails to the coffin of these faulty casks. If NRC could prove to the public that these casks were made and fabricated to the codes, then that's another story. [Not that proper fabrication would make dry casks safe, but currently the casks don't even meet the NRC's own lax standards. -- Ace.] But, NRC never performed any meaningful audit and inspection during the fabrication to attest the validity of these casks. When my audit found these issues and Dr. Landsman supported me, NRC sat on them for two years and closed it by paper work according to Dr. Landsman on the PBS TV Camera on May 3, 2005 (See oscar shirani and pbs video on internet).
NRC does not want to face with me, because they know that I am right and they cannot dispute these facts.
NRC refused the invitation of David Lochbaum, Union of Concerned Scientist in December 2003 to sit face to face with me and resolve these issues.
NRC does not have any respect for public safety and I am talking to the walls by sending these new comments to the NRC who ignored all the original issues that I and Dr. Landsman from NRC raised.
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Contact information for "Ace" Hoffman:
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