tagged w/ Los Alamos National Laboratory
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President Obama Sits Down For One-On-One With Action 7 News.
Congress is looking for ways to cut the federal budget and House Republicans have showed interest in slashing nuclear weapons spending. The move could affect the 20,000 employees at New Mexico’s two research labs.
Obama said Japan’s hardships are a reminder that the work at these facilities should not be scaled back.
“One of the things that 'it' reminds us of is that the safety and the constant monitoring and oversight that we're providing to our nuclear facilities here in the United States has to be maintained,” Obama said.
The president said the money is there.
“We have a budget for it. I've already instructed our Nuclear Regulatory Agency to make sure that we take lessons learned from what's happened in Japan and that we are constantly upgrading how we approach our nuclear safety in our country,” Obama said.
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So while Obama wants to increase funding for new nuclear warhead development to record levels, the republicans want the increases to be slightly scaled back!?
I don't think Obama is drawing the right conclusions from the disaster in Japan. An additional plutonium factory to increase our "safety" is ridiculous.
Interesting when asked by her co-anchor how she was able to get the exclusive interview with Obama, KOAT's Royale Da responded, in part:
"KOAT reaches a very specific Southwest audience , and it appears.... that that is an audience the president has an interest in speaking directly to."
So in other words KOAT (and others) act as propaganda outlets for the nuclear weapons labs and associated corporate interests?
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TECgnIce-aM/TYdmbaXoSmI/AAAAAAAADvQ/3gWrMAoTgCg/s1600/image006.jpgPresident Obama Sits Down For One-On-One With Action 7 News.
Congress is looking... more
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It's been reported that a new form of uranium could lead to a small nuclear power plant that could fit in your car and power it! Scientists from the Los Alamos National Laboratory have worked on and created a molecule called uranium nitride which promises to be cheaper and much safer. Uranium Nitride could also extracting more energy from fossil fuels making cars more fuel efficient.
Scientist Jaqueline Kiplinger said in an interview, “Actinide nitrides are candidate nuclear fuels of the future but they can also break carbon-hydrogen bonds, which are very strong.”
Ripping hydrogen off the carbon atoms is not an easy task but Uranium Nitride is able to do so. A lot of energy typically in this process, is lost as heat in car engines. If that lost energy is somehow retained then gasoline could give us much more mileage per gallon.
Scientists did stumble upon a road block. The Uranium Nitrade molecule destroys itself after ripping the hydrogen atoms from the carbon atoms. For this new molecule to be commercially successful it needs to retain itself and not self destruct after the splitting of one hydrogen atom from carbon.
If this technology were to work with Uranium nitride acting as a catalyst in the reaction to break hydrogen and carbon atoms, this could lead to smaller, cheaper and mobile nuclear power plants. NASA is first in the race for smaller nuclear power plants to power rockets and space ships on long distance flights.
http://bit.ly/cUFY5WIt's been reported that a new form of uranium could lead to a small nuclear power... more
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U.S.: Nuclear scientist tried to pass info to Venezuela
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/17/venezuela.nuclear/index.html?hpt=T1
Former Los Alamos scientist indicted on nuclear charges
By Terry Frieden, CNN
September 17, 2010 6:12 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* NEW: Indictment alleges physicist wanted $793,000 for services
* The scientist and his wife are accused of trying to provide nuclear secrets to Venezuela
* Venezuela's government knew nothing about the plans, officials say
* The U.S. citizens worked as contractors at the New Mexico laboratory
Washington (CNN) -- A former Los Alamos National Laboratory nuclear scientist and his wife were indicted on charges of trying to provide nuclear secrets to Venezuela, but U.S. officials stressed the Venezuelan government knew nothing about the plans.
The officials said they have no information from the undercover operation that Hugo Chavez's government has any plans to try to build a nuclear weapon.
Pedro Mascheroni, 75, and Roxby Mascheroni, 67, are U.S. citizens who worked as contractors at Los Alamos in New Mexico, officials said Friday.
In 2008, Mascheroni, who had left the laboratory years earlier, had a series of conversations with an undercover FBI agent posing as an official of the Caracas government, according to the indictment.
"Mascheroni allegedly said he could help Venezuela develop a nuclear bomb within 10 years and that under his program Venezuela would use a secret underground nuclear reactor to produce and enrich plutonium and an open, above-ground reactor to produce nuclear energy," the Justice Department said.
According, to a U.S. Justice Department statement, Mascheroni allegedly asked about obtaining Venezuelan citizenship and described how he expected to be paid for his classified nuclear work for Venezuela. Mascheroni said his fee for producing certain information was $793,000, the indictment alleges.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth Gonzalez said the charges against the couple "are very serious."
He said laws were designed to keep "restricted data" from getting to the wrong people.U.S.: Nuclear scientist tried to pass info to Venezuela... more
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12th Anniversary Retreat
Spirit of Place
Encounters of Spirituality and the Environment
Nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute in Marquette, Michigan
http://www.cedartreeinstitute.com/kayaktrips.html
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Wisdom in Wilderness: The Poetic Vision of Mary Oliver, a Spirit of Place kayaking trip retreat
Kayaking 40 miles along the shores of Lake Superior coastline
August 3-7, 2009
Cost: $850 (Limited to 10 persons)
Interfaith kayaking trip along 40 miles of Lake Superior shoreline, while reading journals of 16th Century Jesuit Missionaries to the Ojibwa tribe; discussions of spirituality and nature; hearty meals including smoked fish and homemade bread; Lodging in an Historic Inn and rustic lakeside cabins.
Facilitators: Rev. John Magnuson & Rev. Lee Goodwin
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God and the Bomb
Science, Faith and the Future of Nuclear Technology
Nov. 12-15, 2009
Pecos Benedictine Monastery, New Mexico
(20 miles north of Santa Fe and 60 miles from Los Alamos)
Historical perspectives on the development of the Atomic Bomb
Small group dialogues on the faith and science with psycho-social insights on the challenge of nuclear technology
Prayers and reflection with members of the Benedictine Community
Ethical considerations for the promise and threat of nuclear energy
Afternoons in Santa Fe and at the Los Alamos National Laboratory with daily hikes in the Sangre de Christo Mountains.
Presenters:
Larry Rasmussen, PhD., Reinhold Niebuhr Professor Emeritus of Social Ethics, Union Theological Seminary
Robert Kraus, PhD., Deputy Director of Research and Development, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Facilitator:
Rev. Jon Magnuson, Director, nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute,
Cost: $850
Limited to 12 persons
Registration Deadline: September 1, 2009
Requires a $250 deposit12th Anniversary Retreat
Spirit of Place
Encounters of Spirituality and the... more
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