Now that I have your attention, I am urging you to write your Senators about The Bomb. Yes, The Bomb. It seems that this administration -- which is currently bogged down in a house to house civil war in one spot, guerrilla battles with drug warlords in another, and terrorists seemingly everywhere in between -- thinks we need yet another nuclear weapon. So far, cooler heads have prevailed in the House of Representatives.

"On 6 June, the House Appropriations Committee eliminated funding for the Reliable Replacement Warhead [RRW] requested by the administration. The report language is quite damning. I believe that the nuclear policy of the United States since the end of the Cold War has been, to put it charitably, absent-minded, programs have been sustained more by momentum than careful analysis. The House report recognizes that, almost two decades after the end of the Cold War, the United States does not have a plausible nuclear strategy and essentially puts a freeze on long-term spending until we develop one.

The report states: "The Committee believes it is premature to proceed with further development of the RRW [Reliable Replacement Warhead] or a significant nuclear complex modernization plan, until a three-part planning sequence is completed, including: (1) a comprehensive nuclear defense strategy, based on current and projected global threats; (2) clearly defined military requirements for the size and composition of the nuclear stockpile derived from a comprehensive nuclear defense strategy; and (3) alignment of these military requirements to the existing and estimated future needs and capabilities of NNSA’s [National Nuclear Security Agency] weapons complex."

In other words, the United States is not going to have a huge nuclear arsenal in the future just because it had had one in the past. There is some thinking that needs to be done.

The nation can have, and should have, an honest debate about whether, and how many, nuclear weapons it needs but to argue that we should continue to design and build nuclear bombs that are capable of destroying whole civilizations in order to preserve a jobs program for scientists and engineers is truly, without exaggeration, insane."

http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2007/06/key_senate_vote_on_the_reliabl.php

(love fas)

KSKD's law: The danger any given nuke presents to it's creators is inversely proportional to it's size.

We do need to do some thinking. This administration has suggested little baby "as in kind of nice tactical nukes", more nukes and bigger nukes. It's all wrong.

The worst is the little nukes. These are more tempting to release, thus what I wrote above.

As a race, we've got to get to a point where we just don't build these things period. There are lots of other nasty weapons options. Let's innovate on those, if we must.

Great points KSKD!

I have written my Senators, and my Representative, and again, I encourage you all to do the same. In fact, do it on a variety of issues. Really, it might seem old fashioned and silly, but Democracy requires folks to speak up. As always, our future depends on it.

Your right, I'm going to send my representative a letter right now, telling him we need lots of those. And while their at it we need to reactivate 2 battleships.

Do it. No, seriously. I am not here to say that any American should not have a voice in our process. The fact that corporate voices have been artificially louder for over a century disturbs me, but constituents with something to say should always speak up -- and often!

I gotta second this.

It's really not that hard. I spent time in Salem supporting an Open Source Software bill for Oregon.

(that bitch Minnis killed bi-partisan legislation with solid support, over lunch and a nice fat, "thank you" check.)

Got to meet & greet a bunch of people. The doors are open, you can dress nice, walk in and have some great conversations. Your local reps will have meetings, if you ask nicely and present solid reasons.

If you have proposed law, write it up and send it. Look up the format and follow it. This matters.

Letters, phone calls, or just catching them at the next town all are all viable options.

Of the legislators I've spoken to, they all were consistant in reporting that less than 1 percent of those they represent actually ever say anything to them. Think about that, and the difference some rational conversation can make.

I hope everyone takes the opportunity to be heard. Dialog with your voices in Congress is very important, and believe it or not, they listen.

This just arrived in my e-mail:

"Dear Mr. K[...],

Thank you for writing to me about the Bush administration's efforts to increase funding for development of new nuclear weapons programs. I strongly support efforts to eliminate funding for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) and "Advanced Concepts" for nuclear weapons. I have consistently voted against funding for these programs at every possible opportunity in Congress. I have also been deeply dismayed by a series of decisions concerning nuclear weapons, particularly the administration's withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, their continuing antipathy toward the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and relentless push for a Missile Defense network.

The United States is currently involved in a war in Iraq whose primary purpose was purportedly to prevent Saddam Hussein from acquiring nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. We are also working to prevent Iran, North Korea and other countries from gaining access to nuclear weapons. By continuing the development of new U.S. nuclear weapons at the same time that we are trying to convince other nations to forego obtaining such weapons, we undermine our own credibility in the fight to stop nuclear proliferation.

I will fight to focus our defense spending on the real threats to our country and will work to stop any program and funding that undermines our nonproliferation efforts. Thank you for your letter.

Sincerely,
Earl Blumenauer
Member of Congress"

Thanks Earl! Linus Pauling would be proud. See folks? They do want to hear from you.

It is comforting to know that when sanity is at a premium, there are still sane legislators.

They actually do!

The numbers I've heard is somewhere in the 1 : 1000 range where actual contact is made by ordinary people.

E-mails are diminishing in their potency, though not everywhere it seems. (all of my legislators answer --Smith takes the longest and I've a running contest between friends to see who will be the first to get anything but a form letter.)

Phone calls pack punch, particularly over a sustained time. These are the most costly, in terms of time and resources. They get tracked in all sorts of ways.

Always end your call with something they really should respond to. That makes it the most potent call.

Ordinary letters carry a lot of weight as well, particularly hand written ones --as long as they look sane.

Faxes used to be important, but not quite as much. Automating these is presenting a problem similar to the growing e-mail one.

A visit to Salem to haggle some staffers, perhaps a hallway conversation, or attend committee meetings is very effective. --again, if you come off sane. This is a great way to get personal contact info as well.

Offering to help a staffer, gather some data, make a coupla calls, etc... can land you easier meetings and that second tier contact info.

Since we cant get rid of them, building better nuclear weapons, with controlled power makes sense. Nuclear weapons are just a tool, that have a specific use.

Here is just the latest chapter in the history of nuclear weapons in the Northwest:

"By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS, Associated Press Writer Wed Aug 1, 6:52 AM ET

SPOKANE, Wash. - Workers are trying to determine how to clean up one of the worst radioactive waste leaks in years at the Hanford nuclear reservation, officials said.

No workers were contaminated during last week's accident and the spill was contained within a tiny area, posing no threat to the public, officials said Tuesday.

The leak was estimated at between 50 and 100 gallons, although officials are not yet sure how big it was, Delmar Noyes, of the U.S. Department of Energy, told reporters during a conference call.

The spill area has been capped to prevent the waste from becoming airborne. A plan to safely dispose of the spill is being developed.

"The release to the environment of this waste material is not acceptable," Noyes said.

The spill, which Noyes said was the largest in the tank farm in years, illustrates the difficulties of trying to safely dispose of nuclear waste that dates back to World War II.

The spill was believed to have occurred early Friday, but was not detected until about 10 a.m., some seven hours later, Hanford officials said.

A watchdog group criticized the Energy Department for what it called a slow response to the leak.

"The failure to detect the leak for hours overnight, while deadly high-level nuclear wastes apparently spilled onto the ground, raises serious questions requiring state and federal investigations," said Gerald Pollet, executive director of Heart of America Northwest.

Hanford officials contend they notified regulators in an appropriate fashion after the release was discovered.

The spill occurred as an underground tank was being slowly drained of its nuclear waste, which since 2004 has been pumped into newer, double-walled tanks that are less likely to leak.

The waste from the bottom of the tank is so lethal "that a cup full of waste would kill everyone in a room in a short period of time," Pollet said.

Early Friday, the pump became clogged and workers reversed it in an effort to clear the blockage. That sent some waste from the bottom of the tank up into the hose that was feeding water into the tank, leading to the leak onto the ground, Noyes said.

Workers in surrounding areas were evacuated and the pumping operation was shut down. Also shut down was the pumping of another nuclear waste storage tank. Both will remain closed until it is determined that work can safely proceed.

Hanford covers about 560 square miles in south-central Washington, and contains the nation's largest collection of nuclear waste from the production of weapons."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070801/ap_on_re_us/hanford_leak

And yet, nobody got hurt, anytime you handle hazeredous material there is the chance someone will get hurt, thats why they get hazerdous duty pay.

Nobody has ever died from a nuclear accident in this country.

LMAO.

I love fishing up there. Only place I know where you can catch the elusive two-headed trout! I use three headed worms as bait. They are fun to watch and easy to spot, you can see the glow as they approach the bait!

Edit Add:
Oh yah...bonus...you don't need to cook em either...it's like the meat is already cooked! It's like pulling a trout right out of the microwave and onto your plate.

"Nobody has ever died from a nuclear accident in this country."

That you know about, Mr. Gullible. I'm sure there's classified info somewhere, that someone has.

"Nobody has ever died from a nuclear accident in this country."

Perhaps you should talk to the folks in the Ukraine about a little neighborhood they had called Chernobyl. I'm sure they would LOVE to fill you in on the wonders there!

"Nobody has ever died from a nuclear accident in this country."

Lemme guess, New Zealand?

If our dogged pursuit of global extinction did not result in American victims -- and specifically folks in Washington -- why would Uncle Sam reluctantly pony up so much money?

"April 23, 2003

New Phase in Energy Compensation Program Heralded

WASHINGTON, DC - The Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA), administered by the Departments of Labor, Energy, and with scientific assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services, has reached a milestone. To date, the 18-month old program has paid $3,900,000 to 30 nuclear weapons workers or their survivors at the Hanford Plant. The vast majority of those payments have been made to workers who contracted beryllium disease, while "dose reconstructions" were being completed for other Hanford cancer victims and their families.

Today, the Deputy Secretaries of the Departments of Labor and Energy, and a representative of the Department of Health and Human Services, presented one of the first checks for a dose reconstructed claim in the amount of $150,000 to Thomas J. Keefe, who worked at Hanford as a chemical operator from 1947-1982. Mr. Keefe, who is 81, worked for General Electric, Atlantic Richfield Hanford Company and Rockwell Hanford Operation before contracting cancer. The dose reconstruction process validated the probability that exposure to radiation he experienced on the job caused Mr. Keefe's cancer.

"Today's event is a symbol of our commitment to people like Mr. Keefe who worked for years on behalf of our country," said D. Cameron Findlay, Deputy Secretary of Labor. "DOL, DOE and HHS have been working closely together to insure that claims can be processed quickly and fairly."

"DOE contract workers have performed important work for their country," Deputy Secretary of Energy Kyle McSlarrow said. "We are proud to play our part in this program by locating the employment and exposure records needed to perform dose reconstructions and establish workers' claims. Our goal is to ensure that eligible workers receive the compensation that they deserve."

EEOICPA provides for compensation of up to $150,000 and payment of medical expenses for nuclear weapons workers who became ill as a result of their exposure to radiation, beryllium or silica. Conditions covered under this program are: radiogenic cancers, beryllium diseases and chronic silicosis. This part of the program is administered by the Department of Labor (DOL). The Department of Energy (DOE) administers the part of EEOICPA which provides assistance with state workers' compensation claims for DOE contractor employees with illnesses that are found to be related to toxic workplace exposures.

Dose reconstruction is a carefully designed process carried out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in HHS, to determine the type and level of radiation to which workers were exposed over their careers. It uses available workplace and environmental monitoring information, supplemented by interviews with each claimant and other relevant evidence where monitoring data is incomplete. DOL uses the completed dose reconstruction from NIOSH to determine whether the worker's cancer was likely caused by the workplace exposure.

"Dose reconstruction is a complex scientific process that we have made as thorough, fair and claimant friendly as possible, so that eligible workers can be rightfully identified and receive the compensation they are due," said Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Claude Allen.

The Hanford site in Southeast Washington was established in 1942 as part of the Manhattan Project. It was one of the oldest and largest production facilities in the DOE nuclear weapons complex, and produced the plutonium used in the Nagasaki bomb.

Two thousand, twenty (2,020) cases have been established by DOL based on Hanford employment. One thousand four hundred thirteen (1,413) have been referred to NIOSH for dose reconstruction."

http://www.energy.gov/news/1019.htm

These are just the employees who were poisoned. Cases are still pending for thousands and thousands of "downwinders" and their families.

"A federal jury yesterday found that the Hanford factories that produced plutonium for the nation's nuclear arsenal probably caused cancer in two people living in nearby towns.

The decision by the jury in Spokane is a historic first for those who have accused the federal government and contractors of sickening people by secretly releasing radiation — affirming the claims of at least some "downwinders." A jury has never before said a U.S. nuclear-bomb plant sickened citizens living downwind.

The 12-member jury found that thyroid cancer suffered by two plaintiffs more likely than not came from radiation that Hanford released, exposing them as children in the 1940s and early '50s."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002281825_downwinder20m.html

Surprisingly enough, radiation kills people much more quietly than nuclear weapons kill people.

I may have posted this before, but it is such a fine site, here goes:

Atomic Veterans History Project
http://www.aracnet.com/~pdxavets/index.shtml

This is an invaluable glimpse into the lives of Americans who fought and died in the quest for better nuclear warfare. It is hosted and maintained by a group of Atomic Veterans right here in the Portland area.