The Fourth Blog Carnival

Charles Barton has posted the Fourth Blog Carnival of Nuclear Energy at Nuclear Green. Barton named this Carnival The Vermont Freak shows, and he covers our recent one-gallon-water-spill-equals-giant-oil-spill craziness from several different viewpoints.

Barton also pulled together wonderful blasts from the past. The problem with blogging is that tomorrow there's a new blog. The best and most careful analysis can vanish like a soap bubble. Barton has gathered links to some of the more important blogs of the past, including economist David Bradish's powerful deconstruction of Amory Lovins arguments that nuclear is too costly. Bradish blogs at NEI Nuclear Notes.

Political Cartoons

Charles also includes a political cartoon in favor of thorium energy, by cartoonist Pyar Anderson. As Anderson says in his description of the cartoon: Heavy investment in Thorium energy would staunch the energy crisis, blunt the fears of nuclear proliferation, reduce nuclear waste, and conceivably put nuclear power in vehicles, even. Thor knows it.

I believe that political cartoons are very powerful, and I would like to see more pro-nuclear cartoons. Right now, the PopAtomic Studios group is making nuclear-themed art. A recent post shows how PopAtomic is moving nuclear art into the mainstream. Is there anyone who can do this for pro-nuclear cartoons? While there have been occasional pro-nuclear cartoons in the mainstream, I don't think we should wait for established cartoonists to come around.

In terms of anti-nuclear cartoons, during the tritium issue, I found a Mimi's Doughnuts cartoon far more difficult to confront than anything written in the local papers. It was clear, direct, and emotionally gripping. It was also not true. The tritium levels in any drinking water or the river were too low to measure. But within the context of the cartoon, it was hard to refute. I would have to argue with one single panel of a compelling anti-nuclear story. (Yes, the cartoon was in my local paper.)

Great Job, Charles, in putting together a fascinating Carnival!