The 119th Carnival of Nuclear Bloggers is here today at Yes Vermont Yankee! I am so pleased with the great blog posts in this Carnival.
I just recently added a set of Share This buttons at the right of the blog. Please use them to spread the word of the Carnival. Facebook, email and Twitter are right up-top. The Plus button gives you many more choices, such as Stumble-Upon, Reddit and Pinterest. It's easy to spread the word. Just click the button!
Now, on to the Carnival. To me, a major theme of this Carnival is the difficulty of communicating about nuclear energy.
Fukushima Communication
Let's start with an important Fukushima report and video at ANS Nuclear Cafe
Video interview with ANS Special Committee on Fukushima Co-Chair: Michael Corradini
Dr. Michael Corradini |
The leadership of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) commissioned the American Nuclear Society Special Committee on Fukushima to provide a clear and concise explanation of what happened during the Fukushima Daiichi accident, and offer recommendations based on lessons learned from their study of the event.
Dr. Michael Corradini is president of the ANS, and he is also co-chair of the ANS Special Committee on Fukushima. In this video, Dr. Corradini provides an update on the Special Committee’s work, including the release of the committee’s final report. He also announces as an embedded topical meeting on Fukushima that will take place at the upcoming 2012 ANS Winter Meeting in San Diego, Nov 11-15.
Health Communication
At Atomic Insights, Rod Adams asks why radiation health professionals are so reluctant to talk about radiation hormesis.
Rod shares some comments from an experienced group of professionals about the reluctance of radiation protection professionals to discuss hormesis. Ted Rockwell, who was troubleshooter at Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project and later served as Admiral Rickover’s technical director when Naval Reactors developed the first nuclear powered submarine (USS Nautilus) and the first commercial light water reactor (Shippingport) provided the first comment.
Aside: Ted's background information is provided to show that he is not only deeply experienced in nuclear energy and its associated radiation, but he is also a rather mature 90 years old and still going strong.
Energy Communication
At Neutron Economy, Steve Skutnik discusses the role of cultural signaling in the energy discussion.
At the Neutron Economy, Steve Skutnik asks the question of how much cultural signaling factors play a role in energy politics. Specifically, how much of support for energy sources like coal (and likewise, renewables) come more from that they say about the values and identities over more rational study of environmental and economic trade-offs?
(Skutnik starts his discussion with a look at why the Friends of Coal plate is the most popular custom license plate in Kentucky.)
Economics Communication
Quite a few interesting posts in this category.
Nuclear Costs
Let's start with Brian Wang at Next Big Future, examining anti-nuclear bias in a Guardian assessment of nuclear power costs
Brazilian Oil Platform Wikipedia Expensive equipment |
In a related link Wang points out the oil and gas capital expenditures are currently at more that $1 trillion ( US $) per year.
Fuel Choices
Customs officers Inport controls in action |
Advertising Campaigns
In Yes Vermont Yankee, I describe a possible advertising communications campaign for Indian Point.
The Subways of New York and Indian Point
Indian Point could advertise on the New York subways, since they provide part of the power for the subways. I thought of some neat ads for them. This post had many hits, and attracted some of the "usual suspects" from the New York area in the comment stream. Should I be glad I have a new set of readers? (just a joke)
Education and Communication
The Center for Nuclear Science and Technology
The Center for Nuclear Science and Technology: Who should the audience be?
American Nuclear Society's CNST
At 4Factor Consulting Blog, Margaret Harding talks about the Center for Nuclear Science and Technology that ANS is creating to help with education. Two speeches given at the ANS-UWC put the idea in her head that the CNST should be doing more to education journalists and local governments. In the end, what are YOU doing to educate your community?
ANS Young Members
New chair for the Young Members Group at ANS
Gale Hauck |
At ANS Nuclear Cafe, American Nuclear Society Young Members Group (YMG) Secretary Elia
Merzari caught up with new YMG Chair Gale Hauck and asked her to
introduce herself and upcoming plans for the ANS YMG.
Gail Marcus discusses Harry Reid and Bill Magwood
Harry Reid insulted NRC Commissioner Bill Magwood. Allison Macfarlane would be re-appointed Commission Chair by Obama if he is re-elected. How is this all going to play out?
More on Reid and Magwood
At Nuke Power Talk, Gail Marcus has a follow-up to her previous discussion on Harry Reid's comments on NRC Commissioner Bill Magwood a few weeks ago. She reflects on a comment the earlier blog received, which speculated that, if President Obama is reelected, he will want to reappoint Chairman Allison Macfarlane, but it will prove impossible because there will be no Republican with which to pair her nomination. Gail follows that train of thought and considers the various possibilities.
Nuclear History: SYLCOR Continued
Moving away from communications issues, we look at nuclear history with Will Davis of Atomic Power review.
SYLCOR Western Office: Part 3
In the latest SYLCOR historical retrospective installment, we learn about SYLCOR's specialty in fuel elements in text and photos, and see a particularly unusual type of fuel element made by this company for a special situation. Many interesting illustrations are included.
Technology of Uranium Extraction
For our final Carnival entry, we get away from communications into straight technology. Brian Wang reports that the technology for extracting uranium from seawater has improved. Costs for seawater extraction are getting closer to land-based costs.
Uranium from seawater idea boosted with shrimp shells
At Next Big Future, Brian Wang reports that uranium from seawater technology has been improved. 'Although these trials proved the principle of uranium extraction from seawater, the cost was prohibitively high - perhaps around $260 per pound. This compares badly to today's most economic mines on land, which produce uranium at around $20 per pound, while resources at higher costs up to about $115 per pound have already been identified that would last more than a century.' And: The ACS summarised the session saying that the new techniques might reduce the cost of uranium from seawater to around $135 per pound.
Enjoy the Carnival!
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