A small fact about nuclear power

The New York Times news service has been talking to experts on the problem facing the Japanese engineers grappling with the crippled Fukushima Daiichi reactors. They provide the following nugget of information. (Truthout website, 15.3.11.)

‘The essential problem is the definition of “off” in a nuclear reactor. When the nuclear chain reaction is stopped and the reactor shuts down, the fuel is still producing about 6 percent as much heat as it did when it was running, caused by continuing radioactivity, the release of subatomic particles and of gamma rays.’

In more conventional engineering terms, we would be looking at a car that continues to move forward when you’ve slammed the brakes on. Whoever would design – or condone the use of – such a thing? And where are the Health and Safety people when you really need them?

Massive protest in the US over workers’ rights

The British press has had little to say over the long-running struggle by people in Wisconsin to defend themselves against total erosion of all collective bargaining. Scott Walker, the Republican Governor of Wisconsin has rail-roaded the passing of a bill that strips workers of the right to negotiate conditions, and people are furious.

Within a few days, ‘firefighters’ opposed to the bill withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars from Madison’s M&I Bank, whose directors had been major backers of Walker’s bill. As the flood of withdrawals of life savings continued, the bank became unable to continue trading, and closed its doors at 3pm on March 10th.

In Madison city on Saturday March 12th, police estimated the number of outraged people attending a rally as ‘up to 100,000’ – more than attended the biggest tea-party protest.

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