Recent comment on News.com.au

I submitted the below comment on this article. However, the powers that be decided not to post it on the website. Are you surprised? I guess it doesn't add to the debate as much as pubescent slams against Turnbull and Garrett.

Forget socially responsible investing; how about some socially responsible reporting.

My post (submitted at 23:10 on 09/11/07)

Ethical considerations are a noble and just prerequisite to any investment. Anything less is inherently non-sustainable.

Regarding the comments on uranium / nuclear power, I feel it is a must for Australia if we are serious about an ethical approach to addressing emissions linked to climate change.

Many will wave the populist banner – that Australia only emits 1.4% of global emissions, so what difference can we make and why should we even try. However, as one of the world’s top per-capita emitters, we are setting a shameful example, that if followed globally, will see us all in a dire situation within a very short time. That – in and of itself – is embarrassingly unethical behaviour.

Until a credible and objective plan is presented by someone, implementing the deployment of available and demonstrated technologies to address these emissions, nuclear must remain on the table as an option. To dismiss it so casually is not only unethical but flat out irresponsible.

For more information
Related Blog
A specific post of interest

Bloggers Wanted

As some of you may have noticed... I have been getting busy. My posting frequency has decreased from a peak in the second quarter of this year - but I assure you it's not due to a lack of interest or enthusiasm.

Nuclear news and related developments are coming fast and furious around the world, including Australia. I've been trying to focus on 'aspects other than the political' because that's not my field of expertise and experience. But I grudgingly admit that those issues must also be addressed if tangible progress is to be made in the two principal thematic areas of this Blog - reduction of emissions being linked to climate change and energy security.

To serve the dual purpose of keeping pace with current events and covering the full spectrum of nuclear related issues and discussions, I invite you to consider becoming a co-author of this blog.

As a co-author, you will be given access to generate posts containing topics you find interesting and relevant to either global nuclear power generation or better, nuclear power in the context of serving Australian interests. You may be pro-nuclear, anti-nuclear or somewhere in the middle; a technical professional, an artist, a student, a pensioner, or a stay at home parent; a professional writer or someone who often forgets exactly how many u's are in the word nuclear. All are welcome. You may post opinions [containing, or supported by, objective references please], links or other references to external information, or pose questions to me, other authors [provided I get some help] or the general audience of this Blog.

But I am the moderator - and the ultimate decisions with respect to content will remain with me alone. Opposing opinions are welcome, but principally emotional rants [for or against] add - in my opinion - no value and will be purged the moment I become aware of them, as will all the standard no-nos such as personal attacks, etc. Posts that have nothing to do with topics relevant to the Blog will obviously be deleted.

How? You may either:

• Comment to this post using the 'comment' link at the end [if you don't want me to post your comment publicly because, for example, it contains personal information, just let me know and I will take the action to add you and then delete your comment].
• Send an Email to me at [the name of this Blog - with the space removed, i.e. 'nuclearaustralia'] at or '@' and then 'Gmail' and finally dot or '.' 'com'. Is decoding the Email address a prerequisite for becoming a Blogger? No. I'm just trying to keep the spam to a minimum.

What you will have to do:

• I believe you will have to create a Google account [I recommend going for a Gmail account right away] to blog here.
• I will need your Email address to send out an author invitation. If you create a Gmail account per the above step, just forward me that address.
• If you want to let me know a little bit about yourself [location, background, interests, etc.] that would be helpful and interesting, but it's not mandatory.

I will then initiate the invitation.

Privacy: I will share none [as in zero] of the information you provide with any individual or organisation - not even other authors within this blog.

Grateful for any help you are able to provide.

Blake - where are you mate?

Several days ago, I received a request via a comment post from a student, calling himself 'Blake'.

Blake, I tried to reply using the Email address you gave me, but have not heard back. If you're still interested, please have another go. The address in the comment [which I will not post publicly to respect your privacy] may have been incorrect.

This is not the first time I have been asked for offline information. In fact the trend is increasing; and how wonderful that is to see. People - particularly the young - are taking the time to really pull the stings and objectively explore the claims of pro- and anti-nuclear advocates alike. I am confident that after such objective, fact-based reviews, the vast majority will understand that nuclear power is well justified as part of a broader strategy to address fossil emissions as well as energy security issues around the world.

Speaking of increasing interest, I have also added a new section in the right border to this page called Pro-nuclear Aus & NZ Bloggers. How about that? Not only are the facts being better received, there is an increasing number of us delivering them. Another good sign.

While all this is happening, there's little to see in the anti-nuclear blogosphere. I've read a few posts where they voice frustration about their lack of technical know-how, little surprise to this blogger. If they knew there technical stuff; they wouldn't be anti-nuclear. One referenced this post from the Nuclear Is Our Future blog, specifically. This shows that at least some are reading our posts. Since they can't make a credible, technical argument, rare is the day when you see an anti-nuclear comment on one of these sites.

Nuclear Bloggers

Not long after I began this Blog, I posted links to different anti-nuclear Bloggers and websites and maintain these links in the right margin of this Blog to this day - even the inactive ones. I do this to encourage/enable any readers to consider the full range of the nuclear debate. I believe nuclear power is a valid energy option and further that when considered objectively can be easily defended as one of several reliable sources of safe and clean energy.

But I haven't done much to promote the pro-nuclear sites and Bloggers. Sure many links are also to the right, but I've never discussed many of them.

New on the scene is a namesake of sorts. He goes by the title of Nuclear Man and calls his Blog 'Nuclear Australia'. While it's a bit sad that he appears to not be aware of this Blog [poor communication on my part]; I am delighted another Aussie feels passionate enough to actively participate. Nuclear Man is just getting started & I wish him well.

Also in Australia is Robert Merkel - who doesn't manage a pro-nuclear Blog per se [at least that I am aware of], but my impression is that he is in favour of nuclear power in Australia, or he is certainly keeping an objective and open mind about it. Robert's Blog is called The View from Benambra. He is also a contributing Blogger at Larvatus Prodeo. Many of his posts are related to nuclear power. He is well researched and articulate.

Within Australian Politics you will find Blogger, and Democratic Senator, Andrew Bartlett. Senator Bartlett's Blog is called The Bartlett Diaries. To my knowledge, he is against nuclear power technology in Australia, but is generally willing to host/enter into civilised debate and has even linked this Blog into some of his posts. He is also a fellow fan of Robert Merkel - who visits the Senator's Blog regularly.

Venturing outside of Australia we have Ruth Sponsler, NNadir, Rod Adams, Stewart Peterson and the professionals at NEI. All are well researched. Being an Industry group, NEI is stacked with information and statistics. Rod also runs the Atomic Show. Stewart features frequent 'Anti-nuclear quote of the day' posts. Ruth's posts are typically packed full of links/references for the detail deprived. NNadir is - from my perspective - a legend. Again, all links may be found in the right margin.

An informed, objective and open minded community will make the right decision.

Blogger NNadir on Patrick Moore & Greenpeace

I know that "Doctor" Moore is popular with the nuclear industry, but I would submit that continuously talking up the support of the "Founder of Greenpeace" for nuclear energy affords Greenpeace environmental credibility it has neither earned nor deserves. If the nuclear industry were listening to me, it wouldn't be awarding that credibility.

See the whole post here

NNadir has submitted another Diary [post] in the DailyKos Blog, rich with passionate, well researched arguments in favour of increased nuclear deployment as part of the solution to many of the world's current problems.

The post above is his reply to a comment on his Diary. See the whole Diary here. Be warned, it's long and the comments are approaching 130.