Well, it’s been quite a week, with all the Cambridge Analytica stuff showing the power and influence of corporations and political parties in manipulating social media– We should not be so surprised, except for the speed and effectiveness of the Cambridge Analytica’s opinion-influencing campaigns.
Manipulation of public opinion has a long and dishonourable history. Following the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima, America launched a successful pro nuclear power propaganda campaign, resulting in the growth of the ‘peaceful’ nuclear industry, especially in Japan.
Hitler used the 1936 Berlin Games to ‘sell’ Nazi Germany as a fine culture. Currently, Putin is being accused of using the FIFA World Cup as a glorification of his Russian regime.
We can look forward now to two years of global hype over the 2020 Olympics in Japan as a glowing (though lying) recommendation of a now healthy Fukushima.
All this in the desperate effort to save the reputation of the global nuclear industry. However not everyone, even conservatives, are buying this, as the situation in Britain shows, with renewables gaining popularity.
Climate: social science research also shows the way in which conservatives are being won over to accepting climate change, and the need to work actively to slow its progress. Polar Anomaly Flip in an Abnormally Warm World: Arctic to Cool as Antarctica Heats Up.
AUSTRALIA
Global bank HSBC warns that Australia is especially vulnerable to climate change.
The new Trans Pacific Partenership (TPP) just as bad for Australia as the old one.
NUCLEAR WASTE DUMPING. The Senate is accepting submissions about this, with (narrow Terms of Reference). closing on April 3. So far only 5 pro nuclear submissions have been published on their site. Yet I know that several anti-nuclear submissions have been sent. I’m working on mine now, and I urge others to send submissions. Ask the Australian Senate to consider this: why was South Australia chosen – to house Lucas Heights’ nuclear waste? Best way to make submissions to the Senate Inquiry on Nuclear Waste Dumping.
Nuclear waste dump for South Australia? Deafening silence from politicians and journalists.
- South Australia rejects the nuclear industry – as shown in poor vote for Cory ‘s Australian Conservatives.
- South Australia’s new Liberal Premier Marshall backs nuclear waste dump, despite community discord. Greens leader Mark Parnell calls for Lucas Heights nuclear waste to be kept at Lucas Heights. Protect South Australia from Nuclear Trash – the fight continues.
- New York Times buys into ANSTO’s nuclear spin about Kimba?
- Pro nuclear enthusiasm in Ben Heard’s submission to the Senate.
- Dumping nuclear waste is illegal in South Australia: South Australians will resist imposition of dump.
- Busting the pro nuclear spin to regional South Australia, by the visitors from Lucas Heights. Nuclear propaganda tour across regional South Australia – AUSTRALIAN RADIATION PROTECTION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AGENCY.
- Anniversary of radiation accident at Lucas Heights – a warning to South Australia. An angry response from Eyre Peninsula resident to media coverage of South Australia nuclear dump plan.
David Noonan’s Submissions to Senate regarding Reprocessing Nuclear Fuel and Safety of Intermediate Level Wastes.
Group of Montebello nuclear test veterans have no medical insurance, not entitled to gold card.
Minerals Council of Australia wants nuclear technology to be government funded as “clean and green”.
Supreme Court appeal lodged against Yeelirrie uranium mining approval decision.
Neighbours not happy as a man builds his nuclear war bunker in Victoria.
CLIMATE and RENEWABLE ENERGY. Can Stephen Marshall stop South Australia’s transition to clean energy? Probably not. South Australian Premier Stephen Marshall carrying out the Liberal agenda – Cuts Access To Solar Batteries For Low Income Households. South Australia’s new Premier vows to kill the Tesla battery storage plan. There’s miles and miles of mostly very good news about renewable energy. Find this at reneweconomy.com.au
INTERNATIONAL
USA.
- Saudi prince admission of possible nuclear weapons development has upset USA lawmakers. Trump to sell over $1 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Crown Prince boasted that Jared Kushner was “in his pocket”.
- Trump’s budget: big cuts to energy efficiency and renewable energy, boost to nuclear weapons. American military and South Carolina politicians want more “plutonium pits”for nuclear warheads.
- NASA will allow plutonium powered spacecraft – reversing previous policy prohibiting this dangerous system.
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirm Russian hackers targeting U.S. nuclear plants.
- Over 15 miles of piping at former uranium enrichment facility to be monitored by robots.
NORTH KOREA. North Korea significantly slows down tunneling in nuclear weapons test site.
FRANCE. Theft of confidential information about Cattenom, Flamanville and Paluel nuclear power plants. India has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: Macron keen to sell EPR reactors to India anyway.
JAPAN. Proposed storage of spent nuclear fuel sparks resistance in Aomori Pref. City. Hakodate court rejects plea for injunction to halt construction of Oma MOX plant in Aomori.
Fukushima.
- Fukushima Accident is Becoming More Severe, Residents Continue to Struggle: Ruiko Muto on 7 Years of the Nuclear Disaster.
- TEPCO in the dark about conditions inside shattered Fukushima nuclear reactors: they will now try aerial drones.
- 45 Lawsuits in Fukushima District Courts. Americans seek $1 bil. in damages over Fukushima nuclear disaster.
- Only trickle of former residents returning home to Fukushima. Is Fukushima doomed to become a dumping ground for toxic waste? Fukushima governor ‘pushes safety of prefecture’s food’ on Europe tour. The “forbidden life” of those caring for abandoned animals in Fukushima.
- Sanitising the Fukushima nuclear waste situation: Japanese newspaper succumbs to pressure.
CANADA. Radioactive Cesium 134 from Fukushima nuclear disaster – found in British Columbia.
RUSSIA. The very dangerous prospect of nuclear-powered cruise missiles. Concern over Russia’s nuclear activities in the Arctic – potential for a radiological disaster.
EUROPE. 1960 Paris Convention part of undemocratic government support for nuclear industry. Plan for pan-European alliance against the promotion of nuclear energy– Austria and Luxembourg to start it.
UK. British nuclear submarine joins American naval exercises under Arctic ice. UK Conservatives – inconsistent, incoherent, policy – agreeing to Russia’s involvement in UK’s nuclear power development. UK: renewable energy becoming cheaper than nuclear power.
FINLAND. Finland’s nuclear power plant’s price tag – at least $11 billion.
Nuclear Australia 
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