Several days ago the AP reported as if the all clear had been sounded, nuclear power could dust itself off and get back to work.

Initial fears that erupted in the wake of the crisis, threatening to derail the nuclear renaissance of the last several years, have largely subsided.

Emergency. There's an emergency going on. It's still going on. …  

Full meltdown.TEPCO has been able to explore the damaged plant and they discovered  

…that  No. 1's containment vessel has been leaking water and today discovered a sizeable hole they believe was created by fallen fuel pellets.The water leakage not only indicates that the clean up efforts will take longer than originally expected but also that the worst case scenario was already underway when TEPCO said it had been avoided.

In addition to this and everything else Japanese authorities are also dealing with what is left in the expansion of the 20 kilometer exclusion area to a zone of no entry.  In scenes likely as eerie as a disaster movie, farm livestock and dogs left in the no-go zone have been filmed scavenging for food. Many animals died in their cages from starvation.  

Farmers living inside the evacuation zone had no choice but to abandon their pigs, chickens, beef cattle and dairy cows when they were ordered out by the government. Recent footage taken inside the no-go zone shows cows running in herds across empty roads and dogs left behind by their owners prowling for food.

The area is estimated to have about 3,400 cows, 31,500 pigs and 630,000 chickens. Of these, officials guess 1,300 cows and 200 pigs remain alive. Authorities have been killing livestock for health reasons and will start to cull the thousands of remaining animals but need the farmers consent.  

Thirty two House Democrats have signed a letter from House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. to the House Armed Services Committee Chairman Republican Buck McKeon. They are protesting language in Detainee Security Act bill and asking for hearings. The language, Democrats say would amount to a permanent declaration of war against the Taliban, al Qaeda and associates. The letter says in part:

"By declaring a global war against nameless individuals, organizations and nations 'associated' with the Taliban and al Qaeda, as well as those playing a supporting role in their efforts, the Detainee Security Act would appear to grant the president near unfettered authority to initiate military action around the world without further congressional approval,"

Democrats wrote. "Such authority must not be ceded to the president without careful deliberation from Congress."

The Democrats also expresses concern with provisions in the bill regarding conflicts between civilian and military terrorist prisoner trials.

The Detainee Security Act in effect requires that terrorism suspects be tried in military commissions, thereby cutting out Article III federal courts from conducting terrorism trials.

According to The Hill online Chairman Buck McKeon is not expected to consider the Democrats requests and the bill will move forward.  

The killing of Bin Laden brings an awareness of some of the changes brought about by 9/11 that we have lived with for almost ten years .They span from the minor, we now commonly refer to the USA as our “homeland” to the major and horrifying; we torture[d] people.

Not surprisingly Dick Cheney is still worried and wants his waterboard back.

"I'm still concerned that a lot of the techniques we used to keep the country safe for seven years have been taken off the table," Cheney said. "It's not clear to me today that we have an interrogation program that we could put a high-value terrorist through."

   

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, never one to miss an opportunity to lobby for traveling the dark side* and suffering no moral qualms made an appearance on Fox News Sunday to support and promote torture or as he prefers “enhanced interrogation techniques”.

Obama’s NSA advisor says these methods are:

"not consistent with our values, not consistent and not necessary in terms of getting the kind of intelligence that we need."

 

However Cheney claims waterboarding and harsh methods of interrogating played a role in capturing Bin Laden two years since Obama banned the use of waterboarding and tens years after 9/11.

Asked whether the methods should be reinstated if the United States were to capture a new high-value target, Cheney replied: "I certainly would advocate it. I'd be a strong supporter of it."

 

The former Vice President still clings to his legal fig leaf and claim that waterboarding isn’t torture because, well I guess because he says it isn’t.

Cheney also dismissed the notion that waterboarding, or simulated drowning, amounted to torture, saying he and the rest of the Bush team had gone to great lengths to ensure what they did was legal.

*Cheney Sept. 16 2001 interviewed by NBC’s Tim Russert ,

We also have to work, though, sort of the dark side, if you will. We’ve got to spend time in the shadows in the intelligence world.

This Sunday May 1st  it will be eight years since then-President George W. Bush made what is called an arrested landing (aircraft caught, stopped by tailhook and cable) on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. Several hours later the huge carrier was maneuvered into the setting sun for perfect camera lighting so he could be filmed making his speech. Standing below a banner declaring Mission Accomplished Bush declared major combat operations in the Iraqi war were over.

He and his team had started a war and now he declared it was over.

The Nation’s Greg Mitchell has some of the gushing quotes heaped on the boy king by the fawning media. Here’s two that capture the insanity well:

Maureen Dowd in her column declared:  "Out bounded the cocky, rule-breaking, daredevil flyboy, a man navigating the Highway to the Danger Zone, out along the edges where he was born to be, the further on the edge, the hotter the intensity.

Chris Matthews on MSNBC called Bush a "hero" and boomed, "He won the war. He was an effective commander. Everybody recognizes that, I believe, except a few critics." He added: "Women like a guy who's president. Check it out. The women like this war. I think we like having a hero as our president. It's simple."

Mitchell also writes:

When Bush's jet landed on the aircraft carrier, American casualties stood at 139 killed and 542 wounded. That was over 4000 U.S. fatalities ago, and hundreds of thousands Iraqis.

  Yesterday the Vermont Electric Co-op sent a clear signal to Entergy Vermont Yankee.  They voted 9-1 against signing a 20 year power purchase agreement with the aging plant.  One VEC board member described his vote as follows:

“We need to lock in with a credible supplier,” he said. “We need to deal with a company that has the trust and support of the majority of our members. Entergy isn’t that company.”

Entergy had fired off its PR gun a little early on March 30th with a press release that was trumpeted by local online cheerleaders of the plant.

Entergy Corporation today announced Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC has completed negotiations on a 20-year agreement to sell power from the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant to customers of Vermont Electric Cooperative, Inc., the third-largest electric distribution utility in Vermont.

This announcement was quickly shot down by the VEC Chairman, and yesterday’s vote shows the deal had little support. Chalk it up to an ill timed PR move or an awkward attempt to bulldoze the VEC board or…it could be a move sooo sly only a few chosen souls even understand the sheer cleverness.

You see according to YesVY blog (which understandably claims no inside knowledge) it was never meant to be about a VEC power deal at all!!  

Entergy was sending secret signals to others.

It’s a little long but here put on these special glasses and you will see the message.

I think Entergy is signalling. Signalling can be sort of fancy word for advertising. However, advertising is often comparatively simple: "Strawberries now available at $2.50 a quart." Signalling can be much subtler. For example, a potential employee shows his dedication to his career by going to night school, therefore "signalling" to the potential employer that he will be a very good employee. In my opinion, this press release signals: Entergy Vermont Yankee intends to be open for business after March 2012, and they are willing to give very good power purchase agreement rates.  

[…] Similarly, I think that the question of why Entergy sent this press release at this time cannot be answered by looking at Entergy's relationship with VEC. This press release is a signal to a wider market. Also, this is an upbeat way of signalling: we're ready to sell power to a buyer! If the VEC board turns down the agreement later this month, Entergy's signal would not be as effective.

  In the face of an impending pay-wall I clicked on the last of my twenty free articles in the New York Times to read Vermont Exercising Option to Balance the Budget

It is hardly more than a quick peak at what is familiar to Vermonters

Technically, Vermont could play fast and loose in this season of fevered budget-chopping: it happens to be the only state with no budget-balancing requirement.

But Vermont, it turns out, is a fiscal goody two-shoes.

A fiscal goody two shoes (fewgadsake ‘take two Norman Rockwells out of petty cash for that reporter’ But can’t the New York Times do better than that if they want people to pay?) However it  all burnishes Shumlin’s maple syrup versus vinegar credentials established at his testimony to the Congressional Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

The Times article references the Public Assets Institute support for a  Snelling style solution of temporarily raising income and sales taxes and notes the 50 wealthy Vermonter’s begging to pay higher taxes. Quoting Progressive State Rep.Paul Poirier (where was Pollina ?)  .

“In the last three years, our little state of Vermont has cut over $300 million in direct services to people,” Mr. Poirier said. “Why not ask people who have done well during this recession to step up and pay a little more?”

I don’t agree with it but it’s understandable that the last thing in the world Peter Shumlin wants in the current political environment is to go into his reelection having raised taxes. He is smart and can turn on a dime when the need arises but right now, no way will he hand the Republicans and issue to bang him over head with. Got to admit to liking Shumlin and being very pleased he’s governor, but it rankles and he may just as well run his fingernails over a chalk board as say stuff like this

Jim Douglas coughed up this stuff everyday for eight years, too bad we are still hearing it from a Democrat.  

Nuclear plant hit by US twisters, The Sun UK

Hah, The Sun UK has a way with headlines, headlines that reach out and grab you by the lapels. This story, though, got very little attention in the US amidst last weekend’s tornado tragedies and mayhem in the south. It’s a tender time in the nuclear industry, maybe sensitive to news about two nuclear plant units getting knocked out by a storm and relying on back-up diesel generators for six hours. Nothing approaching The Sun’s grabber headline appeared here in the US and for that matter it was mostly left below radar except for local outlets.  

Coincidentally, in early April the NRC held a public meeting to address local safety concerns about the Surry and nearby North Anna plants. The Virginia Pilot reported that in the post Fukashima environment, 42 people showed up at the yearly meeting that normally draws two or three.

“The good news is that neither North Anna nor Surry are likely to experience either an earthquake or a tsunami”. said Gerald McCoy of the NRC.

Tornadoes weren’t mentioned so maybe they dodged a bullet and publicity.  

Two units of Virginia Dominion Power’s 39 year old Surry nuclear power station (the plant recently had its license extended through 2012) were knocked out of service this past Saturday by tornado storm fronts that caused considerable damage to the switchyard and a low level radioactive material release. This was reportedly below federally approved limits and posed no threat to station workers or the public according to the NRC.

Nuclear regulators said the plant's diesel generators and safety systems operated as required. Plant operators partially restored off-site power to both reactors within six hours of the storm, the Dominion spokesman said  

Units 1 and 2 were operating at 100 and 98 percent power respectively by early Friday, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.  

Unit 2's refueling work has begun and is expected to last about a month, according to Reuters data.     It last shut for refueling from about Nov. 1 to Dec. 1,   2009, and is on an 18-month cycle.

The Surry Unit #2 holds a sad place in commercial nuclear history – On December 9, 1986, a steam explosion in the non-nuclear part of Unit 2 killed 4 workers.This was one of the worst accident in terms of human cost of any in the US commercial nuclear industry. *Willow Island cooling tower scaffold collapse killed 51 during construction

 Wisconsin and Vermont seem to be tangled in an odd embrace of political opposites and similarities. Wednesday night RNC chairman and former head of the Wisconsin Republican Party Reince Preibus addressed 200 members of the Vermont Republican Party in Burlington. Between one hundred and one hundred twenty five union members, Democrats and others demonstrated against his perceived anti-union stance nearby while he spoke.    

Today Governor Shumlin testified and took questions before a congressional committee along with Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (protégé of RNC head Preibus). Rep.Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) the committee’s ranking member said Shumlin would

“… bring a perspective that is markedly different than that of the majority’s witness, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker…”

Both governors addressed their work reducing state budget deficits. Shumlin providing a distinct counter point to Walker/Preibus’ scorched earth budget slashing tactics.  

Shumlin opened his testimony saying in part “Governor Walker, it’s good to see you again”  noting they each had just finished their first 100 days in office he added  “I wish you the best as you continue your term” How far from Walker’s mind could a possible recall vote be as he listened to Shumlin’s greeting?  

Gov. Shumlin continued bluntly:

What is puzzling to me about the current debate about state budgets is that the focus has been not on bringing people together to solve common problems, like we have done in Vermont, but on division and blame.  

Whatever legitimate gripes we may have with Shumlin here in Vermont it’s easy to be thankful he’s no Scott Walker. Vermont is closer to the right track than it has been in eight years. But Wisconsin was once a Blue state and the Preibus told the Vermont Republican party his vision last night in Burlington.  

Vermont could replicate the recent political history of Wisconsin. The state was perceived as a Democratic stronghold, but in large part through the efforts of the Wisconsin GOP, Republican Ron Johnson defeated Democratic U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, and Republican Scott Walker became governor in the 2010 campaign.

Pretty fair warning, however if  that’s the goal got to wonder if  someone with a little more campaign finesse than Tom Salmon might wind up running against Senator Sanders.  

Privatizing VT State liquor business ?  

In hard times antique dealers looking for quick bargains used to travel back roads looking for run down houses whose owners might have hidden treasures. Many dealers scooped up good investments from people desperately in need of cash by trolling this way.  

Dave Gram of AP reports that a small meeting took place Wednesday in Montpelier where a proposal to privatize part Vermont’s liquor business was presented. The Maine based company backed by a large private equity firm that is making a similar proposal to Washington state legislators. A Montpelier lobbyist explained how the meeting came about

[it] “germinated from a conversation he had with [Senate President Pro Tem] Campbell about "the advantages and disadvantages of getting out of the liquor business.”

An up-front payment, twenty year lease and revenue sharing were mentioned. Options were presented by Dean Williams, president and CEO of Maine Beverage Company to attendees Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, Senate President Pro Tem John Campbell and Sen. Richard Mazza, a senior Democrat and member of the Senate Rules Committee.

This particular solicitation that “germinated” with Senate President ProTem Campbell didn’t get any traction with the Vermont lawmakers. The lobbyist, William Shouldice that set up the meeting seemed to distance himself  telling the AP reporter "

They’re  [the company, whose Maine operations are managed by the Massachusetts-based Martignetti Companies with financial backing from the Lindsay Goldberg private equity firm] not even a client" of his lobbying business. "I just did them a favor," in setting up the meeting.

  This meeting raises worries that as revenue stays scarce and if courage can’t be found to put taxes on the table as an option then deals selling/leasing off parts of Vermont to for-profit companies will look more and more inviting.

The trolling antique dealer always left a calling card in case the mark changed their mind.