F-ing politicians....

[level42]

You could say I'd lost my belief in our politicians
They all seemed like game show hosts to me

Sting.

Although I already agree with this a very long time, here's probably the most clear proof of the ultimate stupidity of our "leaders" since long:

http://www.thelocal.de/national/20110315-33723.html

I _DID_NOT believe it when I heard this on the radio. I mean, if you'd asked her 1 week ago about the safety of "our" nuclear plants (I say our because a number of them are strategecially positions RIGHT on our border....just like the Belgians did...and indeed we too with the one we've got...) she would have told you that of course they were completely safe.

What she does here is giving a total and completely bill of mistrust of the people who run these nuclear power plants and the one's responsible for CHECKING their safety.
But even more she shows the TOTAL and COMPLETE and UTTER lack of brains. Because SHE is responsible for those damn things ! She was ever since she took up her job of bundeskanselier.

We, the people, expect leadership and people who we can trust and rely on. Also when there are NO nuclear disasters going on....but they fail. They are so short-sighted. They shouldn't act when stuff goes wrong, they should show a vision on the future over a long term. The trouble with politicians is that they only give a shit about THEIR term in office. And about the next elections.

IMHO she should be taken to the burning reactors in Japan and given a water pump to help the poor soles who are risking their lives FOR THE SAKE OF THESE POLITICIANS !  

[level42]

Kraftwerk: Radioactivity. (song from 1974 !!!!)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXD6Gtinvbc

Harrisburg-Sellafield-Tchernobyl-FUKUCHIMA !

[Blanka]

I can understand what Merkel does. Germans hate nuclear plants, and thanks to a sudden raise in CDU votes last election, the general hate towards nuclear was set aside thanks to the "crisis". Now Merkel sees she has to listen to the majority opinion on nuclear again, so she crawls back to the long-term plans in Germany to phase out all nuclear installation. She admits it was failure to use the crisis as a reason to keep them open. So Fukushima is her reason to get back to the long term vision on energy production. It is a bit to save her butt for the upcoming local elections, but the Germans will accept it as it takes them back to the long term vision they have.

What I don't understand, is that I did not hear anything about our real nuclear fans in Europe. French eat croissants with Becquerels for breakfast and seem to love it! How do they think about that now? Nothing in the news about them....

[Blanka]

Also fun: lot of Germans sold their RWE and EON stock. They took a big dip in stock last days. Another proof of the popular vote against nuclear.

[level42]

I think it will change nothing in the long run. Harrisburg and Chernobyl didn't change anything really, maybe there was a slow down in new reactors in Europe (like in our country) but none was shut down.

It's not so much about being in favor or against nuclear energy, it's more that politicians only act "by popular demand" what annoys me.

IF there are reasons to doubt the safety of the German reactors that would have been reason enough to keep to their program of shutting them down. In fact, it would be reason to shut them down NOW.

It's completely nuts that Fukuchima is the reason for changing any policy about them.

If we NOW have to examine if our reactors are safe, we are long overdue !

I'm definitely not a fan of it but the reality is that there are hardly any alternatives. No I don't believe that renewable energy can produce enough for our current demands, let alone the hug increase in the future.

Weather you should build those things in a place where earthquakes are occurring on a very regular basis is another discussion...

[level42]

Also fun: lot of Germans sold their RWE and EON stock. They took a big dip in stock last days. Another proof of the popular vote against nuclear.

Again: the craze of current times....

[Blanka]

No I don't believe that renewable energy can produce enough for our current demands, let alone the hug increase in the future.

First, total renewable energy is peanuts to achieve. Our addiction to oil, and marketing of the oil business keeps us from using it. If oil would be totally gone by tomorrow, in five years the whole world is on renewable energy. Just like we rebuilt Europe after the WWII. For example, just our roofs have enough capacity for all energy we need in the Netherlands! Tunisia filled with solar panels can supply the whole world! We are too traditionalist to go for fully renewable without some good disasters to happen first.
Second: the huge increase is region specific. China and India will see increase, but in Europe it will go down by 50-70% in 30 years. Few examples: a 2010 house uses only 80% of the energy of 1930 house. An solar powered electric car (solar to create the energy, not on the roof of the car off course) will mean 70% savings compared to oil fuelled cars.

[Laschek]

I am not surprised. Not at all.