Clear View
Enter, the Small Modular Reactor (SMR), which will allow nuclear reactors to be delivered to locations where power is required, and set up quickly, without lengthy land acquisition and expensive construction. In Arizona we have the Palo Verde generating facility, delivering reliable electricity as needed, but I can see the need for SMR’s as solutions in smaller markets as well, within the state. But I haven’t heard a single communist come out in favor of this new, safe, emerging technology to fill some of the gaps that eliminating coal energy will leave.
There are some down-sides to SMR’s, primarily concerns voiced by the left. There is an economy of scale to produce them that requires a large investment that will almost surely be government subsidized. But people like Bernie are proposing a multi-trillion dollar investment in solar, which doesn’t work at night and is wildly inefficient. There are the traditional safety and security concerns, but those are not what they once were at places where nuclear energy went wrong (Fukushima Daiichi and Chernobyl nuclear disasters). SMR generating stations don’t require that the facility be placed in areas subject to tidal waves or gross seismic activity.
(link) Maybe you really will FEEL as if you’re flying — while you’re actually flying?
The Future of Nuclear Energy
(Rolls Royce) The American communists, Bernie Sanders being the most noteworthy at the moment, are calling for the government to take over the energy sector, and transition completely to wind, solar and hydroelectric power by 2030. I find it interesting that none of them are talking about the newest generation of nuclear power generation.
Enter, the Small Modular Reactor (SMR), which will allow nuclear reactors to be delivered to locations where power is required, and set up quickly, without lengthy land acquisition and expensive construction. In Arizona we have the Palo Verde generating facility, delivering reliable electricity as needed, but I can see the need for SMR’s as solutions in smaller markets as well, within the state. But I haven’t heard a single communist come out in favor of this new, safe, emerging technology to fill some of the gaps that eliminating coal energy will leave.
There are some down-sides to SMR’s, primarily concerns voiced by the left. There is an economy of scale to produce them that requires a large investment that will almost surely be government subsidized. But people like Bernie are proposing a multi-trillion dollar investment in solar, which doesn’t work at night and is wildly inefficient. There are the traditional safety and security concerns, but those are not what they once were at places where nuclear energy went wrong (Fukushima Daiichi and Chernobyl nuclear disasters). SMR generating stations don’t require that the facility be placed in areas subject to tidal waves or gross seismic activity.
Cut it in any way that you like, this is the future of reducing a carbon footprint.
Auditing and Reducing US Funding of International Organizations Act
The left is upset because a lot of their pet projects will have their funding cut. No more tax dollars will be poured into the UN’s pet climate change treaties. It will eliminate US funding for any United Nations agency or international body that promotes full membership for the Palestine Liberation Organization, supports subvention of sanctions on Iran or North Korea.
 |
| Chinese Communist UN Peacekeepers |
US funding will be stripped from any organization that is “controlled or substantially influenced by any state that sponsors terrorism” or is behind the persecution of marginalized groups or systematic violation of human rights.
US funding will be removed from the United Nations Population Fund and any fund that promotes abortion.
The order will remove at least forty percent of current funding to UN programs, which will impact UN peacekeeping operations (almost always a complete waste of money) in sixteen countries.
Of course, none of this prohibits billionaires like Bloomberg, or other countries from spending THEIR OWN MONEY on international peacekeeping, or abortions in third world countries. It just means that the US taxpayers won’t be underwriting this anymore. Thank you, President Trump! MAGA
Maybe the UN will move to France? That would be a grand idea.
From your keyboard to God's monitor. The UN maybe should move to Africa.
Thanks for the post.
Paul L. Quandt
There are no fancy restaurants in Sierra Leone, though there are markets that feature 'bush meat' (human beings, slaughtered and then butchered for sale). Yeah, ok, Africa it is. All of the delegates would have a rousing good time on the town in Freetown or Libreville in neighboring Gabon.
Always thought it would be good tech to have small nuclear (new-clear?) power plants for homes…eliminating power grids and service entry lines, solar panel arrays ruining roof lines and backyards, or wind generators with their incessant whirring annoying the entire point of a peaceful quiet two-track backwoods cabin (let alone the expensive battery bank maintenance). Felt this would be an excellent self-contained solution if the engineering could be worked out so doofuses couldn't mess with it and become Darwin Awards winners, or worse, keeping evil-doers looking to build bombs from stealing the nuclear material.
I like the SMR plant you show – excellent concept. But because the Left has managed to convince themselves that nuclear is evil, and wind and solar are energy nirvana – fully ignoring the energy used for mining to manufacture and maintain one wind generator does not equal what it produces in it's lifespan, or that solar for grid power is mostly symbolic and a joke (as you point out), or unless Trump manages to undo the regulation clamps on the cleanest/safest power generation we know of – the self-deluded among us will continue to block nuclear power generation…to our detriment.
Ah yes we love the government takeover of private industry. ObamaCare worked so well.
France is a great place for the UN, or how about Brussels and they can merge with the EU and ruin both of those organizations at the same time.
If the Green New Deal advocates win, they will wipe out nuclear power plants and manufacturing – and they're not apologetic about it. They will disband the military and we will be ruled by somebody else.
SMR's make sense at every possible level until we can work out how to make fusion energy a reality (whether it turns out to be so-called cold fusion or hot fusion). The French are developing a fusion reactor that might go on-line as early as later this year, depending on who you listen to. The tokamat technology has promise but we won't really know until it powers up. Essentially it's a "Sun in a box".
Put the UN anywhere but here, Odie.
If you want to have the government run things it will be by definition, more expensive, take longer and less efficient. I'm not anti-government. I worked for the government and there are legitimate functions – but none of them has to do with managing commerce.
If I had my way, I would cut off all foreign funding except for Israel.
NATO can go pound sand! 70,000 US troops could shut down the southern border real fast too……I would give them one and only one order….think about how fast illegal immigration would stop!
Locked and Loaded
I'm not sure that Israel needs our money these days. They've developed those natural gas fields that provide for domestic needs and allow for exports.
I can see need for foreign aid in extraordinary circumstances, but would do as the Chinese do, and give it in the form of loans.
Sounds really promising.
See, that's why I come here daily, you are the Grand Poohbah…without the Fred Flintstone Loyal Order of Water Buffalo Lodge No. 26 hat.
Just because I'm contrary, how much foreign aid is actual money sent as opposed to USA products bought from the producers and then sent? Seems to be a mini Military/Industrial complex.
Next time you see Bernie, could you ask him how to get a 767 Boeing jet into the air using solar, wind or hydroelectric power only?
I'd like to hear what he has to say on that. Probably the same answer he came up with when asked what his Medicare for All plan would cost: "I don't know, nobody knows." Gee, I guess I could vote for something like that, 'cuz I'm dummer than a bag o' hammers.
And that's what Bernie is counting on, too.
I like the airplane with continuous OLED screens showing the outside. I'm guessing there would still be a premium for the window seats because you'll be able to look down. I bet some people would do their best to avoid the window seat.
Unfortunately that doesn't seem to fit in with that Airbus patent to stack passengers in layers so they can fit more in a plane.
The link on the SRM reactors goes to the same article as the windowless planes. Are they molten salt reactors? Thorium? Incapable of meltdown? What makes them so special?
At one time, you may recall, I was saying we should start buying the A4W reactors used on the Nimitz class carriers. They have a "Federal Catalog Number" and are a standard part (as much as any Nimitz class vessel or any reactor). Each one is 104 Megawatts, enough to power about 5200 homes, or a residential town of around 15,000 people. Lots of distributed power instead of the massive generation facilities we have now.
Those of us who remember Amos 'n' Andy will perhaps remember a character known only as the Kingfish, a man whose entire life revolved around his lodge, the Mystic Knights of the Sea. It's more racially appropriate than the Loyal Order of Water Buffalo…
I can't answer because "soft money" (US products, given free of charge at the largess of the taxpayers) are far more difficult to track. Often soft money is given directly by US defense contractors, later to be reimbursed. Direct cash aid in 2019 was $39.2 billion.
I don't think that scum like you and I (deplorables with a history of voting for the elephant in the room) would ever be allowed on an airplane in Bernie's Utopia. That sort of luxury would be reserved for the woke, your betters.
If you'll recall the utopian world of 1984, the nation was rationing everything and was always at war. I think that is the model that the Green New Deal was based on. All pigs are equal, but some are more equal than others.
You should apply now (while there is still time) to become an apparatchiki – one of the favored by the party, who can shop at special stores, and one whose taxes are possibly forgiven for the greater good of the whole (of course).
There are different designs for SRM reactors. The Chinese have them, but are not going gangbusters as far as I know. The Rolls Royce SRM's are liquid sodium cooled. The SRM concept is based on the same concept as the naval reactors, as you suggest.
The 787 Dreamliner is an exceptionally nice ride. If that's where things are going, I'm hopeful. The airlines select seating configurations from manufacturers these days. I've flown on internal Korean airlines and Chinese airlines which have seats designed for people 2/3 my size. Real misery.
I think the UN should move to Haiti…
It's a diverse paradise, all right. But too close to the US in my view. Even Cuba is too close.
40%?
Let's see that spigot turned off. Time to stop the Cash For Commies program and use our money more wisely — another raise for the troops, a few SMRs, FUSION, the Space Force, nationwide DrawMos and on.
Neat aircraft concept, imo.
Don't take me wrong. I know AC vs DC, but we might get back to Edison's local power generation stations.
And no huge monopoly distributors.
1. An aircraft with no visible walls or floors. No. Nope. Nuh-uh. NO!
2. Small nuclear reactors. GE designed and produced a series of small nuclear reactors sized for home use or larger. 25 year life expectancy, little to no radiation leakage, very safe. In the friggin 1960's!
Small nukes, powered from decay like the nuclear batteries on satellites except safer, are perfect. But will never be allowed.
In the 70's, both GE here in the USA and some companies in Japan designed 'in the ground' nuke plants, where you dig a hole (rather big hole) and drop a container holding the nuke plant into the hole and hook it up and then cover it in cement and dirt. Radiation zone was about 15', but since they were basically huge batteries, there was no need to get near them.
plants anywhere near their shores.
1980's? Same same.
1990's? Same same same. Though there was some talk from Russia about 'leasing' out their old nuke subs as floating power plants, but nobody was stupid enough to let those POS
2000's? Same same same same.
2010's? Yada yada, small scale plants, yada yada.
Small scale nuke plants, nuclear heated thrust (NERVA) manned spacecraft, nuke bomb powered manned spacecraft (Orion Drive.) All these ideas keep coming around. And all of them will never ever be allowed by the greens and reds and environmentalists and other leftist jackanapes.
Seriously, there's been designs, floated about every 10 years, of even using radioactive waste to generate power.
I do hope this gets fixed one day, soon, because a small or micro nuke plant would solve the problems that solar, wind, thermal all have.
And it would be nice if you had one buried about 100' from your lair, wouldn't it?
I'd rather just have an airplane with bigger real windows. I know it's possible, because they all used to have them. I can watch a TV show about what you see from an airplane w/o leaving home…
The reason the Left hates nuclear power (here; they love it in France) is, as you say, because it works. They don;t care about "the environment" in any meaningful way, they just want to use it as a bludgeon to ruin civilization, vastly reduce standards of living (for us Morlocks) and bring back peasantry and serfdom.
AFAICT, they hate modern technological civilization because it makes poor people rich, and that makes Eloi feel less special.
-Kle.
Comments are closed.