LLAW’s All Things Nuclear #674, Thursday, (06/27/2024)

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUN 27, 2024

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LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Thursday, (06/27/2024)

So, who among us is going to watch the presidential debate tonight and hopefully keep a straight face (somehow, for whatever reason). But underneath all the gaffs and small ‘t’ trump unintended buffoonery and nonsense, the undertone of this debate, which begins at 6:00 (Pacific), may tell us a very dark tale without really listening to the media moderators’ questions and the candidates responses. I will be watching, hoping the most important of all subjects (‘All Things Nuclear’) is a seriously debated issue, so this blog post is a bit earlier than normal. ~llaw

The article below may give us a hint about tonight’s presidential debate, and there is a handy little scorecard for the issues that concern us most here on this blog as well as the . . .

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Most recent presidential debates have avoided much discussion of these existential threatsnuclear war, climate change, and a variety of disruptive technologies ranging from synthetic biology to artificial intelligence—often dealing instead in concocted political conflict and “gotcha” questions. . . .

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Is there any debate? This is the existential threat scorecard you need to rate the Biden and Trump matchup

By John Mecklin | June 26, 2024

The media chatter in the run-up to Thursday’s very early presidential election debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump has tilted heavily toward matters of style and age. Will Biden be cogent and spry enough to dispel worries about his age? Will Trump display his own presentation problems, turning into a rambling emitter of incomprehensible word-salads who tromps all over debate rules (as he did in the 2020 presidential debate)? On social media, the debate moderators—CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash—have become unwilling storylines of their own, as Trump supporters call the debate “rigged” and a Democratic-leaning “trap.” And when it turns to public policy issues, much of the pre-debate media opining has focused on the usual suspects: the economy and immigration, with a side of abortion.

As important as those three subjects might be, they are, by definition, subordinate to the Bulletin’s concerns—the global threats that, if not properly managed, could severely cripple or even end human civilization. Most recent presidential debates have avoided much discussion of these existential threats—nuclear war, climate change, and a variety of disruptive technologies ranging from synthetic biology to artificial intelligence—often dealing instead in concocted political conflict and “gotcha” questions.

Our handy existential threat scorecard (below) will help you keep track of how often the presidential candidates and debate moderators address the complex technological threats that any president must manage if global catastrophe is to be forestalled. Given the wars in Ukraine and Gaza—along with heightened geopolitical tensions that are sometimes likened to a new Cold War—let us hope we’re all surprised, and your scorecard is full of “x” marks by debate’s end.


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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 6 categories, including a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives, as do ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links in each category about the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:

  1. All Things Nuclear
  2. Nuclear Power
  3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
  4. Nuclear War
  5. Nuclear War Threats
  6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)

Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.

A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Thursday, (06/27/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

Nuclear Now? – Jewish Policy Center

Jewish Policy Center

Every $1 billion of EVs put on roads adds about $20 million in annual electricity demand. And then there’s the epiphany that all things digital use …

House Stalls On Bill To Compensate Victims Of Nuclear Testing | Science Friday

WNYC Studios

In July 1945, the US deployed the world’s first nuclear weapon during the Trinity Test … Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for …

Plant Vogtle fuels Capitol Hill nuclear buzz – E&E News by POLITICO

E&E News

Lawmakers from Georgia are still all in on nuclear energy, even after … things go well with the existing reactors over the next couple of years.

Nuclear Power

NEWS

China outpacing U.S. in nuclear power development, report finds – YouTube

YouTube

China is outpacing the U.S. by at least a decade in developing nuclear power, according to a new report by the nonprofit Information Technology …

Kazakhstan’s nuclear energy referendum to be held this year

World Nuclear News

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has said that a referendum on plans for a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan will be held this autumn.

Bill Gates and Warren Buffett Team Up to Transform Nuclear Power | OilPrice.com

Oil Price

Bill Gates and other tech moguls are investing in advanced nuclear energy to power AI’s future and curb the tech sector’s carbon emissions.

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

Pierce County performs emergency response drill

Pierce County Journal

The 2024 FEMA Evaluated 2024 Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant – Radiological Reception Center for Residents and Emergency Workers exercise took …

NextEra CEO says he’d ‘consider’ restarting Duane Arnold nuclear power plant

The Gazette

Emergency managers in Linn and Johnson counties said they haven’t heard anything about resuming nuclear power generation at the Duane Arnold …

Half-baked Nuclear Plan Not Welcome In ACT | Mirage News

Mirage News

We face a climate emergency and we don’t have time to waste. I want to see Australia ramp up efforts to transition to 100% renewable energy as soon as …

Nuclear War

NEWS

Ukraine war latest: Russia ponders nuclear shift and change in relations with West – Sky News

Sky News

Russian attack damages civilian infrastructure in Odesa. A Russian missile attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa has struck civilian …

There Is No Such Thing as a Small Nuclear War: The Twenty-Sixth Newsletter (2024)

Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research

Recent announcements by the US and NATO threaten to escalate the conflict in Ukraine and create the most dangerous threat to world peace since the …

Senior Russian diplomat says US must take heed of discussions on nuclear doctrine

Reuters

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, interviewed by the Izvestia media outlet, also said Moscow did not rule out downgrading diplomatic relations …

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

Atomic blackmail: A little-recognised but urgent threat – Observer Research Foundation

Observer Research Foundation

… threats would deliver the aggressor’s objectives, such as the surrender … The weaponisation of nuclear facilities during the Russia-Ukraine War …

Is there any debate? This is the existential threat scorecard you need to rate the Biden and …

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Most recent presidential debates have avoided much discussion of these existential threatsnuclear war, climate change, and a variety of …

The great powers are itching for another nuclear arms race. Who will stop them? – York Dispatch

York Dispatch

The public has a compelling interest in participating in this discussion now, before the bills and risks come due. “How much is enough” regarding …

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