Nuclear Power and Net Metering - Paulwell's Energy Sector Liberalization Chess Game

There is a tide in the affairs of men.

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.

Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, IV, 8

Looks like my blog article entitled “Phillip Paulwell's Nuclear Power in a Bathtub - SilkWood meets the China Syndrome” has earned me some respect in the real world of journalism! This as I was quite surprised to see that The Jamaica Observer has decided to jump-start a serious discussion into the use of Nuclear Power as an alternative!

Finally [applause]!!! Thank you, thank you; you’re far too kind!

This after The Jamaica Gleaner decided to make apparently make light of Senator Phillip Paulwell’s excellent idea – twice – in their article “Paulwell revives debate on Nuclear Energy use”, published Thursday June 25, 2009, The Jamaica Gleaner and their follow article article “Paulwell still batting for Jamaican Nuclear Facility”, published Friday March 18, 2011, Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner. This without even a proper research note, PhD style!

The Jamaica Gleaner, WTF!

Great journalism, though, for The Jamaica Observer! A month’s supply of US$200 Ferrero Rocher gourmet chocolate coming your way!

Good Journalism has its rewards and I am rewarded as a blogger when something you write can influence a big newspaper to do the digging and make the connections. Petre Williams-Raynor, Environment Editor article for The Jamaica Observer entitled “Japan willing to help JA go nuclear”, published Wednesday, March 30, 2011 by Petre Williams-Raynor, Environment Editor, The Jamaica Observer is the article to which I refer.

The new design PWR (Pressurized Water Reactors) in my defense of Nuclear Power in my blog article entitled “Phillip Paulwell's Nuclear Power in a Bathtub - SilkWood meets the china Syndrome” are indeed as small as a “bathtub” as Professor Dr. Gerald Lalor, Director-General for the International Centre for Environment and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS) at the University of the West Indies asserts.

Plus, this over-glorified Steam engine or Thermal Heat Generator would employ a lot of Power, Telecoms and Mechanical Engineers on a scale three (3) times that of Jamalco. Multi-billion dollar FDI (Foreign Direct Investors) for a MOX (Mixed Oxide) Fuel PWR Nuclear Reactor anyone?

Professor Dr. Gerald Lalor own words put it best, quote: “The difference between long ago when it was quite right that we shouldn't think of it, is that now there is a slew of little reactors, which are going to be fail-safe and they are going to be made in factories and shipped away. So the picture has changed in such a way that we really need to look at it. I'm not saying at this time whether nuclear is the answer or not, but I don't see any other answer at that price, and reactors suitable for countries the size of Jamaica. Solar not cheap, wind not cheap and hydro costs a lot of money to build the dam”.

Despite the low cost of LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) fuel due to the global over abundance of world supply as stated in my blog article entitled “Alternative Energy and Natural Gas - Genesis of the Hydrogen-Electron Economy”, alternatives are necessary, as LNG is not an infinite Renewable Resource. Solar and Wind, which are suitable for Jamaica, are not low cost alternatives ands have considerable times before the investor recoups his or her investment.

Solar and Wind Power, believe it or not, do not have the level of efficiency or the safety track record of Nuclear Power, the crux of my agreement in my blog article entitled “Phillip Paulwell's Nuclear Power in a Bathtub - SilkWood meets the China Syndrome”.

Seventh Day Adventists, GreenPeace Activists and Environmental campaigners need to come good and join the debate with SCIENTIFIC or LEGAL arguments, as scaremongering is an indication of people in high places seeking to deceive people via a lack of information. This is effectively Media obfuscation via the official platform of Journalism.

This debate is especially poignant as Nuclear Reactors can actual be a part of the Net Metering Debate, which is now on the cards thanks to the protests made by Professor Dr. Anthony Chen while receiving his citation for his Nobel Prize Winning work with the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in 2007AD as stated in the article “Anthony Chen wants government to introduce Net Metering”, published Wednesday, March 25, 2009 By LUKE DOUGLAS Environment Watch writer, The Jamaica Observer.

Also, it would logically be an addendum to my suggestions for different models for Net Metering as laid out in my blog article entitled “Alternative Energy and Residential Solar Power - The Social Network”!

The JPS Co (Jamaica Public Service Company), our Local and SOLE Power Utility company, has since responded, with more sensible arguments than “power instability” as a reason for not wanting Net Metering. Dan Theoc, JPS Co’s CFO (Chief Financial Officer) was quick to point out that they [JPS Co] are not against Net Metering.

Rather, it is simply that the resellers of power cannot resell power back to JPS at prices less than JPS Co sells to customers as stated in his arguments in the article “The Truth about Net Metering”, published Sunday March 20, 2011 by Dan Theoc, Contributor, The Jamaica Gleaner.

A more sensible economic reason that can simply be challenged by pointing out the fact that JPS Co does not produce power efficiently and a low enough cost to make Jamaica Globally competitive as suggested in my blog article entitled “Alternative Energy and BioFuels - Liberation from Fossil Fuels” and “Alternative energy and the Revalued Dollar - Cheaper Electricity is needed”. In fact, that JPS Co may be involved in overcharging customers!

Thus, the article “Japan willing to help JA go nuclear”, published Wednesday, March 30, 2011 by Petre Williams-Raynor, Environment Editor, The Jamaica Observer can be seen as a response to Dr. Raymond Wright, Consultant to the PCJ (Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica), who had made similar calls for Energy Sector Diversifications as stated in the article “Jamaica must seek other energy sources by 2015”, published Saturday, October 09, 2010, by Tanesha Mundler, Observer Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

Hopefully, too, than that now the Japanese have expressed an interest in assisting Jamaica in securing a FDI (Foreign Direct Investor) interested in releasing the Nuclear Genie in our island as stated in the article “Japan willing to help JA go nuclear”, published Wednesday, March 30, 2011 by Petre Williams-Raynor, Environment Editor, The Jamaica Observer, Nuclear Power now has credibility.

It is no longer an idea to be made light of, “bathtub” sized or not and cannot be discounted on the grounds of politics, as my support for Senator Phillip Paulwell is an indication of SCIENTIFIC interest ONLY.

I end by declaring Nuclear Power, statistically speaking, is the safest of the bunch, with Coal and other Fossil Fuel derived power being the most costly, inefficient and dangerous to produce as stated in the article Phil McKenna of New Scientist in the article entitled “Fossil Fuels are far deadlier than Nuclear Power” published 23 March 2011 by Phil McKenna, New Scientist.

I challenge the Seventh Day Adventists, Greenpeace and the other Environmental Watchdogs to enter the Net Metering debate, with SCIENTIFIC evidence to prove otherwise.

But the reason why Jamaicans need to support Net Metering is not because of the Efficiency of Safety Record of Nuclear Power. Rather, it is about Competition for JPS Co which more efficient producer of electricity such as LNG and Nuclear Power bring to the Sector, which JPS Co, a true Power Utility Monopoly, fears, hence their past arguments to kill Net Metering.

More importantly, Net Metering is precursor to full Liberalization of the Energy Sector. This is much in the same way MRSI (Mandatory Registration of Subscriber Information), is a precursor to MNP (Mobile Number Portability) as stated in my blog article entitled “MRSI and MNP - Where the Spies Are”.

Both of which, for the record, Senator Phillip Paulwell has publicly championed in Parliament as evidenced from the article “Paulwell calls for number portability”, published, Wednesday April 21, 2010, Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

MRSI and Stray Dogs - Dr. Dolittle and The Golden Child

A dog starving at his Master’s Gate

Predicts the ruin of the state

Blake, Auguries of Innocence

This is very much so the case, as this cribbed saying reflects an acute problem in Jamaica: Stray Jamaican Dogs aka Canis Mixup-ius Jamaicanus (Jamaica Mixed Breed Dogs). Little Dmitri Thomas, a toddler of a mere three (3) Earth Cycles old living in the Clinton Pen aka of Bowtie Land in St Andrew, a West Kingston community, was assassinated by a team of six (6) such Jamaican Dogs.

Looks like Carlette Deleon aka the Pet Tales Chick aka “Dilly” of Television Jamaica will be a star for the next few weeks as their guest Dr. DoLittle (1998). Or……..maybe she is behind this all as a means of boosting her Smile Jamaica Pet Tales sagging ratings?!

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday March 23^rd 2011 at 12:30pm, traumatized the community after the child, who was taken to the Bustamante Hospital, succumbed to his injuries.

His spirit is now with the God Anubis, a protective, fierce yet friendly Dog, with the demi-god Bastet, his furry feline femme fetale friend to accompany him on his journey to the Afterlife along the River Nile.

Initially, when I had purchase the Star Newspaper and read the front page article entitled “Dog Bites 3-y-o to Death”, published Wednesday March 23 2011 by Sheldon Williams and Sheldon Wright, STAR Writers, The Jamaica Star. I thought it was another sensationalist “Yellow Press” Story, as my English teachers from Glenmuir High School used to say.

Up to the time of writing this article, I am yet to receive news of these Jamaican Dogs being caught, despite a week long hunting party and traps set as stated in the article “Team to go hunting for dogs that killed toddler”, published Thursday March 24, 2011 9:18am, RJR News, have failed to bring the criminals…..er…..I mean Jamaican Dogs, to justice.

My initial take on the story was that it was a prank. I though, maybe these dogs were demonically possessed by Carlette Deleon aka the Pet Tales Chick aka “Dilly” of Television Jamaica fame. Using her magical powers hidden in her blue eyelashes, most likely “crazy-glued” on as Audia Granston used to smirk, Dr. DoLittle (1998) Style, to kill the boy?

Her appearance on Monday March 28^th 2011 with Simon Croskill, after she committed her heinous crime the previous Tuesday March 23^rd 2011 was an attempt to boost rating for her show, PetTales, which is the lowest rated of the five days that Smile Jamaica appeared on Television Jamaica.

Perhaps. Maybe.

After all, she DID appear on LIVE Morning TV in a previous episode of Smile Jamaica, and call Neville Bell a, quote “Dog” as noted in my blog article entitled “LIME TV and Broadcasting - The Andromeda Strain and My Science Project”. She later repented of this act by kissing a Jamaican Dog in its puppy form.

That, folks, is when it all went bad.

I knew she was evil. Every time I watch the video clips on Television Jamaica, I notice she has no shadow or reflection. The Dark Side, is growing in Television Jamaica, I fear,

It is my belief, that this Canis Mixup-ius Jamaicanus puppy was merely a vessel for a demon spirit, which then possesed the dogs in the St. Andrew area after traveling from her home. While in a trance - or most likely using her Apple iPad (the visual clue!)  - Carlette Deleon aka the Pet Tales Chick aka “Dilly” of Television Jamaica fame, controlled the six (6) furry four-footed feral assassins (ran out of f’’s…sorry!) and had The Golden Child (1986) assassinated.

When December 21^st 2012 comes about, Jamaica is doomed. Elementary, My Dear Homes, elementary, Sherlock Holmes (2009)……..

Thus imagine my surprise when the very SAME story appeared in the official press! And it was not Yellow Press Journalism.

It was real!!

So folks, throw the above theory aside

My thoughts now so sincere of these investigative Journalists who originally broke the story, yet they write for a rag such as The Jamaica Star?

This foible askance, it was by mere chance while deciding what to write this Tuesday March 29^th 2011AD that my eyes glazed the burnished Sun-orange pages of the Go-Jamaica website and saw the story repeated: “Animal rights group fear more Dog attacks”, published 2011-03-24 17:25:47, by Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer, Go-Jamaica.

Then my cup of chocolate dropped, as I realized I had struck Blogger Gold - and realized, too, it was actually newsworthy.

Crank up my Steam-punk computer; up, up and away!!

So now for the “backative” like a Vybz Kartel "Dumpa Truck", as we Jamaicans would say, as I need to “set good like ice inna freeza” to write this article! This is my theme music as it reminds me of my Seventh Day Adventist significant other, Audia Granston, who used to request this of me when she turned of the lights, dressed like Santa’s helper!

According to the article “Animal rights group fear more dog Attacks”, published 2011-03-24 17:25:47, by Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer, Go-Jamaica, little Dmitri Thomas was killed by a six (6) pack of dogs at 12:30pm on Wednesday March 23^rd 2011. Worth repeating, as this is the REAL news, not “Tell-lie”-vision.

Apparently, this Gang of Six (6) apparently did not know this little one, Dmitri Thomas, was a human of the species homo sapiens, only smaller size. This while the Lady of the House was about, tending to the necessities of the home at a local shop in the area.

As usual, the Government of Jamaica watchdogs (loving the pun!), namely the long silent and long winded JVMA (Jamaica Veterinary Medical Association) and the equally opprobrious JSPCA (Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) popped out of nowhere.

As usual, the Calvary is always late.

They began offering solution to a problem that has long been about in Jamaica: Stray Jamaican Cats and Dogs (2001). And it is an acute problem if the official Jamaica Observer article entitled “Help needed to neuter stray cats, dogs”, published Monday, March 28, 2011, The Jamaica Observer is to be believed.

The words of JVMA Secretary Dr Paul Cadogan express this best, quote: “Perhaps the most important means of controlling the population of dogs and cats is controlling their reproduction. In six years, one breeding female dog and the generations that follow can potentially multiply to 67,000. In seven years one breeding female cat can potentially become 420,000! Spaying and neutering these animals is the one sure way of stopping this”

Pet ownership in Jamaica is a problem. Most of these supposedly “feral” dogs actually have a master. They kill because they are not being fed let alone chained up by their “owners”.

Yes, “owners” in quotes! This as there is STILL no Animal Registry in Jamaica much as Cars are licensed and registered and Mobile Phones are soon to be registered via the auspices of a recently passed Bill relating to MRSI (Mandatory Registration of Subscriber Information). This being a precursor to MNP (Mobile Number Portability) this Summer of 2011 as stated in my blog article entitled “MRSI and MNP - Where the Spies Are”.

This is another problem that can be solved via MRSI. Ownership established each dog can be tracked by its owner using dog tags, with collars embedded with SIM Cards for tracking purposes.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chipsets can be implanted under their skin in much the same way farmers currently tag goats and cows to positively identify dog and owner.

This is already slated to be implemented by the Government of Great Britain after recent dog attack in their country back in 2010 as stated in the article “Crackdown on Dangerous Dogs to make microchips compulsory for all”, published Tuesday 9 March 2010, The Guardian.

Much as Mobile Phones can be tracked, so too can any device with a SIM card via Mobile Triangulation as stated in my blog article entitled “Mobile Triangulation without GPS - A Solution to Crime under our Noses”.

Ironic, as MRSI originally created to assist the Jamaica Constabulary Force aka the Jamaican Police to catch stray Jamaican “Bad Dogs” who have strayed far from the long arm of the Law, may actually wind up catching real stray dogs. Poetic Justice and Irony never seemed so cruelly intertwined, like snakes in entranced intercourse.

Jamaican Dogs, too, are criminals, but culpability is only established if the dog’s owner can be taken before court. At this point the Government of Jamaica chimed in with Dr Osbil Watson Senior Veterinary Officer, the Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, who expressed this ownership concept best, quote: “Not a lot of us take responsibility when we own a pet. Owning a pet is like having a child, you have to nourish and care for that child. Owning a pet does not mean you have the dog loose in the yard. The animal must have proper access to health care among other things”.

SIM cards implanted in the collar of dogs, to be made mandatory by Law, would make dog ownership not only legitimized in Jamaica, but owners culpable for the actions of their furry companions.

Spaying and Neutering Jamaican Dogs will reduce their population, as obviously killing the dogs does not prevent others from repopulating and taking their place to Kill and Kill Again (1981). This a point supported by the JSPCA’s Senior Veterinarian, Dr. Paul Turner, who spoke on the issue, quote: “If you own a pet and you are not in dog breeding, it is up to you to have the animal neutered so as to prevent unnecessary litters of pups so as not to add to the numbers roaming the streets”.

I suspect tourists would actually be interested in buying up some of these Jamaican Dogs, despite further statements by JSPCA’s Senior Veterinarian, Dr. Paul Turner. At this point you can start playing the sinister music in D-Flat with the scenes changed akin to the black-and-white of the silent era Charlie Chaplin Style.

Once you give them their shots, spay and neuter them and spray paint them in Jamaican Colours, folks! Just catch them, spay them and wash them up, as Carlette Deleon aka the Pet Tales Chick aka “Dilly” of Television Jamaica pointed out in one of her shows prior to her kissing a Jamaican Dog in its puppy form on live TV.

They are normal dogs, as pointed out in a previous episode of Pet Tales on Television Jamaica. I suspect that this may all be her doing, as Carlette Deleon probably has a gigantic puppy mill hidden somewhere in the Hills of St. Andrew to farm these Jamaica Dogs for their skins and make them into coats to sell to tourists, 101 Dalmatians (1996) Style!

Especially as JVMA Secretary Dr Paul Cadogan further added an interesting fact in this statement, quote: “This year 2011 is World Veterinary Year. Let us not wait for more tragic incidents like this most recent one for us to come together and do something”.

However, Neville Bell of Television Jamaica fame had better watch out, as she recently called him a, quote “monkey” on the Friday March 25^th 2011 episode of Smile Jamaica, according to my archives. She may be planning a robbery using monkeys, Monkey Strike Style……….

Stay tuned.

RIM decline and Android Ascendancy - No Country for Old Men

The thing that numbs the heart is this:

That men cannot devise

Some scheme of life to banish fear

That lurks in most men’s eyes.

James Norman Hall, Fear

The alarm bells must be going off now in RIM Corporate offices in Canada after their First Quarter of 2011 Results were made public. Profits yes, but lower than expected, obvious from perusing the article entitled “UPDATE2 - RIM shares dive as outlook signals tough road ahead”, published Friday March 25, 2011 9:27am EDT, Reuters.

An 11% tumble in the value of RIM shares in the future Quarters for the rest of 2011 is serious news. No matter how you spin the bottle or the news, be ye Trader or Wall Street Investment hawk.

The words of one of the Wall Street analysts Susquehana, sums it up best, quote: “Over the next two quarters, RIM's outlook will be heavily dependent on the success of the PlayBook and ramp in new product volumes in second half of fiscal 2012, which we believe will be challenging”.

The smell of fresh carrion approaching the end of each Financial Quarter (March, June, September, and December) is usually expected of other companies. Wall Street Stock traders must decide to keep or buy more of a stock based on end-of-Quarters results for their clients.

Conversely the must also decide whether to ditch, dropping it like a hot potatoes so as to avoid future losses. But supposedly no-one expected this of RIM, makers of the ever-popular Blackberry smartphone!

But there had been signs……..

CNET News Reporter Marguerite Reardon in an article entitled “Is competition finally getting to RIM? “ published April 1, 2010 8:49 AM PDT by Marguerite Reardon, CNET News - Signal Strength at the end of the First Quarter of 2010, reported a similar weakened outlook for RIM. Investors, back then seeing it all as part of the Apple-hype machine surrounding the Apple iPad on Saturday 3^rd April 2010.

It subsequent success, however, made even Wall Street and Telecom Provider CLARO stand up and take notice as noted my blog article entitled “Apple iPad bests the Apple iPhone - CLARO Sales Executives left with mouths agape”.

The success was recently repeated yet again with the successful launch of the Apple iPad 2 on Wednesday March 2^nd 2011 as stated in my blog article entitled “Apple iPad 2 and PC Future - Doomsday in the Battlefield” and as chronicled in my Geezam Blog article entitled “Apple iPad 2 - Dual-Core Easy Skankin'”.

Its successful sale day on Friday March 11^th 2011, however, is fodder for another blog article, so stay tuned.

The Apple iPhone 4 has also debut on Telecom Provider Verizon as chronicled in my blog article entitled “Verizon and the Apple iPhone 4 - The Golden Fleece”.

Sparing readers the long history lesson though, I shall get to the point. RIM has now fallen from grace in the eyes of the smart phone Gods [techies]. In fact, to be more precise, BOTH the Apple iPhone and the RIM Blackberry have fallen from grace, now occupying second place behind Google Android OS in pole position in the US market.

This according to the pundits at Nielsen. They had released their results of a survey of fourteen thousand (14,000) participants between November 10^th 2010 and January 11^th 2011 – which I had passed up hoping for corroboration from a second analyst.

Coincidentally, this is on the same day as the Apple iPad 2 launch as chronicled in a smattering of articles:

1. “Android pulls ahead, while HTC enjoys the ride”, published March 3, 2011, 6:44am PT by Ryan Kim, GigaOM

2. “Android pulls ahead in smartphone Race, Report says”, published March 3, 2011, 6:44 PM By NICK BILTON, NY Times

3. “Nielsen: Android pulls ahead of RIM and iOS for US smartphone share”, published March 3, 2011 by Leena Rao, TechCrunch

4. “Android is No. 1 OS but apple, RIM rule devices”, published March 4, 2011 9:08 AM PST by Lance Whitney, Google Android - CNET News

RIM was holding the pole position as stated in the article “Android tops iPhone in US: Comscore”, Tuesday February 8 2011, AFP, Yahoo News at 31.6% sales in the Fourth Quarter of 2010, down from 37.3% in the Third Quarter of 2010, a spectacular fall from grace of 5.7%.

Interestingly, the Apple iPhone had also seen a dip in popularity, with 24.3% of users polled in the Fourth Quarter of 2010 as opposed to 25%, a dip of 0.7% in the Third Quarter of 2010. Slight, but significant.

I even made note of it in my Geezam Blog article entitled “Apple iPhone and Google Android - Helms Deep Under Attack” and my blog article entitled “Apple iOS 4 vs Google Android - Blackberry Shot the Sheriff”.

Back then Google Android OS was already in pole position in the US market posting percentage numbers of 37.3% in the Fourth Quarter of 2010, an impressive increase of 5.7% over their 31.6% showing in the Third Quarter of 2010. At that time they were already in pole position.

The results herein listed are from the analyst ComScore are chronicle in my blog article entitled “Apple iOS 4 vs Google Android - Blackberry Shot the Sheriff”.

What can RIM do against the coming horde? The article that got me typing away on my steampunk computer entitled “UPDATE2 - RIM shares dive as outlook signals tough road ahead”, published Friday March 25, 2011 9:27am EDT, Reuters indicates that the expected dip in profitability is because RIM is focusing on the future.

This means that they are going back to their roots, like Motorola has done (based on my suggestions of course!) and come out of bankruptcy as stated in my Geezam Blog article entitled “Motorola and the Xoom - The Empire Strikes Back” and my blog article entitled “Motorola, RIM and the Tablet - Indiana Jones and the Palace of doom”.

To wit:

1. Research and Development of the QNX OS to replace their less than stellar Blackberry OS 6.0 refresh, as this is serious, folks! Would recommend the suggestions in my blog article entitled “Is the Writing now on the Wall for RIM Blackberry”.

2. For Sales and Marketing, a cue can be taken from a modification of Telecom Provider AT&T’s ShopAlerts as stated in my blog article entitled “RIM, Telecom Providers and the Rise of Mobile Commerce - Free Willy Blackberry” and my Geezam Blog article AT&T ShopAlerts and BB for Everyone

3. For ensuring success of the QNX OS powered RIM Playbook, despite the bleak forecast based on its power issues as stated in my blog article entitled “RIM and the PlayBook - Blade II”, please read Geezam Blog article entitled “RIM PlayBook and Jamaica - Les French Conneccion Internacional”.

The last idea of a simultaneous worldwide launch should be coupled with heavy developer evangelism, as porting non-native Android apps to the QNX OS will not solve the short term lack of apps on the Platform as opined in the article “Blackberry's PlayBook tablet may face uphill battle”, published March 28, 2011 2:42 p.m. EDT By Amy Gahran, CNN Tech.

However, I disagree with Amy Gahran of CNN’s opinion on the tethering via Bluetooth, as this establishes the market as Business users from the get-go, being as most of their customer base is Enterprise users. RIM is building on their strength via this strategy. However, I would recommend future Blackberry’s getting WiGiG protocol for faster speed tethering in future updates.

It  is an elegantly simple idea to shore up revenues Internationally as research into Tablets and newer smartphone designs continues for the now almost saturated and one-less-Telecom-Provider American market as opined in my blog article entitled “AT&T buys T-Mobile - Prince of Persia in A Series of Unfortunate Events”.

Especially as the outdated technology of RIM should be an indication to them that there is No Country for Old Men (2007). 

Phillip Pauwell's Nuclear Power in a Bathtub - SilkWood meets the China Syndrome

Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds

Julius Robert Oppenheimer quote from the Bhagavad Gita

Senator Phillip Paulwell, Opposition Spokesman on ICT and Telecoms issues, has come out swinging in favour or Nuclear Power for Jamaica as stated in the article “Paulwell still batting for Jamaican Nuclear Facility”, published Friday March 18, 2011, Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

And as usual, the Seventh Day Adventists in Jamaica and Worldwide, Greenpeace and other religious fanatics and Environmental trolls are letting loose their sermons. Please note I have nothing against these people; I just DISLIKE scaremongering and the comparisons to Chernobyl Reactor No. 4 Disaster near the town of Pripyat, Ukraine on June 2^nd 1986.

They are trying to sift what evil the Japanese people have done to deserve their triple whammie of the Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear disaster. The people of Japan do not practice Voodoo, so the above groups probably wish to conclude that the people of Japan are cursed [spitting to one side].

Senator Phillip Paulwell, however, is generating as much controversy as the last time he made this suggestion as stated in the article entitled “Paulwell revives debate on Nuclear Energy use”, published Thursday June 25, 2009, The Jamaica Gleaner. In fact, The Jamaica Gleaner is reusing the exact same quotations he made back in 2009 for the 2011 article!

And yet I get criticized for cribbing quotations and quoting my OWN article cribs!

Journalists, with your Dog-Tags displayed so prominently on your Press Pass, when will we bloggers get some respect, bad spelling but grammar otherwise on par?

My rant aside, why has there been so little Public Debate on the use of Nuclear Power, both in the USA and Jamaica? Why all the one-sided Media scaremongering instead? Why is the idea being so easily dismissed without discussion or even a Governmental Committee as with the current issue in Jamaica on Net Metering?

Especially in light of the current Oil Crisis in Libya as noted in my blog article entitled “Japan, Jamaica's OUR and Net Metering - When Disaster Strikes Don't Hold it Against Me”?

The Media for one.

The Americans zeroed in on Japan, only to discover a people worthy of the title First World, as their behavior is beyond exemplary as I had noted in my blog article entitled “Japan, Jamaica's OUR and Net Metering - When Disaster Strikes Don't Hold it Against Me”.

No looting and no fighting, just grim stiff upper lips, blank stares and orderly lines of children and elderly. American Media, looking for sensationalism, got bored with Japan and decided to dig for dirt, which they proffered as news on Television or “Tell Lie”-vision as I like to call them these days.

Images from Japan reminds me of the English in bomb shelters during the Blitz in London, England at the height of World War II when the German Luftwaffe bombed the capital between September 7^th 1940 to May 10^th 1941.

I will not make the mistake of judging all Americans by the cowardly comments of the Media.

I doubt any of them have ever lived in Japan. Thus the American Media speak out of ignorance. I shall (and have!), like Moses in the Bible, turn aside from this wonder of a quote “Burning Bush that is American Television”, as my deceased SDA girlfriend Audia Granston used to wistfully intone, before switching to watch Keeping up with the Kardashians (TV Series 2007 - ) on Cable TV.

I now get my news strictly via RSS feeds from online newspapers. Journalists at Reuters, Associated Press, BBC News, with CNET News and Yahoo! News. Thanks for the stellar reporting thus far. You all deserve a month’s supply of US$200 Ferrero Rocher gourmet chocolate!

Curious segway underway as you read folks! Senator Phillip Paulwell is correct in making his defense for Nuclear Power in Jamaica. It does have an impeccable safety record, with fewer deaths associated with its production of Electricity as stated by Phil McKenna of New Scientist in the article entitled “Fossil Fuels are far deadlier than Nuclear Power” published 23 March 2011 by Phil McKenna, New Scientist

A quote from Energy Expert Joseph Romm who hails from the Center for American Progress in Washington DC, puts it into perspective: quote: “There is no question. Nothing is worse than fossil fuels for killing people.”

Indeed, it appears that these over-glorified Steam Engines (which by the way, have efficiencies of 80% and higher!) are getting far too much press time, as stated in the article “Japan's Nuclear woes produce a Tsunami of Fears”, published Saturday, March 26, 2011 by Keeble McFarlane, The Jamaica Observer.

This article was based on research conducted by the IEA (International Energy Agency) in 2002, in which they compared the deaths from mining to end product i.e. distribution of Electricity per TWH (TeraWatt Hour) of Electricity produced.

The IEA discovered, much to the chagrin of those environmental campaigners and Seventh Day Adventists et al, that Nuclear Power was not only the most efficient by far, but the safest. Coal was the least safe, estimated to kill at least thirty two thousand (32,000) people per year.

Loved that one? Then get ready to handle this!

According to the above quoted New Scientist article, factor in the 1975 accident in the People Republic of China in which the Banqiao Dam and Shimantan Reservoir Dam relieved themselves upon the people living in its shadow in Zhumadian Prefecture, Henan province.

Apparently those in the American Media involved in the scaremongering against Nuclear Power seemed to have short memories or were born post this catastrophe, which was the worst accident related to the generation of Electricity. One hundred and seventy one thousand (171,000) souls lost along with 18GW of Electrical Power.

The People’s Republic of China would have been better off pursuing a Nuclear Future like Japan, but opted to rebuild the Dam and pursue Coal. Add these deaths from 1975 into the equation and you realize that, ironically, Hydroelectric Power is REALLY the most dangerous.

By comparison, the only people who died in the Chernobyl Disaster near the town of Pripyat, Ukraine on June 2^nd 1986, when Reactor No. 4 blew its top were the firefighters involved in cooling the Reactor.

Subsequent deaths attributed to Chernobyl due to radiation exposure such as the perceived increase in Down’s Syndrome and Cancers cannot be conclusively connected to Radiation Exposure. On this basis, the WHO (World Health Organizations) figures for the disaster are admittedly estimates only. Greenpeace inflated figures cannot be independently corroborated.

They may have had cancer a long time ago and were merely using the Chernobyl Disaster to justify a claim from the Russian Government of the time. This as three hundred and thirty six thousand (336,000) people was evacuated from Belarus and Ukraine. 

A comparison to Chernobyl can be seen from my Geezam blog article entitled “Japan Nuclear Reactor Meltdown is the Asian Tiger Chernobyl”. A follow up article is coming out later on the Geezam blog.

Thus an obvious conclusion is drawn. The fear of Nuclear Power comes down to Politicians who use it as an issue to get into office and a fear of Cancer, deeply ingrained in the psyche of Humans and Jamaicans, who dislike the disease due to how it kills.

Silently and unseen. Hence the fear.

The Media does its worst to perpetuate the rumours about Nuclear Power. A quote from James Hammitt of the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis in Boston puts it all into perspective, quote: “From coal we have a steady progression of deaths year after year that are invisible to us, things like heart attacks, whereas a large-scale Nuclear release is a catastrophic event that we are rightly scared about”.

So back to the “Bathtub” sized 50MW Nuclear Reactor as apparently derided in the article “Paulwell still batting for Jamaican Nuclear Facility”, published Friday March 18, 2011, Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Most likely is a reference to the modern MOX (Mixed Oxide) Based Nuclear Reactors, which uses the Uranium Oxide of Uranium isotopes, mainly Uranium-235 and Uranium-238 mixed with Plutonium.

Because of its already oxidized state and very fine powder, the Uranium cannot burn, a misconception the Media draws for based on the term “MeltDown”. “Sintering” makes more sense. Thus the Nuclear Reactors can operate at higher temperatures than Reactors based on Metal Alloys of Uranium or Plutonium Fuel.

The Reactor Fuel Rods are one (1) cm in diameter, roughly the same diameter as a Burette, for those with a background in chemistry. The more stable Uranium-238 is in a mixture with 2% of the more unstable fissile Uranium-235, thus acting as a natural Moderator or absorber of more energetic High Energy Neutrons ejected during the Nuclear Decay Process.

The Reactor Fuel Rods are made of a steel alloy usually an alloy of Zirconium, which any Jamaican Physics student can inform you are non-corrosive and readily reflect and absorb High Energy and Low Energy Neutrons.

Consequently, the Reactor Fuel Rods have to rolled from Sheet Steel as Reactor Fuel Rods too thick would not allow Stable Nuclear Fission to occur. These Reactor Fuel Rods are then bundled into groups, with spaces in-between for water to flow

Additional Moderator action is provided by the presence of graphite cladding which sheaths each Reactor Fuel Rods, a design requirement resplendent on older Reactor Designs.

Smaller Reactor Fuel Rod diameters with powdered MOX Fuel in the Nuclear Fuel Rods increase the surface area. Due to the poor conductivity of powders, the MOX is usually sintered into hard pellets. These are the same type of pellets used in the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Thus heat is transferred to the Water or Gas that is pumped in-between the Reactor Fuel Rods, making the Nuclear Reactor more efficient. That superheated Steam or Gas is used to turn a Turbine which generates Electricity.

Like I said, over-glorified Steam engine!

Because of the long life of Nuclear Fuel, the efficiency designs and the lower level of enriched Uranium-235 in these MOX-based Nuclear Reactors, the Reactor Fuel Rod can last upwards of fifty (50) years. Thus they are the preferred Nuclear Fuel Worldwide of the countries planning on building or installing Nuclear Reactors.

But a little know fact most American and Jamaican Media scare-mongerers are unaware: MOX-based Nuclear Reactors is the result of Nuclear Waste!

That’s right Seventh Day Adventists, Greenpeace and other religious fanatics and Environmental trolls spouting their usual uninformed rhetoric about Nuclear Power Plants. MOX-based Nuclear Reactors help to recycle spent Nuclear Fuel such as Plutonium.

Eventually, when these Nuclear Fuel Rods are spent, they decay or transmutate eventually to stable Lead. We are more likely therefore, to die of Lead Poisoning than cancer. Best of all, lots of use exists for Lead, mainly in Power Storage systems based on Lead-Acid Batteries.

Spent Nuclear Fuel from older reactors is used to Power these MOX-based Nuclear Reactors, as the Plutonium present is the result of Nuclear Transmutation of the Nuclear Fuel of older RMBK Reactors.

First World countries do not tell John Public these things as much as they do not reveal that Enrichment is done using Centrifuges on liquid solutions of isotopes of Uranium Hexachloride, the lighter Uranium-235 being separated by Decanting.

To cheaply Enrich Nuclear Fuel was a “secret” up until 2004. Since then, the Nuclear Genie has been let out of its bottle.

Thus the reason for the secrecy is supplied.

To prevent so–called “Rogue” Arab States e.g. Iran, Libya, from supposedly acquiring Nuclear Technology to make Nuclear Bombs or worse Dirty Bombs. Nuclear Proliferation to our enemies, the US of A declares, with the watchdog IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), the UN (United Nations) Cerberus standing guard on behalf of the Developed World.

This of course is hogwash, as you need Enriched Uranium to the level of 80% by mass to make a basic Nuclear Fission Bomb. A sustained, uncontrolled Nuclear Reaction.

Critical Mass for a Nuclear Bomb is approximately 1.6 Kg. Making a Nuclear Bomb is not a simple matter of mixing Nuclear Fuel, as that can result in an uncontrolled Nuclear Fission and a mini-Nuclear explosion.

Specialized PhD level skills are required in handling fissile Nuclear Material – skills which few countries possess.

Nuclear Waste disposal is a side issue created to keep GreenPeace occupied and mask the fact that Spent Nuclear Fuel can be reused as Fuel for MOX-based Nuclear Reactors, which all the Developed or First World countries are planning to build or install.

First World country fears relate to competitiveness: Nuclear Power is what fuels the relative modern comfort of the First World and is possessed by all seven (7) Members of the G7 and China Group.

It is also the reason for the success of the People’s Republic of China and Japan prior to the accident: cheap reliable Electrical Power.

Indeed, the use of Spent Nuclear Fuel has been debated in the past and satirized in many movies, such as The China Syndrome (1979) and SilkWood (1983).

Thus a means is already presented for the disposal of Nuclear Waste as First World countries now powering down older design Reactors that used enriched Uranium and larger Reactor Fuel Rods in exchange for this higher surface area, lower enrichment and longer life Nuclear Reactors based on MOX Fuel.

So back to Senator Philip Paulwell! Due to the fact that the newspaper report refers to a “bathtub”, most likely the mis-quote was Senator Philip Paulwell’s reference to a PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor).

This type of Reactor that uses a Helium Gas to improve conduction between the sintered MOX pellets inside of the one (1) cm diameter Nuclear Fuel Rods, with Light Water or Normal Water (has no Deuterium Hydrogen Nuclei in its Molecular Structure) used to act as a Moderator and extract heat to run the Steam Turbine.

The Reactor Vessel occupies space no larger than a bath-tub due to their efficient design. But most importantly, they are actually affordable by Developing World countries!

A Nuclear Reactor in you backyard? A mini one to power your house or All-Electric Vehicle? Aside from the constant hassling by IAEA and inspector fees, MOX-based Nuclear Reactors are cheaper to maintain than a LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) Plant and can be wholly built by a FDI (Foreign Direct Investor) willing to invest in Jamaica. As soon as Net Metering becomes a reality, of course!

Cruel irony is that the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant was a Light Water Reactor, but recently it has been discovered that the Water has become Radioactive over time due to Gamma Ray and Alpha Particle activity within the Reactor Chamber, where the Light Water comes in contact with the Nuclear Fuel Rods.

This as stated in the article “Radiation inside Japan Nuclear plant rises sharply”, published Sunday March 27 2011 By YURI KAGEYAMA and MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press, Yahoo News. Stay tuned.

FLOW, IPTV and the coming of Net2Vu - Johnny Mnemonic

Suns may rise and set; we, when our short day has closed, must sleep on during one perpetual night.

(Soles occidere et redire possunt;….) Catullus. Ode V

Triple Play Provider FLOW is again asking for an extension of its All-Island Cable license so as to complete its build out of its Triple Play Network. This as stated in the article “Flow Ja needs five more years to complete triple-play network”, published Sunday March 20, 2011, Mark Titus, Business Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner in which Mark Titus, Business Gleaner Writer interviewed President and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Michelle “Dallas” English of Triple Play Provider FLOW.

With 40% of the Cable Services in their hands as stated in the article “Flow's pace slows - But Broadcasting Commission ok with Network Delay”, published Friday August 28, 2009 by Mark Titus, Business Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner, one wonders: what is slowing down the pace of their expansion? And why have they begun aggressively advertising their Cable Services ONLY on Local Television since February 2011?

History lesson please! Triple Play Provider FLOW have (obviously!) missed their deadline, as Triple Play Provider FLOW is nowhere near Clarendon, let alone Milk River! Worse, according to the article, Triple Play Provider FLOW  only offers their a la carte services in the following areas:

1. Kingston and St. Andrew
2. Portmore
3. Mandeville
4. Montego Bay
5. Ocho Rios

Cable services are in the tourist town of Negril, with the lucky residents of Hopewell and the capital of Hanover, Lucea, being luck enough to get Cable services only. Apparently, that is where all of the country’s money is: concentrated around Tourist resort towns and Montego Bay aka “Gal”-Tego Bay according to Bounti Killa, a major tourist resort town in Jamaica.

Probably explains why one of the ten (10) Stores that PayLess ShoeSource has opened a store in Montego Bay as stated in the article “Payless opens in MoBay”, published Tuesday February 22 2011, The Jamaica Observer. People with unexplained spending in an economy with little or no work other than running a ganja plantation and then laundering the money via a registered but loosely monitored business.

Thus the rational for the statements by President and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Michelle “Dallas” English does truly add up!

Wow! What a long title and golden hair you have, ma’am!

In an interview with Mark Titus, Business Gleaner Writer, President and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Michelle “Dallas” English words revealed as much, quote: “If I go into such a community first, it will cost me 10 times more than a Portmore or Montego Bay that is more densely populated, while I am getting only a fraction of the number of customers I would have in more densely populated areas, so we have to manage how that is dealt with.”.

Guess Milk River will NEVER get Triple Play Cable until the Pridees Housing Scheme and other surrounding Housing Scheme are fully built up and populated. As a matter of reference, I live in Rest Square, Milk River, Clarendon, effectively the Beachcombers Section of Milk River.

Typical of Telecom Providers to bypass low density areas for higher density areas! Even Telecom Provider CLARO, soon to be annexed to Telecom Provider Digicel and Telecom Provider LIME are like this.

They only provision some of their Mobile Cell Sites or Node B’s with the HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) Equipment packs, cabinets and cards for 3G or WiMax 4G Mobile (IEEE 802.16d,e) Equipment packs, cabinets and cards for 4G in the case of Telecom Provider Digicel based on similar criteria.

So if you live in a community where very few people live and work in professional jobs longer than five (5) years and are not a Tourist Resort Town or Kingston, Wired and Wireless Broadband will not be reaching you until 2015.

After all, it not about Jamaica’s future, as this is not the preserve of Telecom Providers. It’s about the Benjamins.

Which is why Triple Play Provider FLOW cannot lose as opined in my blog article entitled “FLOW vs LIME, Digicel, CLARO and Municipal Wi-Fi - The Empire Strikes Back Part Deux”.

Right?

But it is the words at the end of the interview that is most striking. President and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Michelle “Dallas” English pointed out an interesting trend, quote: “We are actually seeing organic growth because as we offer the triple-play service, people are also taking advantage of our bundles. So we are seeing growth on our video products, which we didn't expect to see because we are well penetrated in the market. Flow has been really excited about the growth there.”

This is interesting. Since their “Video products” clearly was NOT a reference to their Cable TV service, it only stands to reason that the trend of cord-cutting is picking up among Jamaicans as is among our American counterparts.

And like our American counterparts, there is a twist: the ditch their Cable TV services and opt to stream via NetFlix, Hulu or Net2Vu via IPTV devices such as an Apple iTV or Roku Box or SlingBox. This as prognosticated by CNET News Blogger Marguerite Reardon in her groundbreaking article entitled “With Internet TV, cable wins even if it loses”, published October 29, 2010 4:00 AM PDT by Marguerite Reardon, CNET News - Signal Strength.

Rather than to purchase a Triple Play Service with Cable TV, VoIP Telephony and 100MBps Broadband Internet, American and now Jamaican customers are beginning to realize that the can opt to just have the Internet alone and watch TV using their IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) service!

This I had long opined in my blog article entitled “Broadcasters, LIME TV and IPTV - Kill and Kill Again and the London Olympics”. Obvious, as with an IPTV device such as an Apple iTV or Roku Box or SlingBox, one can opt to have High Speed Wired or Wired Broadband Internet ONLY, such as Telecom Provider Digicel 4G Broadband powered by WiMax 4G Mobile (IEEE 802.16d, e), Telecom Provider LIME ADSL or Triple Play Provider FLOW.

Their slow launch was anticipated, having been previously delayed in the past due to resistance on the part of people unwilling to spend more to upgrade their services after Triple Play Provider FLOW takes over and theft of their equipment as stated in the article “Flow's pace slows - But Broadcasting Commission ok with Network Delay”, published Friday August 28, 2009 by Mark Titus, Business Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Ditto too, the effect of cord-cutting by some consumers, who are opting to download and watch their programming (delayed) as opposed to live as stated in the article “US Cable TV bleeds subscribers as online grows”, published Sunday November 28 2010 by AFP, Yahoo News.

The TV anywhere concept a la LIME TV, the slowly silent, rising yet deadly caterpillar Drive propelled Red October as stated in my blog article entitled “Broadcasting and Digital Switch Over - Back To the Future to Compete with LIME TV”.

Certainly and neatly explains the increased advertising on Local TV for Triple Play Provider FLOW Cable Services. Coupled with the coming of the London Olympics 2012 and its prior introduction of 100MBps Broadband Internet Service as stated in my blog article entitled “Telecom Providers and 100MBps - Diamonds are Forever”, it appears that Triple Play Provider FLOW is already swimming out to meet the incoming wave.

They are trying to shore up their Cable TV service, which ironically their Broadband Internet offerings of 20MBps and upwards are beginning to eat into. These “Video products” as President and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Michelle “Dallas” English refers to IPTV and as opined in my blog article entitled “Broadcasters, LIME TV and IPTV - Kill and Kill Again and the London 2012 Olympics”.

I will even go out on a limb and say that these “Video products” is a reference to Net2Vu, a Streaming IPTV service hailing straight out of Barbados. Blog article coming soon about this IPTV wonder that may be part of the “Video products” that President and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Michelle “Dallas” English is referring. Only on the Geezam Blog!

Thus, Television Jamaica and CVM TV may have to start making the transition to HDTV a lot sooner than 2015 AD or face certain annihilation as opined in my blog article entitled “Telecom Providers, 100MBps Broadband and the Broadcasting Commission - Redemption Song” and the article “LIME TV and Broadcasting - The Andromeda Strain and My Science Project”.

Like around 2012AD! With 3-D viewing support, just in time for the London Olympics 2012!

Wait till streaming Data on smartphones begins to catch on in Jamaica! If the trend in the US of A is anything to go by, we, like our American cousins, may end up like Johnny Mnemonic (1995) with Data Hard drives in our brains to store Video and Audio for playback at a later date.