soapbox

.........MEDICAL ISOTOPES USED TO DIAGNOSE AND ALLEGEDLY CURE CANCER IS BEING USED BY THE NUCLEAR LOBBY GROUPS TO PRESSURE THE GOV'T TO ALLOCATE MORE BAILOUT MONEY TO THAT GOLD PLATED INDUSTRY....WHERE THE CEO OF AN ONTARIO POWER COMPANY(NUCLEAR) GETS PAID 3.5 MILLION $ A YEAR....THATS JUST A START....THEY WANT 26 BILLION MORE TO CONSTRUCT 2 MORE NEW NUCLEAR REACTORS WITH COST OVERRUNS TO BE PASSED ON TO THE TAXPAYERS....FORGET ABOUT THE RADIOACTIVE TRITIUM LEAKS THAT OCCUR ROUTINELY...AND THE TONNES OF CO2 EMMITED FROM THE MINING AND MILLING OF URANIUM ORE....AND THE FACT THAT REACTORS ARE THE CAUSE OF MANY CANCERS DUE TO LEAKS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE AND POLLUTION OF NEARBY WATER SUPPLYS.......SAY ...NO TO NUCLEAR ONTARIO AND CANADA FOR THESE AND MANY OTHER REASONS...PLEASE...JUST DO IT.

Protesters point out that these decrees violate indigenous rights, discourage environmental protection of the Peruvian rainforest and open the way for an unprecedented expansion of new transnational petroleum, mining, logging and plantation agriculture. Indigenous leaders are calling for international solidarity to safeguard the Amazon, 72 per cent of which is already leased for petroleum exploration and extraction, almost half of it by Canadian companies. One Canadian company that will benefit directly from this rollback of indigenous rights is the Alberta-based petrochemical firm Petrolifera. The Peruvian government recently signed an agreement with Petrolifera to explore land inhabited by one of the world's last uncontacted tribes –- a decision that the Instituto del Bien Comun has appealed to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights .. . . . . . NOTE: FOR FULL STORY GO TO WWW.RABBLE.CA

Canada’s nuclear reactors routinely release radioactive tritium into the atmosphere, lakes and rivers. All radiation releases increase risks of cancer and birth defects. Tritium is dangerous because it bonds with oxygen to create radioactive water. It can move as water into any cell in the body and accumulate in DNA, where it does its damage from close range. . . . . . . . . . . . .note: for more information on this subject please contact sierra club of canada.

. . . . .IN PERU WHERE SCORES OF PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND WOUNDED. . . .THE EXACT NUMBER IS UNCERTAIN AS IT HAPPENED ON REMOTE PARTS OF PERU NEAR THE BRAZILLIAN BORDER.THE CONFLICT IS BETWEEN THOUSANDS OF MOSTLY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND THE PERU MILITARY.........PERU'S CENTRAL GOVERNMENT RECENTLY SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO ALLOW ACCESS TO THE RAIN FOREST REGION TO FOREIGN OIL AND MINING COMPANIES AGAINST THE WISHES OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE AREA.

. . ..By SOPHIA TAREEN – 3 hours ago CHICAGO (AP) — A tritium leak was found during routine monitoring of Exelon Corp.'s nuclear power plant, but contaminated water was contained to the property and did not pose a public health threat, company officials said Monday. Testing at the Dresden plant, near the town of Morris about 60 miles southwest of Chicago, found tritium levels of 3.2 million picocuries per liter of water in a monitoring well, storm drains and concrete vault. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's limit for drinking water is 20,000 picocuries per liter. . . . . . . . NOTE . . .THE HEALTH . . . . .SAFETY LEVEL FOR WATER . . . . COMPARED TO . . . . . . THE ASTRONOMICAL LEVEL OF TRITIUM . . . . . THAT LEAKED FROM THIS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT .. . . ..NOT A HEALTH THREAT ?? . . . . .STILL WANT NUCLEAR POWER ?...NO THANKS....TRITIUM IS KNOWN TO ALTER DNA . . . . .AND CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS AND CANCER.

WHEN PEOPLE TAKE A BATH OR WASH DISHES OR LAUNDRY......THE LEFTOVER WATER IS THEN FLUSHED DOWN THE DRAIN......AN OLD HABIT....BUT THERE IS A BETTER WAY I THINK .THIS "USED WATER" IS CALLED GRAY WATER AND CAN BE RECYCLED QUITE EASILY BY USING IT TO FLUSH THE TOILET INSTEAD OF USING NEW CLEAN WATER . .. . .WATER IN MOST CASES IS DELIVERED TO THE TAP BY A MUNICIPAL PUMPING SYSTEM WHICH REQUIRES VERY LARGE ELECTRIC MOTORS TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT PRESSURE.THIS USES ELECTRICITY FROM EITHER A DIRTY COAL OR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WHICH IN TURN WILL PRODUCE POLLUTION AND SOME HEAT IN THE GENERATING PROCESS....SO BY HAVING A BUCKET HANDY IN THE BATHROOM YOU TOO CAN HELP SAVE THE PLANET . . . ..THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF HOMES OUT THERE ...AND IF EVERY ONE DID THIS WE WOULD WASTE LESS WATER AND ELECTRICITY AND HAVE LESS POLLUTION.

. . . . . . . TAKES PLACE TOMORROW,SUNDAY JUNE 7,2009 . . .IN TORONTO,CANADA . . . . . .ITS FOR 2 GOOD CAUSES,"BECEL RIDE FOR HEART"AND ALSO FOR THE ENVIRONMENT SINCE THE BICYCLE REMAINS THE MOST EFFICIENT FORM OF TRANSPORT EVER INVENTED AND IS ECO-FRIENDLY. . . . .. . .AS I UNDERSTAND IT THE DON VALLEY PARKWAY AND THE GARDINER EXPRESSWAY WILL BE SHUT DOWN TO CAR TRAFFIC FOR MOST OF THE DAY WHILE SOME 15,000 CYCLISTS RIDE THE HIGHWAYS EN MASSE. . . . . . . .meanwhile back in downtown TORONTO . . . . . .STILL . . . .NO . . .BIKE , , , ,LANES . . .ON . .BLOOR/Danforth... . . . . .SHAME..

. . . . . . .PHOTO OF RALLY AT QUEENS PARK,IN SUPPORT OF . . . . .BIKE LANES FOR BLOOR STREET,TORONTO,CANADA.......BLOOR/DANFORTH IS . . . . . .THE LONGEST EAST- WEST ROUTE ACROSS THE CITY. . . . .. . . . IT IS ALSO A LEVEL STREET (NO HILLS).......PRESENTLY IT IS . . . . . .LITTERED WITH PARKED CARS . . . . . .ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD AND . . . NO BIKE LANES

THOUSANDS OF CYCLISTS AT THE START OF A CALVACADE OF BIKES ALONG YONGE STREET,TORONTO....MONDAY MAY 25,2009...THIS HAS BECOME A TRADITION FOR THE CITY IN ITS 20TH YEAR....DESTINATION ? FREE PANCAKE BREAKFAST AT CITY HALL....A GOOD TRADITION.

. . . . . It should also be noted that Thorp's reprocessed fuel does not reduce in any way the total amount of radioactive waste the UK has to deal with. Meanwhile, in Finland a reactor similar to the ones EDF wants to build at Sizewell and Hinkley is three years late and 50% over budget. And in France a second new reactor is already nine months late and 20% over budget. It is difficult to comprehend why any government would want to trust this failed industry yet again. We should be launching a local energy revolution to tackle climate change and fuel poverty. A policy based on decentralised energy would be cheaper, create more jobs, and could be implemented in time to meet our climate change commitments without creating dangerous waste and threatening nuclear weapons proliferation. . . . . . ABOVE NEWS EXERPT FROM GUARDIAN (UK) MAY 21-2009.....SIMILAR CONCERNS ARE HAPPENING IN ONTARIO AT THE MOMENT RE: NUCLEAR PLANT CONSTRUCTION TO THE TUNE OF 26 BILLION TO THIS INDUSTRY COURTES...

. . . . . . NOT CARS . . THE AGE OF THE AUTOMOBILE IS SINKING FAST . . . . .ITS ABOUT TIME .....FOR SO LONG NOW PAVED ROADS SEEM TO HAVE BECOME THE EXCLUSIVE PRESERVE OF CARS/TRUCKS.......WHY ?....WE ALL PAY TAXES ,PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS ALSO PAY BUT GET VERY LITTLE IN RETURN......TAKE BACK SOME OF THE STREETS AND MAKE THE CITIES MORE PEOPLE FRIENDLY. . . .MY OPINION. . . .(PICTURE SHOWS A CYCLING EVENT IN CHINA ON EARTH DAY)

. . . . . . . THE ABOVE PICTURE SHOWS A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO,ONTARIO,CANADA MAY 10,2009. . . . . . .IN THE PICTURE THE HIGHWAY WAS USED TO STAGE A PEACEFUL PROTEST BY THE COURAGEOUS TAMIL COMMUNITY IN TORONTO AGAINST THE VIOLENCE THAT WAS HAPPENING IN SRI LANKA WHERE MANY OF TAMILS HAVE THEIR FAMILY AND RELATIVES . . . .SADLY A PART OF THE TORONTO COMMUNITY STILL WORSHIPS THE AUTOMOBILE MUCH LIKE OTHER COUNTRIES MAY WORSHIP THE COW . . . .AND THEY CRITICIZE THE RALLYS AS A THREAT TO THEIR BELOVED AUTOMOBILES ALL THE WHILE SEEMINGLY OBLIVIOUS TO THE DAMAGE DONE BY THE CAR CULTURE TO THE ENVIRONMENT . . . .AND OBLIVIOUS OF THE VIOLENCE IN FAR OFF SRI LANKA.

. . . . . . . .THIS VIDEO CLIP FROM TORONTO,ONTARIO CANADA DATED MAY 10-2009

. . . . .IN THE DESERT outside Las Vegas, a blaze of orange flames heats the Nevada night, lighting the way for police and firefighters. These first responders are not surprised by what they find -another SUV being consumed in a ball of arson fire. In recent weeks, such images have made the news, with CBS asking: Why are people across the country destroying such beloved and essential objects? . . . . . . . . .IN THE NEWS TOYOTA LOSES ANOTHER 6 BILLION DOLLARS I'VE LOST TRACK OF ALL THE LOSSES THAT OCCUR IN THE CAR INDUSTRY LATELY . . . . . .THE ABOVE IMAGE OF A CAR IN A GARBAGE CAN COURTESY OF THE BOSTON GLOBE NEWSPAPER.

. . . . . . Germany blocks Vattenfall Brunsbuettel reactor plan Reuters - ‎May 5, 2009‎ FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's environment ministry denied approval for nuclear operator Vattenfall Europe to keep its Brunsbuettel reactor open longer ... . . .FOR VARIOUS SAFETY AND TECHNICAL GLITCHES THIS NUCLEAR POWER REACTOR IN GERMANY IS BLOCKED FROM FURTHER OPERATION.....GOOD NEWS ..SINCE THESE REACTORS ARE NOT CLEAN AND GREEN AS CLAIMED BY THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY...RADIOACTIVE WASTE ,STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION AND URANIUM MINING WHICH IS AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY FOR REACTOR OPERATION ARE VERY HEAVY EMMITERS OF CO2....1,000 TONNES OF WASTE SOIL OR TAILINGS ARE DISCARDED IN THE MINING OF URANIUM ALONG WITH HORRENDOUS AMOUNTS OF CO2 FROM HEAVY EQUIPMENT.

. . . . .FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2009 US NEW CAR SALES WERE DOWN AS MUCH AS 48 PERCENT FOR CHRYSLER WHILE THE OTHER MAKES INCLUDING IMPORTS FROM JAPAN,KOREA AND EUROPE WERE DOWN AN AVERAGE OF 35 PERCENT COMPARED TO APRIL 2008.

. . . . . . .JUST TO INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT WHATS ON THE HORIZON REGARDS NUCLEAR INDUSTRY ..THEY FALSELY claim that it is a clean industry completely ignoring the extreme levels of pollution in the mining of uranium.FOR EVERY TONNE OF URANIUM THERE IS 1000 TONNES OF MINE TAILINGS OR WASTE SOIL THAT IS DISCARDED IN HUGE HILLS AROUND THE MINE SITE.TREES,TOPSOIL AND EVERY LIVING THING IN A WIDE AREA ARE BULLDOZED INTO THE GROUND TO MAKE WAY FOR A URANIUM MINE..OPEN PIT IS THE PREFERRED METHOD OF EXTRACTION...THE DEPTH OF THE MINE IS SIMILAR TO THE TAR SANDS PROJECT IN ALBERTA.FOR MORE INFO ON THE TAR SANDS MINING REFER TO NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE MARCH 2009 ISSUE.WITH PANORAMIC PICTURES OF THE PROJECT AND ITS HORRIFIC EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT....AN ELECTRIC LAWNMOWER IS THOUGHT TO BE A CLEAN WAY TO CUT GRASS ...NO VISIBLE POLLUTION ....HOWEVER IN A DISTANT LOCATION ELECTRICITY FOR THAT LAWN MOWER IS GENERATED IN A DIRTY COAL BURNING PLANT OR NUCLEAR REACTOR WHICH IN TURN CAUSES POLLUT...

. . . . . . . .ITS A SURPRISE TO ME THAT THIS KIND OF EPIDEMIC DIDN'T HAPPEN SOONER...WHEN YOU CONSIDER ALL THE INGREDIENTS THAT COME TOGETHER TO CREATE THIS ILLNESS .....INGREDIENTS LIKE AIR TRAVEL,HIGH TEMPERATURES(CLIMATE CHANGE ?),POPULATION, . . . . FACTORY FARMING OF . . .CATTLE, . . . . .SWINE . . . . .AND . . . .CHICKENS. . . . . IN THE CASE OF MEXICO THE DROUGHT AND WATER SHORTAGES ALSO MUST BE CONSIDERED.TO SHOW THE DIMENSIONS OF SCALE OF FACTORY FARMING LOOK AT THE ABOVE PHOTO OF A EGG WAREHOUSE IN CHINA...SOLUTION ? DON'T KNOW . . . . BUT SOME PEOPLE SUGGEST A CHANGE IN LIFESTYLE TO INCORPORATE VEGAN,VEGETARIANISM AND . . . . .LESS AIR TRAVEL.

. . . . .REMINDER: MONTHLY EARTH HOUR IS ON THE 28TH DAY OF EACH MONTH......FROM 8 PM TO 9 PM (TOMORROW APRIL 28TH).....PLEASE DO YOUR PART TO . . . . . .PREVENT CLIMATE CHANGE BY TURNING OFF . . . . . .ALL UNECESSARY LIGHTS AND/OR POWER DURING THAT TIME....FOR THOSE KEEPING SCORE ON . . . . . . THE ACCUMULATION OF GREENHOUSE GASES ON PLANET EARTH . .. . . . . CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES . .http://co2now.org AND ALSO www.sciencedaily.com (april 26,2009). . . . . THESE ARE NEW, UPDATED AND ILLUSTRATIVE WEBSITES.

. . . . .EARTH DAY IS WEDNESDAY APRIL 22 . . . .I THINK IT SHOULD BE AN OFFICIAL HOLIDAY . . .CELEBRATE THE WONDERS OF PLANET EARTH ...BUT ALSO PROTECT IT.