VPILF

Are you familiar at all with the newer breeder reactors? The spent fuel has a half life of 100 years, rather than the shitty reactors of the 70s that had a half life of 10,000 years. Additionally, breeder reactors can even use the waste fuel of the older reactors!

Nuclear IS the answer. Fission for now, fusion for later...

The concept actually isn't new. It's been around since the 1950's if I remember correctly.

Bottom line is it's a much safer design than whats widely used now. Back in the day some shenanigans went down and the breeder (or pebble) reactors got the shaft.

China's developing a bunch.

But yeah, these types of pebble reactors are a solid choice for power.
 
The concept actually isn't new. It's been around since the 1950's if I remember correctly.

Bottom line is it's a much safer design than whats widely used now. Back in the day some shenanigans went down and the breeder (or pebble) reactors got the shaft.

China's developing a bunch.

But yeah, these types of pebble reactors are a solid choice for power.

Yar, iirc Nixon nix'd them for the US. :rolleyes:
 
here's an idea for reforming politics: make it illegal for political parties active in national politics (congress, senate, president) to have any ties to or collusion with, parties that operate on a state level.

anyone think that might help reduce the democrat/republican lock on this country and give us some real alternatives?
 
here's an idea for reforming politics: make it illegal for political parties active in national politics (congress, senate, president) to have any ties to or collusion with, parties that operate on a state level.

anyone think that might help reduce the democrat/republican lock on this country and give us some real alternatives?

Gee, ya think?

The election process needs to be changed dramatically as well.
 
here's an idea for reforming politics: make it illegal for political parties active in national politics (congress, senate, president) to have any ties to or collusion with, parties that operate on a state level.

anyone think that might help reduce the democrat/republican lock on this country and give us some real alternatives?

DOWN WITH THE SEVENTEENTH AMENDMENT!
 
here's an idea for reforming politics: make it illegal for political parties active in national politics (congress, senate, president) to have any ties to or collusion with, parties that operate on a state level.

anyone think that might help reduce the democrat/republican lock on this country and give us some real alternatives?

I think that political campaigns should only be able to accept donations (in any form) from individuals. The amount that people can donate should be some TINY percentage of the GDP (to allow for inflation over the years). My hope would be that politicians would start listening to their constituents again.

However, its a double edged sword. This country probably wouldn't be current number one, if politicians weren't in the pocket of big business. Look at China now. That country is essentially run by big business and is prospering like no other...
 
Are you familiar at all with the newer breeder reactors? The spent fuel has a half life of 100 years, rather than the shitty reactors of the 70s that had a half life of 10,000 years. Additionally, breeder reactors can even use the waste fuel of the older reactors!

Nuclear IS the answer. Fission for now, fusion for later...

I'm not arguing against nuclear. It really needs to be part of the equation. However, your analysis on breeder reactors is wrong.
1. Virgin uranium is cheaper than recycled fuel.
2. We have more than enough virigin uranium to triple the total world nuclear power production at current cost levels.
3. Storing nuclear waste is far less risky and toxic than reprocessing. You can carry a spent rod around for a while without a suit and its mostly useless to anyone. Reprocessing is complex, dangerous, and yields highly radioactive material that also happens to be great for building bombs. The UK looked at the risk analysis and is shutting down their reprocessing facility.
4. What you really want is a sub critical reactor, like a thorium plant. There's something like 500 times more thorium on earth than uranium, there's zero chance for melt down, it can't produce weapons grade material, and it can burn MOX in some designs.
 
Here's what should happen for the Presedential election.

1) No political parties
2) No Electoral College
3) No campaigns. Cap campaign contributions even further.

A Presidential election would go like this.

1) Candidates would not be allowed to discuss or campaign for President at all, just collect signatures starting September 1st to be allowed on the ballot.

2) October 1st of an election year. Candidates could announce they were running provided they collected a certain amount of signatures in each state. Still no campaigning so these fucker do their jobs and don't spend all their time bullshitting.

3)During the month of September, there would be 4 or so debates/roundtables/town meetings. Also, there would be an hour or so "infomercial" for each candidate to explain their platform, etc. No other campaigning would be allowed.

4) Primary is November 1st. Top 4 vote getter's move on to run for the job, and announce VP's. Two more debates/roundtables/town meetings. More infomercials for VP's and Pres candidates.

5) Direct election on Nov 15, no electoral college bullshit. If no one has a majority of the popular vote you do a Euro style run off for the top two vote getters one week later.
 
I'm not arguing against nuclear. It really needs to be part of the equation. However, your analysis on breeder reactors is wrong.
1. Virgin uranium is cheaper than recycled fuel.
2. We have more than enough virigin uranium to triple the total world nuclear power production at current cost levels.

Yes, but then we still have the spent fuel storage problem you were initally speaking of...

3. Storing nuclear waste is far less risky and toxic than reprocessing. You can carry a spent rod around for a while without a suit and its mostly useless to anyone. Reprocessing is complex, dangerous, and yields highly radioactive material that also happens to be great for building bombs. The UK looked at the risk analysis and is shutting down their reprocessing facility.

They apparently add impurities to the plutonium now, virtually eliminating the possibility of it being used to build a weapon.

4. What you really want is a sub critical reactor, like a thorium plant. There's something like 500 times more thorium on earth than uranium, there's zero chance for melt down, it can't produce weapons grade material, and it can burn MOX in some designs.

That's called a thermal breeder reactor according to wikipedia...