In fairness I must say that the testimony produced some good information, though I don’t agree with the conclusions arrived at.

As a clean/safe energy advocate, I could not agree more with your recommendation that nuclear power be exposed to free enterprise. Then, it would need to meet the requirements of free market risk assessment instead of being indemnified by a 1957 law if a reactor contaminated a state or two and it would need to take responsibility for a hundred billion dollar and rising toxic material liability.

The industry might also have to take back all the forced socialized debts the public incurred in a number of states through electric utility nuclear bankruptcy restructuring in the 1990’s. It might also need to be reviewed openly by Congressional Defense committees for likely transfer of weapons making technology into possible enemy hands.

A small correction. Oil contributes only a small percentage of electric generation capacity so nuclear will not help with the foreign oil dilemma.

Complain to the FTC and their Congressional oversight committees. The revitatlized FTC is chomping at the bit…

Current carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere may commit us to sea-level rises of up to 25 metres, says new research based on a comparison of Antarctic ice temperature records with new sea-level data from the Red Sea.

[JR: Story isn't quite right, but not entirely wrong.]

At least six people died and thousands of cars and homes were damaged as 110mph winds thunderstorms lashed the regions of Tuscany, Rome, Naples and Puglia.

The violent summer storms caused power cuts, flooding and distruction of property and crops in huge areas across central and southern Italy.

Weather forecasters said the thunderstorms with hail and high winds that have affected almost the entire country could continue until Tuesday.