From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #340 Reply-To: abolition-usa-digest Sender: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk abolition-usa-digest Friday, July 14 2000 Volume 01 : Number 340 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 16:25:40 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) 2 Things - G8 Meeting in 10 Days, US Defence Secy Cohen in Sydney, Sat 15th-Mon 17th Dear All, Two things to act on: 1)US defence Secy William S. Cohen will be in Sydney Australia from Saturday 15th to Monday 17th, when he will conuct discussions with foreign minister Alexander Downer and defence minister John Moore. He will be coming from Beijung, where he has already recieved both barrels from the Chinese over US NMD plans. Letters from Australia NGOs and Parliamentarians and a vigil are planned. Cohen will be faxable on 'C/O DON Q WASHINGTON +61-2-9221-0551', (ie, Care of Don Q. Washington, who I assume is the consular official responsible for him in Sydney) Do let him know that your concerns re BMD will follow him right around the world. 2)The G 8 are meeting in Okinawa on 21-23 July. The G 8 leaders need to hear from you that you want them to ask the US not to proceed with NMD. Many of them have already expressed concern in various ways, some (Germany, france) have expressed it strongly. If you live in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Japan, or Russia, do ask your government to express concern over NMD to the US at the G 8 meeting in the strongest terms. I have just posted sample letters to the governments of Frence, Germany, the UK, Japan, and the US. I strongly encourage you to customise them and send them. (These letters are also on Http://www.abolition2000.org and a global list of fax numbers of foreign ministers can be found there also) Greenpeace now has a website from which you can send a fax about BMD to Clinton. it is: http://www.stopstarwars.org/ You should also visit the 'Dont Blow it' website at http://DontBlowit.org. from which you can send the president a free e-postcard. Happy faxing, letterwriting and e- postcard - sending. John Hallam John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042 Fax (61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 nonukes@foesyd.org.au http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 08:14:19 -0400 From: Ellen Thomas Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/07/11 - Daybook; Presidential Candidates - --=====================_101971600==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 1) Washington Daybook, by FIND/AFP and The Washington Times. http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000712213133.htm 9:30 a.m. =97 Senate Armed Services Committee hears testimony on the Defense Department's Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program. Location: 216= Hart Senate Office Building. Contact: 202/224-3871. 10 a.m. =97 House Commerce's finance and hazardous materials= subcommittee holds a hearing on legislation to reauthorize and reform the Commodity= Exchange Act. Location: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-2927. 10 a.m. =97 House International Relations Committee holds a hearing on "Global Terrorism: South Asia =97The New Locus." Location: 2172 Rayburn= House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-5021. 10:30 a.m. =97 Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds a hearing on the= U.N. policy in Africa. Richard Holbrooke, U.N. ambassador, testifies. Location:= 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Contact: 202/224-4651. 2 p.m. =97 House Budget Committee's natural resources and the= environment task force holds a hearing on "Department of Energy Management Practices." Location: 210 Cannon House Office Building. Contact: 202/226-7270. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES Vice President Al Gore today - Baltimore MD 9:15 a.m. =97 Addresses the NAACP's 91st National Convention,= Baltimore Convention Center. Governor George W. Bush today - Austin TX=20 12:15 p.m. - Victory 2000 National Political Meeting, Hyatt at= Barton Springs, Texas Ballroom IV - VII, 208 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 512/477-1234. Then will meet with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger at the Governor's Mansion. Ralph Nader - this week Friday, July 14th - Minneapolis, MN 1:30 pm - 2:15 pm, Press Conference, Minnesota State House, 181= State Office Building=20 5-7 pm Fundraiser - call Cam Gordon at 612-296-0579 for reservations= - http://www.votenader.org/events/0007014MN-Fund.html 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm, Speech, Willey Hall, University of Minnesota at Minneapolis=20 Saturday, July 15th - Omaha, NE 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm Speech, Rigge Science Hall, Creighton University= =20 Sunday, July 16th 9:30 am - Interview with Face the Nation - CBS website - http://cbsnews.cbs.com/now/section/0,1636,3460-412,00.shtml ___________________________________________________ Today's Newspapers and Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm Interactive Archives (since 6/10/00): http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews Subscribe to NucNews: mailto:prop1@prop1.org (NucNews-Subscribe) Submit URL/Article: mailto:NucNews@onelist.org About NucNews: http://prop1.org/nucnews/nucnews.htm Excellent e-mail news resources: DOE Watch - doewatch@onelist.com - http://members.aol.com/doewatch=20 Downwinders - downwinders@onelist.com - http://www.downwinders.org/=20 EnviroNews - environews@envirolink.org -= http://www.envirolink.org/environews=20 Planet Ark/Reuters - mailto:anna@planetark.org -= http://www.planetark.org/news/ Radbull (Radiation Bulletin) mailto:radbull-request@energy-net.org=20 Quick Route to U.S. Congress: http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.cfm (Senators' Websites) http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html (Representatives' Websites) http://thomas.loc.gov/ (Pending Legislation - Search) Presidential Candidates' Websites: George W. Bush - http://www.georgewbush.com/ Pat Buchanan - http://www.gopatgo2000.com/default.htm Al Gore - http://www.algore2000.com/ Ralph Nader - http://www.votenader.org/press.html Online Petition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - http://www.PetitionOnline.com/prop1/petition.html Updates on Current Events Outside the White House - http://prop1.org/currevnt.htm Distributed without payment for research and educational=20 purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. - --=====================_101971600==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 1) Washington Daybook, by FIND/AFP and The Washington Times.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000712213133.= htm

      9:30 a.m. =97 Senate Armed Services Committee hears testimony on the Defense Department's Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program. Location: 216 Hart Senate Office Building. Contact: 202/224-3871.

    10 a.m. =97 House Commerce's finance and hazardous materials subcommittee holds a hearing on legislation to reauthorize and reform the Commodity Exchange Act. Location: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-2927.

    10 a.m. =97 House International Relations Committee holds a hearing on "Global Terrorism: South Asia =97The New Locus." Location: 2172 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-5021.

    10:30 a.m. =97 Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds a hearing on the U.N. policy in Africa. Richard Holbrooke, U.N. ambassador, testifies. Location: 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Contact: 202/224-4651.

     2 p.m. =97 House Budget Committee's natural resources and the environment task force holds a hearing on "Department of Energy Management Practices." Location: 210 Cannon House Office Building. Contact: 202/226-7270.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

Vice President Al Gore today - Baltimore MD
      9:15 a.m. =97 Addresses the NAACP's 91st National Convention, Baltimore Convention Center.

Governor George W. Bush today - Austin TX
        12:15 p.m. - Victory 2000 National Political Meeting, Hyatt at Barton Springs, Texas Ballroom IV - VII, 208 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 512/477-1234.
        Then will meet with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger at the Governor's Mansion.

Ralph Nader - this week
     Friday, July 14th - Minneapolis, MN
        1:30 pm - 2:15 pm, Press Conference, Minnesota State House, 181 State Office Building
        5-7 pm Fundraiser - call Cam Gordon at 612-296-0579 for reservations - http://www.votenader.org/events/0007014MN-Fund.html<= br>         7:30 pm - 9:30 pm, Speech, Willey Hall, University of Minnesota at Minneapolis
    Saturday, July 15th - Omaha, NE
        8:30 pm - 9:30 pm Speech, Rigge Science Hall, Creighton University
    Sunday, July 16th
        9:30 am - Interview with Face the Nation - CBS website - http://cbsnews.cbs.com/now/section/0,1636,3460-412,00.sh= tml



     ___________________________________________________

  Today's Newspapers and Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm
Interactive Archives (since 6/10/00): http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews

     Subscribe to NucNews:  mailto:prop1@prop1.org= (NucNews-Subscribe)
           Submit= URL/Article: mailto:NucNews@onelist.org
           =            About NucNews:= http://prop1.org/nucnews/nucnews.htm

Excellent e-mail news resources:

DOE Watch - doewatch@onelist.com - http://members.aol.com/doewatch
Downwinders - downwinders@onelist.com= - http://www.downwinders.org/
EnviroNews - environews@envirolink.org= - http://www.envirolink.org/environews=
Planet Ark/Reuters - mailto:anna@planetark.org - http://www.planetark.org/news/
Radbull (Radiation Bulletin) mailto:radbull-request@energy-net.org

Quick Route to U.S. Congress:

http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.cfm (Senators'= Websites)
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html= (Representatives' Websites)
http://thomas.loc.gov/ (Pending Legislation -= Search)

Presidential Candidates' Websites:

George W. Bush - http://www.georgewbush.com/
Pat Buchanan - http://www.gopatgo2000.com/default.htm
Al Gore - http://www.algore2000.com/
Ralph Nader - http://www.votenader.org/press.html

Online Petition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - http://www.PetitionOnline.com/prop1/petition.html Updates on Current Events Outside the White House - http://prop1.org/currevnt.htm

      Distributed without payment for research and= educational
   purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section= 107.


- --=====================_101971600==_.ALT-- - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 08:56:49 -0700 From: California Peace Action Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) HIROSHIMA DAY 2000 AT LIVERMORE LAB, CALIFORNIA Hello Sally. In general I think you want to send your emails to Andrew's new address which is andrew@californiapeaceaction.org. see you soon. - -Peter _____________________________________________________________________________ California Peace Action 2800 Adeline St, Berkeley, CA 94703 tel:(510)849-2272 fax:(510)849-2041 email: capazaction@igc.org www.capa.org "No social advance rolls in on the wheels of inevitablity. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of dedicated individuals." - Martin Luther King, Jr. _____________________________________________________________________________ - - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2000 07:53:10 -0400 From: Ellen Thomas Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/07/13 - Daybook; Presidential Candidates - --=====================_30655707==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 1) Washington Daybook, by FIND/AFP and The Washington Times. http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000713211423.htm 10 a.m. =97 House Armed Services' military personnel subcommittee holds= a hearing on Defense Department management of the anthrax vaccine immunization program. Deputy Defense Secretary Rudy de Leon testifies. Location: 2118 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-4151. 2 p.m. =97 Senate Appropriations' energy and water development= subcommittee marks up the fiscal 2001 energy and water appropriations bill. Location: 124 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Contact: 202/224-3471. 2 p.m. =97 Senate Governmental Affairs' international security, proliferation and federal services subcommittee holds its annual postal oversight hearing. William Henderson, postmaster general, testifies.= Location: 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Contact: 202/224-4751. Rogue states briefing =97 10 a.m. =97 The Brookings Institution hosts= a briefing on a recent State Department report on rogue states and a book= titled "Honey and Vinegar: Incentives, Sanctions and Foreign Policy." Location:= Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Contact: 202/797-6105. Natural Gas and Renewable Energy Alliance news conference =97 2 p.m. = =97 The Business Council for Sustainable Energy holds a news conference to announce= the formation of the Natural Gas and Renewable Energy Alliance. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson participates. Location: 2105 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/785-0507. First Amendment discussion =97 8:30 a.m. =97 The Freedom Forum's Newseum sponsors a discussion of "State of the First Amendment 2000," the third= annual survey by the First Amendment Center of public attitudes about the First Amendment. Location: Rooftop Conference Center, Freedom Forum World Center, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Contact: 703/284-2887. Freedom lecture =97 5:30 p.m. =97 The Cato Institute sponsors a lecture= on "The Case for Freedom When No One Else Seems to Want It." The speaker is Charles Murray, Bradley Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Location:= Capitol, Room HC-5. Contact: 202/218-4611. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES Vice President Al Gore - Green Bay, WI Travels to Green Bay, Wis., for a campaign rally with Bill Bradley, former Democratic candidate for president, and Saginaw, Mich. George W. Bush - Pittsburgh, PA 12:45 p.m. - Veterans of Foreign Wars Pennsylvania State= Convention, Radisson Green Tree Grand Ballroom, 101 Marriott Drive, Pittsburgh, PA, 412/922-8400 6:30 p.m. - New Jersey Republican Party Reception, East Brunswick Hilton Hotel Ballrooms A, B & C , 3 Tower Center Boulevard, East Brunswick,= NJ, 732/828-2000 Pat Buchanan - San Francisco, CA 1:00PM - Interview, The Ronn Owens Show, KGO/AM 810 San Francisco, Host: Bill Press=20 2:00PM - Interview, Radio America, The BQ View, Host: Blanquita= Cullum ___________________________________________________ Today's Newspapers and Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm Interactive Archives: http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews Submit URL/Article: mailto:NucNews@onelist.org About NucNews: http://prop1.org/nucnews/nucnews.htm Subscribe to NucNews Briefs: mailto:prop1@prop1.org (NucNews-Subscribe) Excellent e-mail news resources: DOE Watch - doewatch@onelist.com - http://members.aol.com/doewatch=20 Downwinders - downwinders@onelist.com - http://www.downwinders.org/=20 EnviroNews - environews@envirolink.org -= http://www.envirolink.org/environews=20 Planet Ark/Reuters - mailto:anna@planetark.org -= http://www.planetark.org/news/ Radbull (Radiation Bulletin) mailto:radbull-request@energy-net.org=20 Quick Route to U.S. Congress: http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.cfm (Senators' Websites) http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html (Representatives' Websites) http://thomas.loc.gov/ (Pending Legislation - Search) Presidential Candidates' Websites: George W. Bush - http://www.georgewbush.com/ Pat Buchanan - http://www.gopatgo2000.com/default.htm Al Gore - http://www.algore2000.com/ Ralph Nader - http://www.votenader.org/press.html Online Petition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - http://www.PetitionOnline.com/prop1/petition.html Updates on Current Events Outside the White House - http://prop1.org/currevnt.htm Distributed without payment for research and educational=20 purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. - --=====================_30655707==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 1) Washington Daybook, by FIND/AFP and The Washington Times.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000713211423.= htm

    10 a.m. =97 House Armed Services' military personnel subcommittee holds a hearing on Defense Department management of the anthrax vaccine immunization program. Deputy Defense Secretary Rudy de Leon testifies. Location: 2118 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-4151.

    2 p.m. =97 Senate Appropriations' energy and water development subcommittee marks up the fiscal 2001 energy and water appropriations bill. Location: 124 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Contact: 202/224-3471.

     2 p.m. =97 Senate Governmental Affairs' international security, proliferation and federal services subcommittee holds its annual postal oversight hearing. William Henderson, postmaster general, testifies. Location: 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Contact: 202/224-4751.

      Rogue states briefing =97 10 a.m. =97 The Brookings Institution hosts a briefing on a recent State Department report on rogue states and a book titled "Honey and Vinegar: Incentives, Sanctions and Foreign Policy." Location: Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Contact: 202/797-6105.

      Natural Gas and Renewable Energy Alliance news conference =97 2 p.m. =97 The Business Council for Sustainable Energy holds a news conference to announce the formation of the Natural Gas and Renewable Energy Alliance. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson participates. Location: 2105 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact:=20 202/785-0507.

    First Amendment discussion =97 8:30 a.m. =97 The Freedom Forum's Newseum sponsors a discussion of "State of the First Amendment 2000," the third annual survey by the First Amendment Center of public attitudes about the First Amendment. Location: Rooftop Conference Center, Freedom Forum World Center, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Contact: 703/284-2887.

    Freedom lecture =97 5:30 p.m. =97 The Cato Institute sponsors a lecture on "The Case for Freedom When No One Else Seems to Want It." The speaker is Charles Murray, Bradley Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Location: Capitol, Room HC-5. Contact: 202/218-4611.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

Vice President Al Gore - Green Bay, WI
      Travels to Green Bay, Wis., for a campaign rally with Bill Bradley, former Democratic candidate for president, and Saginaw, Mich.

George W. Bush - Pittsburgh, PA
          12:45 p.m. - Veterans of Foreign Wars Pennsylvania State Convention, Radisson Green Tree Grand Ballroom, 101 Marriott Drive, Pittsburgh, PA, 412/922-8400
          6:30 p.m. - New Jersey Republican Party Reception, East Brunswick Hilton Hotel Ballrooms A, B & C , 3 Tower Center Boulevard, East Brunswick, NJ, 732/828-2000

Pat Buchanan - San Francisco, CA
        1:00PM - - Interview, The Ronn Owens Show, KGO/AM 810 San Francisco, Host: Bill Press
        2:00PM - Interview, Radio America, The BQ View, Host: Blanquita Cullum


     ___________________________________________________

  Today's Newspapers and Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm
          Interactive Archives: http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews
           Submit URL/Article: mailto:NucNews@onelist.org
          &= nbsp;           About NucNews: http://prop1.org/nucnews/nucnews.htm
Subscribe to NucNews Briefs:  mailto:prop1@prop1.org= (NucNews-Subscribe)

Excellent e-mail news resources:

DOE Watch - doewatch@onelist.com - http://members.aol.com/doewatch
Downwinders - downwinders@onelist.com= - http://www.downwinders.org/
EnviroNews - environews@envirolink.org= - http://www.envirolink.org/environews=
Planet Ark/Reuters - mailto:anna@planetark.org - http://www.planetark.org/news/
Radbull (Radiation Bulletin) mailto:radbull-request@energy-net.org

Quick Route to U.S. Congress:

http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.cfm (Senators'= Websites)
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html= (Representatives' Websites)
http://thomas.loc.gov/ (Pending Legislation -= Search)

Presidential Candidates' Websites:

George W. Bush - http://www.georgewbush.com/
Pat Buchanan - http://www.gopatgo2000.com/default.htm
Al Gore - http://www.algore2000.com/
Ralph Nader - http://www.votenader.org/press.html

Online Petition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - http://www.PetitionOnline.com/prop1/petition.html Updates on Current Events Outside the White House - http://prop1.org/currevnt.htm

      Distributed without payment for research and= educational
   purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section= 107.


- --=====================_30655707==_.ALT-- - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2000 19:29:32 -0700 (PDT) From: marylia@earthlink.net (marylia) Subject: (abolition-usa) Call Your Senators! Urgent! Dear peace and enviro colleagues: I make the following request: Please call both of your Seantors and ask them to sponsor an amendment to the Senate appropriations bill to cut the construction funding for the National Ignition Facility, a Department of Energy nuclear weapons project at Livermore Lab. The amount for construction in the fiscal year 2001 budget request is 74.1 million. That is the amount that should be cut. We do not have much time. The Senate appropriations bill will probably come to the floor before the end of July. We must be ready with an amendment before then. Tell your Senator that if he or she will sponsor the amendment to cut NIF constructions funds, you and other public interest groups will work to get co-ponsors. Tell your Senator that the 74.1 million should go toward worthwhile projects to clean up the environmental legacy of nuclear work at Livermore Lab and throughout the nuclear weapons complex. If you happen to live near a DOE site, tell your Senator specifically which projects there SHOULD be funded with the NIF money. Below, I am posting a draft of a letter that we sent to Senators last week. It has lots of information outlining WHY the NIF should be cut. Feel free to use any information in it for your phone calls. Moreover, take anything you want out of the letter and reword to create your own follow-up letter to your Senators. THANKS. Peace, Marylia Kelley XXXX Date, 2000 Help Shine the Light of Reason on DOE's Giant Laser Project: Cut Construction Funds for the National Ignition Facility Dear Senator: In 1990, the National Academy of Sciences calculated its price at $400 million for a laser system, target chamber and cryogenic target. In 1993, the Livermore Lab Institutional Plan published a $677 million estimate for it. In 1997, the Department of Energy (DOE) asked for $1.2 billion for its construction and promised Congress there would be no more increases, not one penny. Earlier this year, DOE admitted its construction alone would top $2 billion. This month, the General Accounting Office pegged its total pre-completion price at around $4 billion. Several independent analysts have predicted its "life-cycle" costs at $10 billion over the next 25 years. Experts inside and outside of the DOE agree it is plagued by lack of a clear mission, unresolved technical difficulties, ongoing management problems, underlying scientific uncertainties and massive schedule slippages of a half-decade or more. The prognosis is that its price tag will likely continue to spiral upward. Yet, DOE wants to forge ahead with its construction. What is this project? The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a football stadium-sized, 192-beam mega-laser, currently under construction at the DOE's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California. NIF's scientific goal, as the name indicates, is the fusion ignition of a BB-sized radioactive fuel pellet held inside a reactor vessel, also called the target chamber. NIF is the latest, and potentially the biggest, of DOE's boondoggles. We strongly request that you and your colleagues in the Senate bring some fiscal accountability to this DOE project. Due to the many serious, unanswered questions about NIF, fiscal year 2001 should mark the moment in time when the Senate constrains further NIF construction. We ask you to support a cut or delay in its construction. Recent, shocking revelations have disclosed technical flaws that had been well-known to NIF project personnel, but hidden from Congress. For example, the expensive final optics package for each of NIF's 192 beams is subject to damage and blowout if NIF is operated at or near its design capacity of 8 joules per square centimeter. NIF will only be able to operate at 50% energy, and maybe less. In fact, Livermore Laboratory has been advised that entirely new optical materials may need to be developed in order to attempt resolution of this problem. This effort could take many years and many millions of dollars to resolve, and its success is not guaranteed at any price. (Sources: Livermore Lab NIF project manager Ed Moses' testimony to the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board NIF Task Force; report by former Livermore Lab Associate Director for Lasers John Emmett, Chair of the Technology Resource Group of the NIF Council, et al.) A few weeks ago, on May 24, 2000, Sandia Laboratory released a position paper on NIF, calling for the mega-laser to be scaled back in both size and budget. Sandia cited NIF's "apparent delay and significant increase in cost." The statement continued: "This causes us to question what is a reasonable investment in NIF." Energy Secretary Bill Richardson responded by chastising Sandia. The lab then apologized for making its position paper public, but pointedly did not back away from the substance of the statement. On June 1, 2000, the DOE missed its Congressionally-mandated deadline to deliver a certified "rebaseline" of NIF's costs, asking instead for an extension until mid-September. Congress is thus asked to take it on faith that the DOE will control NIF's ballooning costs and successfully resolve NIF's mission, managerial and technical uncertainties. Experts rate NIF's chances of achieving ignition at 10% -- or less. Chuck Cranfill, a top nuclear weapons scientist at the DOE's Los Alamos Lab in New Mexico, put the odds of achieving ignition at the NIF at 5% to 10%. Sandia Lab fusion physicist Rick Spielman and other colleagues concur. The 50% to 60% chance of ignition on NIF previously stated to Congress by NIF proponents, Cranfill called "hopelessly optimistic." Said Livermore Lab's Eric Lindman, odds on NIF success are "all over the place." (Sources: Albuquerque Tribune, others.) Experts also decry the myth that NIF is needed for maintaining the "safety" and "reliability" of nuclear weapons in the U.S. arsenal. Edward Teller, known as the father of the hydrogen bomb, when asked about the NIF's utility for this task, replied: "None whatsoever." Los Alamos physicist Rod Schultz wrote in a lab publication that NIF's touted importance to the weapons stockpile does "not reflect the technical judgment of the nuclear weapons design community." Sandia Lab's former vice-president Bob Peurifoy called NIF "worthless" for maintenance of the arsenal. In a separate interview with another newspaper, Livermore weapons scientist Seymour Sack called NIF "worse than worthless" for that task. Ray Kidder, another Livermore Lab physicist and the founder of its laser division, put it more mildly. "As far as maintaining the stockpile is concerned, [NIF] is not necessary," he told Science Magazine. (Sources: Tri-Valley Herald, Contra Costa Times, Albuquerque Tribune, Science Magazine, others.) Instead, NIF will contribute to nuclear proliferation. DOE's own non-proliferation analysis attempted to put the best possible face on the situation. NIF's proliferation impacts would be "manageable and therefore could be made acceptable," said the report. It did not say acceptable to whom. NIF will contribute to proliferation directly, as information from its experiments will leak to interested countries. In an Arms Control Impact Statement to Congress, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency called laser fusion a proliferation risk, citing its particular utility to countries that already possess an industrial infrastructure. Future laser fusion research conducted by the U.S. could lead other nations more quickly to the development of sophisticated nuclear weapons, those with boosted fission or thermonuclear capability, stated the report. A further concern is that NIF will create hazardous and radioactive wastes. Livermore Lab's main site, where NIF is being built, and its nearby high explosives testing range, called site 300, are already both on the EPA's Superfund cleanup list. The Livermore site, along with all of the other major DOE facilities, needs remediation -- not NIF. Frankly, Senator, as a Livermore-based organization, we have heard from lab scientists at Livermore, Los Alamos and Sandia who express deep concerns that NIF will have a negative impact on their research programs -- endeavors that in many cases we find more worthy than building and operating a mega-laser. Too, we have despaired of the possibility that the DOE or Livermore Lab management will act responsibly in this matter. It is of paramount importance that the Senate take action this year to prevent more good money being thrown after bad. Sincerely, Marylia Kelley Executive Director, Tri-Valley CAREs Marylia Kelley Executive Director, Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment) 2582 Old First Street Livermore, CA 94550 Phone: 1-925-443-7148 Fax: 1-925-443-0177 Web site: http://www.igc.org/tvc - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2000 18:28:43 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) Defence Secy Cohen in Sydney Tomorrow - Let Him Know How You Feel about NMD/BMD US Defence Secretary William Cohen will be arriving in the fair city of Sydney tomorrow. On monday he'll be discussing a number of defence issues with foreign minister Downer and defence minister John Moore. A number of Australian NGOs and two federal parliamentarians have put their names to a letter which asks that the US not proceed with NMD, and which draws Cohen's attention to the resolution passed recently (29 June) by the Senate in Canberra. A similar letter has been sent to foreign minister Downer, asking him to make representations to Cohen on BMD. Unfortunately the Australian government seems to want to be 'understanding' on BMD. Secy Cohen has a fax number while he's in Australia. It is 61-2-9221-0551. Write 'Defence Secy William S. Cohen, C/O Don Q. Washington ' on the fax. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2000 11:24:17 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: FW: Commission on National Security Space Management and Org. Holds F >Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2000 01:17:49 -0400 > >= N E W S R E L E A S E >= >= OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE >= (PUBLIC AFFAIRS) >= WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301 >= >= PLEASE NOTE DATE >==================================================== > >No. 405-00 >(703)695-0192(media) >IMMEDIATE RELEASE >July 13, 2000 >(703)697-5737(public/industry) >COMMISSION ON NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION HOLDS >FIRST MEETING >The legislatively-mandated Commission to Assess United States National >Security Space Management and Organization held its initial organizational >meeting at the Pentagon on July 11. Chaired by former Secretary of Defense >Donald Rumsfeld, the commission has been tasked by the National Defense >Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 to investigate major changes in the >management and organization of national security space assets. >The commission consists of 13 distinguished private citizens. In addition >to Rumsfeld, members are: >Duane P. Andrews, former assistant secretary of Defense for Command, >Control, Communications and Intelligence; >Robert V. Davis, former deputy undersecretary of Defense for Space; >Howell M. Estes III, retired Air Force general and former commander of U.S. >Space Command; >Ronald R. Fogleman, retired Air Force general and former Air Force Chief of >Staff; >Jay M. Garner; retired U.S. Army general; >William R. Graham, former deputy administrator of the National Aeronautics >and Space Administration; >Charles A. Horner, retired Air Force general and former commander of U.S. >Space Command; >David E. Jeremiah, retired Navy admiral and former vice chairman of the >Joint Chiefs of Staff; >Thomas A. Moorman, retired general and former vice chief of staff of the >U.S. Air Force; >Douglas H. Necessary, former U.S. House of Representatives Committee on >Armed Services professional staff member; >Glenn K. Otis, retired U.S. Army general; and >Malcolm S. Wallop, former U.S. senator from Wyoming. >The commission's final report is due to the Congress and the secretary of >Defense in January 2000. >-END- > >-- Web version of this and other news releases: >http://www.defenselink.mil/news/#BLUETOPS >-- Subscribe or unsubscribe to this or other lists: >http://www.defenselink.mil/news/subscribe.html >-- Department of Defense home page: http://www.defenselink.mil/ >-- Today in the Department of Defense: >http://www.defenselink.mil/news/DailySummary.html > - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ End of abolition-usa-digest V1 #340 *********************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.