From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #376 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 Monday, September 11 2000 Volume 01 : Number 376 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 08 Sep 2000 07:48:14 -0400 From: Ellen Thomas Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/09/08 - Daybook; Presidential Candidates; Activist Announcements 1) Daybook, Washington Times and AFP, September 8, 2000 http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-200098212048.htm 9:30 a.m. =97 Government Reform, national security, veterans affairs, and international relations subcommittee holds a hearing on National Missile Defense: Test Failures and Technology Development. Location: 2154 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-5074. 2) Presidential Candidates - - Al Gore - =20 10:40 a.m. =97 Discusses the importance of job training, Student Life Center, Building 7, Delgado Community College, New Orleans. 7:10 p.m. =97 Addresses a Democratic National Committee dinner, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Atlanta. - --- - - George W. Bush - Warrendale PA and Springfield MO 8:30 a.m. - Social Security Reform, Marconi Communications, 1000 Fore Drive, Warrendale, Pennsylvania, (724) 742-4444=20 10:45 a.m. - Missouri Victory 2000 rally, DMP (Digital Monitoring Products) Hanger, Springfield/Branson Regional Airport, 2823 North General Aviation Avenue, Springfield, Missouri, (417) 869-1990=20 - --- - - Ralph Nader - Santa Fe and Farmington, New Mexico 9:45 - 10:30 AM - Press Conference, Hotel Santa Fe, 1501 Paseo De Palarta, Santa Fe, NM=20 4:15 pm - 5:00 pm Speech/Rally, Henderson Fine Arts Center, San Juan College, 4601 College Blvd, Farmington, NM=20 - ---- 3) Announcements - - PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Susi Snyder=20 September 6, 2000 702-647-3095 LAS VEGAS DECLARED NUCLEAR-FREE ZONE This morning the Mayor and City Council of Las Vegas passed resolution R-85-2000, declaring Las Vegas a Nuclear Free Zone. This resolution opposes legislation that would allow the transportation, storage or production of spent nuclear fuel, high-level nuclear waste, and low-level radioactive waste within the City of Las Vegas. The resolution also supports the on site storage of spent nuclear fuel, a shift in federal funding for nuclear waste disposal studies, and the research and use of alternative renewable energy sources. ___________________________________________________ Today's News and Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm Submit URL/Article: mailto:NucNews@onelist.com OneList Archives: http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews (subscribe online) Subscribe to NucNews Briefs: mailto:prop1@prop1.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 (a-z): George W. Bush - http://www.GeorgeWBush.com -= http://64.92.133.170/Calendar.asp Pat Buchanan - http://www.gopatgo2000.com/default.htm Al Gore - http://www.algore2000.com/ Ralph Nader - http://www.votenader.org/press.html (Please send other sites of qualified candidates.) Other Excellent News-Collecting Sites - Downwinders - http://www.egroups.com/group/downwinders DOE Watch - http://www.egroups.com/group/doewatch Online Petition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - http://www.PetitionOnline.com/prop1/petition.html Distributed without payment for research and educational=20 purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. - - 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, 08 Sep 2000 09:09:40 -0400 From: "Howard W. Hallman" Subject: (abolition-usa) SURVEY OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES EXPOSES DIFFERENCES ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS Dear Friends, Alice Slater sent out the results of our survey by religious leaders of presidential candidates on nuclear disarmament issues. If anyone would like the survey report as an attachment in Word format, please let me know. We also have Ralph Nader's answers to the ten questions in the same format. As you study the replies, you will note that Vice President Gore and Governor Bush failed to answer Howard Hallman Howard W. Hallman, Chair Methodists United for Peace with Justice 1500 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 Phone/fax: 301 896-0013; e-mail: mupj@igc.org Methodists United for Peace with Justice is a membership association of laity and clergy. It has no affiliation with any Methodist denomination. - - 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, 08 Sep 2000 13:25:23 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: Nuclear Story Dear Friends, Here's a signficant shift in the law regarding burden of proof. >>Nuclear Reaction >> >> How a key ruling re-energized a firm's >> foundering cancer crusade >> >> Gail Diane Cox >> The Recorder >> September 6, 2000 >> >> >> >> It's one thing to lose a case. It's another >> to lose after a six-week federal trial that >> took just three hours for a jury to decide >> -- unanimously. >> >> Worse yet, this debacle in March 1998 was >> the third straight trial failure in a >> campaign by Los Angeles' Howarth & >> Smith to hold the San Onofre Nuclear >> Generating Station responsible for >> leukemia that had stricken a handful of >> people who had been in or around the >> plant in the mid-1980s. >> >> "The jurors we interviewed afterward from >> all three juries told us exactly the same >> thing," litigator Don Howarth recalls. They >> could not -- as required by a jury >> instruction -- conclude that in a universe >> full of radiation, a particular ray from >> leaking fuel rods at San Onofre had >> actually caused the frequently fatal form >> of leukemia. >> >> "We'd spent years of trying to prove the >> impossible," Howarth says. "Medical >> science can't prove exactly which of many >> potential causes triggers a cancer, and >> that's another way of saying that given >> those jury instructions, the plaintiff can't >> win." >> >> After that third trial on behalf of cancer >> victims and their survivors, Howarth and >> his partner, Suzelle Smith, convened the >> plaintiffs, including those in four similar >> pending suits. They then laid out a >> double-or-nothing strategy: Unless they >> could convince the 9th U.S. Circuit Court >> of Appeals to change the jury instruction >> regarding causation, they would have to >> give up. >> >> On July 20, climaxing Howarth's >> seven-year crusade, a 9th Circuit panel >> changed the instruction. The third case >> can be retried, and all future cases can go >> to trial, under a drastically lowered >> standard for tort liability. >> >> "This is the first appellate ruling in a >> nuclear power plant case in 25 years -- >> that is, the first since Silkwood -- that >> does not further insulate the industry >> from liability," Smith says. >> >> "I remember opening the envelope from >> the court," Howarth adds, "and, when I >> quit going 'wow,' yelling out to her that >> justice delayed is still justice achieved." >> >> The new instruction requires a plaintiff to >> show only that exposure to radiation "in >> reasonable medical probability was a >> substantial factor" contributing to the risk >> of developing cancer. At its broadest, it >> substitutes "risk" for "actual cause." And >> the court noted in Kennedy v. Southern >> California Edison Co., 98-56157, that the >> chance of increased risk theoretically >> could be as small as one in 100,000 for a >> jury to find liability. >> >> Industrial concerns were quick to oppose >> the ruling. The California Chamber of >> Commerce, the American Chemistry >> Council and the National Association of >> Manufacturers are among those urging >> reconsideration. >> >> "If unmodified, liability for alleged injury >> associated with exposure to chemical >> products will be virtually unlimited," reads >> an amicus brief that Los Angeles' Gibson, >> Dunn & Crutcher submitted on their >> behalf. Citing the risk to the California >> economy, the brief, also representing >> Lockheed Martin Corp., Phillips Petroleum >> and Pfizer Inc., concludes that Kennedy is >> a "fundamental reordering of ... a >> plaintiff's burden of proof." >> >> If the unanimous panel headed by Judge >> Michael Hawkins holds its ground, and the >> 9th Circuit doesn't intervene en banc, >> both sides agree the U.S. Supreme Court >> comes next. >> >> Howarth insists he isn't worried about >> facing the combined forces of Los >> Angeles-based firms Paul, Hastings, >> Janofsky & Walker and Munger, Tolles & >> Olson, representing Southern California >> Edison Co. in addition to Gibson, Dunn. >> Ironically, years ago it might have been >> him, rather than Gibson, Dunn partner >> Robert Loewen, who wrote the amicus >> brief challenging the Kennedy ruling. >> >> Loewen, from Gibson Dunn's Irvine, Calif., >> office, notes that Howarth built a career at >> Gibson Dunn defending asbestos cases. >> "You can bet Don wouldn't have thought >> much of this jury instruction then," he >> says. >> >> But in 1985, Howarth earned himself a >> footnote in the annals of law firm heresy >> when he became the first partner to leave >> Gibson Dunn to strike out on his own, >> taking three promising associates, one of >> whom was Smith. At the time, he didn't >> express a burning desire to represent >> plaintiffs but rather to escape big-firm >> bureaucracy, which he complained was >> "risk averse." >> >> By 1993, the date of the first San Onofre >> filing, Howarth & Smith had a statewide >> reputation for beguiling juries. But with >> fewer than 20 lawyers, the decision to >> take on the nuclear power industry -- on >> contingency -- was a sizable risk. Each >> trial has cost about $500,000, Smith >> notes, and that doesn't include several >> million dollars worth of lawyer hours >> expended over the years. >> >> No one disputes that San Onofre's >> operators identified some 100 defective >> fuel rods in 1983 and chose to wait 18 >> months until the next scheduled overhaul >> to replace them. The Nuclear Regulatory >> Commission levied a $100,000 fine for >> safety violations. Located 40 miles north >> of San Diego, the Southern California >> Edison plant generates 20 percent of >> Southern California's electricity. >> >> The first plaintiff was R.C. Tang, who >> worked for the Nuclear Regulatory >> Commission at San Onofre for two years. >> In her case, and the subsequent cases >> that Howarth & Smith filed, the cancer was >> chronic myelogenous leukemia. It is a >> blood disease seen in survivors of the >> atomic attacks on Hiroshima and >> Nagasaki. Although the only known cause >> is radiation exposure, the latency period >> can be so long that many victims have no >> record of contamination. >> >> The Tang jury hung in February 1994. The >> case settled confidentially. >> >> The second plaintiff was Glen "Jimmy" >> James, an electrical engineer at the plant. >> The defense argued in both cases that >> the plaintiffs' exposure was less than has >> been designated acceptable in >> industrywide standards. Howarth and >> Smith failed to score with their >> counterargument that the exposure was >> underestimated because it didn't include >> "fuel fleas" -- microscopic but dense >> fragments that are a byproduct of leaking >> rods and that arguably can lodge in hair >> and clothing, and even meandering cats, >> to follow workers home and irradiate their >> families and neighborhoods. >> >> In the Kennedy case, the victim was >> married to a man who worked at San >> Onofre. She died of chronic myelogenous >> leukemia in 1996. The widower and their >> four children sued, and if this summer's >> 9th Circuit opinion holds, they qualify for >> a second chance to show that Southern >> California Edison as well as the >> manufacturer of the rods are to blame for >> her death. >> >> The four remaining lawsuits on file are a >> mix of claims by former workers with >> cancer and their widows. >> >> Next time, Howarth and Smith won't have >> to rely so heavily on fuel fleas. As the >> amicus brief notes, "acceptable" risk >> levels established in 1986 by regulators >> for operating nuclear power plants -- >> formerly a slam-dunk defense -- exceed >> the one-in-100,000 range the court >> articulated in Kennedy. >> >> Led by John Reding at the San Francisco >> office of Los Angeles-based Paul >> Hastings, the defendants are focusing on >> the Price-Anderson Act, in which Congress >> said nuclear power plant cases are to be >> tried in federal courts under the >> substantive law of the state where the >> alleged tort took place. Congress >> intended uniformity. The defense argues >> that other federal courts have required >> actual causation for radiation tort liability. >> >> The amicus brief opposing the 9th Circuit >> ruling focuses on the court's reliance on >> Rutherford v. Owens-Illinois Inc., 16 Cal. >> 4th 953, an asbestos case that sets a >> strict liability standard. Rutherford was >> different from Kennedy, they maintain, >> because in Rutherford, causation was >> already established, and the jury used >> risk merely to allocate blame among >> multiple manufacturers. >> >> And what if, as Don Howarth maintains, >> medical science can't be definitive enough >> to prove causation for radiation-linked >> cancers? >> >> "Sounds like a reason not to assign >> liability," Loewen replies. >> >> >> >> >> Howarth & Smith's Dan >> Howarth >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> - - 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, 08 Sep 2000 18:05:27 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: DOEisms from DNFSB weeklies, Hanford's laissez faire management, Oak Ridge's fait >Date: Fri, 08 Sep 2000 16:48:44 -0400 >Subject: DOEisms from DNFSB weeklies, Hanford's laissez faire management, Oak Ridge's fait >Priority: non-urgent >X-FC-MachineGenerated: true >To: bananas@lists.speakeasy.org, nix-mox@egroups.com >From: donmoniak@earthlink.net (donmoniak@earthlink.net) > >U.S.A. Today's three part series exposing more nuclear negligence in the >U.S. Nuclear Weapons Program properly points out that today's nuclear >weapons production activities are far safer than those found at commercial >contractor sites. However, a casual review of recent Department of Energy >Nuclear Weapons Complex oversight reports suggests that not as much has >changed in terms of attitude since the 1950's as DOE would have us believe. >At best, safety attitudes have certainly not kept pace with progress in >safety technology. > >The last month of weekly reports from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety >Board (http://www.dnfsb.gov/weekly.html) shows resistance to meeting safety >criteria for storing plutonium, reluctance to incorporate undesirable data >at Oak Ridge, nuclear safety oversight from cushy offices at Hanford, > >From Hanford, 8/4/00, is a narrative that suggests that office safety is >taken as seriously, or more seriously than nuclear safety, and engineers >overseeing safety are comfortable with procedures that do not require >hands-on safety checks: > >"A Site Rep review of all the assessments, appraisals, and surveillances, >performed by DOE-Richland over the last 3 quarters found that nearly all >the reviews had been conducted by facility representatives. The Office for >Engineering and Standards did not perform any reviews. The Analysis and >Evaluation (A&E) division only conducted 11 reviews. Lack of resources is >the >excuse for the low number of reviews. With resources so tight, it was >surprising that reviews of >office safety and a safety leadership course were among the highest >priorities. Many of the >technical reviews were in response to Board inquiries (i.e., readiness >reviews, welding quality >assurance). The absence of field assessments is reflected in the scarcity >of facility entries by >DOE engineering staff. During the last 10 months, the average Engineering >staff had only 1.8 >entries, and the Occupational Health and Safety and the Nuclear Safety team >members were >considerably lower. Unfortunately, a review of Engineering procedures found >that nearly all the >responsibilities can be met without ever leaving the Federal building. The >repeated response >from the Engineering organization is that they will go to the field if >asked, but will not do so on their own initiative to oversee their area of >expertise. (1-B,1-C)" > >go to http://www.dnfsb.gov/weekly/hanford/hd2000.htm > >Also at Hanford, 8/11/00, it has been discovered that Transuranic Waste >Drums that are unvented can reach explosive concentrations at a frequency >more than ten times greater than Hanford's official estimates. The official >estimate is 0.46% of drums while the real world shows 5%. > >From Oak Ridge, The Defense Boad reported on July 28 in regard to the >ongoing efforts to startup Enrich Uranium Operations (EUO) Reduction >Operations that management "is practicing what can best be described as >“faith-based management” and seems resistive to exercising technical >inquisitiveness and operational formality...Underlying the above symptoms >appears to be a deep-seated belief that there is no safety hazard >associated with this operation and the above questions/concerns are >superfluous." The Rep cites three instances where safety managers are only >using data that supports their contentions while ignoring conflicting >data. > >From Savannah River Site is the ongoing saga of reduced efforts to make >plutonium storage as safe as possible. On 8/11/00 the site rep reported >that, "DOE-Savannah River is currently unwilling to commit to meeting the >Interim Safe Storage Criteria (ISSC)" regarding the storage of plutonium >metal and oxides at SRS. DOE jettisoned plans for new safe storage >facilities about a year ago, and has pursued storing plutonium metals and >oxides in shipping containers within the old K Reactor as well as upgrading >a storage facility in the F Canyon (Building 235-F). >The Defense board rep noted that "The long-term lack of a technical basis >for current storage conditions was a DOE finding in the recent FB-Line Type >B Investigation." SRS was just fined $222,000 for contaminating several >workers with plutonium last year during FB Line plutonium operations. > > >--- Donald Moniak >--- donmoniak@earthlink.net >--- EarthLink: It's your Internet. > - - 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: Sat, 09 Sep 2000 18:18:50 -0400 From: Ellen Thomas Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/09/09 - Daybook; Presidential Candidates; Activist Announcements [NucNews archives have been updated through August 31, 2000 at http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm. et] Announcements - - Message from Andres Thomas Conteris , who's been fasting for Vieques since July 25th. "Please take action by coming to Washington on Friday, Sept. 22, 2000 at noon, Lafayette Park across from the White House for the National Day in Solidarity with the People of Vieques.= If President Clinton does not grant the long-requested meeting prior to then,= the fast will enter Day 60 with 40 on water-only. If you cannot make it to Washington, plan to go to New York City on Saturday October 21, 2000 for a March for Peace in Vieques. For details see: www.viequesfast.org "=20 - - Coordinating meeting for the Global Peace Walk 2000 - D.C.- next= Wednesday, September 13th at 6pm @ The Gray Panther Office, 711 8th St., NW. The submission deadline for many publications is Sept. 15th and so we need to ground the schedule. We need help!=20 Around October 4th or 5th, the walk will be arriving, crossing over= the Memorial Bridge. Thus we will be discussing how to gather people to walk together and how to best communicate the many messages/angles that comprise "Global Peace Now!"=20 We will also talk of a big ceremony/action/prayer day for Columbus= Day, October 9th...how to get a big circle of people to hold hands around the Washington Monument in a universal human resolve for "Global Peace Now!" We would also like to put on a concert.=20 After October 12th, Indigenous Peoples' Day, we will head up the= East Coast Corridor to the UN by October 23rd and 24th and create a Spiritual Environemental Summit of indigenous elders and environmental NGO's. -- [Crispin Clarke, walk co-coordinator, 202 244 3407, -7373 fax, mailto:GPZONE2000@aol.com] - - WILPF NY Metro is organizing a seminar on National Missile Defense: From= the Local to the Global - WHEN: September 16, 2000; 11:00am - 4:00pm=20 WHERE: New School Graduate Faculty Building, Swayduck Auditorium, 65 5th Avenue, New York City - [Stephanie Fraser =20 - - LAS VEGAS DECLARED NUCLEAR-FREE ZONE On September 7, 2000, the Mayor and City Council of Las Vegas passed= resolution R-85-2000, declaring Las Vegas a Nuclear Free Zone. This resolution opposes legislation that would allow the transportation, storage or production of= spent nuclear fuel, high-level nuclear waste, and low-level radioactive waste= within the City of Las Vegas. The resolution also supports the on site storage of spent nuclear fuel, a shift in federal funding for nuclear waste disposal studies, and the research and use of alternative renewable energy sources.= =20 [Date: Thu, 07 Sep 2000 17:47:34 -0700 ] - - The Institute of Medicine report which includes a discussion of depleted uranium can be read online by going to http://www.nap.edu, entering 'Gulf= War' in the title search, and then clicking on the title of the report. The= report recommends a substantial amount of research on the health effects of DU, in addition to better exposure estimates. And so the debate continues. [From: Daniel Fahey ] - - SURVEY OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES EXPOSES DIFFERENCES ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS; Bush and Gore Fail to Answer Morality Question WASHINGTON, DC =AD On behalf of 48 religious leaders from a= cross-section of faith groups, Catholic Bishop Thomas Gumbleton and United Methodist= Bishop C. Dale White have released a new ten question survey of presidential candidates on nuclear weapons and disarmament. Replies from George W. Bush,= Al Gore, and Ralph Nader reveal policy differences on several issues. Only= Nader answered all ten questions of the survey. Neither Reform Party candidate responded. The complete survey results are available online at http://www.umc-gbcs.org/whatsnew.htm . [CONTACT: Adam Eidinger or Howard Hallman, 202-986-6186 or 301-896-0013.] - - Harry Browne for President, Libertarian Party http://www.harrybrowne2000.org/ [Carol Moore= ] ___________________________________________________ Today's News and Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm Submit URL/Article: mailto:NucNews@onelist.com OneList Archives: http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews (subscribe online) Subscribe to NucNews Briefs: mailto:prop1@prop1.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 (a-z): George W. Bush - http://www.GeorgeWBush.com -= http://64.92.133.170/Calendar.asp Pat Buchanan - http://www.gopatgo2000.com/default.htm Al Gore - http://www.algore2000.com/ Ralph Nader - http://www.votenader.org/press.html (Please send other sites of qualified candidates.) Other Excellent News-Collecting Sites - Downwinders - http://www.egroups.com/group/downwinders DOE Watch - http://www.egroups.com/group/doewatch Online Petition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - http://www.PetitionOnline.com/prop1/petition.html Distributed without payment for research and educational=20 purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. - - 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: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 08:52:00 -0400 From: Ellen Thomas Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/09/11 - Daybook; Presidential Candidates; Activist Announcements Washington Times Daybook, September 11, 2000, Agence France Presse http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000911212517.htm (No "nuclear" events.) - -- PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES -- - - George W. Bush 12:30 p.m. - Visit with senior citizens, Top of the World Senior Center, Reaction Center, 2069 World Parkway Boulevard, Clearwater, Florida 33763 6:15 p.m. - Airport welcome, Galaxy Aviation, 3800 Southern Boulevard, West Palm Beach, 561-683-4121 - - Al Gore - Schedule unknown; You may fax scheduling requests to (615) 340-3160 - - Ralph Nader next two weeks Tuesday, Sept 12: Ralph Nader on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno Wednesday, Sept 13 - Los Angeles , CA 6:00 - 8:00 PM - Fundraising Reception with Ralph, Home of Carol and Frank Biondi,110 North Rockingham Avenue, Los Angeles, CA mailto:darci@votenader.org 8:00 PM - Nader Speech at University of Southern, California, Bovard Auditorium, doors open at 7:30 PM, Campus Contacts: Minta Ershaghi, 310-245-0255 and Todd Chretien, 510-333-4604 Thursday, Sept 14 - San Francisco and San Jose CA 2:00 PM - Nader Speech at San Francisco State University, McKenna Theatre Campus; Contacts: Leticia Arellano, 415-346-8418 and Todd Chretien, 510-333-4604 7 PM - Nader Speech at San Jose State University, Morris Dailey Auditorium; Campus Contacts: Dale Weaver, 408-504-5504 and Todd Chretien, 510-333-4604 Saturday, Sept 16 - Mystic, CT 5:00 - 7:00 PM - Talk on Renewable Energy and Reception with Winona LaDuke, CT Coalition Against Millstone Storefront, 13 Water Street, Contact: 860-572-7551 Sunday, Sept 17 - Boston, MA 5:00 - 7:00 PM - Reception with Winona LaDuke, Boston, Massachusetts, For more info and to RSVP mailto:leslie@votenader.org Wednesday, Sept 20 - Madison, WI 5:00 - 7:00 PM - Reception with Ralph Nader, Madison Civic Center Starlight Room, 211 State Street, Madison, WI, RSVP to Robert McChesney mailto:rwmcches@uiuc.edu Friday, September 22 - Minneapolis, MN 5:30 - 7 PM - Reception with Ralph Nader and Winona LaDuke, Target Center Hospitality Suite, for more info and to RSVP mailto:leslie@votenader.org 7:00 PM - The Target Center - SUPER RALLY, Ralph Nader with Michael Moore, 600 First Avenue North (downtown Minneapolis), Doors open 5 pm. For tickets contact: (612) 332-7170 or visit the campaign office, evenings, at 1029 Washington Ave. South http://www.MNGreens.org Saturday, Sept. 23 - Seattle, WA 5:30 to 7 PM - Reception with Ralph Nader & Jim Hightower, Private Room at Key Arena Seattle, WA, For more info mailto:leslie@votenader.org 7:00 PM - The Key Arena - SUPER RALLY, Ralph Nader with Jim Hightower, Doors open 5 pm. - To order tickets by phone: (206) 329-2441, To buy in person: 2215 E. Union Street (23rd and, Union) in Seattle or call (206) 329-2441 for other, distribution outlets. Visit the Seattle Super Rally Webpage! http://www.voters.net/nader/seaevent.htm - -- ANNOUNCEMENTS -- - -- D.C. - - Help Stop DoE's Plutonium Development for Space by Monday Please act by Monday to place your statements on record to the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) to stop their development of Plutonium-238 for space. This direction continues, like Cassini, so clearly stated by Dr. John Gofman as an act of "organized insanity." With problems like Global Warming, under nourished people and political instability, this direction for plutonium is simply irresponsible. Please place your statements on record by E-mail, fax and/or telephone by this Monday, September 11. SEND COMMENTS TO: Colette E. Brown, U.S. Department of Energy, NE-50, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290; by fax (toll-free) at 1-877/562-4592; by phone (toll-free) at 1-877/562-4593; or by electronic mail to: Nuclear.Infrastructure-PEIS@hq.doe.gov Please send a copy of your comments to GlobeNet . - - Human Rights in the U.S.: The Unfinished Story of Political Prisoners/Victims of COINTELPRO, Thursday, September 14, 2000, 1:00 - 5:00 PM, Room 2200 Rayburn House Office Building 1:00 - 1:10 Opening of Braintrust and introduction of participants by Ms. McKinney 1:10 - 1:45 PM First section of presentations Nketchi Taifa, professor of law, Howard Univ. Law School "Overview of COINTELPRO" Kathleen Cleaver, attorney and former Communications Secretary of Black Panther Party "Importance of Political Prisoners" Michael Tarif Warren, criminal defense attorney, NYC "COINTELPRO operations against political supporters" 1:45 - 2:25 PM Video clips of interviews with prisoners ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE interviews with political prisoners Leonard Peltier, Mutulu Shakur, and Mumia Abu Jamal 2:30 - 3:30 Presentations about individual political prisoners - Bruce Ellison, defense attorney for Leonard Peltier Geronimo ji Jaga, former Black Panther leader imprisoned for 28 years due to COINTELPRO action Laura Whitehorn, released prisoner engaged in anti-war and anti-racist struggles 3:30 - 5:00 PM Moderator, Ms. McKinney Discussion with audience & panelists Audience members who are families of political prisoners, working with prisoners committees, or attorneys on political cases will be introduced and allowed to participate in answering questions and making statements as well. - - LET'S BEGIN THE MARCH HOME! The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) urges you, your family and friends to join the Palestine Refugee Return March/Rally in Washington, DC on September 16, 2000. To demand an end to five decades of exile; To demand that Palestinian refugees return to their homes & lands; To mark the 18th Anniversary of the 1982 Sabra & Shatila massacres WHEN: Saturday, September 16, 2000 11-00 AM - 4:00 PM WHERE: (Freedom Plaza) For more information contact: Right of Return Task Force Tel:202.244.2990, e-mail or Palestine Right to Return Coalition http://www.al-awda.org - -- ELSEWHERE: - - NUNS PLOWSHARE ACTION AT SPACE COMMAND Five women , Carol Gilbert OP, Jackie Hudson OP, Anne Montgomery RSCJ, Liz Walters IHM, and Ardeth Platte OP, representing three religious orders in the Catholic Church, naming themselves the SACRED EARTH AND SPACE PLOWSHARES entered Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs for the purpose of "hammering swords into plowshares" (Micah 6:8.) Their prophetic action which commenced at about 10:15 AM, consisted of all five women acting in concert against a mockup of the Milstar communications satellite and a Warthog A-10 aircraft. In each case the activists hammered on and then poured blood on the objects of war in question. As they were being arrested they unfurled two banners which contained an earth -sky logo and an inscription reading "Sacred Earth & Space Plowshares 2000". They then began to read their statements (cf. statement below) They were detained by Air Force security and were later taken into custody by local police and taken to the El Paso County jail. Charges are pending. [Date: Sat, 09 Sep 2000 19:50:33 +0100, From: Elizabeth McAlister ] - - NRC OFFICIALS, INDIAN POINT 2 MANAGERS TO DISCUSS PERFORMANCE ISSUES - New York, September 11, 7 p.m. Two high-ranking Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials will meet with senior managers of the Indian Point 2 nuclear power plant on September 11 to discuss performance issues at the Buchanan, N.Y., facility. The meeting of Hubert J. Miller, the NRC's Region I administrator, and Roy Zimmerman, deputy director of the agency's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, with Consolidated Edison Company of New York managers follows a decision by NRC senior managers in May to classify the plant as one that warrants "agency focus," or heightened scrutiny. The meeting, which will be open for public observation, will begin at 7 p.m. at the plant's Energy Education Center, at Broadway and Bleakley Avenue in Buchanan. NRC officials will remain afterward to answer questions and receive comments from members of the public. - - http://www.sightings.com Monday September 11, 10:00pm eastern, the Jeff Rense program will interview Jim Phelps and me on nuclear weapons workers exposures and other nuclear matters. You can listen to the show on syndicated radio or via Real Player or Windows Media from the link above. [Scott Portzline ] - - Support the Philly protesters in court on 9/16 The 400 protesters who were arrested during the Republican Convention will be appearing in court on three Saturdays in September- the 16th, 23rd, and 30th. We would greatly appreciate any support on those dates. We are scheduled to appear at the Criminal Justice Building (1301 Filbert) starting at 8am. Many of the arrests were part of a preemptive strike by the police. We are essentially being charged with conspiracy to attend a protest. This effort to criminalize protest effects everyone. Most people who attend protests are given summary citations. But the city says that we will be prosecuted fully. That's in addition to being abused in jail and having our property destroyed or stolen. If you have any questions please feel free to call the R2K Legal Collective at 215-704-0911, or visit www.phillyimc.org. - - BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY? A public dialogue on Violence/Non-Violence: Tactics, Strategy and Perspectives in Political Action TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 7:00 PM AT THE NEW COLLEGE THEATER 777 Valencia Street (between 18th and 19th -- 16th Street BART) in San Francisco Panel presentation with: Alli STARR, Art and Revolution; David HILLIARD, Black Panther Party; Jackie CABASSO, Western States Legal Foundation; John SELLERS, Ruckus Society; Rod CORONADO, Animal Liberation Front Moderator: Kris WELCH, KPFA Radio JOIN us for a public dialogue about non-violence and violence in social change movements. What is non-violence? When (if ever) is violence justified? What are the most effective strategies and tactics? What beliefs are in play? What are the risks? Is property destruction violence? Join in a discussion with speakers representing diverse viewpoints and activist experiences -- from the WTO protest in Seattle to the battles against whale slaughter on the high seas, from the legacy of the Black Panther Party to anti-nuclear protests and the practice of non-violent direct action. This program is the first in a series of public events exploring movements for global justice and the environment presented by New College's Center for Education and Social Action. For more information call (415) 437-3425 or contact Philip Klasky at (415) 752-8678 - - The Fourth Freedom Forum is pleased to announce the publication of IN SEARCH OF THE FOURTH FREEDOM, by Howard Brembeck.The culmination of twenty years of reflection on the need for a more lawful, peaceful world, this book offers a timely and provocative prescription for reducing the threat posed by nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. I believe that your constituency will be interested in learning about this book, and I invite you to link to the information page about the the book on the Fourth Freedom Forum's website. The URL is: www.fourthfreedom.org/about/insearchof.html You may prefer instead to link to the Fourth Freedom Forum's home page at www.fourthfreedom.org. - - NATIONAL CONVENTION for NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT and PEACE, 11-13 November 2000, Delhi On behalf of the Organising Committee, we would like to invite you/a representative of your organisation to the National Convention that is going to be held in New Delhi from 11 to 13 November 2000. Your presence at the Convention would be especially valuable as a representative of the global peace movement and the world-wide effort for nuclear restraint and disarmament. It will give you and peace activists from here an opportunity to share ideas and experiences. We will provide board, lodging and transport during your stay in Delhi, including some home-stays. In Solidarity, N.D.Jayaprakash, On behalf of the Organising Committee, National Convention for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace, C/o Delhi Science Forum, B -1, Second Floor, L.S.C., J - Block, Saket, New Delhi 110017, INDIA Tel. nos.+91-11-652-4324; +91-11-652-2053; Telefax: +91-11-686-2716 E-mail: mailto:natcon2000@fnmail.com - - The winners of the Nuclear Free Future Award 2000: Resistance: Eugene Bourgeois, Normand de la Chevrotiere, and Robert McKenzie (Ontario) Education: Yuri I. Kuidin (Kazakhstan) [who died a few weeks ago] Solutions: The Barefoot College of Tilonia (India) Lifetime Achievement Award: Klaus Traube (Germany) The award ceremony will be held on October 15, 2000, in Berlin, Germany. See also [From: Peter Diehl ] - - ACTION ALERT: Contact NBC and CNN to Call for Inclusive Debates A previous FAIR action alert (8/25/00) called on citizens to urge the Commission on Presidential Debates to include viable third-party presidential candidates. Now, media activists and pro-democracy advocates need to speak out promptly.ACTION: Call on NBC/Meet the Press and CNN/Larry King Live to invite qualified third-party candidates to join Bush and Gore in the debates. As always, please remember that your comments are taken more seriously if you maintain a polite tone. Please cc fair@fair.org with your correspondence. CONTACT: Tim Russert, Moderator, "Meet the Press" and NBC News Senior Vice President 4001 Nebraska Ave. NW, Washington DC 20016 Phone: 202-885-4598 Fax: 202-362-2009 mailto:mtp@msnbc.com Andrew Lack NBC News President 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 Phone: 212-664-4611 CNN's "Larry King Live" Larry King, Host 6430 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028 Phone: 323-993-5101 Fax: 323-993-5171 Fax: 202-898-7686 mailto:cnn.feedback@cnn.com Frank Sesno CNN Senior Vice President and Washington Bureau Chief 820 First St. NE Washington DC 20002 Phone: 202-898-7900 Fax: 202-898-7923 - ---------- Feel free to respond to FAIR ( fair@fair.org ). - - High Court Challenge to Trident Warheads A legal case challenging the UK Government's continued manufacture of Trident warheads will take place at the High Court, London on 13th -15th September 2000. [From: Stephen Kobasa ] - - The Sunflower is a free, monthly e-newsletter providing educational information on nuclear weapons abolition and other issues relating to global security. Back issues are available at http://www.wagingpeace.org/sf/index.html EVENTS for the year 2000 are now listed at Http://www.wagingpeace.org/calendar/events_current.html [From: Abolition 2000 ] ___________________________________________________ Today's News and Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm Submit URL/Article: mailto:NucNews@onelist.com OneList Archives: http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews (subscribe online) Subscribe to NucNews Briefs: mailto:prop1@prop1.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 (a-z): George W. Bush - http://www.GeorgeWBush.com - http://64.92.133.170/Calendar.asp Pat Buchanan - http://www.gopatgo2000.com/default.htm Al Gore - http://www.algore2000.com/ Ralph Nader - http://www.votenader.org/press.html (Please send other sites of qualified candidates.) Other Excellent News-Collecting Sites - Downwinders - http://www.egroups.com/group/downwinders DOE Watch - http://www.egroups.com/group/doewatch Online Petition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - http://www.PetitionOnline.com/prop1/petition.html Distributed without payment for research and educational purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. - - 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. 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