Thirteen atomic documentaries and movies from eleven countries were awarded five Yellow Oscars and eight Special Recognitions at a ceremony held in the Modern Art Museum Cinematique. What an array of films to choose from, though; more than sixty movies, documentaries and animations from over twenty countries! This is the link to the winners: http://www.scribd.com/doc/226956062/Yellow-Oscar-Winners-2014
The good news, for me, is that although the festival is over, the films are archived and you can find trailers and whole films under 'past IUFF's' and look at them again, at the website of the International Uranium Film Festival. The festival also travels to different countries around the world. I'd love to write about them all tonight, but at least I can reference them and write about them in future posts. It's one thing saying " Do you remember that bit in the film where...." and another to be able to say "Here's the link to..." and let people who may never have seen it, understand what is so important about it.
So "Thank you" to the directors of the film festival and their team and "Thank you" again to all the people who made the films.
A complete "First" for me was the use of sand animation in a beautiful tribute to the children of Chornobyl by Kseniya Simonova, called "Eternal Tears" http://simonova.tv/en/blog/article/in-rio
As a child she grew up in a seaside resort in the south of Ukraine on the Black sea, where children came from Chornobyl after the accident....but let her tell you about it, herself, in this moving little film.
What struck me as especially poignant, although she didn't mention it, was that the the clouds of radio-active contamination from the accident would probably have blown over the very place she was living as they crossed the Black Sea on their way to Turkey and other European countries.
Friday, 30 May 2014
Sunday, 18 May 2014
Common knowledge
On May 15th, in Rio de Janeiro hundreds of people took part in a march against the alleged corruption surrounding the building and re-vamping of the world cup football stadiums and against their huge cost, in a country where the money could have been spent on services to the people. There were protests in other cities as well.
I like the fact that the Brazilian people, who are famous as a nation of football lovers, have the courage and insight to stand up for what is really important.
Not far away, in the same city, in the Modern Art Museum, Flamengo Park, more uncomfortable truths were being aired on the second day of the International Uranium Film Festival.
This festival is unique, gathering together films from around the world by filmmakers who have the courage to make films about the nuclear industry process from uranium mining, to atomic bombs and nuclear waste. These films are often made with risk to the film makers themselves. They can show the real picture of what people are suffering .. they tell the truth about wind-born radioactive particles and the contaminated food chain... Sometimes the films are short animations and darkly humorous; sometimes they are fictional; sometimes, documentary.
Somewhere, they take the facts from being common knowledge to a small community of people to becoming open knowledge in the global community. When you know that the water you have to give your children to drink is contaminated, you probably want the rest of the world to know why.
I strongly recommend reading the descriptions of the films, the directors' statements and watching some of the films or the trailers, which there are links to. The progamme and notes made compulsive reading for me and left me humbler and wiser. This is the link http://www.scribd.com/doc/222613160/4th-Rio-de-Janeiro-Uranium-Film-Festival-2014-Program-English
or go directly to the festival's brilliant website http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/ and follow their direct link to the programme.
I like the fact that the Brazilian people, who are famous as a nation of football lovers, have the courage and insight to stand up for what is really important.
Not far away, in the same city, in the Modern Art Museum, Flamengo Park, more uncomfortable truths were being aired on the second day of the International Uranium Film Festival.
This festival is unique, gathering together films from around the world by filmmakers who have the courage to make films about the nuclear industry process from uranium mining, to atomic bombs and nuclear waste. These films are often made with risk to the film makers themselves. They can show the real picture of what people are suffering .. they tell the truth about wind-born radioactive particles and the contaminated food chain... Sometimes the films are short animations and darkly humorous; sometimes they are fictional; sometimes, documentary.
Somewhere, they take the facts from being common knowledge to a small community of people to becoming open knowledge in the global community. When you know that the water you have to give your children to drink is contaminated, you probably want the rest of the world to know why.
I strongly recommend reading the descriptions of the films, the directors' statements and watching some of the films or the trailers, which there are links to. The progamme and notes made compulsive reading for me and left me humbler and wiser. This is the link http://www.scribd.com/doc/222613160/4th-Rio-de-Janeiro-Uranium-Film-Festival-2014-Program-English
or go directly to the festival's brilliant website http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/ and follow their direct link to the programme.
Sunday, 4 May 2014
Brilliant short trailer for International Uranium Film Festival - Worth going viral.
This is a link to the trailer for the International Uranium Film Festival. I think it is absolutely brilliant! (It's very short). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUTjJ_drmp0
The festival is held in Rio de Janeiro a few weeks before the FIFA world cup football.
Also promoted on Nuclear-News
The festival is held in Rio de Janeiro a few weeks before the FIFA world cup football.
Also promoted on Nuclear-News
Saturday, 3 May 2014
Red sand from the Sahara
A few weeks ago a mixture of fine red sand and dust blew into Britain from the Sahara. It travelled thousands of miles before it landed and, within a few days, there were people complaining of grit in their eyes and warnings were put out for anyone with respiratory difficulties. Schools in affected areas were advised to keep children indoors during lunch and playtime.
Apparently, once lifted from the ground by strong winds, clouds of dust can reach very high altitudes and be transported worldwide, covering thousands of miles. The U.K. met office gave an elegant description and put up a short video of the route the dust took..
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/learn-about-the-weather/weather-phenomena/sahara-dust
I read that dust from the Sahara has been blown as far as Florida, five thousands miles away.
As usual, this set me thinking.
We know that the sand was there, because we could see it, feel it, cough it, sneeze it. It was definitely there. We also know that one of the ways radioactive particles can travel is in dust blown into the air and carried in the same way as the sand. We can't see them and we may not know that they are doing us any harm until years later, but there they are, hitching a lift in a dust storm and no passport control can keep them out.
This week Mochizuki posted in Fukushima Diary that 10,000,000 Bq of Cesium-134/137 are emitted from 4 crippled reactors every single hour
http://fukushima-diary.com/2014/04/fukushima-prefectural-gov-shrank-fallout-survey-still-10-million-bq-of-cs-134137-emitted-from-fukushima-every-hour/
I don't think that the radioactivity is just going to stay around Fukushima. Meanwhile, you can understand why some parents who actually live in the area are unhappy about letting their children play outside.
How do you find out about what's really happening to people affected by the nuclear power chain? One way is from films. From May 14th to May25th, the International Uranium Film Festival in Rio De Janeiro is showing films chosen from all those submitted, at the Modern Art Museum.
http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/
It's the place to go, but if like me, you can't get there, the festival has a great website and, from past experience, once the films go up, you can learn a lot about them. They also have a good archive of films, and one of them is Abita a short animated film about children who can't play outside because of the radioactive contamination. It's about their dreams and realities and you can watch it at this link.:
http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/arquives/films/462-en/past-iuffs/iuff-2013/usa-2014/new-york-city/sunday-feb-16/at-1-30pm/1121-abita-children-from-fukushimaI
Abita is a beautifully told story, full of poetry and imagery. I just wish it hadn't had to be made.
Apparently, once lifted from the ground by strong winds, clouds of dust can reach very high altitudes and be transported worldwide, covering thousands of miles. The U.K. met office gave an elegant description and put up a short video of the route the dust took..
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/learn-about-the-weather/weather-phenomena/sahara-dust
I read that dust from the Sahara has been blown as far as Florida, five thousands miles away.
As usual, this set me thinking.
We know that the sand was there, because we could see it, feel it, cough it, sneeze it. It was definitely there. We also know that one of the ways radioactive particles can travel is in dust blown into the air and carried in the same way as the sand. We can't see them and we may not know that they are doing us any harm until years later, but there they are, hitching a lift in a dust storm and no passport control can keep them out.
This week Mochizuki posted in Fukushima Diary that 10,000,000 Bq of Cesium-134/137 are emitted from 4 crippled reactors every single hour
http://fukushima-diary.com/2014/04/fukushima-prefectural-gov-shrank-fallout-survey-still-10-million-bq-of-cs-134137-emitted-from-fukushima-every-hour/
I don't think that the radioactivity is just going to stay around Fukushima. Meanwhile, you can understand why some parents who actually live in the area are unhappy about letting their children play outside.
How do you find out about what's really happening to people affected by the nuclear power chain? One way is from films. From May 14th to May25th, the International Uranium Film Festival in Rio De Janeiro is showing films chosen from all those submitted, at the Modern Art Museum.
http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/
It's the place to go, but if like me, you can't get there, the festival has a great website and, from past experience, once the films go up, you can learn a lot about them. They also have a good archive of films, and one of them is Abita a short animated film about children who can't play outside because of the radioactive contamination. It's about their dreams and realities and you can watch it at this link.:
http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/arquives/films/462-en/past-iuffs/iuff-2013/usa-2014/new-york-city/sunday-feb-16/at-1-30pm/1121-abita-children-from-fukushimaI
Abita is a beautifully told story, full of poetry and imagery. I just wish it hadn't had to be made.
Tuesday, 1 April 2014
The EU consultation on state aid for the proposed new nuclear power plant, Hinkley Point C. Quick copy and paste submission. Closed 7/4/2014
The consultation closed 7/4/2014. THANK YOU to everyone who wrote in.
This is the submission done by Global 2000 ,which they say you are welcome to copy and paste - Just add your name, email address and the date at the end. Send to stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
You don't have to send it all and if there are any other points you want to raise, the scruffily put together facts in my last blog might be useful. There are some good links there too.
This is the submission done by Global 2000 ,which they say you are welcome to copy and paste - Just add your name, email address and the date at the end. Send to stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
You don't have to send it all and if there are any other points you want to raise, the scruffily put together facts in my last blog might be useful. There are some good links there too.
To: EU
Commission - Directorate-General
for Competition
E-mail: stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
E-mail: stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
Subject:
Hinkley Point C
I am very
concerned about the current plans of the UK government to make a new nuclear
power plant possible by granting enormous support for it.
We would like
to encourage the EU Commission to stick to its clear analysis, because we as CITIZENS/ NGOS/ BUSINESS in the UK do not want to be forced into paying a
fixed high electricity price to EDF for several decades, with no chance of the possibly
of making use of lower electricity prices.
It does not
seem fair to me, that one type of energy receives this amount of support in
addition to the fact that EDF would get this size of contract without even
having had to win a tender, because EDF simply received this deal
competition-free.
The supplier
AREVA became known in the past years for having severe problems with the
construction of its “flagship reactor” EPR on time: The ongoing cost increases!
Delay of completion is ongoing both at Olkiluoto and Flamanville, so it cannot
be expected that EDF would complete the EPR reactors at Hinkley according to
schedule. The delay at the Finnish site Olkiluoto is already 5 years, Areva was
reported as having left the construction site a month ago, so no new reliable
date is known.
There are many
more possibilities to secure the electricity supply for the UK. It does not
enhance energy diversity and independent supply if the enormous amount of up to
£17 billion in public subsidies is spent on two units of EPR.
We are
convinced that the state aid for Hinkley Point C would be at the expense of
other energy forms in the UK, because the money set aside for the support of
low-carbon projects up to 2020 (counterparty body) will be spent mostly on the
new NPP.
The Carbon Connect report[1] shows that the investors can expect bigger returns on
the Hinkley project than with comparable projects thus proving that the Hinkley
Point C project would not only receive state-aid, but to such a high level,
that it is over-compensation.
Furthermore the EU Commission made clear that the existence of market
failure need be doubted, because in Finland and in France the reactors were
ordered without granting state aid as is now planned for Hinkley. The UK government’s plan for the next NPP,
is utterly incomprehensible to us, because the EU Commission characterized the
chosen financing model (CfD – Contracts for Difference) with the following
words:
”…the CfD is conceived to entirely eliminate
market risks from the commercial activity of electricity generation, for a
period of time, the initial 35 years of operations of the plant.”
This is an extreme preference for one type of
electricity generation, one specific project of one specific investor, which we
believe the EU Commission will not see as compatible with the rules of the
Common market.
From.
Email:
First name:
Last name:
Date:
Monday, 24 March 2014
Your voice in the EU. about the proposed new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point C in Somerset.UK
A few weeks ago, Global 2000, part of Friends of The Earth, Austria, contacted me about writing to the EU commission for competition. They already have a brilliant, fast, submission for people to send, but it's in German, so here are some scruffy facts and a quick DIY guide for people I've put together in English. It would be lovely if lots of us wrote.
*****************************
Update: "copy and paste letter" now available in next post http://dandelionithappens-dendelion.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/the-eu-consultation-on-state-aid-for.html
**************************
The EU commission opened a public consultation on March 7th for a month about the U.K. state aid case for the new nuclear power plant, Hinkley Point C.
The EU
Directorate- General for Competition would really like to hear from you!
*****************************
Update: "copy and paste letter" now available in next post http://dandelionithappens-dendelion.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/the-eu-consultation-on-state-aid-for.html
**************************
The EU commission opened a public consultation on March 7th for a month about the U.K. state aid case for the new nuclear power plant, Hinkley Point C.
The more people who write, the better; you don’t have to be an expert.
You have until April 7th
to write and it’s an opportunity to tell them how the possibility of higher
electricity prices will affect you, especially if you are running a business. *Help on how to
write at the end of the post!
Background: The government would give EDF a strike price
of £92.50/MWh … (around twice the current rate) for the electricity. This would
be index linked and fixed for 35 years from the time the nuclear power plant is
supposed to start production in about 15 years’ time.
This means that householders’,
businesses’, industries’, schools’… electricity bills might have to cover much
larger energy costs than from renewables, as well as their suppliers’ costs.
The UK government would also give EDF a very large loan to help build
the nuclear power plant as well as other benefits. If they, later, build two more of the same
design at a second site at Sizewell B in Suffolk, the strike price would fall
to 89.50/MWh.
Meanwhile, the cost of solar and wind are falling and expected to go
on falling, as are the costs of other low carbon renewable energies.
Solar energy:
”The
STA [The Solar Trade Association] has asked
for a strike price of £91/MWh in 2018 and expects this to fall to £86 by 2019,
falling year on year thereafter, paid over 15 not 35 years and with no nuclear style
small print permitting a possible increase in strike price once those terms are set.”
…Quote from Seb Berry, head of public affairs at Solarcentury and board member of the STA.
…Quote from Seb Berry, head of public affairs at Solarcentury and board member of the STA.
(Ref page 6 Item 7)
http://www.nuclearpolicy.info/docs/nuclearmonitor/NFLA_New_Nuclear_Monitor_No34.pdf
http://www.nuclearpolicy.info/docs/nuclearmonitor/NFLA_New_Nuclear_Monitor_No34.pdf
Why did the Government fix a higher strike price for 2019 than they asked for?
http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/decc_unveils_new_solar_strike_prices_for_2015_onwards_2356
http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/decc_unveils_new_solar_strike_prices_for_2015_onwards_2356
Wind energy
The European Wind Energy Association says
onshore wind costs could fall to £48/MWh by the 2020s potentially making it the
U.K.’s cheapest power source.
(Also from page 6 Item 7)
And that’s just mentioning two of the low
carbon renewable energies!
The EU commission commented on the affordability of electricity from
the proposed new nuclear plant:
“The
measures, moreover, could hardly be argued to contribute towards affordability
– at least not at current prices, when it will instead and most likely
contribute to an increase in retail prices….”
Also, If you have any connections with the renewable power industry,
or you know anyone who has….the EU Directorate-General would especially like
to hear from you and them.
One of the points the
commission made was:
“The Commission notes in this
respect that a support mechanism which
is specific to nuclear energy generation might crowd out alternative investments
in technologies or combinations of technologies, including renewable energy
sources,………”
The NFLA,CNFE and Stop Hinkley
Media release says:
“Renewable technologies
will be unfairly constrained by the size of the Levy Control Framework funds available,
the bulk of which will probably be used up by Hinkley Point C after 2023,
despite the fact that solar and offshore wind are likely to be cheaper by then.”
Expert opinions have already been submitted, but this
truly is a public consultation.... Will you be able to export to Europe if other countries are paying a fraction of
our electricity costs by 2023? If
someone comes up with a great idea for a new renewable product are the funds
going to be there to help?
This is a real chance for people power .... don’t let’s waste it! You can ask the European Competition Commissioner to declare the State Aid which the UK
Government proposes to give to Hinkley Point C as illegal.
*How to write to the commissioner.
There is a list of important
points you might like to add in the media release below. Use one point, or use them all, it
doesn’t matter.
Your letter
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
To
The European Commission
The Directorate-General for Competition
State aid Registry
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200
1049 Bruxelles/Brussel
BELGIQUE/BELGIË
The European Commission
The Directorate-General for Competition
State aid Registry
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200
1049 Bruxelles/Brussel
BELGIQUE/BELGIË
Email: stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
From
first name *
Last name *
Email *
first name *
Last name *
Email *
Your Message
subject *
subject *
opinion *
Date
Date
__________________________________________________________________________________
There is more information on each of the points at
and facts at No 2 Nuclear Power
‘From “No Public Subsidy “ to “State Aid”’
And a Greenpeace briefing http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/media/press-releases/hinkley-c-greenpeace-statement-and-briefing-20131021
and this is the link to the full EU document!
Wednesday, 19 February 2014
See it, even read about it, don't miss it.
As I write this blog, it's around one o'clock in New York City, and it's around six o'clock in London. This means that if I were planning on what to do, if I were New York City this afternoon or evening, I'd perhaps have time to think about going to a film.. and if I was going to a film, I know where I'd be heading.
Today is the last day of the travelling Uranium Film Festival's stop over in the USA.
Film after film by courageous, innovative and talented directors have been shown over the past few days and culminate in an evening of three films, "08:15 de 1945", "In My Lifetime" and the film based on the famous book of the same name, "Quietly Into The Disaster"...
To find out more, go to the festival's website, http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/traveling-festival/usa-2014/new-york-city/wednesday-feb-19
Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic, a report which has taken two years to compile was launched by NIS, The Nuclear Information Service, and Medact. It states that over fifty (over one third) of British Universities have received funding from the Atomic Weapons Establishment. http://www.nuclearinfo.org/article/awe-aldermaston/atoms-peace-investigation-int-links-between-uk-universities-and-atomic
I am so grateful for the people who keep showing us what is happening, when a whole lot of other people would rather they didn't!
Today is the last day of the travelling Uranium Film Festival's stop over in the USA.
Film after film by courageous, innovative and talented directors have been shown over the past few days and culminate in an evening of three films, "08:15 de 1945", "In My Lifetime" and the film based on the famous book of the same name, "Quietly Into The Disaster"...
To find out more, go to the festival's website, http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/traveling-festival/usa-2014/new-york-city/wednesday-feb-19
Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic, a report which has taken two years to compile was launched by NIS, The Nuclear Information Service, and Medact. It states that over fifty (over one third) of British Universities have received funding from the Atomic Weapons Establishment. http://www.nuclearinfo.org/article/awe-aldermaston/atoms-peace-investigation-int-links-between-uk-universities-and-atomic
I am so grateful for the people who keep showing us what is happening, when a whole lot of other people would rather they didn't!
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