RE: [Futurework] now the neo-cons have some explaining to do..

[Karen Watters Cole]

Chris wrote: Good to see the list is back.  Isn't it ironical that one of the last postings that made it to the list before the blackout was my comment on nuclear power plants being an unreliable source of energy – now "verified" in the blackout and the slow & expensive re-activation of the nuclear PPs.  After the link between power de-regulation and the lack of investments in the power grid infrastructure has become so graphically obvious to everyone, the neo-cons now have a very hard time explaining why de-regulation should be a good thing for the public.   Does anyone want to comment on the theory, suggested by Arthur’s colleague, that the blackout originating in Ohio was caused by a disabled computer, infected by a virus or worm, thus unable to respond in an emergency situation; or   do we just want to speculate that this power crisis was deliberately triggered to make political points specifically to the advantage of the electricity industry and its political friends crafting Energy policy; or   that the Bush2 administration needed something to divert world attention from the California recall, the poor economy and globocop occupation news arriving daily from Iraq?   On a more serious note, hopefully, we should see more interest in new materials and innovations to improve both capacity and reliability of existing lines that won’t require as much new construction, grossly enrich the electricity lobby and/or activate NIMBY.  Efforts to push through a jumbo energy package on the heels of a utility crisis will resemble the forced passage of the USA Patriot Act after 9/11. - KWC   Outgoing mail scanned by NAV 2002