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Archive for the ‘Money’ Category

It’s late summer in Washington at the tail end of a lame duck presidency. And that means one thing for Beltway insiders: open season for lobbying.

The nuclear energy industry is one group in a good position to take advantage of the changing of the guard. And one of its biggest guns–former New Jersey Gov. and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman–is drumming up publicity for what might be a nuclear renaissance in the U.S. within the next few years.

“Right now the only base form of power that we have that doesn’t emit any greenhouse gases or other pollutants while producing power is nuclear,” she said in a recent interview with Forbes.com. She says the U.S will need 25 to 27 new reactors by 2030 if nuclear power is to continue to produce 20% of the nation’s electricity, the current level.

Whitman’s got a vested interest in seeing the U.S. nuclear industry bloom. She spoke to Forbes.com in her role as co-chair of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition, a pro-nuclear group whose very broad membership includes nuclear power heavyweights like Exelon (nyse: EXC news people ), AREVA (other-otc: ARVCF.PK news people ) and Southern Co.. It’s funded by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), an industry organization.

But she’s also got a point. There’s a lot of buzz about nuclear power around the country. Republican presidential candidate John McCain says he wants to see 45 new plants built by 2030. Democrat Barack Obama says it’s “unlikely” the U.S. can meet its climate goals without the help of nuclear power, though he wants the waste issue resolved. Both are pushing for a new regulatory mechanism to curb greenhouse gas pollution, a boon for operators of nuclear plants. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission expects applications for as many as 34 new reactors by 2010.

Other issues remain. The industry is concerned that Senate appropriators have reduced funding for the proposed waste repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The NEI is also pushing for the creation of a “clean energy bank” that could offer loans and guarantees on nuclear and other energy projects. It wants to see the government create a cost-sharing program with the private sector for spent fuel-recycling units.

Moreover, Whitman says McCain’s grand vision is a “nice idea” but it’s “not going to happen,” partly because one reactor component is only built in Japan.

Still, the industry’s staying busy. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, a watchdog group, the NEI has spent $1.23 million on lobbying so far in 2008. In June, the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition released a study touting the job creation a nuclear renaissance could bring–as many as 700 jobs at each reactor, many of which pay upwards of $65,000 per year.

“Nuclear’s not a silver bullet,” concedes Whitman. Though it would certainly be cheaper if it was.

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It’s late summer in Washington at the tail end of a lame duck presidency. And that means one thing for Beltway insiders: open season for lobbying.

The nuclear energy industry is one group in a good position to take advantage of the changing of the guard. And one of its biggest guns–former New Jersey Gov. and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman–is drumming up publicity for what might be a nuclear renaissance in the U.S. within the next few years.

“Right now the only base form of power that we have that doesn’t emit any greenhouse gases or other pollutants while producing power is nuclear,” she said in a recent interview with Forbes.com. She says the U.S will need 25 to 27 new reactors by 2030 if nuclear power is to continue to produce 20% of the nation’s electricity, the current level.

Whitman’s got a vested interest in seeing the U.S. nuclear industry bloom. She spoke to Forbes.com in her role as co-chair of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition, a pro-nuclear group whose very broad membership includes nuclear power heavyweights like Exelon (nyse: EXC news people ), AREVA (other-otc: ARVCF.PK news people ) and Southern Co.. It’s funded by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), an industry organization.

But she’s also got a point. There’s a lot of buzz about nuclear power around the country. Republican presidential candidate John McCain says he wants to see 45 new plants built by 2030. Democrat Barack Obama says it’s “unlikely” the U.S. can meet its climate goals without the help of nuclear power, though he wants the waste issue resolved. Both are pushing for a new regulatory mechanism to curb greenhouse gas pollution, a boon for operators of nuclear plants. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission expects applications for as many as 34 new reactors by 2010.

Other issues remain. The industry is concerned that Senate appropriators have reduced funding for the proposed waste repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The NEI is also pushing for the creation of a “clean energy bank” that could offer loans and guarantees on nuclear and other energy projects. It wants to see the government create a cost-sharing program with the private sector for spent fuel-recycling units.

Moreover, Whitman says McCain’s grand vision is a “nice idea” but it’s “not going to happen,” partly because one reactor component is only built in Japan.

Still, the industry’s staying busy. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, a watchdog group, the NEI has spent $1.23 million on lobbying so far in 2008. In June, the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition released a study touting the job creation a nuclear renaissance could bring–as many as 700 jobs at each reactor, many of which pay upwards of $65,000 per year.

“Nuclear’s not a silver bullet,” concedes Whitman. Though it would certainly be cheaper if it was.

Clickry Post Source Link

http://clickry.blogspot.com

http://clickry.wordpress.com

Stabilizing and Rebuilding Iraq. A new Government Accountability Office report looks at Iraq’s spending patterns and its windfall oil revenues. The agency notes that Iraq’s government has run massive budget surpluses over the past two years and outlines some difficulties local officials have faced in trying to spend these funds on capital improvements.

Actuaries Advocate Raising Social Security’s Retirement Age. The American Academy of Actuaries recommends an immediate increase in the retirement age to help alleviate strain on the Social Security system. The professional organization attributes the crunch to an increase in longevity over the past several decades.

Screening for Prostate Cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of experts convened under government auspices, issued new recommendations about who should be screened for prostate cancer. The new advice discourages screening for men over 75.

Kids’ Meals: Obesity on the Menu. The Center for Science in the Public Interest evaluates the nutritional content of children’s menus at 25 popular fast food and restaurant chains, finding, unsurprisingly, that many choices are high in calories, fat, and sodium.

One Year Progress Report: the Department’s Comprehensive National Security Oversight Initiative.

Clickry Post Source Link

http://clickry.blogspot.com

http://clickry.wordpress.com

Stabilizing and Rebuilding Iraq. A new Government Accountability Office report looks at Iraq’s spending patterns and its windfall oil revenues. The agency notes that Iraq’s government has run massive budget surpluses over the past two years and outlines some difficulties local officials have faced in trying to spend these funds on capital improvements.

Actuaries Advocate Raising Social Security’s Retirement Age. The American Academy of Actuaries recommends an immediate increase in the retirement age to help alleviate strain on the Social Security system. The professional organization attributes the crunch to an increase in longevity over the past several decades.

Screening for Prostate Cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of experts convened under government auspices, issued new recommendations about who should be screened for prostate cancer. The new advice discourages screening for men over 75.

Kids’ Meals: Obesity on the Menu. The Center for Science in the Public Interest evaluates the nutritional content of children’s menus at 25 popular fast food and restaurant chains, finding, unsurprisingly, that many choices are high in calories, fat, and sodium.

One Year Progress Report: the Department’s Comprehensive National Security Oversight Initiative.

Clickry Post Source Link

http://clickry.blogspot.com

http://clickry.wordpress.com


A piece of the reusable paper, eight hours ago read ‘Reusable Paper. Xerox Parc Inside Innovation at Xerox’. Now it is blank. (Source: Michael Kanellos/CNET Networks)

An outlandish Bond-esque idea actually may deliver real environmental and financial promise

What self respecting paper company would look to develop paper that could be reused multiple times at an affordable price? One that is in the printer, apparently. The Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) a child of printing giant Xerox have been developing a unique paper with fading “ink” that it soon hopes to market.

The process requires the works — a special printer and a special type of paper — but the results are intriguing. After 16 to 24 hours the “ink,” once printed clearly on the page fades. This could have numerous uses such as being used for memos, restaurant menus, and much more. After the “ink” fades, the paper can be reused.

The paper utilizes a coat of photosensitive chemicals, which darken when exposed to UV light. The printer uses no real ink, but writes in UV light. Users can wait for the ink to fade, or put it back in the printer, which will automatically wipe anything on the sheet, even if it hasn’t yet faded.

According to Xerox, the technology is only a few years away from hitting the market. Eric Shrader, area manager, energy systems, device hardware laboratory at Xerox says one key advantage is that the same sheet of paper, in testing, has been shown to be able to be reused hundreds of times. Only damage or crumpling would prevent reuse.

The end result is a large savings in energy and production costs. Reusing is better than recycling or making new material from scratch in that it takes less energy and resources. It takes 204,000 joules to make a sheet of standard 8.5×11 paper, enough power to run a 60 watt lightbulb for an hour. It takes 114,000 joules to recycle the same size piece of paper. Printing that size on a traditional printer requires around 2,000 joules.

The UV printer only requires 1,000 joules to print with erase, or 100 joules to print to a faded sheet. Thus not only are the paper production costs dramatically decreased, but the printing costs are as well. According to Schrader, “Being able to reuse paper is a big energy win.”

PARC has focused heavily on power usage over the years. The enterprising center helped to create the PC, inkjet printing, and Ethernet networking. In its early days it often failed to properly secure its inventions, so other companies like Apple Computer openly “borrowed” from it. Today the center focuses on developing, securing, and licensing new innovative technologies.

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In addition to being a high-priced hooker, Ashley Alexandra Dupre, 22, is a budding singer – and has already banked an estimated $200,000 from online music downloads in the past week, according to the New York Post.

It’s hard to blame soon-to-be former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s prostitute for cashing in on the sex scandal… but come on, people. Put your money in a savings account instead, then go to her MySpace and have a listen for free. Sheesh.

Ashley Dupre made two tunes, “What We Want” and “Move Ya Body,” available for purchase as 99-cent downloads on music site Amie Street shortly after the scandal broke. Musicians can earn a 70 percent cut on download fees via the site.

“What We Want,” a pulsating dance tune, was also added to New York’s Z100 play list on Thursday (she first streamed it on her MySpace page).

Kristen

But is Ashley Dupre merely cashing in on her 15 minutes of fame, or does she actually have a future in the music business? Some reviews so far …

“With MySpace, American Idol and cheap home-recording equipment demystifying the creation of pop music, there’s this idea that anyone can become a star if she tries hard enough. It’s not that simple, but [’What we Want’] is not especially good or bad. It’s serviceable post-Britney Spears dance-pop, Dupre panting and sort of bleating over a clubby track with Middle Eastern pretensions, the sort of thing Scott Storch might make if he only had access to a $45 Casio.” – The Village Voice

“‘Move Ya Body,’ isn’t as good as ‘What We Want.’ It’s got a Britney Spears-ish ‘I’m a Slave 4 U’ feel, but it sounds like it’s not quite finished. Her vocals aren’t fully processed as she sings things like ‘Sex, money, drugs is what I’m all about, step your game up so you can see for yourself.’ Still, with a little polishing it could totally pass for a single from Spears or a lesser Pussycat Doll.” – Newsday

“Her song is absolutely terrible. If people are interested in signing her, then they shouldn’t be in the music business.” – Billboard

Friends of the 22-year-old high-priced call girl named “Kristen” are now rallying around the woman they knew as Ashley Youmans of Wall, N.J.

“We’re just trying to keep her head up and keep her strong, have her look at this as a positive,” high school friend Joe Pawlak tells People.

Pawlak, who graduated from Wall H.S. in 2003, a year ahead of Youmans – who now goes by Ashley Dupre – says she’s only human and “people make mistakes.”

“She’s just trying to work through it,” says Pawlak.

THG NOTE: Come on Pawlak. The girl slings the poon for thousands of dollars an hour. We’re not judging, but there’s no “mistake” about this.

Ashley Alexandra Dupre was identified this week as “Kristen” – the escort linked by federal authorities to New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who resigned.

Bevin Doherty, who knew Ashley Youmans on the Pop Warner cheerleading squad in middle school, tells People that, in contrast to statements Ashley made on her MySpace page about her home life, Ashley lived with her mom.

“Her mom would pick her up from cheering at school in a Jaguar,” says Doherty, who assumed Ashley, who wore designer clothes, was wealthy.

Ashley Dupre (Ashley Youmans) High School Photo

Set to graduate from the Wall H.S. class of 2004, Ashley Youmans disappeared near the end of her sophomore year. At some point, Youmans legally became Ashley DiPietro, but later took on the “stage” name of Ashley Alexandra Dupre.

“When she left high school,” said Doherty, “me and others thought she left to go get married. That’s what I was under the belief … that she met someone and had a ring and left to get married. We always wondered what happened to her.”

A teacher of Ashley Dupre, Gerald Basiak, 58, recalls her as a very kind person, but a “B-C student who really wasn’t focused on anything.”

As for Ashley’s being caught up in the Eliot Spitzer sex scandal: “I would never expect this, there were never indications of any problems at home.”

Thanks to People magazine, as usual, for this collection of some of the funniest and most most memorable celebrity quotes from the past week …

“She looks at me and says, ‘Nice top shelf.’ That was one of the greatest days of my life.” – Justin Timberlake on Madonna

“He’ll have to restrain his hair.” – A Waffle House employee, on Kid Rock

“Do not pull them up tight and have your bulge showing. Let it hang!” – Victoria Beckham on the way to wear jeans

“You always want to point out the elephant in the room.” – Jim Carrey, dressed as an Dr. Seuss’ Horton the Elephant, on American Idol

Britney Spears, Josh Radnor

“She knew her lines better than me.” – How I Met Your Mother’s Josh Radnor, on Britney Spears‘ visit to the set

“I had to face some difficult spending decisions and I’ve had to conduct sensitive diplomacy. That’s called planning for a wedding.” – President George W. Bush

“I really romanticized being pregnant. Then I realized, this is awful!”
– Marcia Cross, reminiscing about pregnancy

“A little later on I’ll be at the Dinah Shore Golf Tournament, of course. That’s if it doesn’t conflict with my women’s basketball games that I go to.” – Ellen DeGeneres, leaving a message for Rep. Sally Kern of Oklahoma

“I just don’t want to be thought of as a monster.” – Ashley Dupre


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