THE GREAT AMERICAN LIE

THE GREAT AMERICAN LIE

We are all concerned with the loss of life in foreign wars. We are all concerned about being good honest people. But one wonders, when looking back in history, how the government could have made war against its own citizens who were existing peacefully?

I am referring to our history of the government abusing nuclear power – and lying to the citizens of the United States of America. While “most” of the catastrophes were accidental – the coverups and statements of untruth were not.

This could be a book in itself so let us state it is only going to be a quick summary of some of the greater lies. Google any of the incidents for reams of further information that has finally come forth.

HANFORD, WASHINGTON

1943 – Hanford, Washington (about 4 hours southeast of Seattle), a building project was started to create 9 atomic reactors that subsequently created the material used in the atomic bombs and supplied the entire nuclear arsenal of the US Military.

1945 – We see what dropping the atomic bombs did to the Japanese. If they weren't vaporized, they were burned and made sick from the radiation poisoning. Babies were born with increased rate of birth defects. Long term cancer deaths increased.

1945-1971 – Cooling water for the Hanford facilities was secretly pumped back into the Columbia river, much of it radioactive because of leaks in tanks. Radioactive clouds were purposely released and drifted up to Canada and down to California. People were getting sick, animals were being born deformed or dead. The government denied all responsibility.

1986 – Finally, when the family of Tom Bailie (all living in the area) had all died from cancer, he teamed with a reporter from the Spokesman Review to get answers. The radiation victims sued the US government and forced it to open its SECRET files. The radioactive releases (which had been denied) became public knowledge. Some lawsuits are still ongoing.

1988 – Facility decomissioned. It is the most contaminated location in the Western Hemisphere. 240 square miles are uninhabitable due to radioactivity that has seeped into the soil and ground water. The clean up project costs more than $2 BILLION per year. The US Department of Energy hopes to have cleanup completed by 2052, more than 107 years after its inception. This illustrates how the use of nuclear power saves money over other electricity production methods – or not.

SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

1959 – An experimental nuclear facility owned by Rocketdyne experienced a meltdown of 13 fuel rods out of 52 rods. When a meltdown occurs, the energy produced increases at a very high rate of speed, leading eventually to an explosion. Because it was an experiemental facility there was no concrete dome containment cover. Radiation was released into the air, now estimated to be more than 240 times the amount that was released from Three Mile Island accident. This spread throughout the surrounding areas including Los Angeles. At the time the US Nuclear Commission issued a statement “of a small mishap involving 1 fuel rod”.

2011 – There has never been an official study of the effects of being downwind after this accident. However, a citizen-activist site on Facebook called “Secrets of the Santa Susana Field Lab is asking for posts on their map.

Ignorance is not bliss. Maybe it would be better if the United States residents became informed, then alarmed, and demonstrated (peacefully) – for the betterment of decisions, for the betterment of lives.

Lying to the residents of the United States by the government is not acceptable. Not then and not now.

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Book Review: THE DISQUIET SURVIVORS of The Nuclear Catastrophe

                  Hello, I'm excited to tell that my book is now available to purchase at http://www.booksandnovelstoread.com.  The book is written as a  thriller suspense novel.  And, this website is dedicated to books by new and emerging authors.  There are thousands of new and original stories to be had, books that the public would never get to experience, if it were left up the "Publishing Industry".  Have a look at this website and you will be pleasantly surprised.  Please pass this onto all your contacts interested in reading so the word can be spread.  Links are at the bottom of the page.  Reviewed by Terry Callister, author.

A Review of THE DISQUIET SURVIVORS of The Nuclear Catastrophe by Barbara Billig

 

Also published as:  The Nuclear Catastrophe by Barbara Billig

Please note that the author is currently changing the name of this book from A Nuclear Catastrophe to that above. The print book is done and the eBook will follow shortly.

Every so often you come across a book that you can’t put down; you just want to know what happens over on the next page. I warn you, this is one of those. It is also a story that is very relevant today considering the events in Japan earlier this year.

The writing drags you into the pages as the characters fight to survive the aftermath of a massive explosion at the White Water Nuclear Plant in Southern California following a fairly minor earth tremor. Barbara has done what one of my favourite authors of all time, Leon Uris, has done, taken solid fact and cleverly crafted an excellent fictional story around it, faction as I call it. Leon Uris used history, Barbara science. By the way I checked out the science and worryingly it is all factual.

Not that the science gets in the way of this troubling story. It is used fleetingly to explain, in layman’s terms, the dangers that follow the release of massive amounts of radiation into the atmosphere following a blast. A modern nuclear facility can release fifty times more radiation into the atmosphere than the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, at the end of WW II. That’s how serious this problem is.

As the reality of their situation dawns on the victims of the fallout then Barbara introduces ever more problems for the characters to face. You can’t drink the water, because it is radioactive. Hospitals close their doors to new patients for fear of contaminating those already in the facility. I won’t spoil it any more but the list goes on.

One of the worst aspects of their situation is the complete lack of a co-ordinated rescue plan by the authorities. Well why prepare for something that can never happen? Like all politicians and those in authority they never seem to learn from history. The likes of 3 Mile Island and Chernobyl immediately spring to mind and of course more recently the terrible disaster in Fukushima, Japan.

Looking at politicians and their lack of understanding of the importance of history you need look no further than the conflict in Afghanistan as a prime example. The British were fighting there over a hundred years ago, the Russians tried and now the USA and Britain again. Political expediency in the USA and Britain means the troops will pull out before the job is done and the Taliban will be back in power before too long. Why did we go there in the first place? Do the powers that be never learn?

This isn’t an easy read, but you know it was never going to be, the subject is far too important. For all that it is a very good story, one that needed telling and one that should be made compulsory reading for all political leaders who are considering building more nuclear power stations. Perhaps it should be compulsory reading for all our youth also, so they can become aware of the dangers and take up the fight against this menace.

Barbara Billig is obviously passionate about this subject and this comes across in her writing. You will be swept away from the first page. Barbara must also be a keen observer of people, throughout the story her characters come to life with subtle little flicks of the hand, a look in the mirror and much more.

This is a thoroughly good read, an important story, not to be missed.

My Rating 5 out of 5.

To buy a copy of the printed book click here.

To buy the eBook click here.

ebook is currently on sale for 99 cents!!!!

To buy the eBook in Pounds Sterling click here.

To go to Barbara Billig's blog click here.

Reading a new way - on your smart phone

Because I have made my book, The Nuclear Catastrophe, available for 99 cents through Amazon.com Kindle version, I want to take a moment to talk about reading a kindle version on another device.  The kindle application is available for download on your computer, net book, or smart phone.  I recently was emailed a thriller by a fellow author, The Catalytic Programme, by Terry Callister:

http://www.booksandnovelstoread.com/mybooks.html   (This was a great read!)

 I had to decide how to read  this book since I didn't have a kindle or a nook or a net book.  I tried reading it on my laptop, but that proved very cumbersome in bed - I couldn't lay down and read - I had to sit up.  So since it was emailed to me I opened up the email on my smart phone (Verizon Droid).  It has apps for the kindle, nook, and .pdf files.  I had actually made the statement - I can't imagine anyone reading a book on their phone!!!  (Like who would be so crazy as to do that).  But it was absolutely perfect for reading an ebook.  The apps resize the text to whatever you like.  The phone is back lit so you can read in the dark without a reading light (at night in bed).   It's light weight - easy to hold. And when you hold the phone upright (not horizontal) the text across is just right for an eye to read in speed reading mode - you don't read individual words, you scan whole lines one at a time (for those of you who remember taking the speed reading courses - do they still teach those?)  I absolutely loved it.  AND, you have your phone with you at all time so whenever you have a spare moment - you can read.
     For those of you who think this is stupid - you better re-evaluate the future.  Paper is very expensive and will get more so as our trees disappear.  I am a paperback addict -  but I know that ebooks will soon be our main means of getting books.  So get prepared now -  download the kindle app and for 99 cents try out The Nuclear Catastrophe on your smart phone.