Along with clarifications and updates on continuing Alert Level 3, Ramaphosa addressed the epidemic of violence against women in this country. He recognized – by name – at least two dozen women and children recently murdered by the men in their lives.
Over the last weeks, I’ve grumbled about the dearth of Ramaphosa updates.
When he does update the nation, however, he consistently does a good job, certainly far superior to those of Trump, in terms of topic, tone, substance, focus, and, yes, in absence of lies and “other” bashing.
Staying with Trump for a moment who, mercifully, has refrained from personally presenting any of his lie-laden updates. This, largely because he’s pretending the pandemic is over, done, finished and klaar.
Indeed, both Trump and toady VP Mike Pence posit that, if “we” didn’t test, “we” wouldn’t have an increase in cases.
Pence – after disbanding the coronavirus taskforce – now praises “all 50 states for beginning to reopen in a “safe and responsible manner,” while both he and Trump accuse the media of “fear mongering” and being in “hysteria mode.”
(To quote Joe Biden: “malarkey!” Numbers of cases are spiking, particulary in states that followd Trump's advice on reopening.)
Anyway… good to hear from Ramaphosa who presented infection numbers, rates of increase, forthcoming challenges, and, yes, hope.
Let's hope he makes his next update sooner rather than later.
News blues…
Apparently South Africa is refloating a plan for more nuclear energy after the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) issued a Request for Information (RFI) “to enable it to assess nuclear technologies.”Why?
Why spend any more money on an energy source that presents such challenges, particularly to a low-tech country?
Why not spend the money on renewable energy rather than a energy source whose by-product and waste present insurmountable problems even to high-tech countries?
Take the US, for example, that has more than 90,000 metric tons of nuclear waste requiring disposal plus, ditto, for another 80,000 metric tons of waste produced by its commercial power industry.
US Government Accountability Office (GAO) states, “highly radioactive waste is currently stored at sites in 35 states because no repository has been developed for the permanent disposal of this waste.” (Read GAO’s issue summary and the map of current disposal sites.)
Imagine relatiely small South Africa seeking permanent disposal sites for incredibly toxic waste.
Moreover, back in 2016, South Africa’s proposed nuclear build program was estimated to cost at least ZAR3 trillion. It was “estimated South Africa will have to borrow R1.2 trillion for the deal. Think of it: ZAR1 trillion would build 100 million RDP houses - with running water, sewage systems, etc.
Why, when the world knows so much about the problems of nuclear energy - financial and environmental costs, contamination, disposal, etc. - would any country, let alone low-tech South Africa, grow a nuclear industry?
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
Weather here today is out of the California winter playbook: cold, rainy, and overcast.No neighborhood walk.
Just hunkering down - and repeating to myself: “this, too, shall pass!”
Read Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12
Watch Videos of Garden Creatures 
No comments:
Post a Comment