Coral Gables Watch

Fast Facts about Radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactors: Scientific American

March 18, 2011 Leave a comment

Of interest to reference in these days of the nuclear accident in Japan.

Below are some facts and figures about the radiation hazard posed by the Fukushima breakdown and how it compares with other nuclear accidents in history. Many of the figures are measured in millisieverts, an international unit of radiation dosage. (One sievert is equal to 100 rems, which is a dosage unit of x-ray and gamma-ray radiation exposure; one millisievert is 0.1 rem.)

Radiation dose at the boundary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station on March 16: 1.9 millisieverts (mSv) per hour

Peak radiation dose measured inside Fukushima Daiichi on March 15: 400 mSv per hour

Maximum allowable exposure for U.S. radiation workers: 50 mSv per year

Average exposure of U.S. residents from natural and man-made radiation sources: 6.2 mSv per year

Estimated total exposure at the boundary of the Three Mile Island site in Pennsylvania during the 1979 accident there: one mSv or less

Average total radiation dose to the 114,500 individuals evacuated during the 1986 Chernobyl disaster: 31 mSv

Half-life of iodine 131, a dangerous radioactive isotope released in nuclear accidents: eight days

Half-life of cesium 137, another major radionuclide released in nuclear accidents: 30 years

Decay products of iodine 131 and cesium 137: both emit gamma rays and beta particles (electrons or positrons)

Amount of nuclear fuel in Chernobyl reactor No. 4 that exploded in 1986: 190 metric tons

Amount of nuclear fuel and fission by-products released into the atmosphere during Chernobyl disaster: 25 to 57 metric tons

Approximate amount of nuclear fuel in each crippled Fukushima Daiichi reactor: 70 to 100 metric tons

via Fast Facts about Radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactors: Scientific American.

Filed under Environment, International

Well Educated Youth Hurt By Recession and Lack of Job Policies

March 18, 2011 Leave a comment

This widely read opinion piece by Paul Krugman emphasizes the profound problem of unemployment of the college educated youth. You may imagine the impact of lesser educated groups of which there are many more in South Florida. Where are our politicians in facing this problem: it appears they have given up on this generation.

…young Americans who graduated during the severe recession of the early 1980s suffered permanent damage to their earnings. And if the average duration of unemployment is any indication, it’s even harder for new graduates to find decent jobs now than it was in 1982 or 1983.

So the next time you hear some Republican declaring that he’s concerned about deficits because he cares about his children — or, for that matter, the next time you hear Mr. Obama talk about winning the future — you should remember that the clear and present danger to the prospects of young Americans isn’t the deficit. It’s the absence of jobs.

But, as I said, these days Washington doesn’t seem to care about any of that. And you have to wonder what it will take to get politicians caring again about America’s forgotten millions.

via The Forgotten Millions – NYTimes.com.

Filed under Economy

More On Why Not To Privatize Municipal Services

March 17, 2011 Leave a comment

…privatization often does not solve cities’ budget woes. Research shows that when municipal services are contracted out, costs can actually increase while service quality suffers. Sometimes these cost increases are experienced as contract cost overruns. Other times a city may fail to take into account “hidden costs” such as the administrative costs of seeking proposals, evaluating bids and monitoring the work. Hidden costs for the community can include reductions in wages and health benefits under private contractors, which drive more people onto public assistance and bring down wage and benefit standards in the field and in the community.

via Municipal Services | In the Public Interest.

Filed under Coral Gables, Government

For The Candidates: A Proposal For A NEW AGENDA For The City of Coral Gables

March 17, 2011 Leave a comment

This is the list of issues, problems and ideas for the future of the city Coral Gables Watch for inclusion in a needed New Agenda for the City of Coral Gables. Following is a list of examples of possible NEW AGENDA items.

Prepare and discuss with the public a NEW AGENDA for the City to face the major pending problems, such as unfunded benefits, taxation, staffing and organization;
The City Manager should routinely report to taxpayers the progress on the budget and organizational changes;
The city commission should agree on a new Code of Ethics;
Change the election dates for the city of Coral Gables to coincide with national and state elections.
Prepare and publicly discussion a long-range financial plan for the City of Coral Gables
Target a freeze and/or reduce actual amounts of taxes paid by citizens (not just millage rates) during the next three years;
Accelerate a plan of reducing pensions and health benefits, especially for firefighters and police;
Prepare a plan and publicly discuss how to reduce unfunded pension liabilities during the next five years;
Have a community town hall meeting at least twice a year to discuss the budget and other current issues;
Develop a realistic and flexible agreement with the Biltmore that protects the taxpayers not just now, but in the coming years from subsidizing the operators;
Undertake a review of financial mechanisms and the defective EDEN system to establish a modern, functional accounting of spending and revenues.