Just Thinking... (and some Isis pictures)

I've decided blogging is pretty therapeutic for me. I'm able to feel like I'm sharing what's going on with friends and family but don't feel like I'm begging for attention to do it. Anyone reading our blog does so because they choose to and not because I'm making them. (I am happily unaware if anyone feels they have squandered their time to do so.) Thus, my needs are met by 1. "talking" with many friends and in some way connecting, 2. writing (which is also good for me), and 3. believing that everyone is completely interested in what I have to say! :) Hooray for the blogging world! Having said that, I don't know quite what to write today but felt I needed to update our blog.

What better to post about than my cute baby?! Except she isn't a baby any more. She's almost TWO!! Wow. This girl cracks me up! You should check out the many faces of Isis.

However, this one is a good insight into her little personality.

But so is this one. Here, Isis picked out her outfit for the day, insisting on the little bloomers over her pants. She is also dancing, which she LOVES and is always doing. Music is just part of her little spirit.

This is my independent Isis putting on the necklace all by herself. She "wears" it like this until her neck gets tired.

And my outdoorsy Isis who loves playing in the rain.

Isis the artist

The playful, giggly Isis.

My all around sweet, happy little girl. How did I get so lucky?

Well, that's all the blogging time I have. But don't worry, I'll be back. :)

Just to Clarify

Those last two posts were Jeremy. You should be looking to vote for Senator JEREMY Gwin in 2010. ;) He's so smart, isn't he? :). Seriously though, I do wish people would vote for someone because they actually know what they're talking about.

TRUTH

I would like to run for the Senate, on a TRUTH campaign. In regards to the State of Nevada and their position on Yucca Mountain, and the years of telling lies and spreading fear into the state. Where is the basis for this rhetoric? How does Harry Reid and Shelley Berkeley keep getting re-elected? Because they are against Yucca Mountain. They are more opposed to Yucca Mountain than their opponents. Because it is unsafe and radiation will kill our children!

Here is a quote from Michael Crichton in the book "State of Fear":
"Politicians need fear to control the population. Lawyers need dangers to litigate and earn money. The media needs scare stories to capture an audience. Together these three estates are so compelling that they can go about their business even if the scare is totally groundless."

That is so true in the Silver State in regards to Yucca Mountain. We are battle born, but we go to battle nothing. Why do we let fear rule us?!?
Sincerely, Senator Gwin
How's this for a bumper sticker? (Win in 10 with Gwin)

REALLY!!!????

President Obama recently visited the Department of Energy, where he and Secretary Chu discussed the Obama Administration's ambitious plans to create jobs, change the way we produce and use energy and address the climate crisis. http://www.energy.gov/

Recently, Dr.Chu jumped on the Obama train and has made it known that Yucca Mountain is not in the Obama "plan" for nuclear waste. Here is a blurb of the senate hearing from MSN:

"What's wrong with Yucca Mountain, Mr. Chu," McCain asked at an Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on support for scientific research.
"I think we can do a better job," replied the Nobel Prize-wining physicist. (By digging another 18 billion dollar hole that takes 20 years somewhere else in a desert location all the while being sued by both state government, environmentalists, and the nuclear industry??)
McCain asked whether it was true that Obama — as well as Chu — view Yucca Mountain as no longer an option.
"That's true," replied Chu. (a finished tunnel complex that was designed to store waste is not an option. What are the other options???... oh wait there are none.)
"Now we're going to have spent fuel sitting around in pools all over America," shot back McCain, who characterized the Obama position on nuclear waste — and its rejection of waste reprocessing — as a reflection of the administration's opposition to nuclear energy. (125 more targets for terrorists all over the country. It's actually a good point by McCain. I thought Obama wanted a green grid? Nuclear power produces 0 greenhouse gases. What is greener than that. Oh yes... coal. Quick fact: a coal plant is more radioactive than a nuclear power plant. And 1 gram of uranium can produce the same amount of power as 2000 tons of coal!!)
Chu said there were short-term answers other than Yucca (interim storage on-site at the reactors and the government, i.e. WE THE PEOPLE, pay 100s of millions in lawsuit settlements to the nuclear industry for the government failing to provide a long term storage location) , while a long-term solution to dealing with nuclear waste is developed (uh easy... store it underground and recycle the fuel like other countries do).
"The interim storage of waste (at reactors), the solidification of waste (the nuclear fuel cannot be reused this way), is something we can do today. The NRC has said we can do it safely," said Chu. (Not entirely true... due to security issues, they would like to see the fuel stored at one secure site.)

DID THIS MAKE ANY SENSE? I guess the key here is understanding nuclear power, how it works, and the terminology. To make it simple, "nuclear waste" is actually the reactor fuel that has been used. We have the technology to "recycle" used fuel, but our country won't let us. So the fuel is radioactive... it needs to be stored away from people. Currently, it is stored on-site at the reactors themselves. There are 104 reactors in the US. Yucca Mountain is away from lots of people. It was designed for the storage of the nuclear "waste". Keep in mind, this "waste" could be recycled and reused, so it is not waste at all. In fact the "waste" is worth millions of dollars in energy. How does closing down Yucca Mountain help anyone? They have just cut 1000s of jobs! What is wrong with these people!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is Yucca Mountain safe? Studies done have shown that if the entire contents of a cask leaked into the ground of the tunnel, someone living on a farm drinking well water right outside the Yucca boundary would get between 1-3 mrem a year in radiation dose. Senator Harry Reid would say that would kill us (after all he is fighting Yucca Mountain so we don't die.) BUT... 1-3 mrem is the same radiation dose that we all get by being alive on planet Earth in 1-3 days. It will not kill you... won't even hurt you.

I guess the key is understanding. I know lots of people don't understand how it all works. I know our politicians (mainly lawyers and businessmen) have no clue when it comes to science. So a little education:

Here are some nice links by the DOE and NRC explaining to kids/students about nuclear waste. Also there are links to videos about the casks that carry high level waste waste and the durability tests (pretty darn cool).
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students.html
http://www.ne.doe.gov/students/enricoNewt_challenges.html

The Happiest Place on Earth!!!

Yep, this weekend we went to DISNEYLAND!! My awesome parents took us and 3 of my siblings on a three-day vacation. It was Isis' first trip there and she did great! I had fun just watching her take it all in... well, as much as a 1 1/2 year old can. :)
It was so weird (but so much fun) to be their not as a kid but with MY OWN kid! I loved it!

Isis' 2nd ride. She was weary when we started but loved it by the time we finished.

It doesn't get better than playing in water. :)

Isis with her much loved Uncle Thomas

In Bugs' land on the Heimlich ride.

A Disney treat!

Welcome to the land of magic! I LOVE this place!

My brother Timothy took this awesome (& cute) picture.

Driving with Daddy in Autopia

What's a trip to Disney without a spin in the teacups?

Grandma bought Isis her first mouse ears :)

(Regretfully, they fell out of the stroller when we left that night. So sad!)

Is she excited for "It's a Small World" or what?? :)

On Saturday we went to the beach in the morning before returning to the park.

I think Isis' favorites were the Enchanted Tiki Room and It's a Small World. Jeremy's was Splash Mountain. Mine... hmm, I'm not sure. Jeremy was proud of me for going on the roller coasters. I am NOT a roller coaster person. He had a good laugh sitting next to me as I shreaked on every drop, twist, and plunge. :)

My family used to live in Orlando and went to Disney World all the time so this was like a walk down memory lane and return to childhood for me. I LOVED IT!!! And it was great spending time with my family! An enormous THANK YOU to my parents for taking us!!!

Naturally, I took way more pictures and you're welcome to view them here.