Facebook just made their "username" feature live.....

Get yours today while they're hot! I went with an old standby:

http://www.facebook.com/vejadu

There's a new Chinese restaurant/buffet in Athens...

It's called the New China Buffet and it's pretty good!

From new china buffet

From new china buffet

One TV show that has recently returned with new episodes....

and is watched in this household is Gene Simmons Family Jewels. Check out the first segment from the latest episode. This is truly one of the only television shows I watch fairly regularly. Set your DVRs....

Browns Ferry related documents placed on the NRC website (ADAMS) from 6/1/09-6/7/09...

Bertram Morris, E-mail re: Chart Table of COP that have been Granted to Other BWRs for EPU.

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2, and 3 - Draft COP Position Paper Submitted by E-mail.

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2, and 3 - Issuance of Amendments 274, 301 and 260 Regarding Control Rod Notch Test Frequency (TS-462).

Browns Ferry, Unit 2, Withdrawal of Proposed Request for Exemption from 10 CFR 50.55a, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Section XI, Inservice Inspection Program for the Third Ten-Year Inspection Interval - Request for Relief 2-ISI-22.

Browns Ferry, Unit 2 - American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Section Xl, Inservice Inspection Program for the Third Ten-Year Inspection Interval - Request for Relief 2-1Sl-21, Revision 1 - Resubmittal.

You know what I hate?

I don't hate much (if anything), but it's slightly annoying (to me) to wake up and read a link to a recipe from Food Network on Facebook and see a comment like this:

"Hecks no. One more reason America is the most obese country."

One simple question was asked. "Would you eat this?" It's not the healthiest food (not much from Paula Deen is), but an occasional meal consisting of grease and butter and sugar and other less-than-healthy food probably won't kill us. Now, the "one more reason" part of the offending comment is absolutely right. It just seems to me that there might be a better place for someone and their soapbox. Rant all you want (I know I will) but please do it on your own turf...

My M&M residual self image...

The mental projection of my digital self...if I was an M&M!

NRC documents regarding Browns Ferry added to the NRC website during May...

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, NRC Security Inspection Report 05000259-09-402, 05000260-09-402 & 05000296-09-402.

LER 09-001-00 for Browns Ferry, Unit 2, Regarding Manual Reactor Scram Following Stator Cooling Water Equipment Failure.

IR 05000259-09-002, 05000260-09-002 and 05000296-09-002, on 01/01/2009 - 03/31/2009, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 and 3; Surveillance Testing, Identification and Resolution of Problems, and Event Follow-up.

NUREG/BR-0361 - The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Fire of 1975 and the History of NRC Fire Regulations.

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2, and 3 - Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Report for 2008.

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 and 3 - Technical Specifications Change 464 - Application for Technical Specification Improvement to Adopt Technical Specification Task Force TSTF-476, Rev. 1, "Improved BPWS Control Rod Insertion Process".

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) - Response for Additional Information Regarding Units 1, 2, and 3 - Technical Specifications (TS) Change 444 - Adoption of Changes to Standard Technical Specifications Under Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) .....

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) Units 1, 2, & 3 - Technical Specifications (TS) Changes TS-431 and TS-418 - Extended Power Uprate (EPU) - Response to Request for Information Regarding Containment Parameters for NRC Confirmatory Analysis...

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 and 3, Submittal of Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Report - January Through December 2008.

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 and 3, Offsite Dose Calculation Manual 0-ODCM-001, Revision 0019.

Changes to Distribution Lists for TVA Dockets.

Sequoyah, Units 1 and 2 and Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 and 3 - Project Manager and Backup Reassignments.

Browns Ferry, Unit 2 - American Society of Mechanical Engineers Section XI, Inservice Inspection Program - Request for Relief 2-ISI-21, Revision 1 - Examination of Piping Weld Overlays.

Twenty years ago this week....

Big things were happening in China...

Are You A Libertarian?

Take the World's Smallest

Political Quiz and find out!

The only drawback to walking in the woods on a beautiful day like today...

are the little buggers of the biological family Ixodidae. Well, snakes could be right up there as well, but I didn't find any of those. Besides, snakes don't bother me that much. I'll have to remember to spray next time.

Wade Mountain 6-3-09

View all

Get your own

My mom tries to help take care of this cat that hangs around where she lives....

FWIW, this cat TOTALLY DIGS me...

Being at least somewhat interested in what's happening in Washington, DC.....

I occasionally check out the Congressional Record (one of the links on the linked page). Additionally, the Congressional Record can be searched and viewed and browsed via the GPO Access site. Unfortunately, the farthest that either site goes back is 1989. For material prior to 1989, you'll have to find a Federal Depository library...

However, there is some Congressional Record (and related) material available at another section of the Library of Congress website. The material available here has records of documents and debates in Congress from 1774-1875. Pretty cool! It would be cool to see an archive site that had Congressional materials from the inception of this country to the present....

Seeing that I work at one of TVA's fine nuclear facilities and live relatively close....

I figured it might be useful to cull the NRC's site for documents related to my site and post the links. Many are technical or purely administrative in nature, but there are interesting tidbits of info from time to time. Here are the results for NRC documents (all PDF) related to Browns Ferry for the month of April (sorted by ascending date):

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2, and 3, Sequoyah, Units 1 and 2 and Watts Barr (WBN) Nuclear Plants - Insurance Status.

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 - Schedule Update for the Extended Power Uprate Amendment Requests (TAC Nos. MD5262 and MD5263) (TS-431 and TS-418).

04/23/09 Notice of Category 1 Public Meeting with Tennessee Valley Authority, Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 & 3, to Discuss NRC's Reactor Oversight Process Annual Assessment.

Brown Ferry, Unit 2 - Notification of Inspection and Request for Information.

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 & 3 - Technical Specification (TS) Changes TS-431 & TS-418 - Extended Power Uprate (EPU) - Transmittal of Containment Parameters and Total Shutdown Power Fractions.

Browns Ferry - Notification of Insp. & Request for Info. for Problem Identification & Resolution Inspection.Browns Ferry - Notification of Inspection. & Request for Info. for Problem Identification & Resolution Inspection.

Press Release-II-09-020: NRC to Discuss 2008 Performance of Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant.

LER 09-001-00 for Browns Ferry, Unit 2, Regarding Manual Reactor Scram Following Stator Cooling Water Equipment Failure.

Brown Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit 1, 2, and 3 - Request For Withholding Information From Public Disclosure (TAC Nos. MD5262, MD5263, And MD5264) (TS-431 And TS-418).

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 - Public Letter and RAI - Request For Additional Information For Extended Power Uprate-Round 23 (TAC Nos. MD5262 And MD5263) (TS-431 And TS-418).

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 and 3 - Technical Specifications Change 464 - Application for Technical Specification Improvement to Adopt Technical Specification Task Force TSTF-476, Rev. 1, "Improved BPWS Control Rod Insertion Process".

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) - Response for Additional Information Regarding Units 1, 2, and 3 - Technical Specifications (TS) Change 444 - Adoption of Changes to Standard Technical Specifications Under Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) .....

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, NRC Security Inspection Report 05000259-09-402, 05000260-09-402 & 05000296-09-402.

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) Units 1, 2, & 3 - Technical Specifications (TS) Changes TS-431 and TS-418 - Extended Power Uprate (EPU) - Response to Request for Information Regarding Containment Parameters for NRC Confirmatory Analysis...

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 and 3, Submittal of Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Report - January Through December 2008.

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 and 3, Offsite Dose Calculation Manual 0-ODCM-001, Revision 0019.

Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2, and 3 - Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Report for 2008.

IR 05000259-09-002, 05000260-09-002 and 05000296-09-002, on 01/01/2009 - 03/31/2009, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 and 3; Surveillance Testing, Identification and Resolution of Problems, and Event Follow-up.


Here are the results from May 1 to May 24 (sorted by ascending date):

Changes to Distribution Lists for TVA Dockets.

Sequoyah, Units 1 and 2 and Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 and 3 - Project Manager and Backup Reassignments.


From here on out, I will try to post the results weekly for anyone interested. One of the documents included mentioned the estimated number of people living in a 50 mile radius as about 778,000. That's a lot of stakeholders who would like to know that we are operating safely. More to come...

Mmmmmmmm, bacon!!!

Bacon Flavored Vodka; Is it Really Something We Needed?
Bacon flavored vodka is sure to be the next party sensation as fans of vodka seek to figure out exactly what it tastes like. Issued from the Bakon Vodka Company, the bacon flavored vodka is seeking to fill a niche.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1784346/bacon_flavored_vodka_is_it_really_something.html

Classic garden couscous...

Courtesy of http://www.neareast.com/

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chicken breast, skinless, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1-1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons white cooking wine
1 Package (5.9 oz.) NEAR EAST Couscous Parmesan Mix
2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets, thawed, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped

Preparation Instructions

1. In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook chicken and garlic for 5 to 8 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and no longer pink inside.
2. Stir in water, cooking wine and contents of spice sack; bring to a boil.
3. Stir in Near East couscous and broccoli; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in cheese and tomatoes right before serving.

6 Servings (1 cup each)

Nutrition Information
Calories: 220, Calories from Fat: 50, Total Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 45mg, Sodium: 430mg, Total Carbohydrate: 23g, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 3g, Protein: 19g

Remember!!!

Happy Memorial Day!

So, in a sour economy with wars in two countries, what does one Georgia Republican Representative feel there is plenty of time for?

A Marriage protection amendment to the Constitution and 2010 as the "National Year of the Bible" among other things. That's just for this year (the 111th Congress)...

How about Paul Broun's input to the 110th Congress? Here are those results. Groundbreaking stuff you're proposing there, Representative Broun.

Hulu.com rocks!

Short and sweet and to the point here....

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!

I'll be particular and say a special thanks to all of those women that I happen to call Mom......