Saturday, July 24, 2021
The World’s First Small Nuclear Reactor Is Now Under Construction
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) launched on Tuesday the construction of the first onshore small nuclear reactor in the world, in its efforts to gain a leading position in the modular reactors market.
Construction began on the demonstration project at the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in the Hainan province in southern China, local publication Global Times reports.
The start of the construction for the ‘Linglong One’ small nuclear reactor comes four years later than initially planned, due to delays in regulatory clearances, Reuters notes.
The small reactor was originally planned to see the start of the construction phase in 2017.
A year earlier, the Linglong One small reactor had become the first to pass a safety review from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Once completed and commissioned, the small nuclear reactor is expected to meet the annual power needs of around 526,000 households, Global Times reports, without giving a timeline for the completion.
CNNC has been developing small reactor technology for the past ten years, the outlet says.
According to the World Nuclear Association, interest is growing in small and simpler technology to generate nuclear power, due to lower costs and the desire to provide power away from large grid systems.
“Overall SMR research and development in China is very active, with vigorous competition among companies encouraging innovation,” the association says, noting that the U.S., the UK, and Canada also develop and support their...
The 90 Miles Mystery Video: Nyctophilia Edition #724
Before You Click On The "Read More" Link,
Please Only Do So If You Are Over 21 Years Old.
If You are Easily Upset, Triggered Or Offended, This Is Not The Place For You.
Please Leave Silently Into The Night......
The 90 Miles Mystery Box: Episode #1424
You have come across a mystery box. But what is inside?
It could be literally anything from the serene to the horrific,
from the beautiful to the repugnant,
from the mysterious to the familiar.
If you decide to open it, you could be disappointed,
you could be inspired, you could be appalled.
This is not for the faint of heart or the easily offended.
You have been warned.
Friday, July 23, 2021
'Shrinkflation' strikes shoppers across the country: Companies faced with rising costs are downsizing packages without reducing prices in stealthy move to hit consumers in the wallet
General Mills' Cinnamon Toast Crunch has shrunk from a 19.3 oz package (left) to an 18.8 oz box (right) in an example of shrinkflation that is infuriating consumers
- Many brands are reducing package sizes in a stealthy move to cut costs
- From paper towels to breakfast cereal, consumers are getting less for their dollar
- It is a counterpart to inflation known as 'shrinkflation' or downsizing
- Consumers pay more in the end as they buy more often, but may not realize it
That's contributing to the 5'.4 percent rise in prices consumers are facing for everyday goods - the sharpest annualized price increase since the 1990s.
Also known as downsizing, 'shrinkflation' is the notorious ploy of selling less of an item for the same price, infuriating consumers who wind up getting less for their dollar.
From the cereal maker General Mills to the store brands of Costco and Walmart, many basic goods have shrunk in recent months, as spotted by eagle-eyed consumers.
Though manufacturers have always sought to cut costs and the trend is nothing new, it seems to have accelerated in recent months, as companies face higher prices for raw materials and seek creative ways to cut costs.
Some companies would surely argue that shrinkflation is a consumer-friendly alternative to simply raising prices, helping to prevent weekly grocery bills from ballooning wildly.
But many furious consumers don't appreciate the stealthy tactic, pointing out that they will end up paying more in the end for staple goods, which they now have to buy more often.
'Consumers are price conscious -- they'll spot that price increase -- but they're not net-weight conscious,' Edgar Dworsky, a watchdog at consumerworld.org, told Good Morning America last month.
'If you ask someone how many ounces is in this jar of mayonnaise, or in the cereal box you buy, they're going to shrug their shoulders,' he said.
'That's kind of how manufacturers take advantage because you don't have those sizes memorized,' he added. 'So what consumers can do is they have to become...
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