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Re: [cdn-nucl-l] Re: We can't afford nuclear by Cameron Smith, Toronto Star
Hello all -
I was able to find some revealing info about Lovins'
education by combining his official bio with a
Wikipedia article concerning the Oxford MA program.
Lovins does NOT have a Ph.D. (except for the honorary
kind)
Lovins' official bio says that his M.A. from Oxford is
'by virtue of being a don':
http://www.rmi.org/images/other/StaffBios/BioALovinsFull.pdf
He spent two years at Harvard and then transferred to
Oxford (consequently, no degree from Harvard).
Wikipedia provided some revealing information about
the M.A. program at Oxford, which is NOT comparable to
U.S. masters' degrees, and in particular is quite
different from U.S. thesis-based M.S. degrees that
would be typical in physics and engineering
departments, as well as in biology and the like.
Here are a few-paragraphs from Wikipedia about the
Oxford MA:
"The degree of Master of Arts (MA) is awarded by the
universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin (Trinity
College) without further examination to those entitled
to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, solely on the basis
of a number of terms' academic standing. This practice
differs from that in most other universities
worldwide, for whom the degree reflects further
postgraduate study or achievement; thus these degrees
are frequently referred to as the Oxbridge MA and
Dublin MA or Trinity MA to differentiate them. In the
ancient universities of Scotland, the degree is
awarded as a first degree to undergraduates (see
Master of Arts (Scotland))."
=====Requirements=====
"No exams or lecture courses are taken; the degree is
effectively an "upgrade" to a degree already held.
Note, therefore, that the degree is designated MA and
not MA (Hons), as no grade is awarded. A nominal fee
may be payable before admission for the upgrade."
..
"At Oxford, the MA may be conferred during or after
the 21st term from matriculation (i.e. ordinarily 7
years after joining the University) upon anyone
holding an Oxford BA or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
degree [2]. An exception is that anyone who graduates
with an Oxford DPhil while already holding an Oxford
BA may immediately be conferred with the MA, before
the requisite number of terms have passed."
..
"Some employers treat the Oxbridge MA as being of
slightly higher value than a BA."
==================================================
The Oxford MA degree program dates back to the Middle
Ages. For full details on the history and what is
entailed in getting an Oxford MA, visit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Arts_(Oxbridge)
This is probably why no one can find a title to an
M.A. thesis for Lovins.
Best wishes -
Ruth
..
..
..
(for honesty and full disclosure, here's my M.S.
thesis title...
Aspects of the water and temperature relations of the
Formosan subterranean termite, _Coptotermes
formosanus_ Shiraki, and of the Eastern subterranean
termite, _Reticulitermes flavipes_ Kollar).
--- Bill Garland <garlandw@mcmaster.ca> wrote:
> Rod,
>
> I agree with your well written blog article and
> applaud your efforts in
> general. Keep it up. McMaster endured, in the
> recent past, a President
> who 'had a degree from Oxford'. Turned out to be
> from a small college in
> the town of Oxford, not Oxford University. Oh my,
> oh my.
>
> Did you try asking Lovins himself?
>
> Bill
>
> At 10:47 AM 25/06/2006, Rod Adams wrote:
> >I did some research and wrote an article about
> Amory Lovins in May 2006
> >for the Atomic Insights Blog titled "Amory Lovins's
> Academic Career".
> >
> >The bottom line of the article was to question
> whether or not Mr. Lovins
> >ever earned any academic degree indicating
> completion of a defined course
> >of study.
> >
> >I would be interested in any comments that you
> might have.
> >
> >Rod Adams
> >
> >On Jun 25, 2006, at 10:20 AM, Bill Garland wrote:
> >
> >>FYI, Bill
> >>-----------------------------------
> >>We can't afford nuclear
> >>Jun. 24, 2006. 12:12 PM
> >>CAMERON SMITH
> >>
> >>
> >>In a devastating analysis of nuclear power, Amory
> Lovins, head of the
> >>Rocky Mountain Institute in Denver, Colo., has
> concluded that it is the
> >>least cost-effective way to meet electricity
> needs, and the worst
> >>possible solution for moderating climate change.
> >>
> >>I wish I had found his study earlier — it was
> published last September
> >>and updated in January — because, just maybe, a
> focus on it might have
> >>persuaded Queen's Park to alter its decision to
> spend $46 billion (at
> >>today's prices) on refurbishing and adding to
> Ontario's existing array of
> >>nuclear reactors.
> >>
> >>Spending this amount of money on nuclear means
> there'll be precious
> >>little left to promote alternatives. The study is
> available at
> >>http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid171.php — from the
> library of
> >>publications choose Nuclear power: economics and
> climate-protection potential.
> >>
> >>Lovins' argument is that, first, you get more bang
> for the buck
> >>installing alternatives. And, second, there's a
> long lead time for
> >>building nuclear reactors — 10 to 15 years — yet
> what's needed are fast
> >>and big cuts in carbon dioxide (CO{-2}) emissions.
> Nuclear offers too
> >>little, too late, he says.
> >>
> >>To simplify his first point, he says that an
> outlay of 10 cents could
> >>deliver:
> >>
> >>1 kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity from a
> nuclear reactor (assuming
> >>that all government subsidies remained in place).
> >>
> >>1.2 to 1.7 kWh from wind turbines (with no
> subsidies).
> >>
> >>2.4 to 8.9 kWh from cogeneration (production of
> heat and electricity).
> >>
> >>Up to 10 kWh of electricity by improving
> electricity end-use efficiency —
> >>using less electricity, often by replacing
> equipment, appliances,
> >>lighting and heating with more efficient
> alternatives, plus the reduction
> >>in demand that comes with shifting of the economy
> from high-demand
> >>manufacturing to lower demand businesses.
> >>
> >>In short, he says, building nuclear reactors is
> uneconomic. Alternatives
> >>are leading in the global marketplace and are
> growing 10 times faster, he says.
> >>
> >>Nuclear power, is "a dying industry, fading from
> the marketplace,
> >>overtaken and humbled by swifter rivals." In fact,
> it's so uncompetitive
> >>that "the trickle of orders observed worldwide all
> come from centrally
> >>planned electricity systems," he says.
> >>
> >>What it comes down to is this: a dollar spent on
> nuclear power does less
> >>to reduce CO{-2} emissions than a dollar spent on
> alternatives. Or, as
> >>Lovins puts it: "Every $100 invested in nuclear
> would effectively release
> >>an additional tonne of CO{-2} into the
> atmosphere."
> >>
> >>However, as far as climate change in concerned,
> that barely matters,
> >>because climate change is not going to put itself
> on hold while Ontario
> >>spends 10 to 15 years building nuclear plants.
> Lovins says the main
> >>emphasis should be on improving electricity
> efficiency.
> >>
> >>Ralph Torrie of ICF International in Toronto, one
> of Canada's top experts
> >>in energy and conservation, calculates that
> between 1990 and 2004,
> >>end-use efficiency in Ontario freed up the
> equivalent of 5,000 megawatts
> >>of generating capacity. That's four times the
> amount of new generating
> >>capacity actually added during the same period.
> So, the potential of this
> >>alternative is enormous.
> >>
> >>It's obvious, then, that instead of pouring money
> into nuclear plants,
> >>Queen's Park could meet its goals far quicker,
> with less risk and fewer
> >>potential problems by helping people and
> businesses move to greater
> >>efficiency in electricity use.
> >>
> >>As Lovins says: "If you worry about climate
> change, it is essential to
> >>buy the fastest and most effective climate
> solutions. Nuclear power is
> >>just the opposite."
> >>
> >>
>
>>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>Cameron Smith can be reached at
>
>><mailto:camsmith@kingston.net>camsmith@kingston.net.
> >>
> >>Bill Garland, Executive Director of UNENE and
> Professor, Dept. of
> >>Engineering Physics, Bldg. NRB 117, McMaster
> University, Hamilton,
> >>Ontario, CANADA L8S 4L7, Tel: (905)525-9140 x24925
> Fax: (905)528-4339
> >>Email:
> <mailto:garlandw@mcmaster.ca>garlandw@mcmaster.ca
> >>Web:< www.nuceng.ca> < http://canteach.candu.org>
> <www.unene.ca>
> >
> >=
>
> Bill Garland, Executive Director of UNENE and
> Professor, Dept. of
> Engineering Physics, Bldg. NRB 117, McMaster
> University, Hamilton,
> Ontario, CANADA L8S 4L7, Tel: (905)525-9140 x24925
> Fax: (905)528-4339
> Email: garlandw@mcmaster.ca
> Web:<www.nuceng.ca> <http://canteach.candu.org>
> <www.unene.ca>
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