[ RadSafe ] Psychological Impacts of Chernobyl

[Steven Dapra]

May 2

         On April 29th (see below) I asked this question:

"Busby has apparently claimed that Fukushima will lead to 400,000 
additional cancers.  This claim is absurd on the face of it.  Do you 
really believe this constitutes "educating the world"?"

         According to the infowars.com website he has claimed 800,000 
excess cancers.  Whatever the case, do you think this constitutes 
"educating the world"?  I'm looking for a yes or no answer.

         Your rhetorical flights of fancy about Busby "opening the 
dialogue" serve no purpose.  Busby has made his claims, let him 
substantiate them.  So far, he has not done so.  Until he does, it's 
going to be more than a little difficult to specifically show how off 
base and absurd his claims are.

         While we are waiting for Busby, you can tell us whether or 
not his fustian constitutes "educating the world."

Steven Dapra


At 10:36 AM 5/2/2011, you wrote:
>Steven,
>
>I think that is something that the uneducated world might believe if not
>answered. Busby is opening the dialogue, it is up to us to show how off base
>or absurd his claims are. Hopefully we can make our point in a way the
>general public can understand.
>
>Rich
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
>[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Steven Dapra
>Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 6:09 PM
>To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Psychological Impacts of Chernobyl
>
>April 29
>
>          To keep it short, Busby has apparently claimed that Fukushima will
>lead to 400,000 additional cancers.  This claim is absurd on the face of it.
>Do you really believe this constitutes "educating the world"?
>
>Steven Dapra
>
>
>At 10:23 AM 4/29/2011, you wrote:
> >Steven,
> >
> >If my first post was poorly worded, my apologies. I'll give it another
> >go here:
> >
> >In the aftermath of a nuclear power crisis, the world is interested in
> >the risks/benefits of nuclear power--Busby and his ilk are only too
> >eager and willing to give their point of view--if we fail to engage
> >him, they will accept his view simply because they don't know any
> >better and don't have the resources or knowledge to engage him.
> >
> >I'm going to give Busby the benefit of the doubt and believe his
> >motivation lies in educating the world and he is not just an
> >opportunist looking to profit by his ideas (no matter how misguided
> >those ideas are) and make a name for himself. I'm guessing that many on
> >Radsafe disagree with me on this.
> >
> >
> >Rich Gallego
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
> >[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Steven Dapra
> >Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 5:31 AM
> >To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing
> >List
> >Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Psychological Impacts of Chernobyl
> >
> >April 29
> >
> >          You rather strongly implied that Busby and his fellow
> >travelers have rushed in for the purpose of "educating the world on the
> >benefits and true risks related to the peaceful use of radioactive
> >materials."  They are not doing any such thing.
> >
> >          Now you say it's a "useful exercise" to have his claims debunked.
> >True, but that was not your original argument.
> >
> >Steven Dapra
> >
> >
> >At 06:37 PM 4/28/2011, you wrote:
> > >Steve,
> > >
> > >I believe it is a useful exercise to have Mr. Busby's claims debunked
> > >by experts in the field. If not us, then who? I'm afraid that if we
> > >fail to respond, the uninformed might believe what he has to say. If
> > >nothing else is accomplished, most of us now know what his views are
> > >and the arguments against them.
> > >
> > >Rich Gallego
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
> > >[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Steven
> > >Dapra
> > >Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 5:11 PM
> > >To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing
> > >List
> > >Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Psychological Impacts of Chernobyl
> > >
> > >April 28
> > >
> > >          Chris Busby talks nonsense and is reluctant to substantiate
> > >any of his claims.  He is a chemist, not a health physicist.  He
> > >considers himself to be more of an authority on radioactivity than is
> > >the ICRP.  He finally gave a few citations, some of them to Nature.
> > >Then, in another e-mail he called Nature a "rag."
> > >
> > >          He complained loud and long that no one would address his
> > >claims about infant leukemias in the aftermath of Chernobyl.  When I
> > >posted a message here directly addressing his claims about said
> > >leukemias he dropped out of sight.  Does that sound like a "debate",
> > >much less an "honest debate"?
> > >
> > >          In my estimation, calling Nature a "rag," or claiming the
> > >Fukushima accident will lead to hundreds of thousands of additional
> > >cancers, does not exactly constitute "divergent points of view."
> > >
> > >          The "fact of the matter is" that most of the world does not
> > >care about the benefits or risks of the peaceful use of radioactive
> >materials.
> > >One can't even lead this horse to water, let alone make him drink.
> > >
> > >          Busby and his fellow travelers are not filling any void of
> > >inadequate education.  What they are doing is spewing more hogwash
> > >into an already vast ocean of hogwash.
> > >
> > >          And, yes, next time I'll really let you know what I think.
> > >
> > >Steven Dapra
> > >
> > >
> > >At 01:00 PM 4/28/2011, you wrote:
> > > >Franz,
> > > >
> > > >You ask why Chris Busby still gets space on radsafe. Radsafe would
> > > >be much less interesting without the debate that comes from
> > > >divergent points of view. The fact of the matter is, our industry
> > > >has not done a good enough job of educating the world on the
> > > >benefits and true risks related to the peaceful use of radioactive
> > > >materials. People like
> >Mr.
> > > >Busby have rushed in to fill that void. We all win with honest debate.
> > > >
> > > >Rich Gallego
>
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