RE: Los Alamos Data

["Potter, Charles" <capotte@sandia.gov>]

Because of my misquote of Mr. Stuart Farber, my point has been lost.  I did
read both articles by Laurence Spohn in the Albuquerque Tribune that Mr.
Stuart Farber was quoted in.  Of course, Mr. Farber did not say the data was
"garbage" as I mistakenly put it, and for that I apologize.  What he did
say, was that he was surprised no gamma analysis had been done.

The point that I was trying to make was that the analysis HAD been done, and
this was not communicated to Mr. Farber or anyone else.  Instead, the media
allowed this misconception to flourish by not clarifying the information
that they had.  I am not a spokesperson for the DOE or any other entity that
was involved in the response, just a health physicist trying to do my job,
and watching that job be maligned in the newspaper.

I appreciate Mr. Farber's credentials, and would point out that the
credentials of those involved in the response are equally impressive.

Gus

C. A. Gus Potter
Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 844-2750
capotte@sandia.gov 

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Urban Jr [mailto:radmax@duesouth.net]
Sent: May 22, 2000 1:08 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: Los Alamos Data


From: "Potter, Charles" <capotte@sandia.gov>
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2000 11:41 AM
Subject: Los Alamos Data


> I don't understand, and probably never will, how things get reported to
the
> press.  All I can say is that the people involved did a great job and, in
my
> opinion, the measurements we took were appropriate and analyzed with the
> utmost care and technical justification.  Yet I've read in the paper all
> week comments by Stu Farber and others how our work was garbage.  Perhaps
> they were just reading the news reports and not realizing what a poor
source
> of information they are.
>
> In addition, a local physician decided that we did bad work also.  I don't
> understand why physicians and actors think that they are authorities on
> everything.  I'm considering going to his office and telling his patients
> he's a quack -- see how he likes it ;-)
>
> Gus
>
> C. A. Gus Potter
> Sandia National Laboratories


Sir, please understand there is no malice intended, just commentary on your
comments.

You say you don't understand how things get reported, yet your
(LANL/SANDIA/DOE) Internet posted reports are exactly the cause.

Try reading them as if you don't know ANYTHING about science (read press and
public).
There was a thing on cable this weekend about why the public thinks that
celebrities know what they are talking about.  It boils down to THEY ARE THE
ONES DOING ALL THE TALKING'..
We are the ones saying what WE THINK the public NEEDS TO KNOW in press
releases.  What happened to the 'CNN Gulf War' type news conferences with
all the charts and maps and diagrams.  This is how to battle the
misinformation of the ANTI-s.  Get up IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS with the
GRAPHICS.  Don't hand out some dry press release which they won't
understand.

This is what I was trying to get out in my earlier post regarding Kim's
comments on Stu quotes.

I have read both the LANL online press releases and the newspaper accounts,
and again I say what Stu said was neither damning NOR incorrect regarding
the reports he had read. (he DID say he couldn't believe you HADN'T done
further analysis)

As I said here before, we as a community need to shove this info down the
publics throats till they can't take anymore.
I would think you'd be trying to work WITH someone like Stu to come up with
a report that SHOWS the comparisons between Cerro Grande, Southern NM, Grand
Canyon, Florida, UKRAINE, and any other fires for which there is comparative
data.   A report that shows all the source term data.

Just to show the ANTI-s they don't have a clue.

Include with this kind of report, the 'USA TODAY' type graphics, showing
WHERE the source term is coming from (% fallout, % NORM, % production
residues) so the technically inept can understand, with numbers the ANTI-s
CAN'T argue..

We as a community CAN make the ANTI-s look like the IDIOTS WE KNOW THEY ARE,
instead of the experts people think they are.

Richard Urban
HP Tech at large

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