Paducah radiation reported in Wash Post

[Maury Siskel <maury@webtexas.com>]

Maybe this is unfair, but the following phrases are extracts from the
Wash. Post 10-5-00 article about Paducah radiation. I was amazed at this
exhibition of so-called science being reported in a so-called news
journal.  Almost the only quantitative aspects of the article referred
to 4,000 workers and one in ten workers.  What a stupendous model of
true science and unbiased communication!
Maury Siskel    maury@webtexas.com
===============================================
1.   concluded that AS MANY AS 4,000 WORKERS faced increased risks from
exposure to plutonium and neptunium,

2.  Of those 4,000 workers,  ABOUT one in 10 [I.E.,ABOUT 400]

3.  had the POTENTIAL

4.  for exposures that "APPROACHED OR EXCEEDED regulatory limits,"

5.  SOME WORKERS during the 1960s

6.  COULD HAVE received an annual radiation dose of between 7.6 and 98
rem,

7.  David Michaels, assistant energy secretary for environment, safety
and health, said the peer review would INOCULATE the report against
future criticism. "    [Golly, gee whiz. Shazam!  Really? admirable
idealism]

8.  "It was important to show that we did this with a HIGH STANDARD of
credibility and independence."

9.  The levels of plutonium and neptunium in SOME dust samples were
described as "VERY HIGH,"

10. The authors acknowledged that the DEARTH OF RELIABLE DATA limited
their ability to accurately gauge the level of risk.


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