Re: So, is reprocessing thread...."Angels dancing on head of pin?"

["Franz Schoenhofer" <franz.schoenhofer@CHELLO.AT>]

This is my absolutely last comment on the question of "uniqueness of

radiation":



I mentioned it already and I want to make it even clearer: Radiation is

unique - but not because of hazards. It is unique insofar, when compared to

other poisons, toxins, virus, bacteria, prions etc., that it is easily

detectable "on the spot" and can be easily shielded with cheap and easy

means. Furthermore it is present everywhere - be it in the mountains, deep

in the earths crust, on the earths surface or on water. Any "hazard" can

only been attributed to extremely high quantities of radiation and "deadly"

doses can not occur during normal circumstances of living, but only in

accidents - the history of radioactivity is full enough with examples,

though most of the really dangerous accidents with radiation do not make it

into the news, because they do not fulfill the criteria of sensationalism.

Two people have been killed in a criticallity accident - which was their

fault - in Japan - this makes the headline, because it is associated with

"nuclear power" - eight (or more) people have been killed in Panama recently

by misadministration of radiation in a hospital - nobody is interested in

it, because there is no connection to nuclear power. On the other side

virusses and bacterias can kill in any everyday situation - think of the

outbreak of legionella in Spain right now. 5 g of potassium cyanide will

kill you instantly if ingested in a drink, where somebody has put it in, as

well as much smaller amounts of pesticides or herbicides. The dark middle

ages are well known for their very refined knowledge of poisons, whether

plant extracts or arsenic and such cases have become very rare, not because

these poisons can be detected before administration, but because of

detection after murder.



Radiation is propagated linearily, so it can be easily shielded. How do you

shield legionella bacteria from being distributed from everywhere?



So, your claim of uniqueness of radiation is really not valid, unless you

would use it the same way as I have just described it.



Another question of course is that you are not only no professional, but

that you lack obviously any knowledge about the matter you write on.

Therefore the harsh reaction of other RADSAFErs is well understandable,

especially since it is not the first time that somebody - for instance once

a declared anti-nuclear activist with as little knowledge as you - wanted to

explain to us, what radiation protection is, what are the hazards of one

single radioactive atom and one single quantum from a radioactive element

etc. etc.



If I would go to a mechanics shop and tell them, how to repair cars - they

will throw me out within a minute, because I do not understand anything

about cars.



If I go to the stock exchange and tell other. what to buy and what to sell -

they will throw me out within a minute, because ..... see above.



If I go to university to a lecture on the tibetan language and would start

to discuss about the subject, they will throw me out within less than a

minute, because.......





But you - and so many others! - who have not the slightest idea about

radiation, nuclear technology, radioecology etc. etc. - you want to tell us

professionals what is right and wrong? It is bad enough when we look what

charlatans are in the mass media, in authorities and influencing the

decision makers and politicians.



This list is - if I remember correctly - for the exchange of information for

professionals. Also non-professionals have been tolerated, at least to my

knowledge nobody has been denied to read the contributions. Many

non-professionals have asked for advice in questions concerning radiation -

and they have been given it to the best of our knowledge. This list has

always been very tolerant.



If you have a little bit of self-criticism, please stop sending messages to

the list. Read the contribution, you might be able to learn a little.



Franz









non-ionizing radiation



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