Re: " U.N. Studies Chernobyl Aftermath "

[maury <maury@WEBTEXAS.COM>]

Thanks, but what gave you the impression that my posting was attempting to convince "the public" of anything? It did not address the public and it did not

attempt to convince anybody of anything. I attempted to present factual findings which contrast starkly with some media distortions which were being

brought up here on the list. The only insensitivity I see lies in your assumptions about what I may or may not have learned or accepted - about which you

have little or no basis to draw valid conclusions. I'm sorry if I misled you. I happen to believe that human error rates will not be reduced to zero. I

take no pleasure in death, but I do take pleasure sometimes in how well we cope with the results of our errors. I do not accept what you seem think goes

on in my head.



Your goal to "make sure that we never come close to a recurrence" is laudable, but it is only a goal, a construct,  to work toward - human history

suggests rather clearly that it will not be achieved - only approached which, like it or not, is often measured by the magnitude of our losses.

Maury Siskel             maury@webtexas.com

=====================================

William V Lipton wrote:



> You folks still don't get it.  It's not whether Chernobyl killed 2000, 8000, 30000, or "only" 100.  To argue body counts is, at best, insensitive, and

> does nothing to convince the public of our ability to properly manage nuclear technology.

>

> Chernobyl was a human and technological disaster.  Let's accept that, learn from it, and make sure we never even come close to a recurrence.

>

> The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

> It's not about dose, it's about trust.

> Let's look at the real problem, for a change.

>

> Bill Lipton

> liptonw@dteenergy.com

>

> maury wrote:

>

> > Also To:  Don Kosloff, John Fill, John Priest, Pat Milligan, and others

> >

> > It is really sad that this issue gets used in this manner. The essential

> > scheme is to portray your nation, your organization, and your 'clients'

> > as victims of this so-called terrible disaster. As victims, you receive

> > money from individuals, organizations, and nations all over the world.

> > The Chernobyl  accident took place in April 1986 -  nearly 16 years ago

> > (not nearly 15 as one news item "reported").

> >

> > Last spring, there was extensive discussion on this list (as well as

> > world-wide) arising from the 15th anniversary of Chernobyl. You will

> > find many excellent references and summaries in the Radsafe archives for

> > about one year ago. Our esteemed news media carried the usual claims of

> > 30,000 (yes, thirty thousand!) deaths due to Chernobyl. There were all

> > kinds of outlandish claims including some being made by UN organizations

> > exactly as you see today. In fact, I think either or both UNSCEAR and

> > IAEA protested to the Secretary General about the conflicting

> > inappropriate (and unsubstantiated) claims being made by other UN

> > agencies. Cherish your memories of the days when we all thought that the

> > BBC was the paragon of truth in reporting world news

> >

> > The scientific follow-up studies reported last year showed about 100

> > deaths and about 1,800 cases of thyroid cancer in youngsters. The number

> > of thyroid cancers should increase for a while until the more

> > susceptible age group has been born well after the accident. But the

> > Chernobyl Victim Industry continues alive and well!

> >

> > This treatment is all about money and we should expect to go through it

> > every spring for the next few decades - with elevated emphasis every 5

> > years. It is a pity that the news media are always so ready to gain

> > attention this way.

> > Cheers,

> > Maury Siskel       maury@webtexas.com

> > =============================================



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