RE: near miss

["Ted Rockwell" <tedrock@CPCUG.ORG>]

> Such a tidal wave could possibly drown

millions of people living in coastal areas, but as implied in the article,

the really serious consequence of such an occurrence would be the possible

release of some radioactivity from  nuclear plants in the affected areas.

________________

Friends:



That is the point that a lot of nuclear advocates just don't get.  The

article is saying that a little bit of leaked radioactivity is more fearsome

than a storm that wipes out whole cities.  And many people would agree.

"NOTHING can compare with radiation as a threat to public health."



That's why we have to keep hammering on the point that radiation is NOT in a

class by itself.  It's just another thing that can be helpful in tolerable

amounts but can hurt if you get too much.  Like almost everything else.

It's natural, it's extraordinarily easy to detect (unlike bacteria,

chemicals, natural gas, etc.), and we know how to deal with it.



That's why, when somebody says that the radioactivity in a given reactor

core is enough to kill x million people, you say that the water in a

municipal swimming pool is also capable of that.  But we don't think of the

pool as a dreadful threat, and FOR EXACTLY THE SAME REASON, we shouldn't

think of a reactor as a public health hazard.  Yes, it is possible to hurt

someone with fps, and yes, it's possible to drown in a pool.  But it is easy

to live with both.



Ted Rockwell





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