Re: The Jungle

[Bob Flood <bflood@SLAC.Stanford.EDU>]

At 05:59 PM 12/10/96 -0600, you wrote:
>1) In our own industry - Brown's Ferry - redefined the way
>fires and emergencies are handled in MANY industries. TVA
>finally put out the fire, but I don't really think that they
>spearheaded the Appendix R stuff and revisited the whole loss
>of off-site power question.
>
True, TVA didn't spearhead the effort, but the Browns Ferry fires were
responsible for Appendix R.

>7) For some reason I sort of appreciate Greenpeace's efforts in
>stopping the seal clubbing ...

Most activist organizations in the Greenpeace category pursue a combination
worthwhile and not-so-worthwhile objectives. Most have an underlying
premise that is narrowed to a specific practice or industry, and conduct
what are claimed to be noble actions based on that underlying premise.
Unfortunatly, many an underlying premise turns out to be more like blind
hatred or based on poor understanding or even irrational fears. So, some
envirnmentalist organizations do much good, but many do more harm than
anything else. And just like car manufacturers pass along the cost of
airbags to the purchaser, rest assured that the cost incurred by industries
of every type in dealing with activists is included in the price of
everything.

Do you believe that everything is so much better that everything should be
more expensive? I don't.

If GM does something boneheaded, and the press jumps on it, the public will
let GM know what it thinks, in words and in purchases. I think the same
should apply to the activist organizations: when one does something stupid,
it desrves to be called stupid. If they want credit for the things they do,
they should accept the appropriate credit (good or bad) for everything they
do.

BTW, I happen to be one of those who believes that the nuclear power
industry is better and sharper because of the intervenors. Some of them
pursued specific technical issues and brought about real change that
improved operations and safety. But most simply engaged in delaying tactics
designed to run the cost up until a power company gave up. Others tried to
delay startup as long as possible in the hope that someone would ban
nuclear plants, or completion of new ones. Neither deserves applause
(IMHO), and detracts from the accomplishments of the rest.

My soapbox closed now.


Bob Flood
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
(415) 926-3793     bflood@slac.stanford.edu
Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are mine alone.