Re: Cassini and "60 Minutes"

[Rick_Strickert@radian.com (Rick Strickert)]

Sandy Perle asked: 

> Anyone else have different observations?


Last night I sent the following comments to another listgroup discussing
the Cassini mission -

Just saw the 60 Minutes sitcom on the Cassini Pu-238 RTG; a definite
awards winner!

1. Apples and Oranges Award

goes to John Gofman for comparing the distribution of encapsulated
Pu-ceramic pellets by a rocket explosion to the distribution of
plutonium caused by a thermonuclear explosion.

2. Random Number Statistics Award

to the person who promoted the "weakest link" explanation in calculating
the probability of a disaster resulting in a deadly plutonium cloud.

3. Well, That Convinced Me Award

to the NASA official who responded to safety concerns by noting that
the Cassini launch has been reviewed and approved by many government
agencies and university scientists.

4. Best One-Liner Award

Following one of the many exciting scenes of rockets blowing up with
fireballs covering the sky - the calming voice from Mission Control,
"We've had an anomoly."

5. Humanitarian Award

For NASA's concern about the safety of protestors who might try to get
into the launch area... that's inhabited by alligators.

6. It's Veering Off-Course; Press the Self-Destruct Button Award

To CBS for blowing another opportunity to provide some meaningful
information on radioactive materials to the American viewing public.



Rick

Richard G. Strickert, Ph.D           |  "Errors using inadequate data
Radian International, Austin, TX     |   are much less than those using
512-310-5259, FAX 512-244-0160       |   no data at all."
Internet: Rick_Strickert@radian.com  |     - Charles Babbage (1792-1871)
 ---> "All written IMHO." <---       |