Atomic Dog and Other Musings

[APalmerIII <APalmerIII@aol.com>]

For everybody that thinks that the public perception problem with nuclear
power will get better if the tecnical people could communicate risk better, I
offer a lovely new TV show coming on the USA network (yes, too many hours of
cable) called "Atomic Dog".  I gather from the ads that "Atomic Dog" is this
super-rabid German Shepherd who got that way from RADIATION EXPOSURE.  (Of
course, it wouldn't be a killer Beagle - that would be poetic justice!).  I
think HPS should take the lead to educate and communicate our way out of this
one.  Or , at least some ABHP continuing ed credits for watching it.

As far as the future of nuclear energy - there is a wonderful real life case
study that has been going on in Sweden that I believe to be a terriffic
predictor of future U.S. Energy Policy.  They have essentially a three party
system in which two of the parties form a coalition government every 4  or 5
years with one of the driving factors of the coalition formation being what
type of future energy should be used.  Over the years they have committed to
ending nuclear electricity generation, but at the same time they have
committed to not building any new dams on their limited rivers.  They also
don't want to use any more dirty fossile fuels (e.g., coal/oil) so for right
now they are relying on increased use of North Sea natural gas.  Good policy
as long as you have gas.  Low capital cost, clean burning, but it's that darn
renewable thing again.  Any how every couple of years they keep extending the
nuclear units' legislated lifetime because of the hard reality that it is cold
and dark in the winter.

It's not about dose, its about SPIN.  As Frederico Pena said when he was Sec'y
of Transportation - It's not how safe airplanes are numerically - its how safe
people feel they are.  Hell of a way to run the FAA - one set of wings is
engineered safety - but I'd REALLY feel better if Boeing would put another set
on that 757 so I can FEEL better.  Also, anybody seen any parachutes in coach?
With Frederico at the controls DOE is in for turbulence.  Witness Brookhaven.

Finally - concerning payouts/offs:  The smartest thing I ever heard concerning
this matter was from an airline executive who said, basically: "When we are
wrong, we will write the check for full compensation immediately.  When we are
right, we will defend ourselves vigorously."  American Nuclear Insurers found
out all about the wisdom of this approach this when they wrote the first
compensation check following TMI accident.  The individual case was a tragic
situation but not related to the events at the Island.  Their payout spawned
thousands of other claims.

APalmerIII
APalmerIII@AOL.COM