Most of the people that are against nuclear power in so-called "western society" have little or no grounding in science.
Prick one- ask him (more likely, it's a "her") how they did in Science subjects in school -
and see what answers you get.
Don't forget now- we are talking High School - forget college, there would be an even dimmer set of replies - and see how they fare:
Physics? "Oh that was TOTALLY borrrring! I slept through Physics class! Ha ha!"
Math? "Oh gee.. Barbie told me that math is HARRRRD!"
OK, then-
Chemistry? "Oh that stuff is really dirty! I took Poetry Appreciation 101 instead."
But now, somehow they have magically acquired an extensive scientific knowledge, and have decided that Nuclear Power is... well, basically EVIL.
Notice the similarity between this concept, and the people of 300 years ago who believed that witches were evil? Ah, many of the people that now believe Nuclear Power is evil probably also believe in - or even practice - "good witchcraft".
viz. Arthur C. Clarke's 3rd Law.
But I digress.
- Well, gee- It IS kinda horrible that 30,000 people died at 3-Mile-Island, huh?
ummm..You're wrong!
- Oh, wait- it wasn't 30,000? OK small correction- three thousand!
No, silly!
Oh, well I seem to recall three hundred..
Nope. Wrong again.
- Three dozen? I know there's a "3" in there somewhere!
No.
- Golly! Just THREE PEOPLE ???
No.
Sorry. NO ONE died at 3-Mile Island.
- Then what was all this fuss about?
It's called "journalism", sweetie! MEDIA! We gotta crank up the fear factor to sell our news!
Now before someone steps in here and says "Yes, but what about all the cancer deaths later caused by all that evil radiation released at 3-mile island", well I will simply throw back at you what about the cancer deaths caused by coal pollution, mining, and for that matter breathing in epoxy resins from Wind-turbine blade construction?
It happens quietly, consequently does not create much of a ripple in the daily news.
It should be interesting to see how Angela Merkel will be regarded forty years from now, as more and more of these wind-turbines flood the landscape of Germany. I bet the French (85% nuclear) are quietly chuckling as they sell more and more electricity to Germany...
Say- as an afterthought, what ever happened to those hydrogen powered cars we were all supposed to be driving by 2009?
Prick one- ask him (more likely, it's a "her") how they did in Science subjects in school -
and see what answers you get.
Don't forget now- we are talking High School - forget college, there would be an even dimmer set of replies - and see how they fare:
Physics? "Oh that was TOTALLY borrrring! I slept through Physics class! Ha ha!"
Math? "Oh gee.. Barbie told me that math is HARRRRD!"
OK, then-
Chemistry? "Oh that stuff is really dirty! I took Poetry Appreciation 101 instead."
But now, somehow they have magically acquired an extensive scientific knowledge, and have decided that Nuclear Power is... well, basically EVIL.
Notice the similarity between this concept, and the people of 300 years ago who believed that witches were evil? Ah, many of the people that now believe Nuclear Power is evil probably also believe in - or even practice - "good witchcraft".
viz. Arthur C. Clarke's 3rd Law.
But I digress.
- Well, gee- It IS kinda horrible that 30,000 people died at 3-Mile-Island, huh?
ummm..You're wrong!
- Oh, wait- it wasn't 30,000? OK small correction- three thousand!
No, silly!
Oh, well I seem to recall three hundred..
Nope. Wrong again.
- Three dozen? I know there's a "3" in there somewhere!
No.
- Golly! Just THREE PEOPLE ???
No.
Sorry. NO ONE died at 3-Mile Island.
- Then what was all this fuss about?
It's called "journalism", sweetie! MEDIA! We gotta crank up the fear factor to sell our news!
Now before someone steps in here and says "Yes, but what about all the cancer deaths later caused by all that evil radiation released at 3-mile island", well I will simply throw back at you what about the cancer deaths caused by coal pollution, mining, and for that matter breathing in epoxy resins from Wind-turbine blade construction?
It happens quietly, consequently does not create much of a ripple in the daily news.
It should be interesting to see how Angela Merkel will be regarded forty years from now, as more and more of these wind-turbines flood the landscape of Germany. I bet the French (85% nuclear) are quietly chuckling as they sell more and more electricity to Germany...
Say- as an afterthought, what ever happened to those hydrogen powered cars we were all supposed to be driving by 2009?
