🚀 go-pugleaf

hyperion@dimensional.com (Hyperion Systems) wrote:
>In article <3422BA3D.58F7@no.com>, Ambrose Small  <no@no.com> wrote:
<snip re: paranoia over nuclear fission>
>
>>Kind of reminds me how people used to electrocute dogs back in the
>>late 19th century to show how deadly a.c. electricity was.  They
>>were trying to show how foolish and deadly the idea of running it 
>>into your home would be.
>
>A bad comparison at best.  Electricity is safe the moment the current is
>cut off (except for devices which retain eletricity for whatever reason). 

Where do you cut it off?  How do you know it is cut off, after all you 
can't see it?  Tens of thousands (perhaps millions) of people have died 
from accidental electrocution, fires or related accidents.  Electricity 
is truly deadly stuff but we as a society have decided that it is worth 
the risk.  As Mr. Small was pointing out there were many who thought that 
it wasn't just as you think that nuclear power isn't.  Just ask yourself, 
how many people have died from nuclear accidents or problems in North 
America.  Now look at the plethora of routine electrocutions which occur 
annually.

>Nuclear waste is toxic and deadly for THOUSANDS of years.  Humans only
>have a few thoudand years or recorded history! 
>
Some nuclear waste is toxic and deadly.  The deadliest stuff has the 
shortest life span and therefore should be easiest to deal with.  Surely 
the approach to take is to analyze the risks and take the best course of 
action for the waste, not hide your head in the sand and throw this 
energy source away.