[LINK] Still FUD

[Michael Skeggs mike@bystander.net]

On 1 April 2011 04:14, <stephen at melbpc.org.au> wrote:

>
>
> As ANY radiation can cause cancer, isn't it wise to FUD any radiation?
> It's not irrational to fear and doubt something if it's clearly poison.
> Tom, what's this thing you may have that FUD is NOT logical, or useful?
> Without fight or flight human beings would have become extinct long ago.
>
>
I'm not a proponent of nuclear power, but I do like science.
Radiation exposure is a risk management exercise. Saying it is sensible to
fear any exposure is a nonsense (do you live under 18 meteres of rock to
protect yourself from interstellar radiation? You do? Well, 18m still won't
block it all.).
Obviously, the disaster in Japan is a huge problem, but it is less than
1/1000th the problem the tsunami was (and millions in Japan continue to live
and work in places vulnerable to another one).
I suspect that many of the Japanese currently shivering through rolling
blackouts would happily take a new nuclear plant to get the power back on,
if one was offered.
None of this is a suggestion from me that the Fukushima issue isn't major,
but just that:
a) it is minor compared to the terrible, massive, deadly earthquake/tsunami
b) people want first world electricity, yet are generally unwilling to pay a
premium for renewables, and nuclear doesn't look so bad in comparison to
coal.

Regards,
Michael Skeggs