Nuclear Power

[amateur51]

Indeed. It can contribute to wonderful, deep, wide-ranging discussions.

But they are ultimately useless if said passion is based on flawed science, misunderstanding or false logic.

Aaaaah! tis wonderful what Nutwood's 'Stating The Bleedin' Obvious' 101 can do

[Frances_iom]

What's wrong with emotional arguments?

they are the bedrock of the lying professions - advertising, journalism + politics (+ in many cases the law)

[MrGongGong]

Aaaaah! tis wonderful what Nutwood's 'Stating The Bleedin' Obvious' 101 can do

and of course
"But they are ultimately useless if said passion is based on flawed science, misunderstanding or false logic."
seems more than a little incompatible with religious belief ? (I've nothing against religious people but one has to accept that belief includes "flawed science" and "false logic")

[Flosshilde]

they are the bedrock of the lying porfessions - advertising, journalism + politics (+ in many cases the law)

Nonsense Frances - the professions you quote are, in their worst incarnations, as coldly calculating as scientific argument without recognition of humen emotions is.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

...here is a reasoned emotional argument in favour of nuclear power

[aeolium]

I don't particularly want arguments for or against nuclear power, and especially not emotional ones. Whether or not nuclear energy is 'as beautiful as a Mozart symphony' is neither here nor there.

I would like a knowledgeable scientist, who has no axe to grind either for or against nuclear power, to put down the pros and cons of nuclear power in a dispassionate way, stating as accurately as possible the risks and benefits of it (and obviously the comparative risks and benefits of alternative sources of energy). It seems hard to come across anyone writing about it who is not committed one way or the other.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

...here is a reasoned emotional argument in favour of nuclear power

That was in favour? The more I read of it, the more my "emotional" views hardened

[Mahlerei]

Latest report: traces of radioactive iodine have been found in Tokyo tap water. Fortunately that's reasonably easy to fix by issuing residents with iodine tablets. Anything more potent and this city of 35m people is in deep trouble. And surely that's the crux of the matter: nuclear accidents can affect millions very quickly and there's nothing god or science can do to protect them from the more extreme forms of radiation.

[Simon]

Nonsense Frances - the professions you quote are, in their worst incarnations, as coldly calculating as scientific argument without recognition of humen emotions is.

Oh dear Flossie. Follow things through when you think. You've completely missed the point of Frances's comment.

[Frances_iom]

Latest report: traces of radioactive iodine have been found in Tokyo tap water. Fortunately that's reasonably easy to fix by issuing residents with iodine tablets. Anything more potent and this city of 35m people is in deep trouble. And surely that's the crux of the matter: nuclear accidents can affect millions very quickly and there's nothing god or science can do to protect them from the more extreme forms of radiation.

as per usual a Google to reputatable sources (http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/79661.html) gives:
In Maebashi, Gunma, 2.5 becquerels of iodine and 0.38 becquerel of cesium were detected Friday per kilogram of water, the prefectural government said, adding it is the first time the substances were found since it began testing tap water for radioactive materials in 1990.

The Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan limits an intake of iodine at 300 becquerels per kilogram of water and of cesium at 200 becquerels.

yes - no doubt Tokyo draws its water supply from the area and some iodine etc was released on the first day - the radiological limits are themselves set to be very pessimistic as to possible health problems - probably more simple to flush reservoirs or derive water from elsewhere.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

- probably more simple to flush reservoirs or derive water from elsewhere.

If only they had that option...

[charles t]

since 1 American consumes on average 55x more resources than a South Asian peasant farmer getting rid of 300M+ Americans would go a long way towards your aim and possibly easier than 1500M peasants needed to reduced population by 25%- or do you have another specific group in mind ?

Re Windscale - it was I understand being operated in such a way as to maximize production on material needed for our H bomb program

I'm not sure that I have fully paid-up my Masochism Society dues as I gaze out at our loverly California hills.

Dilemna...Wikipedia time.

[Frances_iom]

I'm not sure that I have fully paid-up my Masochism Society dues as I gaze out at our loverly California hills.

I presume you have now realised that 3 of the 4 'corners' of the tectonic plate on which Japan, New Zealand + Chile sit have now had significant quakes within the last year or so - the 4th North Eastern corner is the San Andreas fault - not too far from you I suspect - due for a quake sometime soon though possibly not a force 9 though a smaller one wreaked havoc in 1906.

[Anna]

If we are to believe the Doomsayers and the Soothsayers, tonight's Supermoon (the closest to the Earth in 18 years) is to trigger seismic activities and abnormally high tides. Just to strike a cheerful note.

[Mahlerei]

Hola Cassandra!

Gringo, 'e believe everything you say :)