[ExI] Two Japanese reactors on red alert

[Richard Loosemore]

Eugen Leitl wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 09:56:59AM -0400, Richard Loosemore wrote:
>> On paper, great.
>>
>> On the ground, as thin as paper.
>
> You sound surprised.

I sound ... frustrated, and let down.

These things are not (it turns out) about physics and engineering, they 
are about organizational psychology, and politics.

Too often, those who focus on the benefits of nuclear power want to talk 
about all the nice, easy-to-compute aspects of the situation (i.e. the 
physics).  The psychology and the politics, not so much.

I know (I am pretty sure) that nuclear reactors can be designed so that 
they are safe.  The real question is not how to do this against the 
Mother Nature adversary, but against the Organizational Complacency and 
Political Stupidity adversary.

I don't want to hear about the Obama administration loosening up the 
reins on the nuclear industry in the U.S., I want to hear about them 
taking a different attitude to the problem itself.


Richard Loosemore