# Nuclear meltdown! Holy Godzilla NOOOO!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 12, 2011, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389 "2011-03-12T08:19:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 30
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/581 "2011-03-19T22:56:33Z")
[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/01/national/main6163433.shtml](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/01/national/main6163433.shtml) Uh oh. How will the nuclear moonbats deal with this? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/582 "2011-03-19T23:02:11Z")
Well, they’ll want more regulation, wont they! More big government interference. They don’t have any faith in the robust energy of the free market, and the synergy of a government guided by the cool intelligence of businessmen. Probably some hare-brained idea like having our nukes all get a real good checking out, perhaps even by persons who won’t profit by saying “Hunky-dory and mmm-mmmm good!” ---
**Author:** ![Nadir](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nadir/32/7302_2.png) [@Nadir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nadir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/583 "2011-03-19T23:06:39Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > Uh oh. How will the nuclear moonbats deal with this? Hopefully they come together with their fellow nukies in the legislature and issue a bi-partisan declination of the Yankee application for license until appropriate remedies are in place along with a strict mandate for total clean-up. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/584 "2011-03-19T23:09:16Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/01/national/main6163433.shtml](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/01/national/main6163433.shtml) > > Uh oh. How will the nuclear moonbats deal with this? “Tritium, found in nature in tiny amounts and a product of nuclear fusion, has been linked to cancer if ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin in large amounts.” This is a direct quote from the article. So, bearing that in mind, I suppose [someone should respond seriously](http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/tritium-radiation-fs.html) to the fact of these leaks. -By the way, am I a moonbat or a denier? I lost track. I do know that I’m apparently handwaving away all risks of nuclear power, denying the capacity of industry or government to do wrong directly or by omission, and demanding that no one every say differently in any way. So on the one hand, sounds like I’m pretty much an asshole, but on the other at least I can be adequately defined as a type, and won’t have to worry about showing individuality any more. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/585 "2011-03-19T23:32:34Z")
I love a good government document. [http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/tritium-radiation-fs.html](http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/tritium-radiation-fs.html) It does not contain the word “danger” in it. They could have just saved time and said, “There is no danger”, rather than go on and on about how safe tritium from reactors is. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/586 "2011-03-19T23:38:47Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > I love a good government document. > > [http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/tritium-radiation-fs.html](http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/tritium-radiation-fs.html) > > It does not contain the word “danger” in it. They could have just saved time and said, “There is no danger”, rather than go on and on about how safe tritium from reactors is. See, this is the type of shit that continues to piss me off. You either didn’t read the thing and just scanned it for the word “danger”, or you read it and you’re just making shit up. > [@The linked NRC Fact Sheet](#): > > Along with other national and international regulatory agencies responsible for radiation protection, the NRC assumes that any exposure to radiation poses some health risk, and that risk increases as exposure increases in a linear, no-threshold (LNT) manner. The LNT assumption suggests that any increase in dose, no matter how small, incrementally increases risk. Conversely, lower levels of radiation proportionately decrease the risk, such that very small radiation doses have very little risk. The health risks include increased occurrence of cancer and genetic abnormalities in future generations. _Since it is assumed that any exposure to radiation poses some health risk, it makes sense to keep radiation doses as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA)._ Emphasis added. That doesn’t read like an agency “going on and on” about how safe tritium is, from reactors or anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/587 "2011-03-20T00:01:32Z")
> [@xenophon41](#): > > … I’m pretty much an asshole… and won’t have to worry about showing individuality any more. Doesn’t work like that. The good guys are pretty much alike, but each and every asshole is unique. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/588 "2011-03-20T00:02:23Z")
I will never look at a snowflake the same way again. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/589 "2011-03-20T00:06:17Z")
“The LNT assumption suggests that any increase in dose, no matter how small, incrementally increases risk.” And at the same time the fall out from Japan is said to be “no risk to anyone” in the US. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/590 "2011-03-20T00:11:01Z")
Well that tears it then. I agree that some unidentified spokesmen seem to be missing or -gasp!- covering up the fact that some inestimable increase in risk will occur due to fallout from Japan. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/591 "2011-03-20T00:19:13Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Japanese finally admit that radiation leak is serious enough to kill people](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1367684/Nuclear-plant-chief-weeps-Japanese-finally-admit-radiation-leak-kill-people.html) > > (bolding mine) Unfortunately that is the Daily Fail. Several reasons why I wonder if there has not been spin: The evacuations and warnings did take into consideration the risks, most reports have mentioned the radiation levels that can be found, then we have that the apology was in relation to the delay on information regarding the Hydrogen explosions. Then the lack of independent sources reporting this the same way. And that takes us then to point out that misleading headlines are the standard procedure of the Daily Mail: [http://climatecrocks.com/2010/03/15/flogging-the-scientists/](http://climatecrocks.com/2010/03/15/flogging-the-scientists/) > [@](#): > > For instance, the UK Daily Mail is a source deniers rely on for information. Did you see the story about the Chinese Goat woman? [The goat woman: Chinese grandmother, 101, grows mystery horn on forehead] That was awesome. See? The headline and picture tell you all you need to know. > > **Another awesome headline was, “ClimateGate U-turn as scientist at center of row admits: There has been no global warming since 1995“. Within hours of the headline’s appearance, verbatim transcriptions began turning up on climate denial sites all over the internet.** The story concerns Phil Jones, the lead scientist at the University of East Anglia, a major center for climate science. > > \*\*There’s only one thing wrong with the article. According to the conservative Economist magazine [Journalistic malpractice on global warming], it’s a complete fabrication, an out-and-out lie, which makes it the ideal climate denial story. > \*\* > The Daily Mail story was based on an interview published by the BBC [Q&A: Professor Phil Jones] - which most denialists know nothing of, and certainly have not read. But, as always, we’ll read it here. > > > [@](#): > > > > Question: How confident are you that warming has taken place and that humans are mainly responsible? > > > > ``` > > Answer: I am 100% confident that climate has warmed. … There is evidence that most of the warming since the 1950s is due to human activity. > > > > Question: If you agree that there were similar periods of warming since 1850, and the medieval warming period is under debate, what factors convince you that recent warming has been largely man made? > > > > Answer: The fact that we can’t explain the warming since the 1950s with solar or volcanic forcing. > > > > Question: Would it be reasonable looking at the same scientific evidence to take the view that recent warming is not predominantly man made? > > > > Answer: No > > > > ``` And then one should check the statements made on the recent conference that produced that quote: > **[TEPCO : Press Release | Stationing Vice President at Fukushima City and...](https://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11031806-e.html)** > [@](#): > > Besides, we would like to make our deep apologies for concern and nuisance > about the incident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and the > leakage of radioactive substances to the people living in the surrounding > area of the power station, the people of Fukushima Prefecture, and the > people of society. Indeed no mention of the “radiation leak is serious enough to kill people” So my guess was correct, it was mostly an apology that Japanese custom demands that has been turned by the Daily Mail into misleading alarmism. > **[Australian News Headlines | Yahoo News Australia](https://au.news.yahoo.com/)** > > Breaking news and stories that really matter to Australians. From cost of living and politics, to weather and the environment - get all the latest updates. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/592 "2011-03-20T01:04:15Z")
> [@xenophon41](#): > > -By the way, am I a moonbat or a denier? They are not mutually exclusive. During a nuclear meltdown there may be one way to avoid the worst. Or there may not. But trust in human nature to find endless new ways to screw things up. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/593 "2011-03-20T02:43:22Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > but each and every asshole is unique. You mean a sphincter print? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/594 "2011-03-20T02:48:06Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > You mean a sphincter print? Don’t give the Airport Gestapo any ideas, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/595 "2011-03-20T09:01:25Z")
[ > [@](#): > > Responding to the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan, officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission sought Thursday to reassure nervous Americans that U.S. reactors were 100 percent safe and posed absolutely no threat to the public health as long as no unforeseeable system failure or sudden accident were to occur. ]([http://www.theonion.com/articles/nuclear-energy-advocates-insist-us-reactors-comple,19740/](http://www.theonion.com/articles/nuclear-energy-advocates-insist-us-reactors-comple,19740/)) Offered without comment; just providing information, eh. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/596 "2011-03-20T09:36:46Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [url=[http://www.theonion.com/articles/nuclear-energy-advocates-insist-us-reactors-comple,19740/](http://www.theonion.com/articles/nuclear-energy-advocates-insist-us-reactors-comple,19740/)] > > Offered without comment; just providing information, eh. The Onion at least does tell you that it is humor, the Daily Mail never wants to say that it is a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/597 "2011-03-20T13:09:23Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Doesn’t work like that. The good guys are pretty much alike, but each and every asshole is unique. Tolstoy should really have shared his first drafts with you. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/598 "2011-03-20T15:13:40Z")
The Japanese nuclear meltdowns are just getting raised to the level of Three Mile Island. It has been made clear by many on the Dope that TMI was a nuclear firecracker. Much ado about nothing. So move on. Nothing to see there. Go on with your business. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/599 "2011-03-20T15:16:51Z")
I can’t believe I ever worried about nuclear power plants. According to internet, even if one blows up, cracks the containment structure, vents radioactive material, fuel rods burn, it’s still not as dangerous as breathing. Even if four of them blow up and burn, no big deal. So according to the moonbats who are saying radiation simply isn’t that dangerous, the governments of all the world have been wrong all this time. And radiation isn’t that bad. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389/600 "2011-03-20T15:18:16Z")
I mean, you get more radiation from taking a trip, and coal plants kill more people, so no problems. Why does anyone even bother measuring this crap? No mater what, it won’t be dangerous. The officials said it, the pronuclears repeated it. End of story man. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-meltdown-holy-godzilla-noooo/574389.md?page=31)