[spetznaz]

Nuclear power makes a lot of sense, and it is a highly viable energy source. Furthermore, the fact that the reactors did not go into critical meltdown following one of the largest earthquakes in the world, a really devastating tsunami that knocked out the secondary power system, all sorts of mishaps including hydrogen explosions, and the AMAZINGLY bad management by Tepco shows that they can be resilient. With good positioning, and good management that doesn't try to cut corners (some information coming out shows that safety at those sites has not been at the highest levels for some years now), nuclear energy is a very viable solution.

Thus, it makes a lot of sense.

However, with that said, I have to fault some FReepers who fell into two (equally ridiculous) camps. The first camp is the chicken littles, who saw dangers that simply did not exist. This was never going to be a Chernobyl, even under the worst case condition. The second (equally dumb) camp is the Ann Coulter types with their 'radiation is good for ya you know' and other asinine statements trying to make this situation to look not so bad.

Like most things, the truth lies in between. The fact is, even if it is not a Chernobyl it is still a very very bad situation that is considerably worse than Three Mile Island. Both sides just made themselves look equally silly - one camp saying the world (or at least Japan) is ending, and the other claiming that this is the equivalent of eating many bananas a day and not an issue. Both sides are the enemies of nuclear power, with one camp making it seem like some veritable monster, and the other camp insulting the intelligence of folks with their 'rads are good' approach.

Nuclear energy is good, and advanced nuclear reactors (such as the ones in France, which uses a lot of nuclear power, and some ideas like the use of thorium) means that nuclear energy will probably be with us. However, I do wish the 'chicken littles' and the 'idiot Coulters' could just simply shut up.

[blondee123]

Thanks for the common sense post. What the chicken littles don’t realize or do not want to read or hear, is that OUR nuclear plants have back-ups for cooling, which Japan obviously did not!!!

[justa-hairyape]

Obama agrees with you.

Obama pushes for nuclear power despite Fukushima

You do not judge a man by the color of his skin, you judge him by the color of his money.

[mvpel]

The second (equally dumb) camp is the Ann Coulter types with their 'radiation is good for ya you know' and other asinine statements trying to make this situation to look not so bad.

What about the third camp which wildly and outlandishly mischaracterizes the second camp?

[arrogantsob]

Well we know the Chicken Littles are NOT going to shut up. And yes this is a gigantic problem for the Japanese nothing to poo-poo. It will have massive ramifications in many different areas.