Sleepless nights...

A few weeks back when I called the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to inquire about the two crooks that had been hired to work at the Dresden nuclear power plant ( http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2013/13-039.iii.pdf ) I got into a discussion about another issue which has stuck in my head and I can't get it out. I even wake up early in the morning thinking about it.

Here is what has been troubling me...

Somehow I got away from the main issue I called about and we started talking about Fukushima and "accidents."

I have been assured by the woman I talked to at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Victoria Mitlyng that nuclear power plants are safe; that Fukushima is a rare occurrence--- she explained it as a rare "accident."

And then in the next breath she told me there are no guarantees in life against accidents.

Well, I was forced to concur; we all know this.

I asked her if she knew of any other industry where accidents could result in such catastrophic harm and destruction.

She told me I didn't think logically because the nuclear power industry has had so few accidents.

So, I said, "As long as there are no accidents the nuclear power industry is a very safe industry." She responded, "Yes."

I responded by saying, "It is very comforting to know that the nuclear power industry knows how to deal with everything except accidents.

She replied, "How can we ever prevent accidents?"

I said, "My point exactly."

She responded, "That is your spin Mr. Maki."

Now that I have pulled this thought out of my head and written it down I hope this thought about nuclear power and accidents doesn't bother and torment anyone else.