1) Yet another Science Scribbler (non-scientist who writes the gossip columns preceding the scientific articles of Science), William J. Broad, has moved to the New York Times the way several of his predecessors made it to the big papers: by consistent antinuclear and anti-defense "reporting." One wonders why Holdren, Norman and Marshall, strenuously scribbling along the same lines, have not yet made it to True Confessions, or failing that, at least to the Washington Post.
In a parting shot on nuclear fallout, Broad says "Plutonium is one of the world's most toxic metals." You've come a long way, baby. It used to be the most toxic substance known to man, then the most toxic element (of which there are fewer than 100), then one of the most toxic elements, and now we are down to one of the most toxic metals, a subset of the elements. That's like saying that William Broad is one of the world's foulest reporters who moved from Science to the New York Times since the beginning of the year.
"Its radioactivity shows up in bones and lungs," he continues. All heavy metals, radioactive or not, are bone-seeking, and all dust, metal or not, lodges in the lung. But once you limit yourself to radioactive metal (and all metals have radioactive isotopes), where did this illustrious addition to the NYT expect the radioactivity to show up? In the left nostril?
2) Among today's engendered species: utilities with guts. Undisputed king of the shrinking group is still Illinois Power with its historic video tape 60 Minutes¾Our Reply (for a free copy, send a blank tape to its PR Dept., Attn. H. Deakin, 500 S. 27th St., Decatur, IL 62526). But there are one or two other utilities that do not prostrate themselves in the dust when the media moguls beckon. Consumers Power Co of Michigan refused to cooperate with a CBS "report" on the Midland nuclear power plant, and when CBS aired its predictable garbage, the utility's president J.B. Selby wrote to CBS Chairman Wyman, not only to protest, but also to explain the company's decision. He points out that TV reporters will twist any company spokesman's statements into corroboration of the TV reporter's planned message: "It's quite easy to edit 15 - 30 minutes of raw tape into a 1 - 2 minute segment that will portray the company spokesman as just a little less than intelligent and obviously self-serving. With that expected outcome, it's hard to conclude that non-participation will result in any added damage to our corporate reputation. Your performance makes this decision look pretty good."
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Vol. 10, No. 6
Newsletter: Access to Energy Newsletter Archive Volume: Issues Issue/No.: Vol. 10, No. 6 Date: November 23, 2004 04:35 PM Title: Nuclear wastes: law and reality
Copyright © 2004 - Access to Energy Newsletter Archive
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