On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:46:53 -0500, "Gig 601XL Builder"
wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote:

wrote:
the same message applies: the bulk of American
'intelligence' regarding nuclear power is based on a cartoon.


The point is that the Simpsons were not that well known when the last
reactors were going online. It's taken almost 20 years for the Simpsons to
become such a well known show and there is probably no legit statistical
group that could 90% of it even EVER watched the Simpsons. T0 my knowledge
the Simpsons never even made it into the top 20 shows in any sweeps period.

Somebody either yanked the polster's leg or they yanked yours.

I'd be willing to bet that you are just mis-remembering something from 20
years ago.

Regardless, the underlying theory that additional plants aren't built
because of negative public opinion, is hooey. They aren't built
because investors don't like taking risks that have the potential to
go monstrously wrong.
http://www.brookings.edu/comm/policybriefs/pb138.htm

As for the those who claim that the public is irrationally timid, most
of *them* probably haven't heard of the debacle at Davis-Besse.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs...190340/-1/NEWS
The root causes of that - aging equipment, profit motive,
industry-friendly regulation, and complacency, are probably lurking
industry-wide. Every plant owner, operator, and regulator will deny
that, but so did First Energy and the NRC before the sh*t hit the fan.
You'd think that at least the one company getting all the attention
would have learned their lesson. Instead they're still telling their
insurance company one thing, and regulators another.
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaind...560.xml&coll=2
The Simpson's three-eyed fish thing is off the wall, but the Monte
Burns characterization might not be too far off. :-)

Wayne