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From: barry@ames-lm.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: A reply to T.C. Wheeler--the case fo
Message-ID: <227@ames-lm.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 4-May-84 16:19:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: ames-lm.227
Posted: Fri May  4 16:19:30 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 6-May-84 07:41:13 EDT
References: <10100043@ea.UUCP>
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 37

[]
        Jon White, a question for you (and for anyone else still flaming
at nuclear power): why beat a dead horse? Haven't you noticed that the
anti-nuclear-power movement has already succeeded? The last nuclear
plant under construction in this country (Seabrook) has been halted for
lack of $$, and the utility company is planning to declare bankruptcy.
I know of no new starts planned.
        I think some of the credit for this 'victory' (I'm somewhat
pro-nuke, myself, but I know when I'm licked) must go to the
conservation efforts which reduced this country's energy usage to well
under the levels planned for by the utilities; but the anti-nuclear
movement was probably the main cause for the present morass of
unwieldy and contradictory regulations under which nuclear plants
have to be constructed. Ain't nobody gonna try and build nuclear plants
the way things are now.
        I'm sure you consider the victory incomplete, since there are
still fission reactors in use, but they'll wear out soon enough. Besides,
compromise is the name of the game in politics; rhetoric aside, you
hardly expected 100% success, did you?
        So why don't we debate a topic with some current relevance?
Nuclear WEAPONS are still a live issue, and they're surely far more
dangerous than power plants. If energy is your thing, how about some
*new* ideas? We've eliminated coal (too dirty) and fission (politically
unacceptable), but this country still lacks a coherent energy policy.
I have seen no mention in this debate of ocean-thermal energy, fusion,
solar power satellites, geopressure zones (natural gas)... make your
own list.
        There's more I could add, but I'd better go pedal my generator
before my terminal goes dead :-).
        "The opinions expressed herein are my own foolishness, and do not
necessarily reflect the views of anyone that matters."

                                                Kenn Barry
                                                NASA-Ames Research Center
                                                Moffett Field, CA
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