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From: psrc@pegasus.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm)
Newsgroups: sci.research,sci.space,sci.environment,misc.headlines,sci.misc,rec.arts.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Success with cold fusion reported
Summary: suppressing fusion? a quote from an SF story
Message-ID: <2731@pegasus.ATT.COM>
Date: 1 Apr 89 05:12:40 GMT
References: <18213@glacier.STANFORD.EDU> <3451@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu> <1989Mar28.041030.2291@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu>
Followup-To: rec.arts.sf-lovers
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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<"Would you like me to summon Data so he could offer a few dozen synonyms?">

In article <1989Mar28.041030.2291@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu>, kocic@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu (Miroslav Kocic) writes:
> . . . what if cold fusion becomes the crack-cocaine of energy
> production?  I can imagine a thousand fanatics in 750 terrorist
> cells making an H-bomb in their kitchen.

Seems to me that rec.arts.sf-lovers is the "right" group to discuss the
social implications of cheap, simple fusion.  It's certainly the right
group for my response to the above, taken from Larry Niven's story,
"ARM" (from THE LONG ARM OF GIL HAMILTON, 1976, p. 118 of my paperback
copy; the story first appeared in 1975):

	Monitoring of technology is necessary enough, but may have
	happened too late.  There are enough fusion power plants and
	fusion rocket motors and fusion seawater distilleries around to
	let any madman or group thereof blow up the Earth or any
	selected part of it.

In Niven's future history, the risk is worth it.  I hope it is in ours!

Paul S. R. Chisholm, AT&T Bell Laboratories
att!pegasus!psrc, psrc@pegasus.att.com, AT&T Mail !psrchisholm
I'm not speaking for the company, I'm just speaking my mind.
(If you have opinions on discussing fusion in the SF group, send me
e-mail; I'll post a summary to the various groups.)