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[cdn-nucl-l] Re: [rad-sci-l] Politically correct: the elevation of sensitivityovertruth



Yes,
Truth over sensitivity requires that we accuse anti-nucs and ALARA regulators of depriving the public of an "essential trace energy", electromagnetic wave deficiency. The disease could be labeled "emdef" because of the multitude of ill effects: slower wound healing, susceptibility to cancer, overgrowth of endothelium in stents, etc.

Who would so restrict sunlight, causing rickets and pallor, because too much sun can cause cancer?

Public health requires a program like iodizing salt or fortifying bread with iron, thiamine and folic acid and fortifying milk with vitamin D and A, (also poisonous in excess).

A bed package like Cameron's or mattress springs fortified with Co60 would enhance public health.

Truth before political correctness!

Howard Long

Jerry Cuttler wrote:

I came across an interesting interview in the Dec 24th issue of TIME with Bill Maher that I think is relevant to this discussion. TIME Q:  What's wrong with being politically correct? Maher A:  In a sense, we are all victims of the most successful society ever.  Society has become effete and soft as a result.  Therefore sensitivity -- feelings, not wanting to experience any kind of pain -- has become inflated.  I have always defined political correctness as the elevation of sensitivity over truth.----------------- Are we too sensitive to offending the ICRP (and the many nuclear regulatory organizations and the other LNT stakeholders and the anti-nuclear organizations) to denounce the LNT hypothesis? The French Academy of Medicine denounces the utilization of the linear no-threshold (LNT) relation to estimate the effect of doses lower than a few mSv (equivalent to variations of natural radiation in France) and of doses hundreds of times lower, such those caused by radioactive waste, or 20 times lower, such as those resulting in France from radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident.All scientific organizations should, at least, follow the lead of the Academy of Medicine.Jerry Cuttler
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2001 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: [rad-sci-l] FW: Munich Lecture
 I suspect it isn't "the public" that "demands it."  I suspect it is the anti
nuclear organizations such as NRDC that torpedoed BRC.  I think it is time to
again petition the NRC to put in its regulations in 10 CFR 20 that doses at its
limits are safe - not absolutely safe - but safe as in when, after a commercial
airplane crash that kills all on board, the FAA says flying is safe.  We have a
major problem here with the NRC, DOE and EPA when none of them will say working
at their regulated dose limits is safe.  We should be able to put them on the
defensive by saying, "Well, if working at your limits isn't safe, how can you
justify exposing people to doses that aren't safe.  Then see what they say.
Might that work?  Happy Hollidaze.  Regards.  Al

Jerry Cohen wrote:

> Al,
>     Some time ago, in discussions with some NRC officials, I brought up the
> same
> point and asked what is so unique about radiation that ALARA, absolute
> safety, and
> similar concepts apply to it's regulation when such stingent control is not
> used in other
> areas of  occupational or public safety?
>     The answer I received was, "The public demands it". For whatever reason,
> the level of fear toward radiation is so great that essentially no risk is
> tolerable.
> That is why we need a special agency (the  NRC) in the first place. It
> occured to me
> that if satisfaction of public attitudes and opinions was  their objective,
> why should the
> NRC bother with scientific/technological research to support development of
> their
> regulations? It would seem that public opinion surveys and such would be
> much easier,
> less expensive, and directly consistant with the objective. Apparently, this
> inquiry was
> considered to be absurd. I still can't figure out why.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Al Tschaeche <antatnsu@pacbell.net>
> To: <rad-sci-l@ans.ep.wisc.edu>
> Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2001 4:46 PM
> Subject: Re: [rad-sci-l] FW: Munich Lecture
>
> > That's good news.  I have been puzzleing about something that perhaps
> y'all
> > can illuminate.  Why is it, with all we now know about radiation effects,
> > there are so many in the NCRP, ICRP, EPA, NRC, DOE, HPS, ANS, etc., etc.
> who
> > have the point of view that radiation must be totally without risk?  For
> > example, when I asked Meserve at a meeting why the NRC can't say certain
> low
> > doses are safe, in the same manner as we say commercial flying is safe,
> even
> > though we know people die in crashes, he said words to the effect that,
> > until it is proven that low doses cause no harm, the NRC will continue to
> > use the LNTH and can't say any low dose is safe, meaning absolutely safe,
> > without any harm.
> >
> > Most health physicists I know can't say low doses are safe because they
> > think "safe" means absolutely without any risk of harm.  Why is this
> unique
> > with radiation?  How can we get that point of view changed so that
> radiation
> > is regarded as other insults which are called safe by government agencies?
> >
> > How do we get the NCRP members to understand the idea that nothing is
> > absolutely safe and that low doses of radiation radiation are as safe or
> > safer than most other insults?  How do we get the idea into the world that
> > no one can demonstrate anything is absolutely safe, but we can demonstrate
> > degrees of harm?
> >
> > I know most of the things y'all may say, but let's hear them again.
> > Thanks.  Al
>
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