Japanese officials report that the Fukushima nuclear power plant damaged by last Friday’s earthquake/tsunami combo has begun leaking radiation. Several thousand people in the area have been evacuated or advised to stay indoors.
Naturally, the world spiraled into a nuclear panic.
Germany pledged that it would perform safety inspections of its 10 operating nuclear plants (smart) and that it would shut down and scrap plans to extend the life its 8 remaining plants (stoopid). Of course, increased burning of fossil fuels will make up the difference.
Officials in Sweden and Lithuania say that their own nuclear power projects are now in doubt.
An old Japanese lady evacuated from her home near the Fukushima plant told NPR that she had been “against that plant since the beginning.” The fact that electricity from the plant had powered her kitchen for 35 years made no difference to her.
Hey! Nuclear scaredy cats! Are a large number of your power plants built on the Ring of Fire? Are your power plants often threatened by 30-foot tsunamis? If not, your nuclear power is no more dangerous now than it was five days ago.
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