[AnotherDesigner]

The nuclear apologists are out in full force today.

I love how you guys, mostly computer programmers, are so much more informed than experts in nearly every other field of science existing. It must be amazing to be that smart.

[harshreality]

There is no hard data in the original article.

Useful information that could have been included: Actual radiation measurements, with units. Specific location of the ship over the timeline. What radiation the Navy and the ship in question knew about, and when (news reports indicate the USS Reagan nearby knew very early on when radiation exceeded background radiation since as a nuclear vessel it had good radiation sensors). And, since some of the claimants are claiming thyroid problems, whether the navy issued iodine tablets to sailors in the area, since that's a well known and practically risk-free preventative measure against radioactive iodine uptake. Hell, the standard navy rations probably have supplemental iodine. Table salt often does.

You might also be interested in researching how much radiation is released into the atmosphere from coal plants, and how many health problems are caused by all sorts of conventional energy sources, coal, burning fuel, pollution from batteries, etc.

Disclaimer: not to say that 60's-era nuclear reactor designs are good, even with more precautions being taken since Fukushima; they absolutely should be phased out in favor of new designs that provide passive safety (for several days without power).

[haimez]

As long as you're going to use amorphous group affiliations to create an ad-hominem attack, let me do the same: "AnotherDesigner"

[cheeseprocedure]

Even someone with an anti-nuclear stance should look at an article whose primary source is an attorney suing TEPCO and think "this is not adding anything valuable to the conversation."

[sitharus]

It is amazing, but the diodes down my left side hurt all the time.

[mikeash]

Er, the opinions expressed by the "nuclear apologists" generally line up with those of experts in the field.

It's the fools who talk about "400 tons of radiation" who are committing the sin of hubris in thinking that they know more than the experts.

[lostlogin]

If you want an independent opinion upon the pros and cons of disbanding my field of work, don't ask me.

[mikeash]

You have to make up your mind: do we trust experts, or not?

The person I was replying to was clearly on the "yes" side of that.

You can certainly disagree, but then your argument is going to be radically different.

[lostlogin]

I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just saying that one should bare this in mind while listening. Keep conflicts in mind and listen.

[mikeash]

I'm with you, then. You have to learn and understand these things yourself, not just listen to whatever other people say. But, when somebody criticizes you for thinking you know better than the experts, it's totally valid to point out that the experts say the same thing.