From the thread how many nuclear reactors can dance on the head of a pin?

(shhh... we rolled our clocks forward 3 months ago... don't tell the hardcore end-of-the-world types) -- nucpwr (nucpwr@hotmail.com), June 10, 1999.

"We rolled our clocks forward 3 months ago."

Okay. What exactly does that mean? How exactly did you do that? And prove to us that you did so.

Vague, unsubstantiated, anonymous claims from Doomers are routinely dismissed out of hand or interrogated ad nauseum.

I think it's time that vague, unsubstantiated, anonymous rumors from others get the same treatment.

-- Anonymous, June 15, 1999

Answers

Lane,

You are spotlighting something important here. Nucpwr is a fine example of what is so frustrating about this situation. While Y2k in general is a big nagging question for us, even when we try to get down to specifics it doesn't get better. One would think that if Nucpwr truly knew what he was talking about he would present his "good news" information in a way that was both easy to understand and specific enough to satisfy those who know a little bit about the big picture surrounding nuclear power plants. Yet, here we get mostly an authoritative lecture and even a "suggestion" that the whole nuclear scene is so safe and glitch free that it would be a good idea to move as close to one as you can. Tell that to the TMI locals. Human error was involved there, yet Nucpwr and others like him don't seem to honestly factor that in. But most importantly, Nucpwr just seems to leave me with the feeling that he's winging it. A real broad brush approach. And smarter by a long shot than the scientists Marianne has posted about. I just can't take Nucpwr seriously. If this were just some afternoon idle conversation, fine, but we're talking about a known event that is coming at us and Nucpwr just kind of poofs it all off as something only the foolish would worry about. The more I hear from "insiders" like him, the more concerned I feel about it all.

-- Anonymous, June 15, 1999