SL-1 was a small research reactor, and we can see how that one worked out. Lead coffins. Maybe you'll volunteer your backyard as the gravesite the next time one is needed.
Well now that is a wee bit personal.
And for the record, I have buried the dead after combat, I have prepped bodies to be sent home to their families, and I have hand delivered letters to every parent whose child died under my command. So yeah, I will volunteer, will you?
Livermore Labs also gave out materials from the sewage treatment facility they had on the grounds. It was high quality manure they had even gone to the point of analysing it and back filling it to be better.
Which is why you are supposed to wear a respirator when you go to big tree's park. It is a beautiful place, pretty much vacant all the time, it is directly next to an elementary school. I bought the house across the street from it when my daughter was born.
And yep, there was in fact plutonium in micro amounts in the park... whats the safe level of exposure to plutonium? none, there is no safe exposure level.
Pity they did not check for leaked volatiles in the testing, but, honestly, shit happens. While as a scientist I have full grasp of the risks in failed process, and I am intimately familiar with what happens to the human body when it is inflicted with extreme events. I still jumped out of planes and kicked in doors, I am not trying to prosyltise, and I actually do not recommend military service in most cases, honestly, it probably was not real good for me.
But something ya might want to take into consideration. When you see the big sleepy looking guy who tends to crack a lot of jokes and never really takes too much seriously, in this case, that person is a vet, who served for 10 years in the Rangers. Then had close contact with an explosion and came out of it with a broken pelvis. The first question I asked the Dr's was "How long until I can get back with my men" I don't require or expect any cow towing. For me it is water off a ducks back. I am an Irish Born bastard (born out of wedlock, not referring to my personality) I have heard it all and then some. But understand, a lot of the guys that went and served so that you *DON'T HAVE TO* Would like at least a little common courtesy when you are speaking about things you will never really understand. Please do not assume that us ignorant soldier types are stupid, or we don't know what we are really talking about. I have been on the sharp end. I have a pretty good idea what happens out there.
And yes, I would still volunteer to have one in "my back yard" while not literally, my back yard is the size of a postage stamp. but down the block a bit wouldn't bother me too much. While I crack jokes about my intellect, this came from the abrupt event that left me the dumbest guy in the room. I worked with a bunch of lads from MIT, suddenly Cal and UCLA were rather insignificant.
The difference between my perspective and the folks that whinge like a dog in heat... I understand what a third world country is. I have been to many of them. I have helped dig wells, Seen what happens when people can't even get decent soap and get infestations in their feet. If I have to deal with a bit of mess or pollution so my kiddo can have electric lights, clean water and a heated home... Ok, I am perfectly willing to accept the reality of the situation. It means we have to deal with some nasty in life. I have been on the other side.. and is sucked. Good people, but Oh no, I like running water and soil that is not infested with parasites. Call me all wacka doo, but I think the problems that come with modern society do need to be addressed, but I have this horrific inability to stick my head in the sand and pretend that it is all just the bad people making this happen. Sorry brother, you have an E-bike. You are directly responsible for some of the nastiest mining and rare earth gathering on the planet, the things you have never seen about the reality of where all these minerals come from is simply breathtaking. Me too.
Accepting that there is a problem is the first step. I think the motto should go on to "and not screaming about whose fault is this" should be the second.
endless-sphere.com
