Dick,

    Until such time as nuclear reactors can be made foolproof/leakproof 
/accidentproof  AND the waste products can be recycled or destroyed safely then 
no, I do not think there is such a thing as a safe nuclear reactor.  A 
worthwhile application might be in the form of x-rays (digitized to minimize 
exposure) but unfortunately even those are given far too frequently.  

   Bob
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Richard Goodwin 
  To: silver-list@eskimo.com 
  Sent: Friday, April 23, 2010 10:08 AM
  Subject: Re: CS>A closer look at americium 241 from a smoke detector


  So Bob, do you believe there is no such thing as a safe nuclear reactor?

  Or a worthwhile application for radioactive material?

  Dick




------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: Bob Banever <bbane...@earthlink.net>
  To: silver-list@eskimo.com
  Sent: Fri, April 23, 2010 12:04:23 PM
  Subject: Re: CS>A closer look at americium 241 from a smoke detector


  Richard,

          Well why make smoke detectors that emit radioactivity then when safer 
alternatives that work just as well exist?  They used to make watch dials from 
radium until they realized that people were recieving radiation from them that 
was potentially dangerous.   To this day fertilizer is made from uranium 
tailings used to grow tobacco.  Every time you smoke a pack of cigarettes you 
get the equivalent amount of radiation of one chest x-ray.  This is insane... 
yet it is done on a massive scale.  My point is this... radioactivity belongs 
IN THE GROUND where it has it's natural uses.  It does NOT belong above the 
ground in anything... including nuclear reactors (remember Chernobyl?), DM 
munitions (depleted uranium causing cancer and genetic defects in those 
populations exposed such as found in Iraq).  Where radiation is found naturally 
above the ground it is ALWAYS considered dangerous.  

  Bob