The Risk of a Lifetime

posted by Matt Bivens on 05/21/2004 @ 1:47pm

When do things break down? When they're new -- or when they're old. It's a law of engineering. Plotted graphically, it can be expressed as a Bathtub Curve.

So check out the new study by the Union of Concerned Scientists, "The Risk of a Lifetime." UCS makes a compelling case for stepping up government regulation of our aging reactor fleet. That isn't happening now. (It costs money, which is more important than public health or safety.)

No doubt after the next big nuclear accident, the press and the public will rediscover ignored warnings like these. But it'd be nice to catch at least one such disaster-in-waiting the first time around, wouldn't it?

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Matt Bivens

Welcome to "The Daily Outrage," your last best hope to keep up with the blizzard of Bush-era bad news. Whether they're cutting down your forests, raiding your retirement funds, reading your email or shrinking your constitutional rights, the Republican (sometimes it's bipartisan) assault advances by the hour. The outrages come so fast that it's hard for even well-read citizens to stay abreast. So this column will provide you with a regular update on their doings. Pass it on.

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