Penn & Teller on the Energy Crisis

[Amianthus]

The one on Walmart went over so well, thought I'd also link in the one on nuclear power, hybrid cars, and lesbians.

WARNING: strong language and nudity...

Part 1/3
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=mw_WjooMpz0[/youtube]

[Amianthus]

Part 2/3

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=khz2Bza_dY0[/youtube]

[Amianthus]

Part 3/3

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nri-WF-DxFU[/youtube]

[Xavier_Onassis]

Well that sure convinced me: I am all for lesbians owning hybrids or any other high-mileage vehicle they want.

Personally, I am going to continue to run my Diesel on biodiesel. I could probably do this for the next 30 years for the price of just one new Prius. I bet a family of four could go on a vacation in a Prius: when I was a kid, my father managed in a 1946 Studebaker Champion, and it had a lot less space than the Prius. Ditch the strollers and carry the kids. Or make them walk.

Nuclear energy could produce all the electricity with only 400 reactors? I would have thought fewer. If US nuclear power were as safe as in France, then it would be fine with me. Nevada is an ideal place to bury stuff, and I think Yucca Mountain is probably as safe as anywhere else. Of course, people in Vegas did get a lot of radiation long ago in bomb tests, which makes Nevadans skittish.

We would still need oil for some things, like transportation. You still can't buy a Chevy Volt, after all.

If it were not for 'hippies', nuclear energy would be a lot more dangerous. There have been a lot of really dangerous corporations (asbestos in particular) that have poisoned people for generations and gotten away with it. The guys who build nuclear power plants are not saints and require adult supervision. A lot of it.

[Amianthus]

If US nuclear power were as safe as in France, then it would be fine with me.

What makes you think France's reactors are safer than those in the US?

[Xavier_Onassis]

What makes you think France's reactors are safer than those in the US?

US:
Hansford Works
Three Mile Island

That's TWO

France:

ZERO.

France's reactors are all as close to identical as possible. All French nuclear workers attend the same excellent national school and are instructed in every phase and contingency.

In the US, there are many designs, and diverging standards.

The US has 50 state governments. When it comes to nuclear power, France has just one government.

France produces a much higher percentage of nuclear power than the US and has had no accidents like Three Mile Island or the huge mess at Hansford Works, in Washington State.

That would be the evidence. I think Japan has also done a better job than the US.

[Amianthus]

US:
Hansford Works
Three Mile Island

That's TWO

France:

ZERO.

You're missing about a dozen under France, and 5 or 6 under US.

[Amianthus]

You're missing about a dozen under France, and 5 or 6 under US.

BTW, we had this discussion already...

In the US we have had incidents at Hansford Works and Three Mile Island, while in France, there have been no incidents.

There have been more than 2 in the US. However, just because you didn't hear about them, doesn't mean that none have occured in France:

Grenoble, 1967/11/7
La Hague, 1968/10/2
St Laurent des Eaux, 1969/10/17
La Hague, 1980/9/22
La Hague, 1981/1/6
Blayas, 1983/10/1
Bruyere le Chatel, 1988/4/28
Fessenheim, 1990/5/26
Superphenix Fast Breeder Reactor, 1990/9/16
Blayais, 1990/12/4
Belleville, 1991/6/1
Dampierre, 1992/7/22
Paluel, 1993/1/20
Saint Alban, 1993/10/22

There have also been a bunch of incidents at the Gravelines facility, but they were all related to the cooling systems external to the reactor (so there was no likelyhood of them leading to a release of radioactives).

[sirs]

D'OH

[Xavier_Onassis]

These were not similar incidents and you know this.

I bet you can't do the same with Japanese incidents.

[Amianthus]

These were not similar incidents and you know this.

Really? How were they different?