If only we could have nuclear water.

I agree with you on the nuclear power though. It has about as much bang for the buck and as few side effects as any source. It is amazing how much energy can be generated from such a small amount of material.

Chernobyl gave the whole industry a bad name.

It's not Chernobyl, it is the bureaucracy and regime that caused the accident. I've been very close to that to know. I lived only about 70 miles from the reactor. I have a classmate who was only a couple of miles away when it all happened. But this could happen in any country that doesn't care - like Iran, North Korea, still could happen in Russia, Ukraine, or for that matter most of the former USSR members. It is dangerous when it is not controlled.

I recently saw a show where they went into Chernobyl and there are still people living there, despite the unbelievably dangerous radiation levels. These people either don't understand the risk, or they have given up hope. It is like a ghost town because everything stopped on that date. People left everything and just evacuated. The people who are there are leading a very strange existence right now.

The interviewers were wearing radiation suits. Really terrible to learn of the history of it and the denial by the government there.

Here are a few things I could say about that:
1. There's a 30km circle around the reactor that nobody is allowed inside unless they have a governmental permission and nobody lives in that zone
2. People live just outside that restricted area. They have nowhere else to go. They lived there their entire lives. Most of them are older, retired people who lived in the country setting and refuse to leave well knowing the dangers. They have no utilities, no phones, everything is done by hand just like hundreds of years ago.
3. People were ordered to leave, they weren't allowed to bring any of their personal belongings since everything was contaminated. The city had about 48,000 residents that were forced to start their lives anew.
4. My mom worked in a governmental trucking business and some drivers from where she worked volunteered and some were ordered to help with the evacuation and recovery efforts. Most of them didn't last more than a few years after that time.

Truly, it is a painful reminder of what happens when people just don't care.

__________________
“How many words does you know? What is some of dem?” - Ali G

That's my point right now we are not in trouble, but in enough time we will be. If more effort was put in right now we would have a comfortable amount of time to solve the problem. That won't happen. We will wait until 1 gallon is left.

At least water is renewable though.

NBA Development League: D-League Difference Makers For The 2007-08 NBA Season


Amir Johnson – Detroit Pistons
Age: 20
Amir Johnson.
D. Lippitt/Einstein/NBAE/Getty Images
Draft History: Johnson was the Pistons’ second round draft choice in 2005, 56th pick overall, an early entry choice out of high school.
D-League History: Johnson played in and started 22 games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in 2006-07 averaging 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 35.1 minutes per game. Johnson shot over 62% from the field and 75% from the line. The Skyforce compiled a record of 17-5 when Johnson was on assignment from the Pistons.
Description: At a long and slender 6-9 and 210 pounds, Johnson reflects the evolving image of the athletic, versatile power forward emerging in the league. After nearly averaging a double-double with 18.9 points and 9.7 rebounds in 22 starts with Sioux Falls in the D-League, Johnson showed his ability to effectively score around the rim, run the floor and control the paint. At only 20 years old, Johnson is still growing and as his body grows so too will his knowledge of the professional game.
Where he fits with the Detroit Pistons: Joe Dumars, esteemed President of Basketball Operations for the Detroit Pistons, shared his thoughts on Johnson with Chad Ford regarding Johnson’s free agency on the ESPN.com Daily Dish, “If Chauncey Billups is the number one priority, 1A is Amir Johnson… no way we let that kid get away from here. We’re gonna’ re-sign him and we’re gonna’ do what we have to do to make sure that he stays here for years to come. We feel like we have a great piece in him,” raved Dumars. “The reason so many people are interested in him is the same reason that we feel like he’s a priority here. He’s a 6-10 kid that has tremendous upside and has shown that he can get out on the floor and make it happen, so he’s going to be a key piece in our future moving forward…”
Mo McHone, who coached Johnson with the Skyforce, raved about his potential in an interview with Hoopsworld.com. He spoke about the hypothetical scenario of Johnson being available in the 2007 Draft after what would have been his sophomore year of college basketball. “If I were picking, would I pick (Greg) Oden and (Kevin) Durant ahead of him? I probably would. But after that, I can’t imagine who I would take over him, after having coached him. I’m not saying there isn’t somebody else out there, but having coached him, watched him and seeing what his potential is … I know this, if you’re in the top 10 and the last guy you ended up with was Amir Johnson, you’d have to be happy. And if you got him at (No. 56) where Detroit got him, you’ve got to be ecstatic.”
By the start of the 2007-08 playoffs, the Pistons core-four (Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace) will have reached an average age of over 30. In other words, while the nucleus of the team that has reached five consecutive Eastern Conference Finals’ and counting is still capable of leading the way, these aging stars will need plenty of help and rest during the regular season to ensure post-season success. That’s where Johnson and his fellow new-comer Pistons, guards Arron Afflalo and Rodney Stuckey as well as forward Jason Maxiell, will come into play. In what should be his first full NBA season, Johnson should be able to provide the Pistons with enough energy, scoring and rebounding off the bench from the power forward position to spell Wallace and fellow veteran forward Antonio McDyess and keep them fresh and healthy a post-season run. With the addition of scoring forwards Kevin Garnett, Zach Randolph and Rashard Lewis to the Eastern Conference, among others, another lengthy, active defender like Johnson is extremely valuable for Eastern Conference contention. His scoring abilities down low will also keep defenses honest enough to free up the Pistons’ outstanding guard combo of Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton from collapses and double-teams.

The bar is high.

It's not about the Pistons, but it's worth mentioning.

Canadian dollar closes above par with the U.S. dollar for first time since 1976 - International Herald Tribune