Nuclear Tourist

      This is a subject in which I have developed a great interest, in the last three or four years. Actually, it is something in which there has always been a keen interest. The whole subject of nuclear science, physics, and engineering is fascinating. To use an often misused, and overly used word, it is truly awesome in the literal sense. In addition, I am a Cold War baby, having been born in 1957, and was a Cold War child, having grown up in the sixties, and seventies. I was in my mid twenties when the Cold War was ended, by the collapse of the old Soviet Union and the destruction of the old Berlin Wall. It was a pretty dynamic time in which to grow up, with the space program, the Cold War, the nuclear program, and the whole country being basically young, forward looking, and optimistic. This all changed in the seventies, and not for the better, which is why I think there is presently so much nostalgia about the fifties, and sixties.
       I have to admit that when I first became interested in the subject, and then began this page, I was pretty ignorant about nuclear issues. What made this even worse, was the fact that, like most of the ignorant, I had no idea of my lack of knowledge. I thought that I had a pretty good understanding of the subject. Like most people, I did not. The situation is pretty easy to remedy, and is not so difficult to learn, as one might think. One thing that the layman will begin to appreciate, as the subject is researched, is that the more knowledge a person has on the subject, the higher the level of support for nuclear energy, and the more accepting of nuclear weapons one will be. As for those who are opposed to nuclear power, and constantly rally against nuclear weapons, all I can say is, that traditionally, ignorance has always bred fear, distrust, and even hatred. It also makes it an easy job for those who wish to spread disinformation, and bias. This is true for all matters, whether they be of science, race, politics, or religion.
      The links above go to my nuclear pages, which are a sort of a layman's guide to what has been going on in nuclear science. I am no genius when it comes to nuclear science; but I have visited places, talked to the people who work at them, and have done my share of research. The table below has a sort of a summary of many of the nuclear sites open to the public. Some are very friendly and open, while others are rather restrictive, and seem uncomfortable with the idea of outsiders coming to visit. A few do not allow cameras or recording devices. Many are free, while some charge admission. I have included, in the table, links to accounts of my own visits, including photographs when permitted. In addition, there are links to web pages for the various sites, when available. If you are inspired to visit one, or many of these sites, good for you. All are worth seeing.
       Civilization is getting to be so energy intensive, that any future of civilization must include nuclear power. It is the only power source that is clean enough, while at the same time offering the generating capacity required by the modern civilized culture. The so called green sources (tide, wind, solar, and biofuel) are too expensive, variable, and underpowered to provide more than a small specialized fraction of the power required by modern society. Of course, we can all go back to living in caves, mud huts, shacks, or possibly the trees, which seems to be what the greens want. Barring this, however, the need for nuclear power is a given. It can provide all of our power needs for thousands, if not millions, of years. The only decision to be made is whether we wish to retain our culture, or regress back, refusing the gift of civilization, that hundreds of generations of humanity have struggled to give us.