OK, perhaps a little jest in starting......

This joke is old, but it catches the mood so well.....:

A stranger was seated next to Little Johnny on the plane when the stranger turned to the Little Johnny and said, "Let's talk. I've heard that flights will go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger." Little Johnny, who had just opened his book, closed it slowly, and said to the stranger, "What would you like to discuss?" "Oh, I don't know," said the stranger. "How about nuclear power?" "OK," said Little Johnny. "That could be an interesting topic. But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat grass. The same stuff. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?" "Jeez," said the stranger. "I have no idea." "Well, then," said Little Johnny, "How is it that you feel qualified to discuss nuclear power when you don't know shit?"

It kind of started the other day when someone in the local forums at al.com brought up my workplace and asked a question about whether we were going to meltdown given the number of times we've dropped our recently restarted unit since June. I just had to respond......

In a similar vein, I was listening to NPR this morning and I heard that some musical artists (among other groups and organizations) are starting a new push to lobby against nuclear power and government provisions for loan guarantees to utilities who want to develop more nuclear assets. There are some good artists, but I am obviously a nuclear supporter and I think these folks are wrong on this issue (assuming that the government will continue to operate as it does). Anyway, they have placed material on YouTube talking about their stance. As always, I like to include BOTH sides of the story. There is a rebuttal to the nukefree.org video. This video is provided by the Nuclear Energy Institute. OK, the NEI video is not glitzy and chock full of celebrities, but check it out.

Well, I'd better run....

Y'all have a blast!