From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxi!mhuxj!mhuxv!burl!sb1!ll1!ihldt!ihnp4!ixn5c!inuxc!inuxd!arlan Newsgroups: net.space Title: Soviet Nuclear Stupidity Article-I.D.: inuxd.228 Posted: Fri Jan 14 12:30:22 1983 Received: Sun Jan 16 04:44:40 1983 Although this is not directly related to Space, I must reply in the same net.group where the discussion began--originally commentary on the Soviet nuclear-powered satellite's imminent fall. Some mail has asked me about the Soviet incident that contaminated thousands of square miles with nuclear materials. The incident occurred in the 1950s, and has been written about by an exiled scientist, one of the Mevedyev (sp?) brothers. It was also the subject of a PBS (NOVA?) telecast a few years ago. Seems as if our socialist friends just piled the stuff up in a hole or three somewhere behind a factory in the Urals and eventually it got close enough to critical to spew crap out explosively, killing many and contaminating thousands or more. Crops and animals died and those lucky enough to have survived were permanently moved out. Compare the media reaction to this minor incident, with the quiet, reserved discussions about the incredibly horrible, disastrous, and thoroughly unforgiveable capitalistic conspiracy at infamous Three Mile Island. Doubt- less those who accuse me of living in a cave will take issue and say that the Soviets might conceivably be guilty of a misdemeanor, but the United States should forever be ashamed for the TMI incident. (As an aside: a Middle East-type engineer who once worked with the Soviets building an N-plant, told me that their safety precautions, as well as their manners, were non-existent.) Flame if you wish, but don't flame RED. =arlan=abi/indy