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