ote]statistics drive lawsuits, health care options, medical decisions. iffen it's statistically negligile, then it is virtually void. be that as it may, what is that point, the point of negligility?
I agree SloGlo, but back to my original point, this whole thing is driven by fear of death. We never got a lawyer involved when my Father passed away. We accepted it. People die from many things every day. Who is to blame for that? If it is murder, then it is the person who committed it, and the great policemen are on that. If it is cancer, then who knows? It is ridiculous to legislate this when there are so many causes of death that have a higher risk level greater than 10 mRem/year.
Education of this info is the key. The whole hormesis theory says that if there were no natural radiation on Earth, mankind may not have survived, as a whole. For people to live in an environment where a tiny bit more radiation is added to natural radiation seems safe to me. OK, I get 370 mRem/year for being alive on this planet. Do I really care whether I get 380 or 371 mRem/year? This is where ALARA or ALARTRA comes in. I say "so what" is "what's so"!
People where I live should focus on smog, not radiation. Smog, cars, now that is what kills a lot of people.
I am reminded of what my favorite comedian, Bill Hicks said before he died of pancreatic cancer (I am summarizing), "If you are so afraid of death then go to grave yards and protest. Lock hands and and block the grave yard. Protesters say : 'Go away she ain't getting in' Buriers say 'but she is dead, we need to bury her' Protesters say 'there will be no death on this planet so take her somewhere else"
Now that is what I am talking about. Forget the math. This is what is real. This whole risk thing is emotional, not scientific.
Get rid of the natural uranium and then I will enjoy the math that I do every day, then it will make sense to go to chemical E-6 levels. How can we do that without destroying the planet though? Riddle me that riddler!
Now if I were afraid that I was sick, I would gladly get 100 mRem from an x-ray or CAT scan and realize that it was a wise risk.
What we are saying that mostly people die of natural causes (old age) and that if a person who was supposed to die of natural causes were to buy a house built on a former nuclear facility that gave him 15 mRem/yr extra exposure, he would die earlier.
I just don’t believe that. Anyone who believes differently, I need more than science, mathematics and statistics to convince me. You have to convince my belief system and logical mind.
I know that we are headed away from ALARA, but to me, it is an unwise decision for ordinary USA citizens.
OK, off my soapbox. Everyone else jump in!