I for one have never liked calling a nation "evil" and "axis of evil" is not the brightest expression to come from the Bush writers. BUT, when the North Koreans say they will blow up the cooling tower of a nuclear plant, AND our media call it a "key component" of their nuclear program I have to laugh. Such a cooling tower is just composed of some tubes for hot water, past which air circulates as it flows upward through the large tower. The tower has a hyperbolic shape to increase the natural upward flow of air. The cooling tower functions to cool condensed steam from the electricity-producing turbines so it can be returned to the boiler and re-vaporized. The heat required can be provided by any source, coal, oil, solar, etc. ,or nuclear. BUT the cooling tower itself has nothing to do with the nuclear reactor!. In fact, if the cooling water is supplied by a river, for example, the nuclear power plant could even operate without the cooling tower - the hot water could just be discharged back into the river (not green, but possible). Here's hoping that we can begin meaningful peaceful negotiations with North Korea, but throwing such nonsense around, by either side, will not help!

Comments:

Ssssh! Don't tell the North Koreans.

comment by nittineedles on June 26, 2008 12:37 PM ()

I'll bet they already may know how their plant works, but don't tell W he is getting snookered - he may call the whole thing off

reply by baseeker on June 26, 2008 4:52 PM ()

comment by bumpedoff on June 26, 2008 10:56 AM ()

I agree with you 100%. Under torture I would last six minutes. He earned his $56,000 pension no doubt. My respect for him does not extend to suffering his Presidency.

reply by bumpedoff on June 26, 2008 11:51 AM ()

I would not have wanted to be in his place for sure, but to say a guy who was in the Naval Academy because of his Admiral father, was a goof-off there, flew fighters, got shot down and spent the Viet Nam war in prison - to say that this guy is the best to lead an entire Nation in war, does not make sense, feathers or not. We need the draft now, by the way, that would sure bring an end to these (deadly, but profitable) sham wars!

reply by baseeker on June 26, 2008 11:36 AM ()