a movie

Last night I saw the movie Watchmen and it was like no superhero movie I had ever seen. From what I know of its reviews, the movie has garnered more bad comments than good, although one prominent critic--Roger Ebert--gave it four stars. I won't say whether I liked the movie or not, or whether it is good or bad, because I don't want to color your judgment before you have a chance to see it. I will say it is dark and brutal, and it cleverly assumes that you know the backgrounds of the movie characters just as you know about Superman and Spider Man, because these latter two have been part of our culture as we've grown up.

A few times I found myself gnashing my teeth during the movie because of its depiction of nuclear power as "a bad guy." I will reveal that the movie shows electric utility executives as corpulent and chortling, and that one of the superheros chastises them for pushing (cue the ominous music) "fossil fuels and nuclear power" on the world. In the movie, these fuels are bad things, of course, and the superhero is engaged in searching for the ultimate clean energy solution, which will have the result of ending all the world's wars.

I will admit here that I am employed by the nuclear industry. I have found that the reason why most people fear nuclear power is because it is a complex technology that is largely beyond their current knowledge. Few have taken time to learn about it. I have always likened the public's reaction to it the same as how the villagers react to the "monster" in the movie Frankenstein. The villagers see the immense creation, are afraid of it, and want to kill it. Yet, the monster is shown in scenes as being capable of being tamed. Logically then, with its great strength, the monster could be put to purposes to serve the villagers if only they realized that potential. So it is with nuclear power. Strong and dangerous, yet capable of being tamed to serve mankind.

It just galls me that much of the entertainment offered on TV and in the movies seems to depict nuclear as the bad guy. My time on the soapbox could go on and on, but I will end now by urging you to seek out some honest information about nuclear. How much better the world could be if truths were told.