I read an article in the Evansville Courier & Press regarding Paul Newman's recent visit to a nuclear power facility. He stated that it was safer than military bases he has visited. He also indicated that it "exceeded [his] expectations" and that the plant was a good component of New York's energy future as it does not produce greenhouse gases.

My first thought after reading this was, how Paul Newman--an actor and all-around wonderful person who donates his business proceeds to charity--is equipped to judge the safety of a nuclear power plant. Does he have some qualifications as to nuclear power that I don't know about? To me, it seems a bit concerning when an actor's opinion as to the safety of a plant handling radioactive materials, is considered newsworthy. It may look safe, but how does one really know unless an expert in nuclear power makes the assessment? It seems that the nuclear power industry is trying a bit too hard when they try to promote their plants using celebrities. While it is true that these plants do not produce greenhouse gases, I'd rather hear from an expert that the plant in question is safe, before I feel okay about it. Plus, if we don't figure out the nuclear waste disposal issue, with the proliferation of new nuclear power plants, how can we say that nuclear power is a sustainable option for the future? Unfortunately, Paul Newman's news item did not put my concerns to rest about nuclear power. I'm still somewhat on the fence about this one, but I'm no more of an expert than Paul Newman.