Safety: Too Expensive Until It Isn't...L&C

Like an onion there are many layers in every aspect of an economy, especially where safety is an issue. I love the theory that the government should leave business alone, but I can't get past the fact that man is greedy. This greed will cause him to do anything for the spoils of his effort. Put it this way, if man will kill, stealing and cheating are so much easier and with less punishment. In addition, he can use the system to get government to pass the laws that one needs for success. So much for theory.
Example
Consider a coal plant. It was probably built before technological improvements like "scrubbers" were developed. They filter the harmful dust from the air to prevent pollution. However, when the company filed for its license, the rubber stamp agency approved without looking into the future to place a contingency on the company that it should upgrade in regards to air pollution. They just stated that the company met the minimum standards. Sadly, our society gets mediocre results.
Over time almost all if not all coal plants exceeded those safety levels, and at the same time, these same companies cry that filters are too expensive, jobs would be lost if forced to comply and of course, rates will rise due to those same costs.
It is time to say that this is your business. These are costs associated with it. You take the loss for the repairs or your license will be revoked. We will let the market act "freely." If you can't supply electricity at a fair price, someone else can and will. Sadly, again we will never read those words with our two parties. Another reason why we need a new party for the people.
What We Will Get
acts like in France where pollution is so bad that the government enacted a new law that only allows you to use your vehicle only every other day.
Why this rant? Look at the news! Three years after Fukushima and the Japanese still do not have any idea where to bury their contaminated residue. At the same time they want to activate their other nuclear reactors. Did I mention the many leaks of polluted water into the ocean?
Question
In an island nation that suffers from monsoons, tsunami's and earthquakes, why didn't the electric company have an alternative energy source? Why wasn't there a better water buffer for the plant? Oh, it cost too much...until it doesn't.
Today, in the US, Edwin Lyman offers some of the same questions and criticisms. This is a rare scientist who speaks out against the nuclear establishment. Why are they allowed to build on fault lines? Why aren't filters installed in case of an emergency to prevent contamination into the air and ground water? At this moment there have been complaints about contaminated water leaked from Fukushima reaching our West Coast. These are put down by the shills of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC). This is the same class of people who lied about NSA spying and weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and on and on.
Our nuclear field started with civilian volunteers during WW ll. After the war the study was put under military control. Anyone want to debate whether the military lies? People, this is the bottom line: if rods are contaminated and wherever you bury them will be poisoned forever, it is time to seek other forms of energy that is safe. When the label says poison, you do not drink it. Forget the too expensive crowd. Safety is too expensive to avoid.
If you need more examples consider GM. They are under investigation for lack of safety in their cars to which they probably knew, but decided it was too expensive to comply. In addition two more calls for recalls are in the works, bringing the total to 3.1m vehicles not to mention the lawsuits that are now being typed. Safety: too expensive until it isn't.
Think it is only American cars? No, dear reader. Toyota, Honda and Audi are all recent recalls. I should add that Hyundai will be on the list in the future. Ever drive one? I think that they need a lot of work, but safety is too expensive until it isn't.
There are many other examples, but I can't go over everything in this space. I think that you will get the point, but I do need to add this last one, BP. They chose to use the cheap oil regulator instead of Stat Oil's more expensive but safer version. We all know the outcome of that choice.
Safety is part of every business and it is never too expensive unless you avoid doing it. Today, is the first day of Spring. Time for the spring cleaning to make the house safe with health in mind. We need to transcend the thought to our economy with keeping regulation only with safety as its priority because it is too expensive not too.
Liars and Crooks: goes to the S. Korean company, Hynix. One of their workers was caught stealing trade secrets belonging to Toshiba and San Disk. He use to work at San Disk. He left for Hynix with info for a nice paying job. I guess if you can't compete legally, cheat&steal your way. This isn't the first time for Hynix either. They tried the same thing with Toshiba back in 2004. Funny, I thought that cheating and stealing were only legal in wrestling. Foolish me.