the paxton report

[topaz]

So there I was, minding my own business and listening to music while hacking my way through some impenetrable code at work when Tom Paxton's "All Clear in Harrisburg" came on the headphones. And maybe it's just me, but after the events of the last month it sounded kind of eerie.

You may come back to your homes now, citizens.
You may come back to the nest.
We had a little spot of trouble, it's true.
But things turned out for the best.
Yes, a little radiation got loose,
And people ran for the bus.
And let me tell you, if you live downwind,
You'll be hearing from us.

You may come back to your homes now, citizens,
The town is perfectly clean.
And please believe us, you have nothing to fear,
If now and then you turn green.
3 Mile Island is a wonderful place,
And the future is now.
Oh, by the way, I wouldn't eat that egg,
Or drink the milk from that cow.

You just might glow in the dark,
Grow feathers just like a lark,
Stand in the fountain and light up the park.
Have a nice day, the chance is you may
Blow yourself and half of Pennsylvania away.

You may relax in your homes now, Harrisburg.
For sure the crisis is past.
Oh sure, we may have a problem or two,
The next one might be the last.
Oh yes, the wave of the future is here.
It's reassuring to know.
There'll be no need of a suntan next year,
For we'll be wearing our glow.

We just might glow in the dark,
Grow feathers just like a lark,
Stand in the fountain and light up the park.
Have a nice day, the chance is you may
Blow yourself and half of Pennsylvania away.

Comments

[opadit.livejournal.com]

Coincidentally, the local all-news radio station (http://www.kyw1060.com/) is celebrating its 40th anniversary today. I woke up to excerpts of their initial reports of the TMI incident. Bleurgh!

TMI

[actjack.livejournal.com]

The night it happened I flew into Hbg from State Colledge enroute to Boston. Very few lights were on in the city. There were neither cars or people on the streets. In one word, EERIE! We were cautioned to continue our flights, even if we had planned a stopover in Hbg
But not to fear! Nothing would desecrate Keyne's birthplace.
Actually the whole incident was overblown by Venusian journalists, fearing the nonexistant radiation wuold destroy their cloud cover & expose their civilization.
Two years later GPU, owners of TMI, gave me an irrestible job offer which I gladly accepted. It was a great match for both of us.