underdogs bite upwards: Waking nightmares.

Leg-iron comments on, amongst other things, the panic buying of radiation protection gear in California;

How many nuclear bombs have gone off on this planet? By 1998, the figure stood at 2053. Not reactor leaks. Actual nuclear bombs. Not one of them was Japanese. Nobody is scared of two thousand nuclear bombs but one leaking reactor and the whole world panics. Yes, it will be horrible if that reactor goes into meltdown but all that safety gear, masks and drugs and Geiger counters? You're buying them sixty years too late. The radioactive steam coming across the Pacific won't even show against the background levels in the US and Europe now.

It may not sound like entertainment material, but it's a well-written, enjoyable post and I recommend you to read the whole thing. He riffs amusingly on the fears of the coddled West.

On the other hand (h/t Captain Ranty in the post to which Leg-iron links above), if you really want to be scared, take a look at this;

All of those nukes were set off by governments (one-fifth of them in the atmosphere, the rest underground). Not to worry. Obviously the state is entirely benign. Only the profit or pleasure-driven actions of private individuals or enterprises can cause cancer or climate change.

Ban smoking, emasculate motor cars, turn down the heating and all will be well.