Wirt Atmar <[log in to unmask]> writes (in part):

> It was clear that if the Soviets and we let go with
> everything we could throw that no terrestrial vertebrate life (humans,
> eagles, iguanas, rats) would survive anywhere on the surface of the Earth.
If
> this worst (and most likely) of all scenarios were to come to pass, the
meek
> that would inherit the Earth were going to be scorpions and ladybugs and
> crawdads, but nothing more complex than that.

First, let me say that I do not necessarily believe the following; since I
also lived through the period of time to which Wirt refers.  I turned 19 in
1973, which was the last year for the draft.  As I have told my children,
you have no idea what war is until you read the paper everyday to see which
friend's name (or friend's brother's name) is listed as a "casualty".

Anyway, I found this at http://www.oism.org/nwss/s73p912.htm, the entire
book (titled "Nuclear War Survival Skills") can be found at
http://www.oism.org/nwss.  OISM, by the way, stands for Oregon Institute of
Science and Medicine.

"An all-out nuclear war between Russia and the United States would be the
worst catastrophe in history, a tragedy so huge it is difficult to
comprehend. Even so, it would be far from the end of human life on earth.
The dangers from nuclear weapons have been distorted and exaggerated, for
varied reasons. These exaggerations have become demoralizing myths, believed
by millions of Americans."


Jim Phillips                            Manager of Information Systems
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]     Therm-O-Link, Inc.
Phone: (330) 527-2124                   P. O. Box 285
  Fax: (330) 527-2123                   Garrettsville, Ohio  44231