Hi IPC EnviroNetrs,

Brian you wrote a fine argument for appropriate use of the Precautionary 
Principle.

<Whether Mr. Klaus' statement is applicable to lead in solder is neither
here nor there; the Precautionary Principle will not always be right,
any more than it will always be wrong: don't throw out the baby with the
bath water. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that the lead-in-solder
issue was scientifically known to be seriously flawed before the EC and
EP approved the RoHS directive, but political brownie points were to be
gained, probably by politicians like Mr Klaus, in spite of the known
science. Sorry, Mr Klaus, please leave science to the scientists and
don't try to mix it with politics.>

It would be nice if the politicians, general news media, religious leaders, TV 
producers, businesses, etc did use good science or even accurate information 
in dealing with the public. I guess good science is boring, tedious, self 
checking, , and has data, graphs, etc that doesn't lend itself fully to stoking 
emotions first one way and then the other. It amazes me that even the TV 
Weather reporters whom do a bit good with science still over-strive to stoke 
happiness or fear. 

YiEngr, MA/NY DDave