nuclear regulatory commission

As people in Japan's earthquake-tsunami disaster zone deal with the additional danger of radiation from damaged nuclear reactors, nations across the globe are taking the crisis as a sign that it's time to get more aggressive in their development of safer nuclear power plants.

With cleaner air and energy self-sufficiency high on America's list of priorities, our irrational dislike of nuclear power looks increasingly imprudent. China, France and the U.K. have raced ahead safely on nuclear power: It's well past time for the U.S. to start catching up.

On Oct. 28, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission cited Walmart (WMT) for improperly disposing of nuclear material. The items in question were exit signs that contained tritium, a hydrogen isotope, and Walmart had apparently been lax in its removal of 2,979 of them. The massive retailer also neglected...