An Open Letter to Oklahomans

Dear Oklahomans,

Years ago, you all decided fracking for oil was and is okay, in spite of evidence and concerns otherwise but hey, you're oil people. We guess you're going to go after it no matter what and no matter how.

But now that you've been at it a while and it's spread all over your state (I guess), it's been giving you more and more earth temblors and earthquakes.

Oklahoma's rise in quakes linked to 

man-made causes

And it's clear what that it's from fracking, too. Let's not kid ourselves. Just check out the results.

Oklahoma has more earthquakes in 2015 

than all of continental U.S.

But now you've gone too far, Oklahoma. You've gone way too far.

It's one thing to frack in your state and it would be okay if only you suffered any repercussions, sure. Then we'd say, fine, you're leaving us alone so we'll leave you alone. But now, today, we got this.

Oklahoma earthquake rattles six surrounding states

And it wasn't a little one, either.

5.6 earthquake, strongest in state history, 

rattles Oklahoma

You, Oklahoma, and 6 other states got rattled by a 5.6 earthquake that was felt as far away as Iowa. We certainly felt it here in Kansas City. I understand it was felt as far away as Omaha, Nebraska and in Iowa.

And sure, we can joke about it.

But the fact is, it's not funny.

The earthquakes are getting more numerous and they're getting stronger. Neither is a good trend. At all.

Earthquake Rattles Oklahoma; One Of Strongest Recorded In State

So here's the deal, Oklahoma. Either you cool the fracking, either cut it down or stop it or we're going to have to have Uncle Sam step in and make you. You're starting to mess with your neighbors. Not only do we not like it but it's not good for us any more than it's good for you.

And we have this little thing over here in the Southeast Missouri area we don't want to wake up. You may have heard of it. It's called the New Madrid fault?

New Madrid Seismic Zone

If that thing "wakes up", your 5.6 rattler will seem like a dishwasher going on in the house, in comparison. You won't like it and neither will all of us in Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and a lot more, likely.

The New Madrid Earthquake That Will Divide 

The United States In Half

A New Madrid Earthquake Is Coming And America 

Will Be Shaken

So stop it, Oklahoma. Cut it out. It's for your good and the good of America, frankly. It's not a threat. We're begging, really.

Be a good neighbor. Be a good citizen.

Sincerely,

All Your Neighboring States and a Good Number of Your Fellow Americans

To those against government and regulations

Want to be like China?



And this applies to their pollution too.

Do we really want to do away with the EPA?

I know I don't.

Yet another well done and important story from Frontline on PBS

Last evening, PBS ran another "Frontline" story, this one on Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant disaster after the tsunami they experienced last March 11. Besides telling an important story and getting the details of what happened to all these people, it also struck me how their Prime Minister Naoto Kan seemed to take charge of the situation, along with taking responsibility. I also respected and appreciated the honor he seemed to take in what became his job. I would love to see that from our elected officials, of course, at all times, but especially in times of these national emergencies and catastrophies. It would have been really nice to have seen when Hurrican Katrina hit the Gulf states here. What strikes me now, however, is that I'd like to hear the truth about what radioactive fallout hit the US and in what amounts, from the West Coast to East. Anyone? News media? Link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/japans-nuclear-meltdown/

Think you understand how many earthquakes Japan had last year?

What would you think? 2? 6? Well, check this out. This guy--StoryMonoroch, whoever that is, over in Japan, apparently--put together this graphic to show just how many earthquakes the island nation of Japan suffered through last year. You truly won't believe it. Have your sound on, too, because he added that to the graphics as well. And please be patient. Yes, it's in Japanese but just wait. When they start hitting, you'll know it. January alone is a surprise, sure. But just wait until March 10. Then stay tuned, too. Don't quit. It's fascinating, if a bit disturbing. Yikes. What those poor people have been through. Links: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/nuclear-reaction/fukushima-nuclear-crisis-update-for-january-3/blog/38925/; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16795329; http://gma.yahoo.com/japans-nuclear-exclusion-zone-shows-few-signs-life-131155854--abc-news.html

Oklahoma: It sucks to be you

Sure, we've always known Oklahoma was famous for its tornadoes and people called it either "Tornado alley" or knew it was part of it. Now? It seems Oklahoma is on a fault line. Did you know that? (The Meers). I didn't. That and it USED to have about 50 earthquakes per year. Now? Since 2009? It's increased. 2010? Way more. How about 1047 of them? Yeah, that many. And the thing is, much as these Oklahomans love their oil money and all that, ever since "fracking" for natural gas has taken hold down there, there are more and more earthquakes. Many more. Coincidence? It wouldn't seem so, would it? We'll see. Link: http://www.okgeosurvey1.gov/pages/earthquakes/information.php#FAQ"; http://news.yahoo.com/big-quake-follows-increase-oklahoma-rumblings-203947305.html

Quote of the day

"Until we know how to safely dispose of the radioactive materials generated by nuclear plants, we should postpone these activities so as not to cause further harm to future generations. To do otherwise is simply an immoral act, and that is my belief, both as a scientist and as a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing." --Dr Shoji Sawada, theoretical particle physicist and Professor Emeritus at Nagoya University in Japan Link to original post: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/06/201161664828302638.html

Reasons why you don't call for the end of the world, you irresponsible chucklehead

Sure, it's one thing if you're a fool and "there's no fool like an old fool" but there's a great deal to be said for being responsible and going off half-cocked, even if you think it's for your god and whatever you think salvation is.

This is some of what this Harold Camping's handiwork did last week, with his call of the end of the world:

A California woman named Lyn Benedetto was one of millions who heard Camping's message, and became concerned that her daughters would suffer terribly in the coming apocalypse. She allegedly forced her daughters, 11 and 14, to lie on a bed and then cut their throats with a box cutter. She then tried to kill herself, though police arrested Benedetto and all three survived.

Others were not so lucky. An elderly man in Taiwan reportedly killed himself on May 5 ahead of the Rapture by jumping out of a building. He had heard that doomsday was imminent, and had taken recent earthquakes and tsunamis as early warning signs.

There were other unconfirmed reports of doomsday-related suicides around the world as well.

But what does "Mr. Apocalypse" do instead of clamming up and making sure the world never sees or hears from him again?

He calls for another end of the world this October.

Someone needs to tell this old fool to shut up.

Isn't that what wives are for?

Link to original post:  Failed doomsday prediction has real deadly consequences

Related stories:

• When Doomsday Isn't, Believers Struggle to Cope
• Doomsdays Past & Present (Infographic)

Japan's nuclear meltdown: What'd I say?

Japanese Officials Ignored or Concealed Dangers

Chernobyl's sobering anniversary

At this time of the Japanese people suffering through first a tsunami, then earthquakes and still, the ongoing Fukushima nuclear reactor debacle, it's a sobering reminder of nuclear energy's downsides to keep in mind that today, April 26, is the 25 year anniversary of the horrific nightmare that was the Chernobyl, Russia nuclear reactor explosions and disaster.

The question becomes, are we going to learn?

Link:  http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/04/25-4

Japan: Good news/bad news

The good news from Japan right now is that their government is being honest with them, the populace, and protecting them (probably, mostly) and telling them what's going on.

The bad news is that, as we suspected, it's not good:

Japan ups nuke crisis severity to match Chernobyl

By Yuri Kageyama And Ryan Nakashima, Associated Press


TOKYO – Japan's nuclear regulators raised the severity level of the crisis at a stricken nuclear plant Tuesday to rank it on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, citing the amount of radiation released in the accident.


The regulators said the rating was being raised from 5 to 7 — the highest level on an international scale overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, there was no sign of any significant change at the tsunami-stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant.


The new ranking signifies a "major accident" with "wider consequences" than the previous level, according to the Vienna-based IAEA.


"We have upgraded the severity level to 7 as the impact of radiation leaks has been widespread from the air, vegetables, tap water and the ocean," said Minoru Oogoda of Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.

NISA officials said one of the factors behind the decision was that the cumulative amount of radioactive particles released into the atmosphere since the incident had reached levels that apply to a Level 7 incident.


The revision was based on cross-checking and assessments of data on leaks of radioactive iodine-131 and cesium-137, said NISA spokesman Hidehiko Nishiyama.


Meantime, over here in the States, our government is telling us precious little.  The French, for pity's sake, reported better data on what came over California than ours did.   (See yesterday's post).

Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

Those poor Japanese

Here they go again.  Yet more trouble for them, as though they haven't got enough problems:

Magnitude 7.4 earthquake hits off Japan coast

TOKYO – Japan was rattled by a strong aftershock and tsunami warning Thursday night nearly a month after a devastating earthquake and tsunami flattened the northeastern coast.

The Japan meteorological agency issued a tsunami warning for a wave of up to one meter. The warning was issued for a coastal area already torn apart by last month's tsunami.

Officials say Thursday's quake was a 7.4-magnitude and hit 25 miles (40 kilometers) under the water and off the coast of Miyagi prefecture. The quake that preceded last month's tsunami was a 9.0-magnitude.

Buildings as far away as Tokyo shook for about a minute.

I hope some crazy, fundamentalist lunatics don't start spouting off about how the Japanese are "sinners", bringing this upon themselves.

And now for the aftershocks.

Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110407/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_earthquake

The latest from Japan's reactor

Out today:

Japan sets new radiation safety level for seafood

And I would hope they would, yes, but it wasn't necessary until now, when water from the Fukushima nuclear reactor started pouring out.

Details: 

By YURI KAGEYAMA and RYAN NAKASHIMA, Associated Press

TOKYO – The government set its first radiation safety standards for fish Tuesday after Japan's tsunami-ravaged nuclear plant reported radioactive contamination in nearby seawater measuring at several million times the legal limit.

The plant operator insisted that the radiation will rapidly disperse and that it poses no immediate danger... 

Naturally.

...but an expert said exposure to the highly concentrated levels near the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant could cause immediate injury and that the leaks could result in residual contamination of the sea in the area. 

But here's the real catch, here's what we need to know and watch:

Experts agree that radiation dissipates quickly in the vast Pacific, but direct exposure to the most contaminated water measured would lead to "immediate injury," said Yoichi Enokida, a professor of materials science at Nagoya University's graduate school of engineering.

He added that seawater may be diluting the iodine, which decays quickly, but the leak also contains long-lasting cesium-137, which can build up in fish over time. Both can build up in fish, though iodine's short half-life means it does not stay there for very long. The long-term effects of cesium, however, will need to be studied, he said.

I think what needs to happen now, and I hope it happens both for scientists learning and education and our own safety, I would hope this radioactive water will be followed somehow, if it's possible, off the coast of Japan, to see if the radioactivity stays there or just how far it does, in fact, travel.

Unfortunate but fascinating stuff.

Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110405/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_earthquake

The latest from Japan: radioactive desperation

News from Japan today:

Search for radiation leak turns desperate in Japan

By MARI YAMAGUCHI and YURI KAGEYAMA, Associated Press

The plant operators......deliberately dumped 10,000 tons of tainted water — measuring about 500 times above the legal limit for radiactivity — into the ocean Monday to make space at a storage site for water that is even more highly radiactive.

That's the bad news.

The REALLY bad news is that the other water, they're more concerned about and want to keep out of the ocean "contains radioactive iodine at rates 10,000 times the legal limit."

So, as usual, following the same pattern I've pointed out here a few times, first the declaration of bad news, above, followed shortly by the "all is well" call from officials.  From later in the article.


Radioactivity is quickly diluted in the ocean, and Edano said the dump should not affect the safety of seafood in the area.

I ask you, if you were in or visiting Japan soon, would YOU order sushi?


At the bottom of the article (see link below), was this in tiny print:  Radiation 1,600 times higher than normal levels was detected about 12 miles from the plant, the limit of the evacuation area. Radiation at that level, while not high for a single burst, could harm health if sustained.


Makes me feel better already.


Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

Will the US cooperate with France's desire for "global nuclear reform"?

First, what seems to be great news for the Japanese--this is the first day I can remember that there isn't some new, huge revelation concerning their nuclear power plants and radiation additionally going who-knows-where.

Let's hope it holds, for their and everyone's sake.

So here's the subject for today:  France has proposed

France -- the most nuclear-dependent country in the world -- called for new global nuclear rules and proposed a global conference in France for May as President Nicolas Sarkozy made a quick visit to Tokyo Thursday to show support.

France is a global leader in the nuclear industry, and Paris has flown in experts from state-owned nuclear reactor maker Areva to work with Japanese engineers.

As stubborn as we Americans are and have increasingly become, it seems, especially since our cowboy Texas president, George W. Bush, and since the Libertarians and Tea Party have formed and increased in number, do you think there will be any American will to go along with the rest of the world and both set and follow nuclear rules and standards for safety?

We did not/would not go along with the rest of the world's Kyoto Protocol on climate change.  Remember that?

Have we become so entrenched with the thought and assumption that we have to prevail over all that we're no longer capable of "cooperating with others"?

It will be interesting to see.

Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110401/ts_nm/us_japan_quake_338

It's gotten worse: here's Japan's SECOND shocker for the same day

Dang it.

Japan has not one new shocking revelation for today but now two:

Japan orders more beef testing

TOKYO – Japan's health ministry says it has ordered more tests after a cow slaughtered for beef near the tsunami-stricken nuclear plant was found to have radioactive contamination slightly higher than the legal limit.

These people just can't get a break.

And as I said earlier, the "shocking revelation" and development for the day is followed closely by "reassurance" from government and nuclear officials:

Officials stressed that the meat was not ever put on the market. Contamination has already been found in vegetables and raw milk near the plant, which has been leaking radiation since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

The cow had a total cesium level of 510 becquerels per kilogram. The limit is 500. A person could eat beef with that level of contamination for decades without getting sick.

Right.

If I'm Japanese right now, I wouldn't be feeling any better about it.

Tucked in between these last two quotes, above, was this:

Ministry spokesman Taku Ohara says the cesium was found in a cow slaughtered March 15 more than 40 miles (70 kilometers) from the plant. People within a 12-mile (20-kilometer) radius have been evacuated.

People have been evacuated from the area where the cattle have to be left, the cattle have radioactive contamination higher than the allowed limit but I'm--what?--still supposed to eat local meats?

I don't think so.

Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake;_ylt=AsPzPznjr_fZwwM9aTVOboBa24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTM3YTNhbjQ0BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMzMxL2FzX2phcGFuX2VhcnRocXVha2UEY2NvZGUDbXBfZWNfOF8xMARjcG9zAzMEcG9zAzMEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNqYXBhbm9yZGVyc20-

Japan's latest daily shocker

It's Thursday so it must be yet another overnight revelation from Japan:

Radioactivity 10,000 times standard at Japan plant

Okay, so, get ready.  First there's the shocking revelation of the day:

By RYAN NAKASHIMA and MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press

TOKYO – Officials with the company that operates Japan's tsunami-stricken nuclear plant say radioactive contamination in groundwater underneath a reactor has been measured at 10,000 times the government health standard.

Then there's the sure-to-be-given reassurance from the government and nuclear officials:

A spokesman for plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. says the company doesn't believe any drinking water supply is affected

If you go to this article (link below), you'll see the updated article seems to have quite additional alarm, too.  It seems the Japanese have now put out a plea to the world nations, asking for all the help they can get.  

Yikes.

Anyway, check out this quote from a Japanese official:

"U.S. nuclear plants aren't by the ocean, unlike Japanese ones, so we think the French may be able to help us more than the Americans," said TEPCO Manager Teruaki Kobayashi.

Excuse me?  Ever heard of San Onofre?  As in California?  On the Pacific Ocean?  

And Diablo Canyon?  Also in California?  Ever heard of those?


And then there's the Salem reactor in Salem, Delaware incidentally right next to the Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station (link below)  but,yeah, other than those...

Anyway, for the poor Japanese people it seems things are quite desperate and getting worse.  Hopefully the bad news and additional revelations end soon--as soon as possible and as positively as possible, given all they've been through and what they're still going through.

Links:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake;  http://www.exeloncorp.com/powerplants/oystercreek/Pages/profile.aspx;  http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/31/MNT31IMGTS.DTL; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_Canyon_Power_Plant;  http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/31/MNT31IMGTS.DTL; http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/nj_nuclear_power_plant_less_th.html; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_Nuclear_Power_Plant

Radiation from Japan: that's how brief a time it took

How long did you think it would take before we'd start detecting at least some radiation in our--the US'--food chain?  Longer than this?

Low levels of radiation found in US milk

By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press 

WASHINGTON – Very low levels of radiation turned up in a sample of milk from Washington state, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday, but federal officials assured consumers not to worry.

Right.  That's how all the "officials" in Japan and here, both, end all the statements--"don't worry" and "we've got it under control" and "the levels detected are safe."

So reassuring.

Link to original story:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110330/ap_on_re_us/us_japan_earthquake_us_milk

On Japan's nuclear meltdown: Here we go again

Indeed, here we go again.

First there's this:

On Wednesday, nuclear safety officials said seawater 300 yards (meters) outside the plant contained 3,355 times the legal limit for the amount of radioactive iodine — the highest rate yet and a sign that more contaminated water was making its way into the ocean.

Then, predictably, there's this:

The amount of iodine-131 found south of the plant does not pose an immediate threat to human health but was a "concern," said Hidehiko Nishiyama, a Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency official. He said there was no fishing in the area.

These reports seem to follow this pattern virtually daily and the pattern is this:  first there's news of some new, significant report, telling of surprising radioactive exposure somewhere in or around the area and then, not surprisingly, there's some nuclear or government "official" there to say, just as quickly, that everything is a-okay and, like here, that it "does not pose and immediate threat to human health...", trailing off.

Right.

Now, about that ocean front property I'd like to show you in Nevada.

Link to original story:   http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake;_ylt=AhJfNKLBoTYgtrFErbqNGZaGOrgF;_ylu=X3oDMTJ2cmdhYzRvBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMzMwL2FzX2phcGFuX2VhcnRocXVha2UEY2NvZGUDbXAEY3BvcwMyBHBvcwMyBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDc2V0YmFja3Ntb3Vu

Japan: Too little, tragically late

From the "far too late" file:

Japan vows to review nuclear safety standards

By MARI YAMAGUCHI and YURI KAGEYAMA, Associated Press

TOKYO – Japan's government vowed Tuesday to overhaul nuclear safety standards once its radiation-leaking reactor complex is under control, admitting that its safeguards were insufficient to protect the plant against the March 11 tsunami.

Okay, they didn't do this--they didn't have stringent enough "nuclear safety standards" in place and in effect.

Could we take this, as a country--heck, as a world?--and learn from this, now, ahead of time, far before anything remotely close to this ever happens again? 

We need to learn these lessons and we need to learn them now.

Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

Surprise! Yet more bad news from Japan

Or rather, no surprise, sadly:

Japan Finds More Foods Tainted By Radioactive Material

As more radioactive material from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant finds its way into the environment, Japan's health ministry is compiling a growing list of foods that have been contaminated.

First came reports of tainted milk, spinach and other leafy greens. Then on Sunday, the health ministry released a new list with a total of 99 different products that had tested positive for radioactive iodine-131 and cesium-137 in Tokyo and five other prefectures. Some of those foods might surprise you.

--Wasabi (Japanese horseradish)

--Cucumbers

--Chrysanthemum (Shungiku)

--Mustard greens (Mizuna)

--Green onions

Unfortunately, that's not the only bad news for and from Japan today, either:

Japan in 'Maximum Alert' as It Struggles to Contain Nuclear Crisis

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said his government was "in a state of maximum alert" as the crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant continues to spread, with radioactive contamination in the air, soil and water near the plant. Crews used sandbags to prevent radioactive water from the plant from leaking into the Pacific Ocean, and plutonium found in some soil indicates a possible melting of one of the plant's reactors. If a reactor were to completely melt down, massive amounts of radioactive material would be released.

The "ultimate takeaway", for me, from this Japan Fukushima reactor meltdown, due to the earthquake and tsunami?

I bet we learn very little from this multi-level tragedy but end up pressing on, blindly, with nuclear energy.  (With the exception of Germany, who already said they were wisely, singularly, apparently going to bail on the technology).

Wanna' bet?

Link:  http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03/29/134930199/japan-finds-more-foods-tainted-by-radioactive-material?ps=sh_sthdl
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/03/japan-in-maximum-alert-as-it-struggles-to-contain-nuclear-crisis.html