tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post5561574145868534279..comments2023-10-30T09:23:42.803-05:00Comments on Some Assembly Required: SAr #11223Charles Kingsley Michaelson, IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04364694465614330540noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-33952447728322297022011-08-11T20:51:06.968-05:002011-08-11T20:51:06.968-05:00Bunker Mentality:
Obama has proven himself either ...Bunker Mentality:<br />Obama has proven himself either a total coward, in not going for an easy fight that makes the thugs look bad, or corrupt beyond measure in just going through the motions. I don't buy the line that he is 'captive' of bad staff.<br /><br />It is a damn shame there is no credible alternative for primary. Barak makes me sick at the waste of a rare liberal chance.tulsatimenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-28174966797372541272011-08-11T10:34:26.887-05:002011-08-11T10:34:26.887-05:00As your blog is high on my list of favorites, and ...As your blog is high on my list of favorites, and I know you are interested in finding and communicating truth, in the spirit of constructive criticism I must plead that you invest some intensive study time on radiation health issues. Your wording that the radioactive cesium levels 'far exceed the allowable limits for human consumption' is not up to your standards. According to your referenced source, <br /><br />'The samples ... included a species of rockfish that measured 1,053 becquerels per kilogram. The reading, the highest among the samples, is well in excess of the government-set limit of 500 becquerels per kilogram, ...'<br /><br />but though 1,053 becquerels is twice the government-set limit, that limit has been set at a level such that continued consumption would cause only a very, very low increase in cancer risk. The becquerel is a truly tiny unit -- if you were to consume a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of that fish per day every day of your life, your body's load of Cs-137 would stabilize at about 100,000 becquerels (because you excrete about 1% of your body load per day). This would equate to an annual increase in your radiation exposure of about 5 milliSieverts, bringing your total annual radiation exposure to about twice the natural level, still far below levels that pose a meaningful risk.<br /><br />Which is why GreenPeace (who I support in some contexts) used the wording (perilously close to a weasel-wording) that, <br /><br />'"There is no allowable limit for internal exposure that can conclusively be said not to pose any problems," ...'<br /><br />That's about the wimpiest warning of danger I've ever read. But it's quite right for the infinitesimal danger those Cs-137 levels present to the population. <br /><br />Compared to the tolls of death and injury due to our dependence on fossil fuels, those due to even our worst nuclear power accidents are miniscule.jmnoreply@blogger.com