A Glowing Report on Radiation

With the terrible earthquake and resulting tsunami that have devastated Japan, the resultant damage to an aged Nuclear Power Plant facility (built in 1971) has over-shadowed the human carnage with frightful warnings of released radiation. Being true-to-form, the media are having a field-day drawing unrealistic comparisons with Chernobyl, a China Syndrome or atomic-like explosion. Panic is almost seen in the streets, blah, blah, blah. Even the expert "talking heads" they bring on TV so far haven't mentioned that these Nuclear Plants were old Generation #2 models. The new Generation #5 plants, now being ordered by over 20 countries, are designed to be impervious to tsunamis, earthquakes, missile attacks and loss of coolant (using a no-fail gravity feed system) and yet there is not one word about this. Why kill a good horror story with some real perspective by highlighting many of these marvelous improvements. China has ordered 65 of these new, state-of-the-art reactors. Unfortunately, the demonetization of anything Nuclear has brain-washed the public.

The good news is that anyone exposed to excess radiation from nuclear power plants is now probably much less likely to get cancer. Yes I know this seems counter intuitive because of media hysteria for the past 20 years trying to convince Australians & Americans that ANY dose is bad. There is however, burgeoning evidence that radiation operates as a sort of cancer "vaccine". The scientific name for this phenomenon is called hormesis.

As early as 1983, it was found that an apartment complex in Taiwan was constructed with massive amounts of Cobalt 60 in the concrete. After 16 years, the building's 10,000 occupants developed only five cases of cancer. These people had been exposed to radiation nearly five times the maximum "safe" level, but they ended up with a cancer rate 96% lower than the general population.

In 1991, a $10 million, the U.S. Department of Energy study examined 10 years of research by John Hopkins School of Public Health on 700,000 shipyard workers, some of whom had been exposed to 10 times more radiation than the others from their work on ship's nuclear reactors. The workers exposed to this "excess" radiation had a 25% lower cancer mortality than the non-irradiated workers.

Amazingly, even the Soviet-engineered disaster at Chernobyl in 1986 can be directly blamed for the deaths of no more than 31 people inside the plant who died in the explosion. Although the news media hyped up the death rate to a few thousand, after endless investigations by scientific groups, a report summary stated that, "They have not yet reported any deaths outside of the 31 who died in the plant." Meanwhile, the animals around the Chernobyl reactor, who were not evacuated, are "thriving", according to scientists quoted in the April 28th (2002) edition of the (UK) Sunday Times.

The Way I See It....and although it is hardly a settled scientific fact that radiation can be a health benefit, there's certainly evidence that it decreases the risk of some cancers---and there are plenty of scientists willing to say so. Recently, a Canadian study was mentioned that found tuberculosis patients subjected to multiple chest X-rays had much lower rates of breast cancer than the general population.

I guess good radiation stories are not as exciting as ignorant news anchors warning of mutant humans and exploding nuclear power plants -- news anchors who, by the way, have injected small amounts of poison into their foreheads to stave off wrinkles. Which is to say: The general idea that small amounts of toxins can be healthy is widely accepted -- except in the case of radiation. They'll take the crap poisons in the Flu shot or drink copious amount of diet sodas laced with aspartame without a thought, but are horrified at the minutest amount of that "deadly" radiation. Ignorance is bliss, they say, but coming from the media...it's criminal!

Delusions of Democracy

President Obama made a strong statement in support of the Libyan protesters today condemning Gaddafi's use of violence and affirming that the U.S. "strongly supports the rights of the Libyan people, including the rights of peaceful assembly, free speech and the ability of the people to determine their own destiny." He also spoke with satisfaction about "the peaceful transition to democracy in both Tunisia and Egypt" too and was pleased that "the change that was taking place across the region is being driven by the people of the region. It represents the aspirations of a younger generation seeking a better life." He vowed that "during this time of transition, the United States will continue to stand up for freedom, stand up for justice and stand up for the dignity of all people."

The one thing the President didn't explain was his justification for believing that Libyan, Tunisian and Egyptian people actually care as much as he assumes they do about principles and rights such as freedom of speech and the dignity of all people, both of which are mitigated under Islamic law. Nor did Obama touch on why he assumes that they hold an understanding of freedom and justice that is remotely comparable to that of the American constitutional system and other highly civilized western democracies.

There are numerous signs that they don't. It isn't insignificant that Libyan protesters have marked Gaddafi's picture with the Star of David. Rather, it is an indication of the protesters world view, and of the pervasiveness of Islamic anti-Semitism. Egyptian protesters defaced photos of Mubarak in the same way. When Muslim protesters want to portray someone as a demon, they draw a Star of David on his picture. These Muslim-scum aren't about to change.

The demonstrators in Libya, Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East may be pro-democracy insofar as they want the will of the people to be heard, but given their world view, their frame of reference and their Mohammad poisoned assumptions about the world, if that popular will is heard, it will likely result in huge victories for the Muslim Brotherhood and similar pro-Sharia Law groups. Hence the protesters chant we hear on the TV News, "No GOD but Allah!"

There are also clear indications that the protesters are decidedly anti-western. Covering the protest in crowded Tahrir Square in Cairo for US 60 minutes, CBS reporter, Lara Logan had her clothes ripped off, was kicked and punched and sexually assaulted by a mob of Islamic dead shits chanting, "Jew! Jew!." She went on to say that she would have been raped if a group of Egyptian women hadn't thrown themselves on top of her to protect her until soldiers finally intervened. Two hard-Left journalists from the U.S. who have repeatedly insisted that Islam is a religion of peace and that anyone who says otherwise is bigoted and racist were roughed up and threatened by the crowd. In Islamaland they deservedly ran up against the Buzz Saw of reality.

Also, before Muarak's resignation, one of the biggest crowds of the entire revolution thronged to the Square to hear Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi. one of the most influential Muslim clerics in the world. This bastard is a genocidally minded anti-Semite who is barred from most western countries and has given theological justification to suicide attacks against Israeli civilians. He endorses the death penalty for apostasy, cross-religious marriages and has boasted that Islam would soon conquer Europe. The enthusiastic reception Qaradawi received in Cairo that day was an ominous sign that genuine democracy is not in the offing.

The Way I See It....while numerous western analysts praise the "pro-democracy" uprisings in these nations, no secular democratic leadership has yet emerged. The momentum is moving in the opposite direction -- that is toward the Islamic supremacists. I tend to be more realistic than Obama on the Middle Eastern situation and predict that it is quite probable that hard times are ahead, including the arrival of powerful fanatics that will hijack the hope that started these revolutions. This will mean further subservience to the edicts of the Koren and less justice for women, Coptic Christians, homosexuals and Israel until that DAMN book is burned and its ashes are swept up and thrown into the dustbin of History.

Summer of Sorrow - Queensland

I am sure that the summer of 2010/11 will be forever remembered as Queensland's Summer of Sorrow. It will always be remembered as a story of terrible devastation and horror; a story of fragility and vulnerability stretching human endurance but this is also a story of hope and inspiration.

The story of this past summer season is one unprecedented in our history. Firstly, there was record breaking rains over 8 weeks that caused Queensland to turn into an inland sea the size of Texas flooding one small town after another! Then it was Brisbane's turn when rain sodden earth couldn't handle a storm that dumped over a foot (30 cm) of rain in 2 hours into the Brisbane River catchment causing, quite literally, an inland tsunami, wiping out the town of Grantham. The ensuing flood will be recorded in history so our future generations will know the phenomenon that we experienced. This is so that they may also learn and understand the aftermath of those atrocities; the stories of loss and despair but also the many stories that characterise our strong Queensland spirit. A tough spirit which proves time and again, that when we get knocked down we get right back up again. However, the flooding events have left 35 people dead, and yet thankfully so many hundreds were saved by our heroic State Emergency personnel. We weep for those lives lost and sadly some of them were cut all too short.

And just as thousands of volunteers here in Brisbane, aptly called the MUD ARMY, were clearing away the smelly mud, the waterlogged possessions and taking stock of the damage, a severe (category 5) Katrina-sized tropical cyclone called Yasi bore down on a large part of our northern coast. It totally wrecked 8 communities with it's winds and torrential rains and delivered more misery and sorrow for us to absorb. And still after 2 months, it has left many of us in a state of mind called "disaster fatigue". This is because our Summer-of-Sorrow has a very human face, still characterised by powerful and haunting images. Those images, constantly played through the media, have been very public and confronting. Other images we have of flood waters inundating our friends and neighbours homes are very intimate and were extremely affecting. These are the moments that, while not captured on film, are indelibly etched into our minds.

The Way I See It....the momentous events we experienced have reminded us all of what's important in life. It was an emotional time and as we reflect on our duel tragedies, we will focus on rebuilding and restoring our lovely "garden city" and we will emerge stronger. Also we could not have survived these events of such an unprecedented magnitude without the support and goodwill of many from around the country and around the world. I offer you many thanks for your concerned words and gifts of support.

May those thousands of Queenslanders who have been affected by these tragedies find the strength and patience to travel the difficult road ahead, to heal and emerge stronger. And may those who have lost their lives over this sorrowful summer rest in peace.