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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Australia - You Have Another Problem

Not just exporting Ken Ham to the U.S. making him our problem.

Or Helen Caldicott.

Now it's an anti-vaccine "church".

Astronauts Face Radiation On Mars Trip

Not enough to pose an acute risk.

U.S. Religiosity

The good news is that it's decreasing, the bad news is that 75% of Americans think the country would be better off if it was MORE religious.

Fukushima Evacuation Rad Levels

Were debated with concern over population drainage and excess compensation claims.

Back To 1981 In LA

People in LA need to get with reality on biology.

Bridgeton Landfill Is Nothing To Worry About

But some people in the St. Louis area enjoy manufacturing something to worry about.

Proton Therapy System Sits Idle

A software glitch idles the $20M system.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Doing More With Less

Medical radiation doses dropping.  I have an issue with this statement about the risks:

"To be on the safe side of this debate, we assume that there is some small increase in cancer risk from even low doses of radiation and so try to keep the dose levels as low as reasonably possible, while at the same time making sure that the image quality is sufficient to provide an accurate diagnosis."

No, this is not about being on the "safe side" of the debate.  It's about being on the evidence-based side of the debate.  We know radiation can ionize DNA, and that DNA damage is not always detected or repaired correctly regardless of the dose.  So we conclude there is a certain risk which we estimate from many different avenues.

Our Universe Might Be Special

Because it supports life.  But is life special?  We humans seem to think so.  But how much time have we spent on other planets or outside of our universe?

S. Korea Halts 2 More Rx's Over Bad Parts

Will lead to power shortages.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Is Global Warming Cooler Than Expected?

Atmospheric global warming is cooler than expected.  The difference being transferred into the oceans.  That's not a good thing for the oceans.  There are also other masking effects like Sun output variability and El Nino phenomena.

Friday, May 24, 2013

NEI Nuclear Notes Blog Quotes Bernard Cohen

As a "long time radiation risk specialist" (See Snakes In A Nuclear Plant).

To understand Cohen's "specialty", search his name in this blog.


The New Periodic Table

Song:


Doctor-Minister Gets Jail Time

Anti-science propaganda has consequences.

Hugo de Vries

Is that name familiar?  Probably not.  He's the guy who realized that mutations exist (he didn't know what caused or what was mutated).  I have many health physics textbooks, but none of them mention him.

Paducah, KY

If this is accurate, it ain't good.

Religion Requires Effort?

No, it just makes stuff up.  The effort comes in continuing to make stuff up in the face of reality.

AZ Gets Dose Of Reality

An atheist's prayer.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Fukushima Didn't Provide Enough Fear Monger Material

So Arnie has moved on to Canada:


What? No Radiation Hormesis?

It looks like the whacko Doctors For Disaster Preparedness has their anti-science annual meeting agenda on their website.  I know where I won't be in July.

Wolf Blitzer Is A Moron

For presuming there is a magic man in the sky (or somewhere):


Pandora's Promise

A pro-nuclear power documentary that supposed to start showing next month:


Timing Of Rad Therapy May Minimize Hair Loss

Giving radiation at night, when hair is actively repairing itself, will lead to less hair loss.

Harold Must Have Made Another Donation

That would be billionaire Harold Simmons who owns Waste Control Specialists and is a contributor to the Republican party in TX.

DNA Damage: The Dark Side Of Respiration

Cellular respiration leads to the accumulation of mutations.

It's always funny to hear certain health physics deniers claim that cells are constantly repairing themselves and  that they can "handle" low doses of radiation.

WRONG.

Cells accumulate mutations in the absence of excess radiation.  The excess radiation results in more mutations.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Fukushima Compensation

Those just outside Fukushima want some $ too.

Low Dose CT Helps ID Early Stage Lung Cancer

However low dose CT screening may be a major undertaking.

Is Francis An Excorcist?

No. Are some people delusional? Yes.

Acupuncture Helps Sea Turtles?

No it doesn't, the conventional treatments are and they are accompanied with acupuncture.

Japan Is Not Finland

It has no HLW disposal:


Finland To Bury HLW In Tunnels


Nuclear Power Is Far Worse Than Heroin?

What drug has Caldicott been taking?


Denialism Of Climate Change & Evolution

Hey, what about health physics?  Ok, that denialism isn't as widespread, I'll give Eugenie a pass.  But you'll notice that the tactics of all science deniers are very similar, though the motivations may differ.  The video does have some editing problems:


Thousands In Taiwan Rally Against Nuclear Power

It is earthquake prone.

Congrats Missouri!

Two anti-evolution bills have died.

TX Radwaste Bill Dies

Due to an error. Maybe Harold should have made more donations.

Monday, May 20, 2013

NCSE In Nature

The journal Nature, describes the work of the National Center For Science Education.

Get That CT Scan Young Adults!

The risk of death from underlying morbidity is greater than the radiation risk associated with the scan.

Email To ANS President & Nuclear News Editor


Hi Michael and Betsy:

"Merchants Of Doubt" is a book about the denial of the scientific consensus and intentionally spreading misinformation.  We've seen it with tobacco safety, evolutionary biology, vaccines and global warming.
We had an email exchange several months ago about the ANS doing the same with LNT.

And with my May, 2013 issue I see that nothing has changed at ANS!

In honoring Ted Rockwell, Betsy writes, "No one was more passionate about nuclear and setting the record straight about its purported risks..."

On page 91, also honoring Rockwell, M.M. writes, "A leading critic of the linear-no-threshold (LNT) hypothesis- the traditional regulatory default hypothesis..."

On page 41, in covering the NASA "study" (it's really a gross estimate, not a study), Dick Kowan writes, "...is consistent with recent findings that the linear no threshold hypothesis model used to derive nuclear mortality factors might not be valid..."

Ted Rockwell's opinion did nothing to set the record straight.  Wake up...LNT is still here.  LNT is not "the traditional regulatory default hypothesis". It is a scientific theory which is over 70 years old (older than relativity or quantum mechanics).  Regulatory bodies embrace it, because there is no evidence to contradict i
it.

That Rockwell established a pseudo-scientific organization, as well as being a Professional Member of the Parapsychological Association (as in clairvoyance and psychic healing), is not a good thing.  Real scientists overturn the consensus with evidence, not by stepping outside of science and forming a website to spread propaganda.

There are no recent findings that LNT might not be valid.  Notice how nothing has changed in the real world as a result of the study being referenced?

The ANS's Nuclear News seems intent on providing an alternate universe- misinformation bubble for its members directly against ANS's Code of Ethics.

This will certainly be my last year as a member, and if I can get a prorated refund for this year, that would be appreciated.

(The book referenced above pinpoints the source of the misinformation propaganda over the decades to the Marshall Institute.  The past ANS President is associated with that organization, and that's why he and Rockwell assembled a misinformation campaign at last year's ANS meeting.)

American Nuclear Society - Merchants Of Doubt

"Merchants Of Doubt" refers to a book about some scientists who make a "living" by lying about science.  The American Nuclear Society seems to do the same.  In its May, 2013 issue it honors Ted Rockwell for "setting the record straight about its (radiation's) purported risks".  You can search my blog and find that Ted Rockwell did no such thing.

On page 41, in an article about the NASA study, it says "...with recent findings that the linear no threshold hypothesis model used to derive nuclear mortality factors might not be valid...".

NO, there are no such findings.


Science Denial Has Consequences

Measles surge in UK following claims that vaccines are bad.

Dan Dennett's 7 Tools For Thinking

Brilliant as always.

Williston, ND Garbage Can Has Radwaste

From NORM.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

James Conca Denies Reality (Again) In The Science Journal Forbes

This time over the EPA draft PAG's.  These were actually discussed by another Forbes blogger.  I left the comment in Conca's which says:

"Conca is a health physics denier. He’s in the same class as evolution and climate change deniers. He doesn’t understand that the EPA PAG’s are based on LNT. It’s not “mythology”, it is the scientific consensus which he denies. The UN did not “change its attitude” at all. In Fukushima, it was the general public who demanded that their government NOT set higher limits and increase the radiation risk to them. Conca doesn’t understand that what radworkers willingly get, is not the same as what somewhat wants to unwillingly get.

How’s the food in that alternate universe?

You know…where anti-health physics propaganda is disseminated in the leading scientific journal, Forbes.

What Is BRCA1?

BR is BReast and CA is Cancer.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

NORM Rad Waste Meeting In ND

Feel free to attend.

Wade Allison Ignores Reality Again

What all science deniers have in common is that they offer their opinions in all sorts of venues instead of doing science.  Wade Allison, who denies health physics, carries on the tradition.

More On The Dark Snow Project

It got coverage on The Weather Channel.  I've posted on it, search this blog for more.


Key Cell Necrosis Protein Identified

Necrosis is an alternative cell death pathway to apoptosis. Cancer cells "figure out" how to avoid these pathways.

Japan's Tsuruga Nuclear Plant Sits On A Fault Line

Ouch.

Catawba Leak Contains Trace Amounts Of H-3

But makes the news.

SC & GA Senators Voice MOX Support To White House

It's funny how Republicans claim to want smaller government and reduce spending....unless it benefits them.

Environmentalists Fear Monger In NY

Over some planned radioactive waste shipments.

Who In CO Had The Ra-226?

Someone disposed of a source.  Did the person receive significant excess exposure?

We're Getting Smarter In Treating Certain Cancers

Some radiation exposures are not necessary.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

No Need To Be Solarphobic

I don't know of anyone who is, but recent research shows the sun's radiation causes cells to release nitric oxide which lowers blood pressure.

Hanford's Waste Legacy

Is described well here.

Wade Allison Whines

He has a new "article" on his webpage called "The World Economy And The Application Of Science".

Maybe he should play football (or soccer):


Allison writes:

"Modern scientific experiments establish beyond doubt that moderate doses of radiation do no harm."

That is totally incorrect.

U.S. Nuclear Power - "Renaissance In Reverse"

According to a few who are anti-nuclear power anyway.

TEPCO To Pump Groundwater

Into ocean before it becomes contaminated.

The Greenhouse Gas Demo

Share with those who can't accept reality.


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Rebuttals To Global Warming Deniers

The first column says "Skeptic Argument", but anyone truly skeptical would do objective research to understand his or her misunderstanding.  A denier doesn't attempt to understand his or her misunderstanding and tries to convince others using propaganda.  I think "Denier Argument" is a more appropriate heading.

Chris Busby Does Wingnut Radio

How appropriate:


As long as he claims he's "done some studies", people find him to be an authority figure.  Of course his "studies" are only meant to further his anti-nuclear agenda.  And of course, they do to the extent people fall for his schtick.

Last Fukushima Pupil

Hides his loneliness.

Music please, Maestro:


New Technique To Track Cellular Interactions In Living Bodies

Of mice, but this can lead to further understanding of biology.

CongratsTX!

IDiot legislation dies.

Cellular Metabolic Modeling

Called Recon 2.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

The Mystery Of Radioactive Rain In Brazil?

It's no mystery.  It's called atmospheric washout.  But that doesn't stop Dr. Chris Busby from solving what is already well known:


Of course, he could simply place a sample on a spectrometer and see exactly what's in it, but that wouldn't allow him to express his "expertise".  And as far as rainwater causing diarrhea and flu-like symptoms...why isn't anyone complaining of such during rain showers?

Completely bogus, Chief Inspector.


Saturday, May 4, 2013

ALARA Has Nothing To Do With Safety?

ALARA is an acronym for As Low As Reasonably Achievable.  It's associated with minimizing one's risk of getting cancer from radiation.  What could be more reasonable than doing that?

Yet, according to Wade Allison author of Radiation and Reason, ALARA has "nothing to do with safety" (click on his May 4, 2013 link, see page 3).

If someone reduces their risk of radiation by vastly increasing their risk of some other malady, then that isn't being reasonable.  Just because some people are unreasonable, doesn't mean we shouldn't follow ALARA.

That isn't reasonable, Wade.


Thursday, May 2, 2013

"Radiation Superstition" P2

At another pro-nuclear blog, whose comments are highly moderated.  So why comment?

It's just a flash from the past.

That's how anti-science propaganda works.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

Catholic Schools Struggling

Good.  "Catholic school" is a bit of an oxymoron.

Trickle Down Science Denial

From evolution to climate change with Dr. Minda Berbeco.

Hey...what about health physics denial?



The Prophets Of Oak Ridge

Was it "God's Will" that they break the law, or their will?


Cancers Share Gene Patterns

In other words, it's more about the mutations than the tissue the cancers originate from.  All tissue starts out with the same DNA, it is the modulation of DNA expression which results in different tissue types.

Antimatter May Fall Up

Which, if proven, would explain where it all is.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

No Bridge Needed

Here's a recent upload by the Heritage Foundation discussing how to bridge the religious and secular divide.

Of course, there's no bridge needed.  Religions are not history, they're not science, they're not math.

They are fictitious.  Why do we need a bridge between reality and the imagined?

We don't.

Physicist Sean Carroll elaborates: