Week 9: Post your Blog Entries as Comments to my Main Post Each Week

Post by Sunday at midnight.

1. Mark Whitaker

2. Radiation on the North American Pacific West Coast and East U.S. Are Both High from Fukushima Fallout; both Canadian government and USA goverment trying to stop local people from testing and rejecting ongoing testing for Fukushima, respectively

3. Some reports that many would like to ignore, though these trends are inexorably bad for the complete territory of the U.S. and Canada


------------

[1]

Vancouver seaweed almost 400% above international limit for iodine-131 in food
by March 28 — Levels increasing

Amount of radiation in Vancouver rainwater decreasing – scientist, Vancouver Sun, April 5, 2011 at 7:17 pm EDT:

… Meanwhile, seaweed samples were still showing increasing iodine-131 as of March 28, according to data provided by [Krzystof Starosta, a nuclear chemist and physicist and associate professor at Simon Fraser University].

In samples of dehydrated seaweed taken on March 15 near the North Vancouver SeaBus terminal, the count was zero; on March 22 it was 310 Bq per kilogram; and by March 28 it was 380 Bq/kg. …

Read the report here.
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Amount+radiation+Vancouver+rainwater+decreasing+scientist/4562265/story.html#ixzz1IgoN8H1b

---
http://enenews.com/vancouver-seaweed-almost-400-above-international-standard-for-iodine-131-in-food-by-march-28-levels-increasing


[2]

Nuclear professor “surprised” by radioactive seaweed south of Seattle — “I guess I was assuming it wouldn’t reach this far, but it did”

Radioactive Seaweed Detected In Puget Sound, But Not Harmful [sic], KIRO 7 Eyewitness News, April 11, 2011:

… KIRO 7 obtained samples of seaweed from Budd Inlet near Olympia two weeks ago. Professor Kris Starosta [a nuclear scientist] at Simon Fraser University confirmed the presence of radioactive iodine Monday.

“We have seen iodine 131 in the sample you sent us,” he said. “I think it’s pretty clear by now this must be iodine 131 from releases from Fukushima.” …

“I think it is surprising,” Starosta said. “I guess I was assuming it wouln’t [sic] reach this far, but it did.” …

Starosta said that if you were to eat 2 pounds of dried seaweed with the highest levels of radiation he and his team had detected, it would be the equivalent of getting one dental X-ray. [VERY DIFFERENT AND THIS IS A LIE; because consumption of radionuclides cannot be compared to 'getting an x-ray' or 'commercial airline flight.']

Read the report here.

Radio interview with Prof. Starosta here.

Read more:

* By March 21, 5 nuclear isotopes from Fukushima detected in Seattle: Iodine-131, iodine-132, tellurium-132, cesium-134 and cesium-137
* People in areas along Canada’s Pacific coast want to gather seaweed but don’t know if it’s safe
* Radioactive seaweed found in Vancouver, CA — “As of now, the levels we’re seeing are not harmful”: Nuclear physicist
* Former DOE official criticizes UC Berkeley professor for comparing ingestion of radioactive iodine to air travel
* Maryland senior scientist: “Very surprised” over radioactive iodine-131 findings — “A fat red bar” on graph never seen before

---
http://enenews.com/nuclear-friendly-professor-surprised-radioactive-seaweed-south-seattle-guess-assuming-wouldnt-reach


[3]

Maryland senior scientist: “Very surprised” over radioactive iodine-131 findings — “A fat red bar” on graph never seen before

On the lookout for radiation in Maryland, Baltimore Sun, April 4, 2011:

[Emphasis Added]

… But on March 23, when the signature of radioactive iodine 131 turned up in an air filter tested in one of the state health lab’s gamma-ray counters, Abudureheman Abulimiti, a senior scientist in the [Maryland health department] lab, wasn’t ready to believe it. [even though Chernobyl fallout hit the East U.S. and raised birth mortality in 1986 for a few months]


Although the radiation lab has been monitoring the state’s air and water for decades, this was the first time its current employees — too new to recall the Chernobyl meltdown in 1986 — had seen a radioactive byproduct from a reactor accident.

“I was very surprised,” said Abulimiti, who’s been there about seven years. “I immediately got in contact with … my supervisor. Something was going on.” …

The display is a vertical bar graph, and on March 23, Abulimiti spotted a fat red bar toward the left side of the graph where he had never seen one before. Its energy level identified it as iodine 131. It was unmistakable. …

Read the Baltimore Sun report here.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-md-radiation-testing-20110404,0,5218789.story

Read more:

* Enraged nuclear expert: “I’m personally furious at the government for this misleading information” that downplays ingesting milk with iodine-131
* Nuclear professor “surprised” by radioactive seaweed south of Seattle — “I guess I was assuming it wouldn’t reach this far, but it did”
* Two senior Japanese officials warn there is still a real risk of catastrophic disaster at Fukushima
* Scientist: Radiation in food going to be a nationwide problem in US — Not just limited to one region (VIDEO)
* EPA: Radioactive isotope levels are increasing in US — “These types of findings are to be expected in the coming days”

---
http://enenews.com/maryland-senior-scientist-very-surprised-over-radioactive-iodine-131-findings-a-fat-red-bar-on-graph-never-seen-before

[4]

Chernobyl coverup in Canada revealed by local BC official [so] “My hair stood straight up” when told not to worry about radiation from Fukushima [now]

No-drink order in Old Massett, following radiation increase, Queen Charlotte Islands Observer, April 8, 2011:
http://www.qciobserver.com/Article.aspx?Id=4908

[Emphasis Added]

… [Old Massett, British Columbia acting band manager John Disney] said his suspicions around adequate government testing started 25 years ago, after the nuclear meltdown in Chernobyl, Ukraine.

He’d been out on his fishing boat and heard the Coast Guard over the radio telling lighthouse operators to disconnect their rainwater systems. [though not a warning to the public who drink the same water]

When he tried to find out why, the local, provincial and federal health authorities told him not to worry, the coast guard were just being overcautious.

He asked whether they were testing and was assured they were. But he decided to do his own investigation and took samples from his Nadu Road rain catchment system to a private lab. They found two types of radiation were at the danger level. He drained his 4,000 gallon tank [in 1986].

Fast forward to two weeks ago, post-tsunami in Japan, he said, when he was told not to worry about potential radiation in the rainwater here. “My hair stood straight up,” he said. …

Read the report here.

---
http://enenews.com/local-official-bc-canada-reveals-chernobyl-coverup-hair-stood-straight-when-told-worry-about-radiation-fukushima

See also:

Canada: Local official advising residents not to drink rainwater after tests find increasing radioactivity — Under pressure from Gov’t to stop testing [and EPA of USA to stop testing for Fukushima as well]

Vancouver, Canada radiation tests show iodine-131 in rainwater at almost 100 times above US drinking water limit


[5]

Canada: Local official advising residents not to drink rainwater after tests find increasing radioactivity — Under pressure from Gov’t to stop testing
April 8th, 2011 at 12:41 PM


Old Massett Posts Rainwater Advisory, CFNR, April 7, 2011:

The Acting Band Manager for Old Massett has advised area residents not to drink rainwater because of concern about radiation from Japan.

John Disney says the village has been conducting its own tests for radiation in water sources since late March.

While the March 24th sample showed only background radiation levels, later tests showed increased levels of iodine 131 prompting the advisory. …

He says he has experienced pressure from government authorities to stop the testing, but he says he can’t do that when the health of the community is at stake.

Disney adds that many elders in the community like to make their tea with rainwater and others have rainwater systems that supply their homes. …

Read the report here.
http://www.classicrockcfnr.ca/index.php/news/detail/old-massett-posts-rainwater-advisory/

---
http://enenews.com/canada-local-official-advising-residents-not-to-drink-rainwater-after-tests-find-increasing-radioactivity-govt-pressuring-him-to-stop-testing


[6]

EPA: Radioactive isotope levels are increasing in US — “These types of findings are to be expected in the coming days”
March 28th, 2011 at 04:18 PM

from an strangely misleading titled article:
EPA Monitoring Continues to Confirm That No Radiation Levels of Concern Have Reached the United States, EPA, March 28, 2011:

During detailed filter analyses from 12 RadNet air monitor locations across the nation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified trace amounts of radioactive isotopes consistent with the Japanese nuclear incident. Some of the filter results show levels slightly higher than those found by EPA monitors last week and a Department of Energy monitor the week before. These types of findings are to be expected in the coming days and are still far below levels of public health concern. [so trusting of governments now are we?]

EPA’s samples were captured by monitors in Alaska, Alabama, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands and Washington state over the past week and sent to EPA scientists for detailed laboratory analysis. [though EPA additionally said that their ongoing testing machinery was, sorry, 'offline/broken' and thus would have missed radiation. Or do they have the data and refuse to reveal it?]


---
http://enenews.com/epa-radioactive-isotope-levels-are-increasing-these-types-of-findings-are-to-be-expected-in-the-coming-days


[7]

Enraged nuclear expert: “I’m personally furious at the government for this misleading information” that downplays ingesting milk with iodine-131
April 5th, 2011 at 01:47 PM

Threat posed by radioactive milk tough to measure, California Watch, April 5, 2011:

[Emphasis Added]

“Radiation is all around us in our daily lives, and these findings are a miniscule amount compared to what people experience every day,” wrote Patricia Hansen, a Food and Drug Administration scientist, in response to the milk findings. “For example, a person would be exposed to low levels of radiation on a round-trip cross-country flight, watching television, and even from construction materials.”

… A coalition of scientists and environmentalists insisted ingesting radiation is not the same as background exposures from airplane flights.

“The FDA spokesperson should have informed the public that radioiodine provides a unique form of exposure in that it concentrates rapidly in dairy products and in the human thyroid,” wrote Robert Alvarez, a former senior policy adviser to President Clinton’s U.S. Secretary of Energy. …

It was this concern that enraged Michael Mariotte, the executive director of Nuclear Information and Resource Service, when the federal government released its statement downplaying the milk situation.

“No mother should ever have to wonder if the milk she feeds her child might be harmful,” he wrote in a statement. “Having worked on nuclear issues for 25 years, I know the difference between internal exposures and background radiation. But lots of people don’t. As the father of an 11-month old daughter, I’m personally furious at the government for this misleading information.” …

Paul Carroll, a nuclear expert with Ploughshares Fund, a San-Francisco-based international nuclear security foundation, said… “any additional exposure to radiation will increase your risk of developing cancer.” …

Read the report here.
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/threat-posed-radioactive-milk-tough-measure-9607

---
http://enenews.com/enraged-nuclear-expert-i%E2%80%99m-personally-furious-at-the-government-for-this-misleading-information-about-ingesting-radiation-from-milk


Vancouver seaweed almost 400% above international limit for iodine-131 in food… by March 28 — Levels increasing


[8]

Former DOE official criticizes UC Berkeley professor for comparing ingestion of radioactive iodine to air travel
April 6th, 2011 at 08:19 PM


Universities come through in monitoring for radiation, Seattle Times, April 5, 2011:

[Kai Vetter, UC Berkeley professor of nuclear engineering] and his colleagues try to put the health risks in [FALSE AND INTENTIONALLY PUBLICLY MISLEADING] perspective by pairing their data with calculations of “effective doses.” For example, a person would have to drink 134 liters of the rainwater with the highest radiation levels to equal the average radiation exposure from flying cross-country. …

[Robert Alvarez, a former DOE deputy assistant secretary for national security] is critical of those kinds of comparisons, which are also offered by EPA and health agencies.

Isotopes like iodine-131 are not part of normal background radiation, and have unique properties that background radiation does not, like accumulating in the thyroid gland, he pointed out.

“The doses are extremely small, and so, too, are the risks,” he said. “But they liken it to everyday life and it’s not like everyday life. You shouldn’t have radioactive iodine even in tiny quantities finding its way into your milk supplies.” …

Read the report here.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014693490_nukemonitors06m.html

---
http://enenews.com/former-doe-official-criticizes-uc-berkeley-professor-comparing-ingestion-radioactive-iodine-air-travel

[9]


Should Canada be concerned about radiation from Fukushima? Doctors, local officials say yes
April 8th, 2011 at 04:19 PM

Member of Canada’s legislative assembly says “I’d be very hesitant in saying everything is safe” – April 8th, 2011 at 01:17 PM

Canada: Local official advising residents not to drink rainwater after tests find increasing radioactivity — Under pressure from Gov’t to stop testing – April 8th, 2011 at 12:41 PM

Vancouver radiation tests show iodine-131 in rainwater at almost 100 times above US drinking water limit – April 8th, 2011 at 08:20 AM

Vancouver seaweed almost 400% above international limit for iodine-131 in food… by March 28 — Levels increasing – April 5th, 2011 at 09:34 PM

Canada suspends mobile radiation measurements around Vancouver, BC “until further notice” as radioactive cloud looms (VIDEO) – April 4th, 2011 at 06:46 AM

Physicians have “deep concern” about Canada being impacted by radioactive isotopes from Fukushima – April 1st, 2011 at 08:00 PM

Read more:

* Physicians have “deep concern” about Canada being impacted by radioactive isotopes from Fukushima
* Canadian political leader “shocked” by country’s Fukushima response — “Could not get answers”… Another accused of “fearmongering”
* Chernobyl coverup in Canada revealed by local BC official — “My hair stood straight up” when told not to worry about radiation from Fukushima
* Highly radioactive sewage found 30+ miles from Fukushima plant — Cesium levels up to 334,000 becquerels per kilogram
* Member of Canada’s legislative assembly says “I’d be very hesitant in saying everything is safe”

---
http://enenews.com/canada-be-concerned-about-radiation-fukushima-doctors-local-officials


[10]

ALERT: Fish near Fukushima at 4000% above Codex Alimentarius limit for radioactive I-131 — Yet US says eating it poses NO health risk

Japan Sets Radiation Standards for Fish, New York Times, April 5, 2011:

Japan’s government announced on Tuesday its first radiation safety standards for fish, hours after the operator of a crippled nuclear power plant said that seawater collected near the facility contained radiation several million times the legal limit.

The new standards were announced after a sample of kounago fish, or sand lance, that was caught last Friday off the coast halfway between the plant and Tokyo was found to have high levels of radioactive iodine 131.

The small fish had 4,080 becquerels of iodine 131 per kilogram (2.2 pounds). The new standard allows up to 2,000 becquerels [!!!] of iodine 131 per kilogram… [in other words, radioactive fish are now legal in Japan]

Read the report here.

Radioactivity Found in Fish as Tepco Purges Nuclear Plant, Bloomberg, April 5, 2011:

Radioactivity in fish exceeding [hastily invented!] health guidelines was detected for the first time off northern Japan as Tokyo Electric Power Co. dumped tainted water into the ocean to gain control of its crippled nuclear plant.

Cesium radioactivity in sand-lance caught south of the Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant was 526 becquerel per kilogram, compared with a health ministry standard of 500 becquerel, Makato Osodo, of the fishing policy division of the Ibaraki prefectural government, said in a telephone interview. …

Read the report here.

Food Contaminants, Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety, April 1, 2011:

[Emphasis Added]

What are the criteria adopted at present in testing the level of radioactive contamination in Japanese food products, and the measures to be adopted when some food products are found to have a level of radioactive contamination exceeding the normal standard?

CFS currently adopts the standards laid down by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which are international standards, in the Guidelines Levels for Radionuclides in Food following Accidental Nuclear Contamination in testing the radiation levels of food. Relevant radionuclides include iodine-131 (100 Bq/kg), caesium-134 and caesium-137 (1,000 Bq/kg), etc, which are most closely associated with health risks. [though Japan sets these far, far higher]

If a consignment of food is tested to have exceeded the contamination standard, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will immediately detain that consignment and arrange for disposal.

Read the report here.

U.S. Seeks to Reassure [placating people is cheaper than protecting them physically, managing their minds is much cheaper than protecting their bodies, INSTEAD OF TO TEST] on Contaminated Food, Wall Street Journal, April 5, 2011:

[Emphasis Added]

U.S. public-health officials sought Tuesday to reassure consumers about the safety of food in the U.S., including seafood, amid news that fish contaminated with unusually high levels of radioactive materials had been caught in waters 50 miles from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

No contaminated fish have turned up [THE U.S. DOES NOT TEST INCOMING SEAFOOD WITH ANY REGULARITY, ONLY SOME U.S STATES HAVE ANY ATTEMPT AT UNIVERSAL COVERAGE, LIKE ALABAMA FOR INSTANCE; UNDER BUSH AND INTO OBAMA THE TESTING OF FOREIGN PRODUCE HAS DRASTICALLY DECLINED WITH THE REDUCTION OF STAFF] in the U.S., or in U.S. waters, according to experts from the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They expressed confidence that even a single fish sufficiently contaminated to pose a risk to human health would be detected by the U.S. monitoring system.

They also dismissed concerns that eating fish contaminated at the levels seen so far in Japan would pose such a risk. …

Read the report here.

Read more:

* Vancouver seaweed almost 400% above international limit for iodine-131 in food… by March 28 — Levels increasing
* Japan gov’t rewrites key Fukushima radiation information — This poses a problem says Kyoto U. nuclear professor
* People in areas along Canada’s Pacific coast want to gather seaweed but don’t know if it’s safe
* Radioactive iodine at 7.5 MILLION times legal limit in water around Fukushima — Cesium-137 at 1.1 MILLION times limit (VIDEO)
* Forecast shows Tokyo under radiation threat on Sunday March 20 (VIDEO)

---
http://enenews.com/fda-epa-and-cdc-say-no-health-risk-from-eating-contaminated-fish-caught-near-fukushima-even-though-4080-bqkg-of-i-131-found-in-fish-sample

[11]

Japan caught changing information about when they started intentionally venting off radiation from Fukushima

Gov’t task force rewrites Fukushima crisis log, Mainichi Daily News, April 7, 2011:

A government task force on the Fukushima nuclear crisis was found Wednesday to have rewritten the starting time of venting radioactive vapor from a troubled reactor the day after the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami without any clear explanation.

The change was made March 27 on the website of the prime minister’s office to “10:17 a.m.” from “2:30 p.m.”

Hironombu Unesaki, professor at the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute, said the change, without any adequate explanation to the public, poses a problem as information on venting is “important in connection with residents’ exposure to radiation.” …

Read the report here.

---
http://enenews.com/japan-govt-rewrites-key-fukushima-radiation-information-change-poses-problem-kyoto-nuclear-professor

Ergo: what I'm thinking is that nuclear power is a nest of lies and liars intent on managing your mind--which is much cheaper--than managing your health. They only care for money and for their own institutions legitimacy, so to make up information [or hide it] to keep that money and keep that legitimacy.