Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

“In the world of nuclear power, it turns out the ‘worst-case scenario’ wasn’t bad enough,” said USA Today

“The concept of the worst case underpins everything from the way reactors are designed to the way emergency response plans are crafted. Now it’s being redefined in the scramble to avert massive radiation releases from crippled reactors in Japan. When the radioactive steam and smoke have cleared, engineers, regulators and policymakers in the United States and across the globe will have a new reference point in the debate over how to build and operate nuclear power plants — or whether to have them at all.

“‘This was a wake-up call for anyone who believed that, after 50 years of nuclear power in this world, we have figured it out and can go back to business as usual,’ said Mark Hibbs, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment’s Nuclear Policy Program. In countries worldwide that have nuclear power plants or plan to build them, ‘There is definitely going to be a reassessment.’”

The rest of the article is here.

Some commentators are calling this the “traumatic trifecta”: earthquake, tsunami and now a nuclear disaster.

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The Rotary Club has a four-way test:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

It’s a laudable code of ethics, but I’ve always wondered whether it is consistently upheld. Here’s the latest example that leads to my skepticism, (beyond right-wing blogger George Rebane’s recent comment on the “Dark Continent.”) This one is posted on former county supervisor and CABPRO founder Todd Juvinal’s blog:

“Anonymous said…

Below is my comment on Pelline’s blog. If you challenge him on his views, you get deleted. Can’t have any dissent in the echo chamber.

on March 13, 2011 at 10:38 am | Reply Barry Pruett
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
We will try this for a thrid time to see if it does not get moderated…again. Isn’t it plainly evident that you are just grinding your axe against The Union.
March 13, 2011 11:54 AM”

Then:

“Anonymous said…

“Lloyd Marcus somehow “proves” that the tea party isn’t racist. What simpletons.”
You are the dumbass that used the article to prove that the TP are racist. Who is the simpleton now?
March 13, 2011 3:34 PM”

So did Barry Pruett, the incoming president of the south county Rotary Club, call me a “dumbass”? Or was it another “anonymous” poster? It wasn’t ambiguous to me, because nobody else weighed in.

I tried to “dig deeper” on Todd Juvinall’s blog, where this thread appeared, and Todd and Barry wouldn’t respond to my query. “Triplicate post; fat boy at it again,” Todd wrote, promptly deleting my query. (Todd’s rules are “use your real name,” though here’s an example of how it’s not enforced).

If Barry called me a “dumbass,” which I believe is true, perhaps his defense would be that it passed the four-way test: “Is it the truth?” Yes.

We need to do a better job of practicing what we preach — or fill some different roles.

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I was born on the Ides of March — a long-running joke. A friend sent along this photo, supposedly circa 1966. (Her sister thinks it was years earlier, and their Mom never got it developed until then). My birthday is a low-key affair. I did, however, write a $150 check to the APPLE Center for its “Apple a day program” on this day. Thanks Mali for all you do for our community! But my wife and I will be kicking up our heels in May, when we celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. I think we’ll go to Bodega Bay, where we were married at St. Teresa’s Church. We have a photo of the church, by Ansel Adams, in our living room. It’s just around the corner from the elementary school where they filmed “The Birds.” We are extreme native Californians.
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Here’s a Q&A from the California Department of Public Health concerning Japan’s nuclear emergency. I’ll keep you posted if there are any updates:

According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Japan’s nuclear emergency presents no danger to California. CDPH is monitoring the situation closely in conjunction with our state and federal partners, including NRC, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, FEMA Region IX, and the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA). At this time, because there is no danger here, there is no need for individuals in California to take precautions such as using potassium iodine tablets.

California has a Nuclear Emergency Response Programs for radiological emergencies if one were to arise. California also adheres to the National Response Framework on radiological emergencies. CDPH has a radiological health branch and routinely tests air, water and the food supply.

Q&A

Q. What’s the risk for California from the current nuclear power emergency in Japan?

A. At present, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) says Japan’s nuclear emergency presents no danger to California.

Q. What are you doing to assess the risk?

A. CDPH is monitoring the situation closely in conjunction with our State and federal partners. As a precaution, California has radioactivity monitoring systems in place for air, water and the food supply.

Q. What resources does California have to tell if radiation is present in the environment?

Q. Does California stockpile supplies for such an emergency?

A. California does stockpile emergency supplies, including potassium iodine (KI) tablets, in regions around nuclear power plants. Potassium iodine tablets are not recommended at this time, and can present a danger to people with allergies to iodine, shellfish or who have thyroid problems. People who live in areas around nuclear power plants are supplied with potassium iodine potassium iodine tablets in the event of emergency. Potassium iodine tablets should not be taken until/unless directed by authorities.

Q. Should I be taking potassium iodine (KI) to protect myself?

A. No. Potassium iodine (KI) tablets are not recommended at this time, and can present a danger to people with allergies to iodine, shellfish or who have thyroid problems. Dosages can vary and should only be taken as advised by a medical professional.

MyNevadaCounty.com also has posted this on the front door of its website:
“Impact of Potential Radioactive Materials

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has established a public information response line at (916) 341-3947 to answer questions about the impact of potential radioactive materials release to the public’s health in California. The information line is staffed from 8 AM to 5 PM daily. CDPH is preparing materials related to this incident that will be posted on www.cdph.ca.gov, www.bepreparedcalifornia.ca.gov“

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With all the high-pitched rhetoric from the extreme right in our neck of the woods, you might not know there are moderate Republicans. But Politico reminds us “Yes, Virginia, there are moderate Republicans.”

“Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has come out in opposition to the House’s attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, making her the first Republican senator to specifically support the beleaguered organization.

“‘I believe Planned Parenthood provides vital services to those in need and disagree with their funding cuts in the bill,’ Murkowski wrote in a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Vice Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). ‘I ask you to consider these programs going forward to determine if there is room for allowing continued funding.

“Murkowski’s move follows that of Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who last week came out against the House vote to defund Title X, the only federal program dedicated to reproductive health issues.

The rest of the article is here.

Murkowski, you will recall, beat tea party challenger Joe Miller in a close race last fall.

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On Jan. 11, hard-right blogger Russ Steele touted that the county tea party patriots are on Facebook.

Now two months later, the site has only 48 Facebook members.

Unable to debate the issues at hand, the hard-right and/or global warming denialist blogs and their handful of regular commenters — Russ Steele, George Rebane, Barry Pruett, Todd Juvinall and Greg Goodnight, as well as anonymous posters — continue to launch nasty personal attacks against detractors, including me.

Recent remarks include making fun of people’s weight, their college education, calling them a “dumbass,” threatened boycotts and so on. Former Supervisor John Spencer also comments on the hard-right blogs.

But the extreme-right political blogs’ ranking on traffic measuring sites such as Quantcast.com is deteriorating, as I’ve written previously.

More and more social media is being used in political campaigning, including the local races.

With just 48 Facebook members on its local web page, however, you have to wonder if this group’s bark is louder than its bite.

The traffic on this blog, meanwhile, continues to grow — no doubt a reflection of our county’s political diversity rather than a group of hard-core extremists.

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“The Amgen Race Leader Jersey is awarded to the rider with the least amount of elapsed time over the entire race,” according to AMGEN’s website. “Depending on each day’s results, the rider wearing the Leader Jersey can change from stage to stage. Because the overall winner is based on lowest cumulative time, it is possible for a rider to win the Amgen Race Leader Jersey without winning a daily stage.”

Sierra FoodWineArt magazine is a sponsor of the race from its Stage 3 start in Auburn. The race begins in Lake Tahoe and passes through Nevada City, Grass Valley and Beale Air Force base on the first day.

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Peter Van Zant has posted some photos on his Facebook page from the John Olmsted memorial at St. Joseph’s Cultural Center on Sunday, which I wrote about here. Thanks Peter!

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