The IAEA is impressed how India has placed safety first for their reactors.

Mumbai, India

2015/09

Senior international nuclear safety (click here) experts today concluded a 12-day International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to review India's regulatory framework for safety of nuclear power plants (NPPs).

In its preliminary findings, the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) team noted that the Republic of India has forecast that nuclear power generation in India will increase significantly over the next decade.  This poses challenges to the country, as it must maintain sufficient regulatory oversight of both operating nuclear power plants and those under construction.

"The IRRS team concluded that there is a strong commitment to safety in India," said team leader Ramzi Jammal, Executive Vice-President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. "India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board is an experienced, knowledgeable and dedicated regulatory body for the protection of the public and the environment. It continues to enhance its regulatory programme to face the current and future challenges in regulating nuclear safety, such as reinforcing the safety of existing nuclear facilities, monitoring ageing and decommissioning, as well as providing oversight of the construction, commissioning and operation of new nuclear power plants."...

Within the development of their 21 reactors, 7 under construction, India has found a success in fighting cancer both at home and with other countries. 

Safety and good health is a huge challenge for the less prosperous countries. Having a nuclear reactor or in the case of India 21 reactors presents a very high demand for careful operation and prevention of cancer in their population. 

This form of energy is important because it provides plenty of energy without burning fossil fuels, including the burning of peat or wood. It is rather interesting to think about the advanced technologies these countries have while attempting to improve the lives of their people. In this case, a heightened awareness of cancer can provide even more sophisticated health approaches for the people. Odd how that goes hand in hand for developing countries.

March 26, 2015
By Aabha Dixit, IAEA Office of Public Information and Communication 
 
...Mr Amano (click here) thanked India for the generous support it has provided to international efforts in cancer control, in which the IAEA plays an active part. India supplied radiotherapy machines to a number of developing countries and Indian cancer specialists, including from the Tata Memorial Centre, have made important contributions to IAEA research and publications in areas such as radiation oncology.

By 2020, over 10 million people could die of cancer around the world each year, with an increasing proportion in low and middle income countries. The IAEA has been working with partners such as the World Health Organization to assist countries in developing comprehensive cancer control programmes that cover prevention, diagnosis, treatment and palliative care, Mr Amano said.

Iran needs to move forward in securing the region from larger problems.

Iran's peers are going forward with their peaceful nuclear programs and asking for reviews to insure the safety of their power plants.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

2015/11

A team of experts (click here) concluded an 11-day International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to review the emergency preparedness and response arrangements in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant. The mission was carried out at the invitation of the UAE government.
 
Raoul Awad, Director General, Security and Safeguards from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, led the review team, which included experts from Brazil, Canada, France, Morocco, the United States and the IAEA. "The UAE has built its nuclear emergency preparedness and response programme in an effective way on the basis of an already strong national infrastructure for crisis and emergency management," Mr Awad said at the mission's closing meeting on 31 March. "The partnership between the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation is key to the success achieved thus far."

The Emergency Preparedness Review Service (EPREV) team identified strengths in several areas, including:

• A clear definition of roles and responsibilities of the organisations that would manage nuclear emergencies.
• Significant progress in the development of facilities and capabilities to manage the medical response....

The reaction of former Governor Sununu to President Obama's planned trip to Kenya was rather odd, wasn't it?

He came out to criticize the President nearly as soon as the news hit the airwaves. Sununu doesn't have better things to do except obsess over President Obama and the oxygen he breaths?

March 30, 2015
By Dana Sanchez

In July, (click here) U.S. President Barack Obama will make his first trip to Kenya as president, the White House announced Monday.

Obama will travel to his father’s birthplace for bilateral meetings and the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, an annual conference that connects entrepreneurs with international organizations, business leaders, and governments, CNN reports.

The trip will build on the success of the August 2014 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and continue U.S. efforts to work with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, to accelerate economic growth, strengthen democratic institutions, and improve security, said Press Secretary Josh Earnest in a statement....

Does the former Governor realize this is the second term of President Obama? The war is over.

In July, U.S. President Barack Obama will make his first trip to Kenya as president, the White House announced Monday.

Obama will travel to his father’s birthplace for bilateral meetings and the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, an annual conference that connects entrepreneurs with international organizations, business leaders, and governments, CNN reports.

The trip will build on the success of the August 2014 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and continue U.S. efforts to work with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, to accelerate economic growth, strengthen democratic institutions, and improve security, said Press Secretary Josh Earnest in a statement.

- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/92917/obama-to-visit-kenya-in-july-first-trip-as-president/#sthash.Bekea4eO.dpuf

In July, U.S. President Barack Obama will make his first trip to Kenya as president, the White House announced Monday.

Obama will travel to his father’s birthplace for bilateral meetings and the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, an annual conference that connects entrepreneurs with international organizations, business leaders, and governments, CNN reports.

The trip will build on the success of the August 2014 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and continue U.S. efforts to work with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, to accelerate economic growth, strengthen democratic institutions, and improve security, said Press Secretary Josh Earnest in a statement.

A top New Hampshire Republican, former Gov. John H. Sununu, is suggesting that Obama is making the trip to embarrass U.S. conservatives.
“His trip back to Kenya is going to create a lot of chatter and commentary amongst the hard right, who still don’t see him as having been born in the U.S.,” Sununu said Monday on Fox News, according to Politico.
- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/92917/obama-to-visit-kenya-in-july-first-trip-as-president/#sthash.Bekea4eO.dpu

A top New Hampshire Republican, former Gov. John H. Sununu, is suggesting that Obama is making the trip to embarrass U.S. conservatives.
“His trip back to Kenya is going to create a lot of chatter and commentary amongst the hard right, who still don’t see him as having been born in the U.S.,” Sununu said Monday on Fox News, according to Politico.
- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/92917/obama-to-visit-kenya-in-july-first-trip-as-president/#sthash.Bekea4eO.dpuf

Some best estimates are 13 years until Iran has enough highly enriched uranium to build ONE weapon.

If the agreement with Iran limits the centrifuges to the number of Iran states it will need for domestic use, the ten year revisit would be more than sufficient to reasses the Iranian program to move out of domestic energy.

...There are a number of necessary steps (click here) toward making a relatively simple indigenous uranium nuclear bomb: mining, conversion, enrichment, and fabrication. Nuclear weapons require a specific type of uranium—U-235—which is very rare in nature, so a difficult and lengthy process is required to separate out U-235 from the much more common U-238 and accumulate it into enough material to form a bomb. In nature, uranium is only .7% U-235, and a generally understood minimum threshold for a nuclear weapon is that uranium must be "enriched" to 90% U-235. And this enrichment happens in minute quantities: raw uranium mined out of the ground is first milled into uranium oxide ("yellowcake"); then the uranium oxide is converted into a gas (uranium hexafluoride); then the uranium gas is put into centrifuge "cascades" (a series of centrifuges working together) that separate out the U-235; then the enriched uranium is collected and formed into sizable masses. The simplest nuclear weapon type, a "gun type" fission weapon, requires approximately 50 kg (110 lbs.) of highly enriched uranium, and would involve essentially shooting two HEU masses (25 kg each) at each other to create critical mass and so, a nuclear explosion....

Iran has scientists working in their nuclear interests. They are capable of moving forward toward a weapon if the country decided that is what they wanted, however, there is still the issue of building a larger capacity and manufacturing capacity to actually build weapons.

Ten years of global development of alternate energies and movements toward peace as well as the return of trade to Iran will result in a far different international profile of which most probably will be peaceful. If that is the case I would expect Iran to end it's nuclear weapons ambitions, instead invest in it's people and domestic interests. Ten years is a long time and the global community has real opportunity ahead of them to seek peace rather than war. 

Such a profile to move into peace could manifest in ten years. When the Iranian talks resume in ten years there is a very good chance they will have decided their domestic use best serves the country and they would move away from any war capacity and into compliance with the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. In the next ten years many countries with nuclear capacity that no longer serves them also in violation of the NPT may very well place the global community back in compliance with the treaty. That is wishful thinking to some, but, it is possible. 

It may be the Iranian talks will be a blueprint for the future. 
 

Of these three isotopes, (click here) only uranium-235 reacts with a neutron and undergoes nuclear fission in a conventional nuclear reactor. To have a sustained fission reaction there must be enough U-235 so that at least one of the neutrons it produces in fission will likely strike another U-235 nucleus. The needed concentration of U-235 must be about 3 % of the total uranium.

Uranium ore has an elemental composition of U₃O₈, 8 oxygen atoms for every 3 uranium atoms in the material. It is not a simple molecule though. The ore is relatively plentiful in the US, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. When purified from the other rock it has a yellow color and is called yellowcake. Because only 0.72 % of the uranium in yellowcake is U-235, it is not suitable as a nuclear fuel....

This diagram doesn't relate the size of centrifuges. They are very large. This is not a technology that is cheap. It takes a considerable amount of money to research, build and produce even the far lower quality of uranium for power production.

The quality of the uranium is important to the production of any usable product. If the centrifuge produces somewhere around 5 to 6 percent of enriched material it can fuel a nuclear reactor. Nuclear subs on the other hand require about 15% give or take a few percentage points. But, nuclear weapons require 90% to become unstable enough to cause the kind of chaotic reaction that kills millions of people.

Even if the isotope is obtained for one weapon, there is the issue of the bomb. The nuclear material doesn't explode by itself in the massive explosion witnessed in many 1950s military videos. The bomb has to work to coordinate the mixture within it's hull to create such a chaotic reaction that causes the atoms to move outside their molecular order. 

I am thinking the amount needed for a bomb is about 30 or 35 kilograms of highly enriched material (that is the 90% product). There is 2.2 pounds per kilogram. So, about 65 to 70 pounds of the nuclear isotope. 

I am not going to insult Iran by stating their scientists are not capable of assembling a nuclear weapon, I am certain they can. However, that ability is years away. I don't believe Iran is at the cusp of bomb assembly. Israel frequently states Iran is within a month or so in creating a bomb. I think that is inaccurate. Iran still has some centrifuges that are not assembled and/or don't work well enough to even produce isotopes for power generation.

The centrifuges have a difficult task. They have to take this yellowcake fluid and spin it to remove minor amounts of the uranium used for power generation. At about 5% of the fluid in the container that has been centrifuged out can begin a nuclear reaction to boil water and produce steam generation.  

The isotopes don't give up their neutrons easily. The centrifuge spins out the heavier material first. That is the material with the higher weight of any of the isotopes. The difference between these isotopes is only one or two neutrons in their molecular weight. It takes a long time for centrifuges to produce the isotopes needed for any one of the products used today across the globe. 

The free neutron has a mass of about 1.675×10⁻²⁷ kg. That was 10 to the negative 27 in weight. 

The centrifuge has to spin long enough to have the higher weight isotope to find it's way out of the spinning mixture to a place where it can be harvested. This is also not a matter of flipping a switch. The preparation of the centrifuge is important and takes some time to begin the process.

I have no doubt Iran's Supreme Leader rather have the image of being very powerful, but, that is more or less muscle flexing and not a good reflection of the Iranian's readiness to nuclear weapons.


To date, Iran has put one cascade of 164 centrifuges online as proof of their enrichment abilities, and according to international testing, they have enriched a minute amount of uranium to 4.6%—a level that is usable for nuclear power but not nuclear weapons. At this rate, it will take Iran more than 13 years to collect enough HEU material for a weapon. However, Iran has announced its intention to begin building a 3,000 centrifuge cascade by the end of 2006. Estimates from experts say that Iran may be able to assemble 1,500 centrifuges by the end of 2006, meaning that it will be at least the end of 2007 before Iran could assemble 3,000. However, Iran is not known to have the parts for additional centrifuges beyond the initial 1,000-1,200, so they will need to procure these parts internationally or else build them domestically. Both of these options will likely pose substantial roadblocks for Iran, so although the US State Department estimates that with 3,000 centrifuges Iran could enrich enough material for a bomb in nine months, practically speaking, this will be very tough for them to accomplish....

For a long time I have heard how soon Iran will have nuclear capacity. It has invested a great deal of money to build a nuclear power plant and there are other nuclear facilities to produce uranium for the reactor. But, if anyone bothered to examine the sheer size of the USA facilities for it's enrichment it is fairly easy to discern the Iranian program doesn't even come close.

I don't want to appear as though I consent to Iran's potential to a nuclear weapon. I don't. It is an illegal activity of that country. The only powers on Earth to have legal nuclear capacity are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council; any other capacity is illegal. Iran is a signator to the NPT.  

I do believe the Iranian capacity to 'break out' and have a nuclear weapon exists at least by a year if not longer. The one year mark is to bring about a standard to measure the capacity of Iran to produce weapons. It is a reasonable safety zone. There has to be some measure to decide whether or not Iran is a rouge country producing nuclear weapons.  

Containing the number of centrifuges is correct. A program completely peaceful is going to require far less capacity than that of the USA.  Iran has limited need for nuclear power generation simply because it is a smaller country with a smaller population. There is a limit to the need for producing an isotope in quantities needed for nuclear power. The number of functioning centrifuges are really set and not an unknown need.

If a country were to produce a nuclear weapon how many would it need to carry out a nuclear strike? It is a reasonable question with an exact answer. How many nuclear weapons does a country need to have a successful nuclear weapon program?

Will one weapon be all that is necessary? Two? Ten? 

Realize that once a weapon is set into strike another country, there is a reaction to that aggression. There are weapons returned to the aggressive country.

Now, how many nuclear weapons are needed to carry out a successful nuclear strike? And. How much is that going to cost? 

A country needs far more than one to carry out a successful strike. It needs more than two and it costs a lot of money. That is why countries have alliances. They can't afford that capacity and they don't have the ability to bring about a substantial arsenal to protect itself as well as allies. 

The fear is rhetorical. The topic is very complex. But, it is necessary if we are to enforce the NPT and remove such danger from the lives on Earth. 

Nuclear weapons are completely stupid. 

This might be the time to take the unnecessary religion law to court and finally get rid of it. Indiana stepped over the line and it is time to remove the discrimination existing in the USA.

There is always this 'thing' about the Republicans. They believe a private business can enforce discrimination and bigotry. Supposedly the private enterprise is so sacred in the USA it can dismiss vital laws in removing racism and bigotry of any kind from our country. 

The Indiana law is blatantly wrong and begins a larger process. It might be the time to end this mess once and for all.

All these laws are from the Gingrich years. They are antiquated and don't belong here. I have never witnessed a state being grandfathered into a law AFTER the fact. It's ridiculous. 

Governor Pence is wrong. Even his own legal professors in Indiana state same.

The Indiana law invokes power to pass on religious discrimination to a third party. It places a burden on others and is not self-contained to the individual and their religious understandings.

Pence is simply wrong. It is obvious. The USA Constitution implies there is no obligation by others to accommodate the religious belief of an individual. The First Amendment of the USA Constitution provides for the practice of religion. It allows special exemptions for religious actors, but not when they work to impose costs on other.

The First Amendment doesn't change and hasn't changed. An amendment to the Constitution would be required to instill a different understanding of Freedom of Religion. 

The word costs is not exclusive to money. Costs carries the definition of others in their own esteem and religious practices or in the case of non-religious practitioners the absence of same.  

In the case of the Indiana law it puts a thumb on the scale of justice to favor religious precepts before the liberty of others. The other word used in this argument is liberty. Religious liberties. The liberties of others would be put into difficult circumstances while simply carrying out everyday life in the case of the Indiana law.

The First Amendment of the US Constitution is emphatic in that religion is not to be litigated, but, instead practiced. There is no legislative directive that can provide a religious preference. The First Amendment to the USA Constitution is the law of the land. There isn't anything else to understand, except, Pence used his power in the Governorship to court funders to his political ambitions.

Other than religious buildings or grounds there is no obligation by anyone to enforce segments of religion on others. By doing so will violate the First Amendment. 

There simply is no provision for religious faith to impose standards on a nation of people and/or in this case the people of Indiana. In the case of the Robert's Court and Hobby Lobby, it was a private company and not the general public. I still think those decisions are faulty and victimizing. But, zealots don't care.

February 27, 2015

We write you as legal scholars (click here) with expertise in matters of religious freedom, civil rights, and the interaction between those fields, to offer our expert opinion on the scope and meaning of the proposed Religious Freedom Restoration Acts pending before both houses of the Indiana legislature.  The thirty signatories to this letter, many who are Indiana University law professors,agree with the Indiana Supreme Court “that the Indiana Constitution’s religious liberty clauses did not intend to afford only narrow protection for a person internal thoughts and private practices of religion and conscience.”

That said, we have several concerns with the language of the proposed Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRA). The first rests primarily in the way in which they expand the protection of religious liberty rights by unsettling a finely tuned harmony between religious liberty and other rights secured by the Indiana Constitution and laws. Although some proponents of the legislation maintain that the proposed RFRAs offers a modest and reasoned method to secure rights to religious liberty in Indiana, it is our expert opinion that the proposals, if adopted, would amount to an over-correction in protecting important religious liberty rights, thereby destroying a well - established harmony struck in Indiana law.... 

Nicole Wallace is typical of the rhetorical populous politics that speak as if she has all the facts and has the correct inflammatory speech opinion that will bring about the election day vote the Republicans have paid for. She actually knows nothing and has an opinion that might count at the ballot box by Republicans that don't care about facts and impacts; but; as usual it is always based in a lie.

...In fact, Hobby Lobby’s employees have been harmed, and continue to be harmed, by the Court’s decision. Although the Obama Administration is working on implementing the solution that the Court suggested in its opinion,...

The Robert's Court is causing damage. It is an activist court that will effect people's lives profoundly and forever. That isn't suppose to happen in the USA. One's belief is not suppose to impose costs to others.

...Therefore, Hobby Lobby’s employees have suffered harm that may well be irreparable, including heightened risk of unwanted pregnancies and other health problems....

Banned airlines? It will difficult for the airline to survive if countries take this action.

March 30, 2015
By  Boonsong Kositchotethana

The “dominoes” (click here) that Transport Minister Prajin Juntong worried would begin falling over a global safety warning about Thailand’s aviation industry have indeed begun to tumble, with China and South Korean now banning new Thai-registered flights and Singapore imposing strict inspections....

...At least three countries -- Japan, China and Singapore -- have now subjected aircraft operated by Thai airlines to exhaustive inspections at their airports, industry executives with knowledge of the matter...

The USA is owner of the Patriot Missile System and their own variety of defense from cruise missles.

March 13, 2015
By Barbara Starr

Washington (CNN)T (click here) he ability of the U.S. and Canadian military to defend North America could be jeopardized by stepped up Russian military activity, according to the commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Adm. William Gortney told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that Russia is continuing to work on its program to deploy "long-range conventionally armed cruise missiles," that can be launched from its bomber aircraft, submarines and warships. This is giving the Kremlin "deterrent" options "short of the nuclear threshold," Gortney said....

Now, the USA can't defend North America? That is confusing. Now, the issue of China building artificial islands to define it's border is really a development that needs to be brought to the attention of the United Nations.

March 31, 2015
By John Garnaut

A powerful American naval officer (click here) has fired a warning at China for rapidly building "a Great Wall" of artificial islands across hotly-contested waters.
Admiral Harry Harris, soon to take charge of Pacific Command, told a dinner at the Australian War Memorial on Tuesday night that the string of new islands posed a serious threat to stability in the South China Sea.
He said the artificial expanse was "roughly the size of Canberra's Black Mountain Nature Reserve" and that they stretched across some of the world's busiest sea lanes.
Those sea lanes carry around 60 per cent of Australian trade, posing a major strategic conundrum for the Abbott government....

When Dubai built isn't artificial island it was expected. It was also within it's national waters. This move by China is deliberately alarming.

...One of the new islands in question is a runway and port-shaped structure extended more than 3km, over previously submerged coral reef, which analysts say could mark a tipping point in China's ability to project air power thousands of kilometres from its coastal waters.

"China is creating a great wall of sand with dredges and bulldozers over the course of months," said Admiral Harris, who is currently commander of the US Pacific Fleet....

Someone had to speak up. This is a very bad pattern of aggression by China. The location is highly disputed and that is not new. The idea a country can siply build into the ocean is dangerous. The United Nations has to look at treaties and bring this under the umbrella of peace rather than a wealthy nation taking land away from people that can't defend themselves.

..."This marks a real ramping up of US determination and resolve in the region, reflecting a realisation that China is determined to play hard ball in the South China Sea," said Professor Wesley.
He said Australia could not  avoid being affected "given that 60 per cent of its trade goes through the South China Sea". 
Professor Wesley said the strident American rhetoric marked a "dangerous escalation"....

When it comes to Russia's escalation of their military, I am sure the USA has weapons to match that of Russia.

To proceed with any trade agreements is wrong. This is putting China in a new light. At this moment if China is going forward with their plans about this artificial island, it is in violation of an established treaty.

...He urged China and other nations to conform to a China-ASEAN code of conduct, which commits nations to exercise self-restraint.
 "How China proceeds will be a key indicator of whether the region is heading towards confrontation or co-operation," he said.

Missouri's political environment is causing suicide among Republicans.

That is harassment. There are laws.

The deaths need to be investigated and may even ask for the FBI to look at it considering these are candidates to office. The investigation should be through including people that have spoken publicly about the cause of the suicides. I don't care if the two men were emotionally connected, it occurred in the same party with the same players in both instances in the same state of the USA. The investigation needs to bring about a information to prosecute any factual evidence to the reason for their deaths.

March 20, 2010
By the CNN Wire Staff

(CNN) -- Nine Massachusetts teenagers (click here) have been charged with involvement in a months-long campaign of bullying that led to the suicide in January of a 15-year-old girl, a prosecutor said Monday.
Phoebe Prince's body was found hanging in the stairway leading to her family's second-floor apartment in South Hadley, Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel told reporters in the western Massachusetts town of Northampton.
"It appears that Phoebe's death on January 14 followed a torturous day for her when she was subjected to verbal harassment and physical abuse," she said.
Earlier in the day, Prince had been harassed as she studied in the library at South Hadley High School, apparently in the presence of a faculty member and several students, none of whom reported it until after the death, Scheibel said....

Bullying by any other name is still bullying.

The world that is Monsanto is becoming increasingly worrisome.

March 30, 2015
By Jennifer Larino

An agency of the World Health Organization (click here) has declared glyphosate, the active ingredient in the popular weed killer Roundup, "probably" causes cancer in people, throwing a three decades-long debate back into the spotlight, The New York Times reports. 
Monsanto, maker of Roundup, manufactures the weed killer and glyphosate at a plant in Luling.
The report says the Environmental Protection Agency determined Roundup might cause cancer 30 years ago and then reversed itself six years later after revisiting the mouse study that informed the finding....

The use of herbicides by Monsanto in their seed supply is nearly more worrisome than the chemical itself.

In the summers of 2009 and 2010 I worked with conservation groups to improve on invasive species removal. Herbicide was the last resort in removing invasive species of plants, but, it was a fair amount of the work. About fifty percent. 

According to state statue I had to obtain an application permit and take tests to obtain it. Being I did the work I earned the license. The licensing requirements are very stringent when using herbicides or any kind of chemical including insecticides. Considering insets are animals sort of, they are considered to be important to understand because the human nervous system can be compromised. 

A few decades ago a dear friend and a farmer was exposed to herbicide toxicity while spraying a corn field and had to be treated for the effects of the chemical on his body. The chemicals in some instances assault the chemicals at the nerve endings that transmit impulses. Needless to say these chemicals are not benign. They have never been benign.

When I received by license to apply ...icides the information demanded I protect myself. I applied chemicals that were obtained from Monsanto. A five gallon container cost $350.00. There was a lot of reason to get the mixing correctly. There was the chemical exposure as well as the cost. 

But, let me tell you my daily routine as demanded by law. I would dress in comfortable clothing in the morning. Have breakfast, prepare lunch and fill my water containers I would use for the day to quench my thirst. I then left and traveled to the office of the conservancy where I worked.

At work there was a plan of attack for the day after assessing the weather I and my team mate would encounter. If it was going to rain, there were properties to work on that did not require chemicals. I liked those, it was unfortunate we reserved those for rainy days, but, no matter. 

On a sunny day or mildly cloudy the equipment and chemicals were loaded into a specially equipped van. The van was equipped with a large water drum we would use to dilute the chemicals. We would make a trip to a property some were shared with other interests such as the state and/or other groups. Our activity was known all the way up the chain. Where the property was a private property that was given to the conservancy for stewardship we had to obtain the written permission of the property owner before we could start work.

Once everything was in place, including the weather and the chemicals mixed the property was assaulted for the removal of invasive species. The work was correct to do. The native forests were under assault by these species. 

This was the rules. Rubber boots, gloves and equipment comfortably mounted on the back with straps comfortable and not pinching. The equipment once mounted on the applicators back was checked by partner to be sure there were no loose fittings and all was as safe as possible. The spray was not to be conducted if there was significant wind that would blow it back into the applicator's face. These were the safest chemicals available with a SHORT HALF LIFE that would degrade within hours after application. 

Thank about that a minute. 

Invasive species are very hardy plants otherwise they would not be invasive. Yet, in order to end their existence the chemicals had to be strong enough to work almost on contact because it would degrade in a few hours. The plants died by the way. The short duration was to protect the wildlife from exposure.

The application was always made in the opposite direction of any movement through a forest or across a field. Once the chemical was applied no human being was to reenter the areas where the chemicals were applied.

Once the work day of 7.5 hours with a one half hour lunch was finished the equipment was cleaned upon returning to the office garage where all the equipment was stored. The spray equipment was cleaned several times with water and the contaminated water was then diluted with more water before disposed of.

After all the equipment and chemicals were secured for the night, I went home. Once I was home, I disrobed in the entrance hallway to the back door. I had a robe waiting for me. The clothing was then placed in a plastic bag and taken to the laundry room. Law stated this was the procedure to insure well being from any contamination.

The clothing was immediately washed. They were washed not once, but, twice. After the second washing the dryer could prepare them for the next day or another day. I had several sets of clothing to wear to work. But, that is all they were; work clothing. 

Chemicals are dangerous. They just are. There is a great deal of planning and preparation to use them. When I was married I also was a farmer. We had to have licenses then, too. This stuff is a dangerous deal no matter what chemical it is. 

The problem with Monsanto is that they are out of control. They have a very draconian relationship with the American Farmer. The farmers are nearly always obligated through some legal instrument or understanding with Monsanto. 

Monsanto is doing dangerous things. Monsanto is engineering seeds with chemicals introduced into the seeds DNA. Monsanto has discovered a method to insure their chemicals are now a part of their seeds DNA.

Think about that a minute.

You see, most folks don't understand that the planet itself contains the chemicals in the DNA. Most people believe the seeds are coated with a strange color and that is the chemical. NOT the case at all.  

When Monsanto corn grows and everyone believes they are safe from chemicals they are completely wrong. The DNA carries the chemicals through the entire plant cycle of the plant. If I were to walk through a corn field seeded with Monsanto seed, I would have to wear protective clothing otherwise my skin might soak up the chemicals in the leaves of the corn. 

Now, if you think for one minute there isn't some form of those ...icides in the corn, you'd be a fool. Once a chemical is introduced into the seed DNA that is permanent.  

Monsanto states it is important to have those types of chemicals in order to have the best crop production in a country that feeds the world. LIE. The chemicals that are suppose to end the life of pests (bugs or disease) are CAUSING Superbugs and Resistant Disease.

But, not to worry as soon as Monsanto receives information about Superbugs and resistant disease, they simply find a way to change the DNA so the chemical is still somewhat effective.

There is no such thing as a safe chemical. Protections are suppose to be in place to prevent danger to the public. 

The rule is a cancer doesn't really manifest if ingested for nearly 20 years. That is the rule. There exists research that proves rats exposed to the Monsanto chemicals develop mammary tumors. That research was removed from the annals of a professional journal because they were sued by Monsanto as well as their peers. 

The rodents ate the GM diet over a two-year period - a normal lifetime. (click here)
The study's length made its results far more reliable than previous research, said team-leader Gilles-Eric Seralini.
But independent scientists criticised the work for its statistical methods and for using the wrong type of rat.
They said the albino Sprague-Dawley strain of animal had a tendency to develop cancers, especially the mammary tumours seen in some of the study subjects.

The research team used that particular rat because it was the same type used by Monsanto in their reporting to the appropriate federal government. Dr. Seralini was simply trying to reproduce the same results that Monsanto reported. 

He was unsuccessful in reporting the same results, but, results that proved there was danger as indicated in duplicating the study. 

Oddly, the peer reviewed journal never complained about the journal article nor were there peers in decent until they were sued.

Chemicals in the environment are causing wide ranging problems, including the demise of honey bees and other vectors needed for pollination. 

When I worked in the field there were always alternatives including physically removing the invasive by hand. On rainy days that was the optimal approach. But, there were also predatory insects as well that would have no damage to the property so much as damage to the invasives.

I remember arriving to one property and being greeted by a beautiful Rose Breasted Grosbeak. It simply sat there with morning dew on the tree leaves clucking at me. It wasn't upset, it was simply noticing me and letting me know it was paying attention. He just stayed there the entire time I was preparing to go to work with pruning sheers and large plastic bags that would cook the plants and make them and their seeds far less a threat (if there were any seeds, the best time to remove invasives is before they go to seed). But, sometimes there would be pods that didn't open yet. We caught them in time to inhibit the spread.

But, the wildlife knew we were there. They paid attention. They didn't know quite what to make of it, but, we did and we respected their worry.

Unmatched violence. There was no war. There was a woman of conscience.

The Israeli Supreme Court (click here) ruling in a suit seeking damages over Rachel Corrie’s death sends a dangerous message to Israeli armed forces that they can escape accountability for wrongful actions, Human Rights Watch said today. Israel’s Supreme Court on February 12, 2015, exempted the Israeli defense ministry from liability for actions by its forces that it deemed to be “wartime activity,” but wrongly refused to assess whether those actions violated applicable laws of armed conflict.

What war? The war against Rachel? 

The all too familiar Israeli bulldozers are a moral equivalent of deaths in the public square. No one is exempt from them, not even American protesters.

Iran is not innocent in human rights violations.

Since Iran’s crackdown (click here) against anti-government protests following the 2009 presidential election the human rights crisis in the country has only deepened. There is a broad-based campaign underway to severely weaken civil society by targeting journalists, lawyers, rights activists, and students. The number of executions has risen sharply since 2010, and authorities tightly restrict access to information by blocking websites, slowing down internet speeds, and jamming foreign satellite broadcasts. In March 2011 the UN Human Rights Council appointed a Special Rapporteur on Iran in response to the worsening rights situation in Iran, but authorities have so far refused to allow him access to the country.

One does not equate to the other, both stand in autonomous violations to innocent people unable to protect themselves.

Every country is measured on their own merit. To state one country's violations equate to all other countries conducting the same level of violations would result in a very dangerous world whereby the worst nation holds the standard. 

Allies of the USA are suppose to uphold standards the USA would like to have them emulate. There is no reason for human rights violations in Israel, except, for their politics. Human beings should not be a negotiable instrument in elections. Do I have to close that loop by stating Palestinians are human beings?

The Final Four

The last time a sports issue was causing concern over LGBT members of teams was the Winter Olympics in Russia.

Are we there with Indiana? OMG.

Michael Moore has nothing to do with the Pence mess. That is nothing but inflammatory Republican rhetoric. He has never stated the Democrats disavowed his documentaries, if anything, the Democrats have acted on the issues that have victimized the Middle Class. 

Michael Moore is a Catholic and practices his religion regularly. He understands the spirituality. 

But, he is no different than millions of people that hold Congress to a higher standard to include all Americans in solving their problems. Americans don't need to be assigned to Wall Street companies to solve their problems, we already know that answer, "LEAN ON SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEMS." That is the Republican's answer. Give every bit of power to Wall Street and let the people struggle for the lives they live. 

Speaking of Republicans (click here) selling out to cronies, this is Pence' political donors.

Shhhh, don't tell anyone, but, Pence is a puppet. 

Club for Growth (click here)

The next Koch Brothers, billionaire hedge fund Manager, Paul Singer. (click here)

Never once does the word Palestine enter a debate of inflammatory rhetoric.

the Billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Singer, emulating the Koch brothers, is creating another right-wing fundraising outlet to back Republican politicians. Politico reports today that Singer’s fundraising network, the American Opportunity Alliance, will “bring together some of the richest pro-business GOP donors in the country, several of whom share Singer’s support for gay rights, immigration reform and the state of Israel.” - See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pro-gay-pro-immigration-reform-mega-donor-steers-money-anti-gay-anti-immigrant-republicans#sthash.fPPwOn5S.dpuf

Club for Growth (CFG) touts itself as the inheritor of Ronald Reagan's "vision of limited government and lower taxes" and it advances this anti-government vision through its support of political candidates who hew to its right-wing economic orthodoxy. The Culb for Growth has aggressively opposed several moderate Republicans often to the consternation of GOP political leaders. - See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/club-growth#sthash.xt4KgmGg.dpuf

Club for Growth (CFG) touts itself as the inheritor of Ronald Reagan's "vision of limited government and lower taxes" and it advances this anti-government vision through its support of political candidates who hew to its right-wing economic orthodoxy. The Culb for Growth has aggressively opposed several moderate Republicans often to the consternation of GOP political leaders. - See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/club-growth#sthash.xt4KgmGg.dpuf

Iran does not have a nuclear weapon. Does that mean anything to anyone?

But, but, but, yeah right?

No one is declaring war on Iran, did anyone know that? 

It is true. No one is declaring war on Iran. Seriously. The question here is not whether or not there is going to be war, it is whether or not there are sanctions. 

Seriously. Sanctions returns? That is the question. 

Now, when I think about this issue with Iran it is obvious, the USA and other partners can completely pull out of talks, or if the deadline passes, the talks can continue while sanctions return. 

The talks aren't going to end at midnight leaving a prince in search of a glass slipper. 

So, basically, the talks will continue, the sanctions will return and there is a very real question left as to whether or not Iran will develop a nuclear weapon they have stated they don't want. 

Why am I feeling a little impugned right now? 

One issue has nothing to do with the other. The countries in the region are forming stronger and stronger alliance to end dangers at their borders and if Iraq is forced to decide either Iran or the USA, the USA will be leaving. Guaranteed.

As far as Iran in Iraq? Why is the USA there? No clue? We have unlimited power in a sovereign country, huh? 

No. The USA and Iran were invited to help Iraq end violence against innocent people within it's borders.

Questions? 

And, ah. Oh, by the way.

Time and again, Israel allows settlements to be built on Palestinian land. (File photo: Reuters) 

March 30, 2015
By Jack Khoury and Barak Ravid

Senior Palestinian officials (click here) have vehemently denied a report in the Israeli media, which claimed that the Palestinian Authority has agreed to halt efforts to get Israeli charged with war crimes in exchange for Friday's decision by Jerusalem to unfreeze part of the tax revenues collected on behalf of the PA.
A senior Palestinian official told Haaretz that the report, which first appeared in The Jerusalem Post, was entirely false and merely spin put out by the Prime Minister's Office.
"We continue to seek membership of the International Criminal Court and we expect the ICC to open an investigation into Israeli settlements, as well as the
recent war in Gaza," the official said.... 

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki (C) leaves the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague, Aug. 5, 2014. Photo by Reuters

This is real. It is happening. I like President Abbas and I like his leadership and I want him to continue to press his case wherever appropriate. The World Court is an appropriate place to level charges of human rights abuses.

The USA cannot veto the World Court.

If there is any ethnicity of people impugned it is the Palestinians. As Israel continues to take Palestinian land for their own uses, they are committing human rights abuses. As Hamas in Gaza becomes more and more angry because they are impugned from ending the Israeli settlements anywhere on Palestinian land there are invasions that kill them. Those invasions kill their children, women and elderly. It even kills their teenagers in multiples greater than one. 

If the USA continues to impugn the Palestinians from ending the Israelis from killing and invading their lands, the USA will be as guilty of human rights abuses as any Israeli leader indicted in same. 

What has this got to do with Iran? Iran is a chronic distraction from the fact Israel is committing human rights abuses against the Palestinian nation. 

Israel has no grounds to invade the lands of Palestine. The Israeli people are extremely behind a missile shield. I am completely confident Palestine wishes they did as well.

Israel is in violation of any UN agreement regarding Palestine. Does the USA believe in international laws and it's instruments or not?

Governor Pence states he wants to calm the waters. Really?

That is a grossly inappropriate analogy.

Is he saying God is on his side? I didn't know the Governor was at war with the people of the USA.

The social engineering laws of the Clinton years are wrong and proven to be so.

There is no one in the USA that can point to any of the social engineering laws of the Clinton years as valid today. This is just the next one to fall.

In recent years, previous to the Supreme Court decisions, President Clinton has come out to state, these laws are wrong for today. 

President Obama has completely reversed Don't Act Don't Tell. At the time President Clinton stated it was a method to protect the LGBT community within the military. President Clinton stated it was an effective way for the military to maintain a standard of behavior that prevented knowledge and prevented hate.

March 29, 2015

Technically, (click here) there was little if anything in what Gov. Mike Pence said about Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act in his ABC News interview Sunday morning that was factually false.  But much of what he said was materially misleading, due to his desperation to stay on message and to obfuscate.  To understand this crisis for the Pence administration and Indiana, it’s necessary to separrate the law of the RIFRA from its politics....

Additionally, the Supreme Court has struck down Proposition Eight and DOMA. The California Law was passed during the Bush years for the purpose of politics and turning out voters to the polls. DOMA was passed during the Clinton years for the very same reason. Both these laws were passed with Republican majorities. They are wrong and propagate hate.

Governor Pence who probably voted for DOMA is completely inappropriate in invoking the Clinton administration regarding this hideous Indiana law. The Indiana law enforces hate and provides for nothing the USA Constitution already supplies. This is another Republican tactic to victimize minorities in the USA, of which the LGBT Community is a member, and bring attention to a presidential hopeful.  

The Indiana law is discriminatory and has no existing federal law that supports it.

It doesn't get easier than this.

The First Amendment of the US Constitution

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Shall make no law. End of discussion.