Lately, the writer’s hometown of Asheville, NC., has attracted various environmental ‘wanabes’ into its environment. Chemophobia, the “fear of chemicals“, usually goes with the assumption that “chemicals” are harmful, but “natural” things are good. Chemophobia normally originates from incomplete knowledge, or a misunderstanding of science. Every substance in the universe is a chemical.

A major factor of chemophobia is increasing sensitivity of analytical techniques that can now detect extremely low levels. Typically, media only reports a chemical has been detected, not that it has exceeded harmful levels.

In 1997, “dihydrogen monoxide” [DHMO] was feared among the populace. The “DHMO Hoax” was nothing but water, if called by its common name. But “chemophobes” thought this sounded dangerous. 

Just within the past two weeks, Greenpeace broke into the local Progress Energy Plant. Sixteen people entered, and 5 climbed a 300ft smokestack and unfurled their banner: “Duke and Progress Energy, Stop Destroying Mountains”.

CEO Jim Rogers, the lead fundraiser for the Democrat National Convention (Charlotte), lent the Democrats $10 million for that convention. Greenpeace actually claimed Duke Energy is responsible for 951 premature deaths, 1,447 heat attacks, and 15,714 asthma attacks caused by his power plants every year.

One wonders how Greenpeace came up with such exact numbers. If one looks at the typical ‘pollutants’ from coal-fired plants, one sees [CO2], [SO2], [NOx], [CO], and methyl mercury  ["monomethylmercuric cation"].

[CO2] is a non-pollutant, and is necessary for life on earth. Concentrations of the others are negligible compared with their Threshold Limit Value [TLV]. Methyl mercury can be dangerous in high concentrations, but volcanoes are responsible for half of all mercury emissions. Eruptions usually result in a 4-6x increase in atmospheric mercury.^[77]

The EPA TLV for mercury is 0.02 mg/m3 (~0.02ppm), but it also lists mercury as a Class A4-Not classifiable as a human carcinogen.

In the last few weeks, EPA has leveled the local CTS Plant in Arden, NC, at a cost of millions. This  Superfund Site spread fear through South Asheville. The main chemical was trichloroethylene (e.g., TCE, ‘Trilene’, ‘Trike’), and chemophobes came out of the woodwork. Bulldozing the now ‘flat’ CTS plant by the EPA, did not improve TCE in the groundwater.

An EPA-sanctioned soil-vapor extraction system has been operating there since 2006. In that system, any TCE-laden groundwater is aerated, where TCE is removed from the water.

Why do so many forget TCE was used extensively in the 50’s and 60’s for extracting vegetable oils from palm, soy, and coconut? Typically used in coffee decaffeination? Worst of all, most forget it was used as a gas anesthetic. Millions have breathed 1% TCE through self-administered analgesia (i.e., childbirth difficulties).

It’s TLV stands at 50 ppm. The ACGIH lists it as: ‘”Not suspected to be a human carcinogen”. In California alone, there are over 73 facilities that have used TCE. Of the millions that have used it, there is no known case of a human getting cancer because of TCE.

 In the most noted ‘chemophobe’ case in history, “dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane” became viewed as the most feared synthetic chemical ever made. Most remember it simply as “DDT’”. DDT FAQ shows many countries were pressured to eliminate DDT.

Silent Spring (1962) caused a technical uproar, and a ban of US DDT manufacture (1972). Even DDT – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia , now admits although DDT use had almost completely stopped, eggshell thickness remained 10–12% thinner before DDT was first used.

John Stossel accused USAID of not funding DDT, because it wasn’t “politically correct,” Anne Peterson (USAID) replied “I believe that the strategies we are using are as effective as spraying with DDT …”

In 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated almost 1,000,000 deaths due to lack of DDT not killing malarial-infected mosquitoes. 

Malaria remains a major public health challenge in Africa, India, Brazil, and Mexico, where 69% of all reported cases of malaria occur.  DDT has been called a “miracle weapon like Kryptonite to the mosquitoes, and serves as one indicator that repellency is very important in preventing indoor transmission of malaria.”

In the most absurd posturing of chemophobia in the 1960s, population control advocates blamed DDT for increasing third world population. WHO actually believed the only alternative to overpopulation was to assure that up to 40% of children in 3rd world countries would die of malaria. [Desowitz, RS. 1992. Malaria Capers, W.W. Norton & Company]

DDT has a current Permitted Exposure Level (PEL/OSHA) of 1 mg/m³ (or, ~1 ppm). In the billion or so DDT-exposed people, there is no confirmed case of cancer—ever.

As a Chemical Engineer, the writer knows some chemicals can be dangerous in certain amounts. Being cognizant of that fact should alleviate any unwarranted fears.

There are over 250 known phobias, and chemophobia seems to be the most common fear. Wasn’t it FDR who said: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself?”

———————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Kevin Roeten can be reached at roetenks@charter.net.

He’s been plastered over the TV and YouTube. The new word for his field praying on 1/17/12—“Tebowing”. In fact, YouTube showed a Couple’s Ultrasound Picture Shows Unborn Baby “Tebowing … . This ultrasound was done on Elizabeth Vigil in Colorado. Her and her husband live in Denver, are ardent Bronco fans, and did a 4D ultrasound hoping to determine the sex. The observed baby’s “prayer stance” looked exactly like Tim Tebow’s, but in the womb.

Tim, as you may recall, survived a recommended abortion due to his mother’s medication for amoebic dysentery. He lived to become one of 5 kids, became the Florida Gators QB, won the Heisman as a sophomore, came in second as a senior, went on to play QB for Denver Broncos, and led them to the playoffs before finally losing to New England in a race to the Super Bowl in 2012.  

With all the surrounding hype on Tebow, one would think he’s totally ‘full’ of himself. The real story shows somebody really special exists. Even at Florida, the scripture [John 3:16] was written under his darkened eyes. In pro games, he publicly prays to God for all the blessings he receives.

He has stated he will not have pre-marital sex. He’s clandestinely charitable, truly pro-life (controversial anti-abortion ad), incredibly humble, gives credit to others for their accomplishments, and inspires others to do the impossible.  He calls reporters “mister”, which is rarely done by a pro-athlete. Unbelievably, he’s never been arrested for sexual assault, drug possession, DUI, manslaughter, aggravated battery—or any other crime to which fellow athletes succumb.

Detractors came out of the woodwork to condemn Tebow for his blurring religion and sports. Even though Tebow’s popularity became exponential, venom from the media elite was worse. They even made fun of the “Tebowing” pose taken in the above ultrasound. All of a sudden [John 15:18] immediately seems highly relevant: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated Me first.”

Tebow has a winning record in started games because he restricts mental errors. He’s over 236 lbs, and sometimes runs the ball. Not as a quarterback, but as a fullback. In his second game this year against the Cincinnati Bengals, he played receiver. After the game, Broncos coach John Fox opined Tebow “actually graded 100 percent” with his performance. But many have stated it’s all done by “divine intervention”.

Gary Bauer, (President/American Values) even explained the “Tebow Derangement Syndrome” as quite like the “Bush Derangement Syndrome”. Most remember how George W. Bush’s Christian faith became offensive to many. Ridiculed for praying before big decisions made him a special target. Calling the Bible “inspiration” showed weakness to many.

It turns out Tebow’s actions actually divide America between his critics, and those that hope their athletic heroes are truly heroes on, and off, the field. The psychology for the critics is simple–their judgment is rooted in self-inferiority. The interpretation is plain and simple: ‘we don’t want anybody to be better than we are, so let’s not deal with how bad we are’. With a secular critic, if everyone’s disreputable, then everybody can be disreputable.

For 2011, Tebow was ranked 7th out of all QBs. But he had the longest touchdown pass (80 yd), threw “0″ interceptions, and averaged 9.62 yds/completion (Matthew Stafford was a distant 2nd at 8.84 yds).  Those numbers alone got peoples’ attention. Daresay, one of those was likely the Vigils’ unborn baby. He’ll live in Denver, as the child of rabid Denver and Tebow parents.

After Tebow beat the Steelers in overtime in a later thriller, columnist Matt Barber (TownHall) explained 3 statistics by Tebow: 1) 316 passing yards in game, 2) averaged 31.6 yd/ pass, and 3) TV viewing audience for last 15 minutes of game was 31.6%. Because of those specific numbers, CNN ran the whole text of [John 3:16] “For God so loved the world that he  his only Son, that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”

The odds on having the same numbers as that quote from John are too astronomically small to comprehend: 3 different stats, in the same game, with that size audience, accomplished by the same person, in a very tight game, in overtime, beating a ‘goliath’ of a competitor, and using the combined talents of every player, coach, and manager of the Broncos to do it? The immeasurably low chances of that happening are inconceivable.

God obviously could care less about who wins any specific football game, or which team goes on to win the Super Bowl. But He does care about how one leads his whole life, honesty and righteousness in their profession, outside endeavors, and impact on fellow humans. Tebow says that it really doesn’t matter whether he’s the hero, or the goat of a game’s outcome.

He will be thanking God no matter what.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Kevin Roeten can be reached at roetenks@charter.net.

Trisomy (technical term), or Down Syndrome (widely known), comes in many forms. The most common are Trisomy 13, 18, and 21. German technology in 1934 dictated only the strong should live. Right now, over 90% of those with Down Syndrome are aborted/killed. Over 99% of adults with Down say they are happy with their lives, but vast amounts are killed because their care is deemed too much of a bother for their parents.

We know Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21), has an abortion rate of about 90%. Trisomy 13 &18 are aborted at a much higher frequency because their likelihood of death soon after birth is much higher.

In a 1/12/11 ABC World News exclusive, Diane Sawyer discusses a New Prenatal Test for Down Syndrome Could Cut Baby Deaths From … .  Dr. Rossa Chiu, study author published in the Journal of British Medicine (BMJ), and “>Dr. Brian Skotko, (clinical fellow/genetics) Children’s Hospital Boston, both hail killing babies if Down is known. (1)

Diane Sawyer boasts this new Down test could cut healthy baby deaths. “Cut deaths” is quite a spin. She, and many others, want to terminate (abort) an early pregnancy just because they think the baby will be unhealthy?  The baby’s done nothing wrong. But many parents don’t like the baby’s disability, and probably the child might not live the normal 70 years a human would.  Let’s abort it.

How Nazi-like.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Wikipedia reveals physical defects some don’t feel its necessary to live with:

Characteristics               Percentage        Characteristics            Percentage

mental retardation                             100%                 small teeth                                    60%

stunted growth                                    100%                 flattened nose                              60%

atypical fingerprints                            90%                  clinodactyly                                   52%

separation of the abdominal muscles  80%              umbilical hernia                              51%

flexible ligaments                                 80%                  short neck                                   50%

hypotonia                                                  80%                  shortened hands                        50%

brachycephaly                                           75%                  congenital heart disease              45%

smaller genitalia                                  75%                  single transverse palmar crease       45%

eyelid crease                                          75%                  Macroglossia (larger tongue)     43%

shortened extremities                        70%                  epicanthal fold                                  42%

oval palate                                               69%                  Strabismus                                       40%

low-set and rounded ear                    60%                   Brushfield spots (iris)                     35%

———————————————————————————————————————————————————–

How soon many of us forget how the Nazis were famous for their race-based eugenics programs throughout their history. In “Anti-Papal Catholicism & the Rise of Hitler”, Anne Gardiner describes how many Nazi programs were based on US  forced sterilization already in existence, and eugenics laws practiced in California.

Many Germans conceived of a pagan-oriented movement using “race-based eugenic measures” to remove any “non-Aryan” influences from their population. If the Germans had won WWII, America would be practicing eugenics freely.

But the concept has been raising its ugly head again. It’s amazing how many people still believe killing the suspected inferior human will keep the human race flourishing.

The start—numerous statements of discrimination toward kids with Trisomy 13/18 by doctors. For example, a  letter  about cardiac surgery for a child with Trisomy 18, Dr. Praveen Kumar (Chicago) wrote about the surviving child, “Most people will consider this outcome extremely suboptimal if not completely futile.” (2)

In Canada, a senior ethicist asked a trisomy mother, “So what is better–abortion by dismemberment at 16 weeks or ask the mother to wait and we remove the baby to let it die in its mothers arms….that is not abortion.”  The mother was obviously horrified.  (3)

Genetic counselors in Canada say “almost everyone” terminates when the baby has a condition related to disabilities. The system is geared to identify, and terminate “imperfect” unborn lives.

Amniocentesis, an invasive test usually given at 18-20 weeks, carries a 1% risk of miscarriage. But companies like Sandisk and Sequenom have already been perfecting a 7-week non-invasive test for Down Syndrome. A simple blood test having a 98% accuracy for detecting Down, and a >90% death sentence for the baby.

They are talking major profits in this business of human perfection.

Even in Australia, another mother’s narrative was published in the British Medical Journal. In her case, she chose to carry her baby with Trisomy 18 to term. She had major problems just finding a hospital that would let her deliver the baby.

“Unacceptable morbidity” is typically used by doctors, but is always highly subjective. Some children born with Trisomy 13/18 are severely afflicted and are best treated with comfort care, but others live very happily for many years. Parents just want their their child be treated as an individual, not a genetic defect. (4)

The Nazi euthanasia program evolved from considering some lives unworthy to be lived. The Obama Administration is dangerously close to incorporating the same schemes.

That idea was eugenics, which actually heralds better living through genetic intervention. It is an idea fomented by  abortion and euthanasia.

If the mother decides to abort based upon the child’s imperfections, what road will humanity take?

From here, the future can be seen: what will happen to those depressed? To those with ADHD? To those with a very dark future, laden with poverty, a broken home, or no home? A humanity that chooses to reject children for their imperfections has either lost hope, the ability to accept suffering, or perspective.

If the mother makes the decision to abort based upon the imperfection found in the child, what road is legal abortion enabling humanity to take?

If we, as a nation, re-elect the Obama Administration, we may have turned down a road from which we can never turn back.

(1) http://seekingalpha.com/article/308172-sequenom-ceo-hosts-2011-analyst-and-investor-day

(2) http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/4/754/reply#pediatrics_el_51619

(3) http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/archive/ldn/2008/dec/08121111

(4) http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/122/18_suppl_3/S665.short

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Kevin Roeten can be reached at roetenks@charter

A fear has been implanted in uninformed America–Chemophobia-the irrational fear of chemicals.

“Trike” was a normal degreaser used for various metal parts. Many panicked over the thought of getting cancer from a common degreaser used in thousands of locations. Trichloroethylene (C2HCl3) was used so frequently, that typical names such as Trichlor, Trike, Tri, or Tricky were commonplace.

The big stick was the ominous label CARCINOGEN.  Of course, the documented TLV (Threshold Limit Value) is 200ppmillion. But the ACGIH classified it as cancer “not suspected for humans”.  To date, there has been no change to the exposure limit because the EPA cannot prove TCE exposure to cause cancers.

But 1 mile away, in sight of the writer’s house, lies a Superfund Site in Skyland (Asheville, NC). CTS of Asheville manufactured hearing aids and automotive parts. Before plating, parts were cleaned using TCE. CTS, vacant since the 1990’s, still worries about TCE contamination exacerbating the cancer scare.

The  site was assessed by the EPA in 1985, 2001, and 2006. In each instance, they concluded the site did not warrant qualification as Superfund. Finally, in soils under the building, the EPA found the highest TCE concentration (830ppm).

As a result, in 2008, EPA sampled 72 private wells. Continued samples of these wells revealed no  TCE results. Today, over 105 private wells are being monitored. Seven of those are considered to have TCE. However, the acceptable lower limit for TCE is 5 pp[billion], and is significantly lower than 20 years ago (200pp[million]). But there still has been no cancer.

Back in 1930, Wikipedia reports that for 20 years, TCE was used as an inhaler (tradenames: Trilene & Trimar), and an analgesic for millions. The maximum dose was ~1000ppm. This was extensively used in obstetrics, and especially during pregnancy. Taking these dosages relieved pain, but never resulted in cancer in any of the millions inhaling it. TCE was substituted for earlier anesthetics such as chloroform and ether.

Bioassays by the National Cancer Institute showed kidney cancer in some mice and rats. It was therefore reported TCE was “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen”, based on animals. One review of kidney cancer rated obesity and cigarette smoking as higher risk factors for kidney cancer.

“Reasonably anticipated” doesn’t square with “cancer not found”. To date, ACGIH has carcinogenicity “not suspected for humans”; mutagenic—not available; teratogenic–not available; developmental—not available.

US Superfund Sites (2010). Red: National Priority List, yellow: proposed, green: deleted (usually cleaned up).

The health risks of TCE have been studied to excess.

Here is a classic example of the EPA spending almost $50 million to cleanup the Skyland, NC, Superfund Site–unnecessarily. Multiply that by ~100x for all the TCE Superfund Sites that have been, or will be, cleaned up. Could a transparent case of chemophobia be worth that to allay misguided fears?

Looking at chemicals we see daily can be eye-opening:

Ethanol (grain alcohol) is manufactured, and has an LD50 (50% rats given 7060 mg ethanol/Kg weight–was lethal dosage).

Marijuana (Delta 1-3,4 trans-tetrahydrocannabinol) has an LD50 for rats at 42 mg/Kg.

Caffeine in coffee (3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1-H-purine-2,6-dione), and has an LD50 at 355 mg/Kg.

Horse radish (allylisothiocyanate)has an LD50 at 339. Ibuprofen [2-(4-(2-methylpropyl)phenyl)propionic acid]has an LD50 of 1050, and is manufactured.

Exoplanet (for astronomers) is simply any planet not in this solar system.  Are any in that “goldilocks zone”, which give the capability of harboring life as we know it? Can we even see it, given its immense distance?

One must define “goldilocks zone” properly: [Habitable zone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ].  That zone is considered the habitable area just far enough away from its sun, where it’s warm enough life can flourish, but not too cold to freeze water.

Astronomer Michael Hart’s computer simulations describe a habitable planet in the “goldilocks zone”. Its orbit must be almost circular, and must make the right sized orbit. Calculations indicate a 5% smaller orbit point to a runaway “greenhouse effect”, or a 1% larger orbit would have resulted in a glacier effect—the freezing of all oceans.  

The solar system must be free of large planets with elliptical orbits, which would eject or destroy other planets. Large planets with circular orbits are needed to clear out rogue asteroids that would strike inner planets much more frequently.

An inhabited planet has to be large enough to hold an atmosphere, while small enough so its gravity doesn’t crush inhabitants. The planet must have a moderate temperature. The planet must have a mass between 0.85 and 1.33 of earth’s mass, or within 2 billion years temperature variations would render the planet uninhabitable. [Extraterrestrials, Where Are They?, Second Edition, Edited by Ben Zuckerman and Michael Hart (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1995), p. 217].

More importantly, a habitable planet must have some mechanism to keep CO2 from disappearing from the atmosphere. Liquid water begins a chain reaction depleting the atmosphere of CO2 [Ron Cohen, “Interplanetary Odyssey”, Science News (September 28th, 1996), p. 205].

Parts of earth’s surface continually sink where carbonate decomposes to CO2. It then recycles to the surface from volcanic activity, where it refills the atmosphere. We haven’t observed any other planet with similar tectonic activity.

Most extrasolar planets are too distant to detect their weather. Because exoplanets are invisible to the telescope “eye”, any atmosphere is examined by its infrared light, or heat. Infrared measurements are used to map the temperature of the entire surface.

But an observable exoplanet has got to be a transiting planet—it has to cross directly in front and behind its star when viewed from Earth. As an extrasolar planet passes in front of its star, it blocks out a small fraction of the star’s light, and a host of information about the exoplanet can be learned: size, temperature, orbit, etcetera. Because of their location in the plane of sight relative to their orbited star, billions of exoplanets cannot be detected yet.

Over 300 extrasolar planets have been located and measured by this method, and are called “hot Jupiters” for a reason. Jupiter has many characteristics similar to exoplanets. It is a gas giant, with a crust far beneath the surrounding gas.

The Coriolis Effect cause cyclones and anti-cyclones on Earth. Greatly magnified on Jupiter, these cyclones have a revolution 2.5x faster than Earth’s cyclones. Sheer distance makes cyclones on any exoplanets invisible.

Jupiter has many atmospheric disturbances, with stronger ones absorbing the weaker ones. This may explain the size of the largest spot on Jupiter—the Great Red Spot (GRS). Man has observed this spot for almost 400 years, or as long as the telescope existed. Over two earths would fit within this storm.

The GRS is anti-cyclonic in Jupiter’s southern hemisphere, and high pressure. It seems to be about 5 miles higher than other cloud tops. A hurricane on earth rotates clockwise, being low pressure. GRS however, has been shrinking at 230 miles/yr. But at half the size of the GRS, Jupiter also has the “Oval BA”, which appeared in 2000. This was the result of three smaller spots merging. Scientists determined the Oval BA has winds up to 384 miles per hour.

Jupiter’s Three Red Spots (5/23/08)

CreditNASA, ESA, M. Wong, I. de Pater (UC Berkeley), et al.

All three spots are in this image made on 5/9/98 (Hubble Space Telescope). Jupiter’s spots are probably indicative of large scale climate change. It is getting warmer near the equator. The GRS is also warmer. “Warm”, in this case, translates to      -250 oF. Surrounding temperatures are colder at -256 oF. Even that difference generates questions concerning global warming. Changes in Jupiter’s weather give rise to debate over perceived climate change on earth. 

In 1998, scientists decided to launch an atmospheric probe into Jupiter . It finally crumpled in 23x higher pressure than earth’s.

On Earth, anticyclones usually indicate fair weather. Jupiter’s anticyclones are also high pressure centers, while cyclones are low pressure. Jupiter is shrinking in size due to gravity. Actually a heat source, it radiates 1.6x more energy than it receives from the Sun.

Juno launched from Cape Canaveral on 8/5/2011, to begin its five-year journey to Jupiter. In 2016, many questions will be answered from Juno’s Jupiter encounter.

Is climate change a normal result of CO2 activity on Jupiter? Obviously not because of CO2, with essentially “zero” content. Runaway “greenhouse effects” can occur with a 5% smaller orbit in a “goldilocks zone”, but it’s never due to CO2. It’s always due to orbiting distance.

One almost has to be an exo-atmospheric-meteorologist to understand planetary weather. Likely, the science may have changed in the past few years.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Kevin M. Roeten can be reached at roetenks@charter.net.