[ RadSafe ] Depleted uranium

[Earley, Jack N]

I received this opening statement in an email earlier today:
 
"Leuren Moret has been traipsing up and down hills in Hawaii with a
Geiger Counter and a video camera. I am quite sure that what she is
measuring is naturally occurring radiation and not 'depleted uranium'
like she is telling the world. Hawaii is being pressured to pass an
anti-DU bill that will require extensive testing of soils outside of
military installations."
 
Congratulations to Ms. Moret--the exercise and high-level radiation from
traipsing up and down hills are very healthful--almost as good as living
in Colorado. She'll be unlikely to succumb to either heart disease or
cancer as a result. She's certainly setting a good example for all in
that regard.
 
However, I'm curious where that depleted uranium might have come from
that's supposedly contaminating the hills of Hawaii. Has the Army been
conducting secret exercises shooting up the countryside? Are tourists
being paid to drop it off as they ramble about the hills?
 
No matter--economically, I think it's a great idea. Since it might be
harmful to the tourist industry, especially with regard to foreign
visitors, passing such a bill would be great make-work, similar to the
Depression-era Conservation Corp. A lot of good dam work was done then,
which of course we may now have to dismantle for the sake of salmon, but
that will be more great make-work for the economy, too. We're
approaching that point in the economic cycle where it will be time to
redistribute wealth from the have's to the have-not's, and this is a
great start, especially as property values decline from all of the
"depleted uranium" you'll find (or not) outside of the military
installations.
 
Just my opinion, of course. . . .
 
Jack Earley
Health Physicist
509.372.9532