Cardio, Niagara ET AL--

[NiagaraNet@AOL.COM]

Richard, Barbara and all RS'fers:



Thanks for the thoughtful posting(s).



On to snow. While snow shoveling might have an impact on the statistics, I 

think one would have to assume that Niagara County and Niagara Falls are the 

only locations that it does snow. We know this couldn't be. In fact, Niagara 

County lies between the two Great Lakes--Erie and Ontario and receives LESS 

snowfall than our nearby brothers and sisters to the North and south of Niagara. Ten 

and 20 miles respectively. I have seen the Great Lakes weather phenomenon 

produce eight inches of snow in Buffalo-Erie County (last year) and in Niagara 

there would be no more than a dusting of one inch. Yes, I've had to drive thirty 

miles or so south to help snow blow. Which brings me to snow blowers and plow 

trucks. Aside from some inner city folks, there aren't a whole lot of people 

that still shovel and not use a snow blower/thrower. In fact I NEVER shovel 

other than cleaning up what my Toro misses. I don't think anyone in WNY wishes 

to die of shoveling snow from a heart attack. It's kind of like a smog alert in 

LA or a beach tide warning on the coastal beaches. NO ONE wants to die and so 

no one wants to shovel, swim-etc. more than necessary. I believe that 

shoveling may have a statistical blip in all this, but certainly not a major cause 

anymore due to education of this risks. Someone previously said that the 

statistical increase may be caused by---get ready, chicken wings and pizza. While WNY 

is the home of the wing, again, it is highly unlikely that this is the cause 

of the stat increase. I personally only eat wings about once a year, maybe 

twice. There is no pounds-per-capita of wing consumption here. And besides, wings 

have spread across America in such a way that everyone on this board knows 

where they can get chix wings in their own neighborhood bar or grill. Wings 

Across America--sounds like a good marketing slogan.

BAN THE WINGS....yum, and not.



On to the NEED for a cardiac facility in Niagara Falls. I doubt very 

seriously that the HRSA and other nationally recognized health organizations would be 

interested in sticking a $10 million dollar facility in a local hospital to 

treat victims of over-consumption of chicken parts and a recovery center for 

snow shoveling victims.

                   ;*)~

As to the length of this study and the seriousness of the disease here, it is 

also doubtful that a $10 m facility would be needed if this were only a one 

year statistical blip. Using this --it would be reasonable to figure that for 

every intersection that has one accident, traffic lights and traffic cops would 

be installed/assigned to each.



In Niagara County and WNY there were 13 recorded facilities (that's only 

what's on the "official" list--there were more that have fallen off the radar 

screen) that were involved with the MED/AEC. Most of these facilities were located 

in populated areas and the regulations as Barbara pointed out did not exist 

until at least the seventies.

It is a veritable survey meter check source with all the waste and burials. 

Now about burials--not everything was buried back then. Much material, over 

three million pounds of radioactive metal waste was stockpiled here as well as 

many hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of radioactive waste either sat around 

(dispersing into the environment) or dumped directly into creeks, streams or 

left on the surface. Some materials were buried in antiquated landfills (no 

liners and no records). 

This includes the famously high content Belgian Congo ore (Tobernite) which 

in fact much was reduced at the Linde facility (a part of Electromet Union 

Carbide) just down the road from Niagara. In one instance, what was called 

(Radwaste, Fred C. Shapiro, 1981-Random House Publishing) the largest single 

source/concentration of Radium226 in the world. The Congo waste is called K-65. This 

unbelievable concentration of R226 sat in an open vessel for over 40 years and 

still resides in Niagara County. It has been slurried and finally put 

underground. Unfortunately, the National Academy of Sciences stated years ago that it 

should have been removed. The containment structure is a WWII vintage 

building's basement located in a flood plain and on a Geo. fault. The "silo," as the 

original container was called, was very similar to the towers that I believe 

were used at Fernald in Ohio. They left theirs in the closed silos.

Radon gas was emitted directly into the environment for 40 years at Niagara. 

At times Ra levels were over 1000 times allowable (twenty year old standards). 

Some say that it contaminated all crops in the area of Niagara County called 

the lower escarpment. Wheat was purchased by Nabisco Shredded Wheat from this 

area and the AEC even warned local U production centers to NOT use the same 

train cars to carry both--which of course is exactly what DID happen. So much 

so, that there is at least one train box car buried (see USACE meeting minutes) 

locally due to it being hot. Someone earlier, that quoted my article, seemed 

to put off the statement about human experimental waste from the HREX project 

in Rochester, NY (70 miles away) being at Niagara. Guess what? In February 

2003, in an area known as the Rochester Burial Area (in Niagara County), 

contaminated medical waste was found during the first excavation (Feb. 2003, USACE). It 

was buried in direct contact with the earth. Rotted metal, wooden crates and 

fiberboard drums were used with no landfill liners back then. The 

Roch.Proj.-HREX was devoted to Pu studies. Sooo-Pu is in our environment too. In fact, Pu 

has been detected in the Lake and River. Go figure.



Barbara notes in response to--

In a message dated 6/6/2003 12:05:28 PM Pacific Standard Time, 

frantaj@AECL.CA writes:



> "...Ferro Electronics, which is next door to Niagara University, currently 

> manufactures electronic instruments using radioactive zirconium sand of 

> uranium content sufficient to be refined into bomb-grade material."  [this 

seems 

> to imply that nat. U consists of U-235 ! ...wonder what all those 

enrichment 

> plant were for.] (sic ?)



BARBARA

>Actually, I think it's just saying that the U content in the zirconium sand 

>is above 0.05% by weight uranium.  The question should be, "does that pose 

any 

>significant threat?"  For comparison, one can examine NUREG 1717, 

"Systematic 

>Radiological Assessment of Exemptions for Source and Byproduct Materials," 

>which, among other things assesses various potential doses and dose pathways 

>for those zircon sands below 0.05% by weight uranium (i.e., those exempt 

under >the AEA and implementing regulations), and other exempt items containing 

up to 

>10% uranium (e.g., glassware).  The document is available online in the 

NRC's 

>"Reading Room," reached via www.nrc.gov, but it is rather large, so be 

prepared. 

> It's quite interesting, and examines all the exemptions from uranium in 

>dental products to glazed ceramic tableware to thorium in optical lenses.  

It's 

>really a matter of where it is relative to where humans are and what they 

are 

>doing with it.



>Barbara

--

IF TAM/FERRO were ONLY handling Zirc sand currently/historically, I wouldn't 

be too overly concerned, however Titanium Alloys Manufacturing (TAM/FERRO) was 

a production and recycling center for MED/AEC. It has been noted by the USEPA 

that there is a 50 times increase in the background level of radiation 

emanating from the grounds. It is known that there is direct to earth burials of 

tons of U, R and Th.

Ironically, I have spoken with engineers at this facility that were not aware 

AT ALL of these historic happenings. The licensing company currently in 

charge of permits, etc., nor the company itself, notifies TAM/FERRO employees 

what's on site (I don't know that they are responsible for this). One engineer, who 

has become a friend, admits to walking over this site many times and had no 

knowledge of any of this. 

All of this is buried within a couple of hundred yards from known drainage 

(Bloody Run Creek) into the Niagara River gorge next to the NYS Power Authority 

and Niagara University. Barbara was correct about my presentation in the 

article that was written for the lay person or someone just getting "their feet 

wet" with the subject. Can't be too overly technical with us lay folks you know. 

I am not trying to scare anyone or create FUD, just trying to bring people up 

to speed on the subject.



By the way--Regarding enrichment, 1. Union Carbide's Linde Plant in Buffalo 

made the barrier material for the gaseous diffusion method of enrichment, 2. 

Niagara was handling materials BEFORE the first enrichment facility even went on 

line and, 

3. Some believe that there was an enrichment pilot test program in the area. 

Again, go figure.



I like the following quote, although, I might apply it inversely to the 

subject of what's here and what's been told to the public--

"If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken, Twisted by knaves to make a 

trap for fools..." Rudyard Kipling.  

I just hope the public are not the fools and others the knaves.



Best,

L.H. Ricciuti

NiagaraNet@aol.com

"The best is yet to come."

--



Note to Syd...Please don't contact me anymore off post with demeaning remarks 

or attacks--Even though you say you have not contacted me (See Syd's post). I 

will not post my remarks back to him, which were very pointed and hard...I 

just don't have the time to get involved with mean spirited people. This is 

science not boxing.

----

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