The Latest in Ignorant Paranoia

The NRC got around to releasing the radiation readings for Florida produce in the aftermath of the Fukushima meltdown over three years later and low-information environmentalists are going nuts:

Fukushima fallout on vegetation in South Florida exceeded gov’t notification limit by over 1,000% — Nearly triple the highest level reported anywhere on West Coast

First, the notification level is not the same as the danger level. It merely means it's enough to be reasonably sure it's out of the ordinary. Second, it's only the I-131 level that was extraordinary. The total radioactivity was within the normal range. For example, the highest radioactivity level mentioned in the article was 1,220 pCi/kg whereas bananas have 3,520 pCi/kg and brazil nuts have up to 12,600 pCi/kg. Third, it went away in a few weeks.

It's not enough to know what's going on in the event you're looking at; you also have to know what else is going on.

Speaking of low-information paranoid activists …

The news that the violators of a social contract in restraint of trade will now have the opportunity to pay Social-Security taxes is being misinterpreted by the Other Ignorant Army as implying that the aforesaid competitors will get Social-Security benefits immediately, even despite the fact that there is a ten-year delay (the deferred action on immigration might get past the courts but attempts to get around Social-Security law certainly won't) and even despite the fact that immigrants tend to be young.

By the way, some nativists claim the immigrants are coming over to go on welfare and some claim they're taking our highly-skilled jobs. There should be a debate between the two sides but somehow I doubt if there will be one.