Water: Origins On Comets Or Earth?

A recently released analysis of water found on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko showed a higher amount of deuterium than is found on our own earths water.Scientists concluded that the theory of comets introducing water to earth is probably not correct.The signature doesn't match.Much money and time has been spent on the Rosetta spacecraft answering that question.It seems to me that a better question would have asked 'Where did the water on comets come from ?" To that question an answer might include since hydrogen is ubiquitous in our universe and so are hot stars it would be a natural result. Maybe scientists are just trying to serialize their work so as to make it last longer.

What's Next if We Survive Fracking?

New York State is close to allowing fracking. Fracking is the process which combines chemicals, sands and high pressure water to break down underground shale to release the trapped natural gas. What could possibly go wrong? It's a new process that disregards older common sense . Why would one deliberately undermine the foundations of the surface of the earth and risk contaminating vital water supplies? Money is the answer. Of course the proponents argue that safeguards are put in place to protect underground aquifers. I.E. no fracking within 500 feet of a known water source. Oh! Do the chemicals, sand and other subteranean bacteria know to keep out of the underground water pools.

Ever have a leaky roof? Sometimes one doesn't know what part of the roof the water is leaking from. Because water moves and moves swiftly through large and small cracks. In fact fracking creates its own cracks by definition where the gas comes out as the water goes in! Gee, then what? For a long time , we use potable water to flush our excrement away so why not take it one step further and use non-potable fracked water to flush our toilets? Maybe we can then liquify the gas and boil off the impurities in the fracked water so we can then have potable again?

Sound like another frivolous primate misadventure?

Municipal Bond Turmoil: Some Positive Benefits

The municipal bond markets cratered last week. Munis were actually yielding as much as U.S. treasuries. But the interest paid on munis is tax free to the bond holder. So the de facto yield of some munis on Friday was app.8% when the taxes were considered. This historic inversion of the treasury/muni relationship was an example of further fallout from the margin calls generated by "marking to market" security postions that is demanded by standard acounting practices. Probably the accounting rules will have to be modified somewhat. Maybe a longer period of time and an average price will have to be used before a margin call is generated.

But in the meantime cities,counties and states are having a rough time raising affordable money for their projects. For example yesterday the Houston Independent School District had to withdraw its planned $ 385 million bond issue because of the extreme rise in cost. Maybe that's a good thing. There has long been the glaring fact that there is no meaningful connection between money spent and a quality education for youth. So now market forces in the bond maket will force local and state officials to discriminate more on how to use their limited options on what projects to pursue and fund. Do we want water and sewage infrasructure upgrades or more money thrown down the rathole of school bureaucracies?

Las Vegas: Question Of Existence & Importance

Today a package containig the deadly poison ricin was found at the Las Vegas Extended Stay America Hotel. The discovery is being treated as a possible act of terrorism by the local authorities and the F.B.I.

Las Vegas is an unreal creation. Springing up in the middle of a desert, it sucks water from contiguous states to sustain its population including the flushing of toilets for the mostly losers that visit. The mighty Colorado River once emptied into the Sea Of Cortez and created an unbelievably rich estuary as a byproduct. It sustained fish, wildlife and water fowl. But Las Vegas has contributed to the river becoming only being a trickle of its former self at the largely dried up estuary.

Here's a question? If Las Vegas disappeared for any reason including a terrorist act would the U.S. and the environment be better off ? Personally I would not defend Las Vegas from any threat to its existence.

A Prayer For Too Tall Buildings In San Francisco

The Transbay Authority is about to adopt the recommendation of it's advisory jury and allow the building of a 1200 foot tower high-rise at First and Mission Streets. The objective of the new Transbay Terminal and office complex is primarily to accomodate and in fact nurture an increaase of traffic through the downtown area of the city. You know, "If we build it they will come". So there will be more cars, mores buses, more trains, more people, more noise, more pollution.

Eight hundred of the 1200 foot tower will be new office space. So that will add to the demand of our incresingly limited water supplies and sewage treatment facilities. The builders are throwing in a 5.4 acre elevated park as a chump change tip to the eco-crowd. Let's see, app. 250,000 sq.foot park subtracted from 1.8 million sq.foot project doesn't qualify the project as anything but a eco-disaster.

It will probably get built. But I predict one day it will fall because of the unstable land and the hubris of it's height irresistibly temtps nature. Hopefully the jerks that built it are in the building at the time.