Radiation graphs from Sacto monitor (no worries, at least not here in CA)

Just ran across the Sacramento monitor's page from the EPA's RadNet Air Monitoring Data website; they say "To date, levels recorded at this monitor have been thousands of times below any conservative level of concern." (Mar. 22 press release here)

It's a bit curious, that before the Japan quake, the [beta gross count rate] readings were higher; perhaps spuriously & it wasn't fixed until the quake brought the monitor to attention. The "gamma gross count rate" graph below it shows no such pattern.

Mixed-up weather lament

Snow. Snow. More snow.

Never thought that in spring I'd be wishing we were back in January... (or early Feb.)

For KVMR folk, on science communication - excellent piece by Chris Mooney

Excerpts from Good Communication is Good Scientific Practice:

Koch Industries sock puppetry on Wikipedia and blog comments

Koch Industries Employs PR Firm To Airbrush Wikipedia, Gets Banned For Unethical ‘Sock Puppets’, from ThinkProgress earlier this month; somehow I'd missed it.

(Note: the original user was open about his/her Koch ties, but apparently later created/recruited sockpuppets or meatpuppets, which is verboten - as is editing pages where you have a conflict of interest, which s/he also did.)

New Media Strategies was the PR firm they used here, but it's one of many: "the billionaire Koch brothers maintain contracts with over a dozen public relation firms and lobbying firms."

Cal. Dept of Public Health radiation FAQ - the URL

JeffP reprinted the FAQ, but you can find the CDPH original (which presumably they'll update) here:
http://cdph.ca.gov/Pages/RadiationFAQS2011.aspx

(There's a prominent link to it under "CDPH News" on the California Department of Public Health home page. )

Tuesday update: See also the Jeff Masters post Radiation from Japan not likely to harm North America, on Weather Underground.

How to donate to the Japan relief effort

Mar. 30 update: Robert Brady of Pure Land Mountain recommends Socks for Japan.

Mar. 19 update: Felix Salmon says Don’t donate money to Japan, and explains why. Give the groups your $$, but leave them free to put it where it'll do most good.

How to donate to the Japan relief effort from the Guardian.

Got friends/family in Alaska, Arizona or Florida?

We need their help to identify the Senator that placed a secret hold on whistleblower protection.

It's easy - and they don't have to tell their senator to do anything*, only to ask some simple questions.

* I'm still allergic to telling mine what to do.

An appreciation - Tom Grundy, and Reinette Senum of APPLE

APPLE - our local Alliance for a Post-Petroleum Local Economy - came out against Proposition 23 last fall, and Tom Grundy [speaking for APPLE at the time] stepped up to the plate and spoke effectively against it on KNCO. And Reinette Senum's just a powerhouse in making things happen - the Alpha building renaissance, our Saturday morning Farmer's Market, local educational events, etc. I also commend APPLE for their educational efforts in bringing Richard Heinberg and others to speak to our community. Thank you, folks.

But...

Journalism manuals

There's probably a better compilation out there, but recently I've run across these -

• KPOV's citizen journalism handbook for radio (pdf)
• FAIR's investigative journalism manual. (This FAIR being the Forum for African Investigative Journalists , not the anti-immigration group.)
• Story-Based Inquiry - step by step investigative journalism, "treats investigative journalism as an integrated process focused on producing an original story." (h/t HelpMeInvestigate's 5 ways to simplify an investigation; added 2011-08-08)

Of the 3, the last seemed most worthwhile; but all are helpful.

Climate education in Nevada County schools

What's taught about climate science & climate change in Nevada County schools - and is it science-aligned, or antiscience?

Here's what I've got so far; if you know folks who could clue me in further...?

* K-8

• at Seven Hills Middle School
  

* High Schools

• at Bitney College Preparatory High School (home)
  
• at Nevada Union High School (home), Earth Sciences (TBD other fields)
  
• at Bear River High School (home)
  
• TBD: at Ghidotti Early College High School (home) (Madigan, Kirwan)
  

* Community College

• At Sierra College (home), Nevada County Campus
  ESCI 0010 - Introduction to Earth Science (DeCourten)
  GEOG 0001 - Physical Geography (Cox)
  GEOG 0004 - Weather and Climate (DeCourten)
  INT 0001 - Environment/Human Impact (DeCourten & Day)

My climate blog's posts touching on climate education can be found here (link).

"Bidder 70" Tim DeChristopher trial over; found guilty

For those who weren't following DeChristopher's trial - Tim DeChristopher found guilty, shows power of nonviolent civil disobedience.