Nevertheless, the potential for local effects deserves detailed studies, and it is conceivable that buffer, nonsolar zones around large arrays may be advised. Such arrays would not be built near large populations, so local heating would likely be inconsequential.
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Political Science
In “Congress Fails Science” [Perspectives], the editors propose that Congress is habitually inattentive to science and that this irresoluteness has persisted despite the shift of legislative power in 2007 to the Democrats. But like college students, Congress usually concludes most of its work in the last week or two of each session. Had the editors waited one month, they might have noticed that the moribund energy bill they cite has actually passed, as has the increase in fuel economy standards. Although Congress can be slow and indecisive, it was designed that way to minimize precipitous action. Do the editors really expect it, in less than a year and facing a dead-certain presidential veto, to pass a bill that would result in historically sweeping changes to our energy and environmental policies, to our economy and probably to our lifestyles? If nothing has happened in three to four years, they can get on their high horse. But now I would be concerned about the soundness of any major proposal that passed in a few months.
Bob Palmer
Gainesville, Fla.
Editor's Note: This story was originally printed with the title "Letters"
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8 Comments
Add CommentThe first ten-year human fluoridation experiment (Newburgh/Kingston study)
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisbegan in 1945. After ten years, it showed that adding fluoride chemicals into the drinking water is a health hazard. That inconvenient truth was ignored and fluoridation spread to over 2/3 of Americans on public water supplies and virtually 100% via the food supply. Today tooth decay is a growing epidemic, dental fluorosis (discolored teeth from fluoride overdosed) afflicts up to 48% of school children. But fluoridated toothpaste has become a multi-billion dollar international business which handsomely supports organized dentistry who lobbies our legislators to pass laws that puts money in their pockets and less fillings in our mouths.
I still like the idea of orbital solar platforms which can transmit power, perhaps as microwaves to recieving stations any where on earth, including off shore platforms. As microwaves are commenly used today, provided their density over a givin area is not too high, this might be advantageous. The advantage would be 24/7 power that would transmit the power any where on Earth, with out the need for new, long distance power transmission lines.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFluoride Findings: This is exactly why why I drink only distilled water, or rain water, and only pure-grain alcohol
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI would like to clarify a few things about fluoride as it seems to be often misunderstood. Fluoride is an element that readily binds well with hydroxiapetite, the calcium and phosphorus crystal structure of enamel. As a result this makes the enamel more dense.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTooth decay has dramatically decreased since the widespread use of fluoride throughout the US and Canada. During my 14 years experience as a dental hygienist, fluorosis has rarely been seen. It shows up in cases where fluoride supplements were recommended to a child, but too much was given by the parent.
Fluoride, as stated in the article, is very well researched and understood and is a valuable part of oral health. It would be cynical to assume that health professionals are just immoral, money grabbing crooks.
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Edited by Symmetry at 05/09/2008 9:57 PM
Dental professionals are not lying immoral crooks; but they are fluoride-misinformed as the dental hygienist brings to our attention. Fluoride overdose is indeed a problem with up to 48% of school children sporting dental fluorosis, according to the CDC. See: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/figures/s403a1t23.gif
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSeveral studies have been done showing that dentists are not up to speed on current fluoride science. See:
http://www.fluoridealert.org/2007research/07.html
Even brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste puts young children over the daily threshold of fluoride ingestion, according to a recent article in the NYS Dental Journal by Dincer
The American Dental Association itself tells anyone who takes the time to search their website that children under six who consume fluoride supplements risk dental fluorosis.
Studies show that babies fed fluoride contaminated food, such as jarred chicken baby food, daily risk fluorosis from the one source alone.
The article should be captioned "Should we continue to poison our citizens with a toxic substance under the guise that it is good for their teeth while ignoring the fact that the effect on the bones is to weaken and cause more fractures,not to mention the horrible effect on the thyroid.I guess if the cure kills and degrades our intellect its ok because their teeth will look great in the grave,too.ADA members makes lots of money from resurfacing teeth because of the damage caused by yrs of sodium fluoride (a toxin listed as deadly in almost any amount,used in rat and roach poison).I guess my question is when is the ADA going to finally acknowledge that they were wrong about fluorine and they were also wrong about using amalgams for filling caries?Mercury is the only substance that is more toxic than a fluoridated substance for human ingestion.Just makes you want to give your dentist a big hug!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTo an observer living in a high-rise apartment in New York covering West Taxas and New Mexico with solar collectors may seem logical. After all there's nothing there but lizards and jack rabbits. Right? But to those of us who find the area sunny and refreshing the idea is preposterous.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe American Dental Association's (ADA) Mark Feldman should be embarrassed by implying that the NRC report has nothing to do with fluoridation.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBased on the NRC findings, the National Kidney Foundation dropped it's fluoridation endorsement and caution kidney patients, not just those on dialysis, to monitor their fluoride intake because malfunctioning kidneys can't filter fluoride properly and can cause fluoride induced bone damage.
The National Kidney Foundation forced the ADA to stop listing their organization among their dubious list of fluoridation supporters, last month.