Monday, April 4, 2016

Musings: Unbelievable. Literally

The last thing Kauai needs is more foolish fear-mongering.

But that's what The Garden Island gave us yesterday when it reported that radar from the Pacific Missile Range Facility is killing Kauai's reefs.

Proving once again that it will repeat every idiotic thing that Terry Lilley utters, TGI devoted extensive front page coverage to the crackpot theory that an electrical current generated by the Navy's radar towers is corroding coral and electrocuting sea life.

Reporter Jessica Else regurgitated, without question, this gem from Lilley:

“If we could see the radiation like we can see light, the entire island would be lit up 24/7. That’s now much we’re exposed to every day.”

Except we aren't. It takes a lot of expensive electricity to run the radar towers, so the Navy turns them on only when there's an exercise. They aren't on round-the-clock. Furthermore, most of the towers are more than 40 years old, so they're frequently down for repairs.

Lilley's sidekick, a self-described chemical engineer from Atlanta named Stewart Simonson, marveled at finding “hundreds of tons of calcium carbonate” dissolved in the sea around reefs, before noting:

In the industry, if someone asked me to do that, I’d need tanker trucks of hydrochloric acid in concentrated form to get that much to dissolve.

Yo, Stu. Ever heard of the well-documented process known as ocean acidification? It compromises coral's ability to recolonize and grow sturdy structures, making it more vulnerable to diseases and damage caused by other threats, such as warming water temperature and chemical and nutrient pollution.

In fact, Slate recently had an article on how “Ocean waters are turning corrosive, and it’s happening so quickly scientists say there may not be any oysters left to eat in coming decades.”

And as a friend noted, folks use hydrochloridic acid by the five-gallon-bucket full to keep many of the outdated wastewater systems working in Haena. Now that can't be good for the reefs.

Undeterred by reality, Simonson extrapolates his mad theorizing to sea creatues, bolstering Lilley's claim that Navy radar is blinding turtles and blowing off their fins, and otherwise electrocuting sharks, whales and other marine life:

The turtle “is poking his head up and floating around a bit near the surface and getting juiced a bit near the surface,” Simonson said.

Lilley said it’s much more difficult to show a connection between electromagnetic radiation and human disease than it is to document the effect on marine life because of the secrecy of medical records.

Medical records be damned, I'm pretty sure we'd hear about it if a snorkeler went blind or a surfer's ears were shredded. 

As any good scientist knows, you check out your theories before presenting them authoritatively to a gullible, scientifically illiterate reporter. The scenario presented by Lilley and Simonson lacks credible methodology, much less adherence to the basic scientific principles of data collection, repeatability or verification. What's more, the suggested effects would manifest anywhere there is land/water interface with radars, which is clearly not the case.

Is it any wonder that PMRF commander Capt. Bruce Hay didn't respond to TGI's inquiries about those claims? Where would you even start?

And as any good reporter knows, you check things out before you go to press. Because once it's out there, people believe it, even if it's utter nonsense. TGI needs to stop giving Lilley a platform and develop a broader network of credible sources who aren't publicity hounds.

As a journalist friend observed after reading the story:

I've come to the conclusion that TGI can't really help the community but it sure can damage it. Unbelievable.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

the GI article was written in a way to make it look like the comments were from the military during their meeting. Only once i read it, did i think no way would they be saying that and reread it. it actually is getting funny, we must be the paranoid island, everything is out to get us, add it a healthy dose of poor education and shizam. When really, it is the tourist in unsustainable numbers that are polluting the reef with their sunscreen and mosquito repellent slathered all over before they go for that snorkel, not to mention cesspools and too much development along the coast.

Anonymous said...

Did you hear his story about how he got electrocuted while diving because of PMRF's testing????

Anonymous said...

And I totally agree with 9:08...I have been saying that for a long time...try go in the water at Poipu beach..dont put lotion...you will come out smelling like lotion....

Dawson said...

C'mon, TGI, give the PMRF a break. Everyone knows they have to keep those radars going 24/7 to guide the jetliners that spread chemtrails.

Anonymous said...

Joan- Your lead in paragraph seems to be false. Joan says, "But that's what The Garden Island gave us yesterday when it reported that radar from the Pacific Missile Range Facility is killing Kauai's reefs.". I read the article twice, and could not find one sentence which said radar is "killing Kauaʻiʻs reefs". This is what I found- "possible effects", "could be the cause", "raising concerns", "they have a few ideas", "Simonson’s theory", "I think it’s grounding out on the reef", "The primary driver might be voltage", "Simonson’s electromagnetic radiation theory", "Simonson further theorizes", "scientists theorize the effects of chronic exposure". Joan, not one example of the GI reporting radar is "killing Kauaʻiʻs reefs. You have taken the suppositions and theories from the article and turned them into "facts". Where is your objectivity? Talk about slanted journalism and twisting facts to suit an agenda. What an absolutely untrue and misleading lead in to your blog. And your title says, "Musings: Unbelievable. Literally" What a joke! Literally? I gave you "literal" quotes. Now am waiting to see your "literal" quotes to back up your statement accusing the GI of saying that "radar from the Pacific Missile Range Facility is killing Kauai's reefs." Stay literal, Joan. It helps with objectivity.

Joan Conrow said...

It's possible to be too literal, 10:05, and it appears that's what happened to you. Come on. When you're talking about "corrosion" and "destruction," you're talking about killing reefs. And I made it clear throughout that we were talking about their crackpot theory, and certainly not facts.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful article showing that the military is willing to work with the public and concerned citizens to help determine what is causing rapid reef collapse, coral die-off and damage to other sea life. Such a shame that this blog seems to view this collaboration in such a negative light. Hats of to PMRF and Capt. Bruce who stated, "A positive dialogue was established between certified scientists and concerned citizens during the meeting.” Hats off to Terry Lilley and Stewart Simonson for all their hard work. This collaboration is such a positive example of how citizens and military can work together in dealing with the monumental environmental problems we all face today. And congratulations to the Garden Island for such an informative article.

Anonymous said...

@10:19 Felicia Cowden

Anonymous said...

@10:28 I am 10:19. I do not understand your comment.

Anonymous said...

Hahaha. TGI should change their name to The Gossip Island newspaper.

Anonymous said...

You cannot get a job on PMRF unless you are connected with the good ol boys and gals that's tied to rackets and the Navy doesn't even know it. They harbor criminals with jobs.

Anonymous said...

People work together to create a better world....and then the haters come out who love to turn anything positive into negative through insinuations and hateful personal attacks. I also say "mahalo nui loa" to the Garden Island for the positive and inspiring news article.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the Gaga Island. But it would certainly help if Dennis Francis hired a real environmental reporter as opposed to some flack for every bunkum crackpot theory these folks from away can conjure up. Loved the bogus graphics, though. I can hardly wait to see the coverage of tonight's explanation for recommendations for monitoring all kinds of alleged harms the Joint Fact Finding Group was unable to document. Nothing like crying wolf to grab headlines in flacidly run press organs.

Anonymous said...

10:19 and 1:50 -- There's a sucker born every minute.

Anonymous said...

Great barrier reef coral bleaching is worst in its history.

Type these words in on Google and read more about it.

Anonymous said...

Kauaʻiʻs reefs are dying at an alarming rate. Yet when people who are concerned about this express their opinions not as facts, but as theories, they are called "foolish" and "fear-mongerers". Good science is about proposing theories and then examining facts to see if the theories are supported or not. That is what the collaboration between the military and the public in this article is all about. There is absolutely nothing foolish about asking scientific questions related to reef health. Foolishness comes when one already knows facts but refuses to accept them. But since it appears that needed facts based upon research are missing, how can the search for these facts be called "foolishness" and "fear-mongering"? Is it better to remain silent and ask no questions at all. Or to rely on the opinions of laypersons who have no scientific training in what is being discussed? Who are the real fools and fear-mongerers here? I myself will wait until more scientific research is done before forming an opinion about the issues in this article. That is the wisest approach.

Anonymous said...

Just go TO PBS watch their program on the dying coral and shell fish. They present the cause as the rising PH levels of all the oceans because the ocean is a sponge that absorbs CO2.
So if Ph and CO2 are not in the discussion it just a BS debate.

Reduce CO2 levels and the problem is solved.

Good luck with that you all.

Anonymous said...

Didn't the University of Hawaii drop some GoPro's for a grant to study the cause?

This was a few years ago so there has to be some kind of data.

Anonymous said...

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(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fda-sued-over-genetically-engineered-salmon_us_56fd75f7e4b083f5c60730bc)

Plaintiffs argue the federal agency overstepped its authority in approving the GMO fish.
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Critics worry engineered salmon could prove disastrous for wild salmon populations.


Anonymous said...

Who are the fear mongers? Are you kidding? The fear mongers is the idiot who runs over turtles in his so called research boat while recklessly chasing breaching whales for his Facebook posts and calendars, all the while blaming military shock waves. It's almost a good thing he is spending less time harassing the sea life in his motor boat because of his fearmongering teaching marine science type stuff job at the Puukumu school ( those poor, poor kids).

I wish the IT guy at TGI would block Terry Lilley from their phones and email system..

Dawson said...

4:10PM wrote:

Good science is about proposing theories and then examining facts to see if the theories are supported or not.

Exactly. And that's why the conspiracy-theory silliness of Lilley and Simonson is not only not good science, it's not science at all.


Anonymous said...

cummon you know every day is april foooz day when comes to terry lilley & co. When you do investigative journalism on their scammy nonprofit? bet he pays lot taxes for all the cash dollars he been begging at blackpot past decade (thank lord,the reef would be dead by now without him. oh. wait. huh. Anyway, they need pick a reason the coral dying and stick with it no? virus? gmos? mina morita? hmm…who sheehan hate this week… not taro. no Mowry? Waipa? yeah, they kill reef. radiation. military. agent orange. we no need proof. this is kauai, very trusting. and if you dont believe you want to kill reef too! anyway garden island newspaper is the funny pages. without cartoons. stop being so hard on them. you so mean joan. no sense of humor.

Anonymous said...

shit not worth reading. Is this what the garden island has degraded into? Lilley is total worthless shit!

John Kauai said...

FWIW:
The JFFG report was very well presented. KPD presence was unexpectedly "high", but who knows? The crowd was well behaved. Peter Adler did a good job as the MC. The panel was generally articulate -- unfortunately, except for the Seed company reps. One did an interpretation of Clarence Thomas (silence) while the other was a "valley girl" (Sooo Important).

It seems that Europe has banned chlorpyrifos and the EPA is about to here in the USA. CA allows (mandates?) local county control (regulation) of pesticides. DLNR is going to do necropsies on the dead owls, but only looking for rat poison. Stink weed apparently provides good Pizza seasoning and was hardly the cause of the Waimea Middle School events. Technology is moving so fast that it is nearly impossible to adhere to the "precautionary principle". The number of acres the seed companies are actually growing crops on is insignificant. Your kid is more likely to be poisoned by the stuff under your sink. The county sprays too much glyphosate.

The one constant: "No one has a clue." The number of people living on the West Side is not large enough that any one instance of any disease is statistically significant. There are several medical anomalies on the West Side, obesity being one, that can probably be attributed to other causes. However, the panel did -NOT- say much about the higher levels of renal failure which has been associated with glyphosate in Central America. (So my prejudice against the overuse of glyphosate is confirmed, lucky me)

Pretty much, I think that whichever "side" you are on, you came away with your prejudices confirmed.

The panel does agree that there needs to be more rigorous testing and that the imposition of expanded boundaries between schools and fields being sprayed should be expanded (they are 1/4 mile in San Bernardino, so the Bill 960 500ft is apparently rather "lame".) The "Good Neighbor" program is a good start, but hardly sufficient especially in light of the fact that there is no standard way of defining a given area of land.

Nothing, nothing, nothing I've said here should be taken as anything more than my impressions given that I was exhausted and probably dreaming much of it, save for the general agreement among -all- participants that there just isn't enough data to show that there is or is not a problem on Kauai, but that other government entities have had experience that Kauai should be able to learn from.

This problem is not going to go away because one side yells louder than the other or uses more profane language. The JFFG report can receive comments until 8 Apr. I thank them for their hard work which will continue for several more months. I support any rules that require better and more accurate reporting and data collection.

Joan Conrow said...

10:52-- The one constant: "No one has a clue."

Given your flawed "report'" here, John, and especially your bitchy characterization of the highly intelligent and articulate Sarah Styan, that most definitely includes you.

6:26: The claim that GE salmon will endanger wild populations is total BS. They are going to be raised inland in fully enclosed facilities and studies showed they quickly died when exposed to wild conditions. But hey, CFS makes dough from suing, so it sues, and the anti-GMO Chris D'Angelo dutifully parrots.

John Kauai said...

Agreed Joan, I still haven't any idea whether or not the Pesticide use on the West Side is a big deal or not. The JFFG was unable to provide a conclusion and so we continue in this never ending saga of both "sides" insisting they are right, leaving those in the middle (me) little choice but to support the report's recommendations.

Still Ms. Styan (I know her as the lady from DuPont) provided only "glittering generalities" during the presentation that droned on and on and on without content. (If the phrase "so important" had been part of a drinking game, the audience would have passed out on the floor.) Perhaps others might say that if there was something there, it got "lost in the translation".

John Kauai said...

I would like to express some sympathy for the two "industry reps" on the JFFG. They were assigned an extremely difficult (ultimately losing) task that I can imagine no one else from DuPont et. al. wanted. The "office politics" involved in passing on this "hot potato" must have been intriguing and I can imagine 'cut throat'.

Anonymous said...

He suffered a heart attack, he claims. He also has publically claimed that he suffered heart attacks on other occasions as well, when he needs a diversion to get sympathy over criticism.

Anonymous said...

What has Terry Lilley EVER done for Kaua'i, it's people, or environment? Seriously, what has actually happened? He promotes himself, begs for money, and is full of shit.

Anonymous said...

...Probably slept with him

Anonymous said...

Thank you! Bunch of idiots easily persuaded by a charlatan on this island.

Anonymous said...

And reflecting back on ALL of Terry Lilley's shenanigans, what has this clown actually done for Kaua'i, it's people, or environment? Please make a list of how he has actually done any good. Then compare it to who he has burned, and what frauds he has promoted. Then dare to research his California history, how he was a scam artist ripping off people in The herpetology world.

Anonymous said...

But how can Terry Lilley et al make $$ on that? No he needs a disaster that he can survive on.

Anonymous said...

Truth.

Anonymous said...

seems like we have more and more of these wackos who promote themselves as community savers, protectors and visionaries who know what's best for the rest; meanwhile scamming for grants,donations and other free money . there is a common thread. phonies, opportunists, non-profits.

Anonymous said...

Terry Lilley is a narcissist. If you tell him he is wrong he will attack you and get crazy, actually crazy. Please investigate him and ask around about him. Try to find people who have had unfortunate personal experiences with him directly.