amniotic fluidFirst, an apology. I have brought shame to my own self and this blog for failing to invoke trigger warnings about activities I will mention again, after the appropriate trigger warning. (I had no idea there were so many.)

Trigger Warning

This post will refer to activities in oil and gas production as they are commonly described in the industry. This post will feature the mindset of the industry and its enemies. Don’t take my word for it. Read the links themselves. First, see James Lileks‘ treatment of trigger warnings in National Review.

Fracking (ouch) had mixed poll results in a recent Gallup Poll.  Perhaps that is because of …

Hysteria

Michael Lynch in Forbes cites emotional, bordering on the ridiculous, claims by anti-frackers, including our favorite Yoko and related anti-fracing groups who resort to demagoguery and overuse and misuse of “frac”.

Women in the oil business, do know what you are? Sandra Steingraber is an environmental activist who “peer-reviewed” the study relied on by Gov. Cuomo to ban fracking in New York. She opined that the only jobs for women in the “fossil fuel industry” are as prostitutes and hotel maids. But then, there is …

Science

Energy in Depth reports that according to the California Council on Science and Technology, five myths by fracking opponents have been debunked:

  • Hazardous chemicals are released by hydraulic fracturing,
  • Hydraulic fracturing directly causes ground water contamination,
  • Fluid injected in the process of fracing causes earthquakes,
  • Upstream oil and gas sources represent small proportions of toxics in certain highly-urbanized areas in the South Coast air district. Eliminating oil and gas production would not eliminate air pollution problems in the San Joaquin Valley. (To be fair about it, oil and gas facilities emit significant air toxics in the area and are responsible for a large fraction of H2S emissions.)
  • Fracturing operations use a large amount of fresh water compared to other human water use.

CCST is a “non-partisan, impartial not for profit corporation established in 1988 by an assembly concurrent resolution to provide objective advice from California’s best scientists and research institutions on policy issues involving science.”

According to a grudgingly favorable report from Treehugger, billions of gallons of treated wastewater from fracking operations are being delivered to California almond and pistachio producers for irrigation.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology reports that electrodialysis may provide a cost effective treatment of salty water from hydraulic fracturing.  Both of these reports show progress in the important area of water use. Do not let the likes of CERES tell you nobody but them is doing anything about it.

Announcing the Gray Reed Safe Room

By now you are aware of “safe rooms” on college campuses – havens for those youngsters who are so traumatized by ideas that offend their firmly and sincerely held personal beliefs that they can’t function. I learned about the one at Brown University from a source not The Onion and not first presented on April 1st. That’s what you get for $48,272 in annual tuition.

Gray Reed goes one better than Brown.  Sand is an irritant to sensitive young skin, a little one could gag on a chunk of Play Doh, and communing with your inner three-year-old isn’t sufficiently therapeutic. In the Gray Reed safe room there will be the frolicking puppies, but also more! To bring a profound and perfect peace to the utterly infantilized, participants in the Gray Reed safe room will be bathed in a warm, gently flowing stream of amniotic fluid. No harsh abrasives or choking hazards. You can’t get any closer to “home” than that.

A Bo Diddley interlude.

Coming soon: Huckleberry Finn, uncensored.