The blind leading the stupid

If you need to, read my post Depleted Uranium... One step forward, Two steps back so that when you read this article, you can have yourself a good laugh... then cry.

Just to catch you up real quick, Sequoyah Fuels in Oklahoma was to remove 1.5 million pounds (750 tons) of DU to be stored at a former atomic-bomb test site in Nevada, when all of a sudden a leak was discovered.

"... the breach occurred because the drums have been exposed to the elements for the past 13 or 14 years."

After extensive online research, I have discovered Sequoyah Fuels "Safety" Checklist to include, AND limited, to the following...

1. Store DU in 55 gallon drums... CHECK
2. Seal drums... CHECK
3. Stack drums... CHECK
4. Store stacked drums in steel container... CHECK
5. Seal steel container... CHECK

Lessons Learned: In future maneuvers, insert new step 1...

1. Ensure 55 gallon drums that have been exposed to the elements for the past 13-14 years DON'T FUCKING LEAK!

"Officials say it will take another two weeks before removal of the 95,000 tons of radioactive waste remaining at the site can resume."

Not to belabor the issue of stupidity and the amateur hour that is the Associated Press, but there are 2000 pounds in one ton, but of course that was like, third grade science, so it's hard to remember. But then there is the trouble with math, and all of those zeroes can get really, REALLY confusing. And who wants to do Long Division?! Thank the LORD for Google Calculator!

Considering the fact that there are five containers remaining, that would mean that each container weighs 19,000 tons = 38 Million pounds! A Class IV Gross trailer weight rating is rated to 10,000 lbs (5 tons).

Basically it's a typo, but still something we can poke fun at and do absurd math tricks with until our calculator button pushing fingers turn blue, but all we really need to do is to change 'tons' to 'pounds' and we still have a little problem. 95,000 pounds to go, until everyone in OK is a-ok... (far from it). Ok, a little more math here (and one more okay... Okliedokliedoo),



That means they transported 1.405 millions pounds out of 1.5 million pounds to Nevada before they figured out that they were leaking? So, if you're travelling down Highway 40 jamming to a little Corey Hart, and you find the road well lit by a creepy green light, don't start turning you're lights on and off proclaiming, "Look ma, no hands!" Not only is it dangerous, but it makes the DU mad.

I'm not proud about the accuracy by which I can point out the failures of depleted uranium maneuvers, but ever since my Atari joystick broke I have had no other means by which to gauge the successes in my life.

Now back to that whole War-with-Iran thing leading up to World War III for which I will score mega points! Hooray for me :(