The beachfront of this army base is made available for army veterans and their guests to have their RV’s right on the beach including hook-ups.
A man was spotted wearing a cap with in bright golden letters: “Vietnam Veteran” and we may wonder if in 30 years time a man will be in the same place wearing a cap “Iraq Veteran”.
And we may wonder what will be on the cap of the man there in 60 and 90 years time.
A song heard this morning on XM-radio’s “Fine Tuning” channel inspired this thought.
Written in 1961 by Pete Seegers and made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary.
The lyrics are:
WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the flowers gone?
Girls have picked them every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young girls gone?
Taken husbands every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Covered with flowers every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?
The lyrics of this song are also applicable for a situation encountered South of Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base.
Right on the beach is the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.
This nuclear power plant generates 20 % of power to more than 15 million Californians.Owned by the Southern California Edison Co. and the San Diego Gas & Electric, it is an old nuclear power plant.
Build in 1983 and 1984.
For this reason two reactors have been stopped being too old.
Recently, in Tokyo, Japan, the leading authority in nuclear energy was met, Prof.Dr. Takaya Kawabe, who explained that the only option at this moment in time we have to produce energy in a relative environmental friendly way, is nuclear power.
Nuclear power plants do produce nuclear waste but it is expected that in the future we will develop ways to deal with that.
Meanwhile nuclear power plants now do not pollute.
This is, when a nuclear power plant is managed well and kept in perfect condition.
The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station takes its cooling water from the Ocean.
And returns it after use back into the ocean.
The enormous amount of 1.6 million gallons (6 million litres) per minute are dumped 8.600 yards (7.8 kilometres) into the ocean.
This is all very well if everything is operating as it should inside the nuclear power plant.
However, in the case of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, it has been discovered that it is leaking.
Meaning that radioactivity is contaminating the cooling water.
16 times above safe levels.
Of course the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station is not stopped to fix the leaking. California cannot be without the 20 % of her need of electricity.
Economic reasons dominate also in this case the concern for the environment, the local population and our future.
When will we ever learn?
*****************************************
To learn more about the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, click on:
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/homepage/article_1246083.php
http://www.sce.com/PowerandEnvironment/PowerGeneration/SanOnofreNuclearGeneratingStation/default.htm?goto=songs
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/environm/onofre/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Onofre_Nuclear_Generating_Station
http://www.aaenvironment.com/GreenNuclear.htm
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