Interesting, Kevin. But does anybody know what's in fracking fluids? I spent
an hour a while back trying to find out but it all seemed a bit cryptic.
Here is an example of what I meen. I googled "Fracking fluid?" just now and
up came this as no. 1:
http://www.energyfromshale.org/hydraulic-fracturing-fluid - namely, a site
that claims there has been not one problem, but which fails to say what's in
the fluid. Further down there's a link about "green" fracking fluids, which
gets me thinking that if some such fluids are "green", what colour does that
leave the rest? At the end of the day, I've got a huge gut reaction against
fracturing bedrock. Has nobody ever studied hydrology? Does nobody care
about spring lines, wells, etc? The Platonic Socrates' description of
prehistoric Greece keeps coming to mind (in the Critias) - the sense of the
land being wrecked, so that, as in the last line of the text (below), even
the sacred fountains had dried up. Is my sense of hydrology amiss ... or is
fracturing bedrock a crime against all time? I'm open to being wrong. I'm
averse to taking a kneejerk reaction on things. But I'm disturbed by the
dearth of intelligent discussion both on the chemicals and the hydrology.
Any informed insights? 

Alastair

From Plato's Critias: Now the country was inhabited in those days by various
classes of citizens;-there were artisans, and there were husbandmen, and
there was also a warrior class originally set apart by divine men. The
latter dwelt by themselves, and had all things suitable for nurture and
education; neither had any of them anything of their own, but they regarded
all that they had as common property; nor did they claim to receive of the
other citizens anything more than their necessary food. And they practised
all the pursuits which we yesterday described as those of our imaginary
guardians. Concerning the country the Egyptian priests said what is not only
probable but manifestly true, that the boundaries were in those days fixed
by the Isthmus, and that in the direction of the continent they extended as
far as the heights of Cithaeron and Parnes; the boundary line came down in
the direction of the sea, having the district of Oropus on the right, and
with the river Asopus as the limit on the left. The land was the best in the
world, and was therefore able in those days to support a vast army, raised
from the surrounding people. Even the remnant of Attica which now exists may
compare with any region in the world for the variety and excellence of its
fruits and the suitableness of its pastures to every sort of animal, which
proves what I am saying; but in those days the country was fair as now and
yielded far more abundant produce. How shall I establish my words? and what
part of it can be truly called a remnant of the land that then was? The
whole country is only a long promontory extending far into the sea away from
the rest of the continent, while the surrounding basin of the sea is
everywhere deep in the neighbourhood of the shore. Many great deluges have
taken place during the nine thousand years, for that is the number of years
which have elapsed since the time of which I am speaking; and during all
this time and through so many changes, there has never been any considerable
accumulation of the soil coming down from the mountains, as in other places,
but the earth has fallen away all round and sunk out of sight. The
consequence is, that in comparison of what then was, there are remaining
only the bones of the wasted body, as they may be called, as in the case of
small islands, all the richer and softer parts of the soil having fallen
away, and the mere skeleton of the land being left. But in the primitive
state of the country, its mountains were high hills covered with soil, and
the plains, as they are termed by us, of Phelleus were full of rich earth,
and there was abundance of wood in the mountains. Of this last the traces
still remain, for although some of the mountains now only afford sustenance
to bees, not so very long ago there were still to be seen roofs of timber
cut from trees growing there, which were of a size sufficient to cover the
largest houses; and there were many other high trees, cultivated by man and
bearing abundance of food for cattle. Moreover, the land reaped the benefit
of the annual rainfall, not as now losing the water which flows off the bare
earth into the sea, but, having an abundant supply in all places, and
receiving it into herself and treasuring it up in the close clay soil, it
let off into the hollows the streams which it absorbed from the heights,
providing everywhere abundant fountains and rivers, of which there may still
be observed sacred memorials in places where fountains once existed; and
this proves the truth of what I am saying.



-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for the Crisis Forum
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kevin Coleman
Sent: 30 November 2012 20:04
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: For those who still think 'Fracking' (Hydraulic Fracturing) is the
way forward.

Hello All,
I came across another report into the dangers of hydraulic fracturing
earlier today and was then subsequently sent another version of the same
report. Seems like our food supply is in danger of dying if we insist on
getting the gas instead of getting sensible about our priorities and
ensuring a safe and healthy food supply.
But that is something for you all to debate. Of course i make no excuses
about the news sources that reported on the issue.
Kev C

http://grist.org/news/fracking-threatens-farms-and-food-safety/

http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/29/15547283-livestock-falling-i
ll-in-fracking-regions?lite

Also a blog link that shows the problems one farmer has had and is still
having getting to the bottom of the problems relating to livestock deaths on
his land. Makes interesting reading and smells of a cover up.

http://barnettshalehell.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/emails-on-another-cattle-ki
ll-story-near-mineral-wells-tx-june-2010/

--
"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare."
Japanese Proverb