War Day
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12:15 P . M . Lunch of soybean soup, lettuce with vinegar and oil, and a delicious Budweiser.
12:30 P . M . Met with Parish Council. We are going to try to expand our food program this winter. Last year we distributed 31,280
meals to the hungry. This year we are going to try for fifty thousand. Mrs. Cox said that the baby boy found behind the rectory last week was just fine, normal in every way, and has been placed with the Tucker family. They are at risk for having children, so they are terribly grateful.
1:00 P . M . Met with Joe O'Donnell, who is thinking about running for chief of police. The most powerful job in the Valley. Will he do it? He'd do a very creditable job, I feel sure. I promised to call the bishop on his behalf. There is certainly nothing wrong with having a Catholic in that job, and Joe is a good man.
1:15 P . M . Back to the church for fifteen minutes of prayer.
Spent it with Mary and had wonderful, intimate communication with her. Has our need somehow made our connection with deity stronger? Sometimes I feel as if Christ and Mary are here, alive, almost in the flesh. This, I suppose, is faith.
1:30 P . M . Catechism with my eighth-graders. Fifty kids. What a bunch of jokers! I love that class. We might be in hell, but kids are kids, always. What did I find in the question box? "Father, if you couldn't consummate marriage any other way, would it be permissible to use an Erector Set?" Kid's humor. We are into sex education. Some of these children are sterile.
2:30 P . M . Adult counseling for two hours. I took a Charismatic CALIFORNIA DANGERS 148
study group for half an hour, then a disturbed couple, then a woman who has bone cancer and is contemplating euthanasia. Personally I detest the practice, but I can see if I get a really rough cancer I might want to turn to it myself. His Holiness and the Archbishop of Canterbury have agreed that it's no sin to withdraw life support if the person is beyond hope. I promised to attend her.
4:30 P . M . Spent ten minutes with my breviary.
4:40 P. M. Went to the church and said Benediction. Our choir is just wonderful. Who would have thought ten years ago that I would have a full choir for weekday afternoon service? Not to mention two hundred people in the church. Christ has not failed us.
He is awakening our hearts.
5:00 P. M. Heard confessions for an hour. "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." How I love them, my dear parishioners. I will not speak of their sins, except to say that they are good people, and I know they are forgiven their little transgressions. I tell them to make penance a sacrament of self-discovery. Confession should be a joy.
6:00 P. M. Supper. Vegetable goulash with nice big pieces of sausage. Another Bud. Much laughter and joking around our big table of men and women. We have a lot of fun together.
7:00 P. M. BBC Overseas Service News. The U.K. has recognized the Kingdom of Azerbaijania. We looked and looked on the map, but we couldn't find it. Somewhere in the former Soviet Union, but where?
7:30 P. M. "Moon Over Morocco," a cigarette, and a cup of coffee. My half hour of indulgence! That's a delightful radio show. I must admit that I miss TV. Boy, what I wouldn't give to feast my eyes on "M*A*S*H" just one more time. As a semipublic institution, we have some chance of getting a TV before too much longer.
The BBC is already beaming shows over here by satellite, and Ted Turner is getting organized again in Atlanta and L.A. Also, HBO
and the networks are coming back. Soon, please, and don't neglect the half-hour format, because that's all I have time for!
8:00 P. M. Meeting of the Charismatics in the basement of the church. I'm glad that Sister Euphrasia and Father Booth are both members of this movement! I can't begin to speak in tongues. I can't keep up with their intensity. Their faith is like fire. These are 144 WARDAY
God's people, these Charismatics. We are going to have to move our group upstairs. Three hundred people are too many for the basement. Might even be a fire hazard.
9:00 P.M. Meeting of the Knights of Columbus in the school caf-etorium. Full-dress affair. I led prayers. We are making elaborate plans for the Christ the King procession upcoming.
10:00 P.M. A call from the man who was diagnosed as terminal Hodgkin's yesterday. Met him in the church and we said the rosary together. He told his family over supper. He says they spent the evening singing and talking about how close the Lord is to them now. I suggested they go to the Charismatic meeting tomorrow night. They heal each other all the time, maybe they'll heal him.
But I didn't say that to him. I said, if he feels Christ in him so strongly, he belongs among them, and so does his family.
11:00 P.M. Breviary for fifteen minutes, and another fifteen reading the new Mailer book. Ghost Dance is a great statement on our lives now.
11:30 P.M. My five minutes in the shower. Father Moore snapped me with a towel. How I would like to be twenty-three years old again! These old bones . . .
12:00 A . M . Lights out at the St. Francis rectory. Silence. My cross, a darker shadow on my dark wall. The wind moaning past the eaves. Sleep, and a dream of long ago.
Documents from the Civil Defense
There goes the night brigade
They got no steady trade . . .
—Ezra Pound
HELPFUL HINTS FOR THE UNAFFECTED: BLUEGRAMS
You probably don't know about Bluegrams. I certainly didn't see any in Texas during the war, and Whitley doesn't remember them from New York.
They are apparently called Bluegrams because they are printed on light-green paper.
There is an element of practicality about Bluegrams. Their distribution, however, appears to be limited to areas where they aren't needed.
So, in case you might find them useful, I include here the two most practical ones we picked up.
One sees Bluegrams in all sorts of places, pinned to community bulletin boards or left in stacks on the counters of luncheonettes.
We could have included Bluegrams on control of radioactive roaches or on the washing of hot cars with sponges attached to fishing poles, but we decided to limit ourselves to material of at least some interest to people who live in the communities for which they were obviously intended in the first place.
Why don't areas of genuine need get Bluegrams? Maybe the Civil Defense officials responsible don't want to upset us, or—
more likely—they'd rather stay in California than set out with their little blue trucks to that softly glowing world beyond the Sierras.
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CIVIL DEFENSE BULLETIN
December 13, 1988
HOME OR BUSINESS PROTECTION FROM RADIATION
In the event that the United States sustains another nuclear attack, you are advised to seek the best protection possible for yourself and your family.
If you live in or near a city, you should receive advance warning of an attack. It is possible, however, with the current emergency conditions, and with only partially repaired communications, that an attack warning will not be given or will be brief at best. In some cases, you will learn of an attack only after it has occurred.
IN EITHER CASE, YOU MUST TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTION IMMEDIATELY AND IN THE STRUCTURE WITH THE HIGHEST PROTECTIVE LEVEL
AVAILABLE TO YOU AT THE TIME.
Different buildings and structures vary in the level of radiation protection offered. In general, basements or rooms underground offer the best protection. In an emergency, however, you and members of your family may have to make quick judgments as to the best and most accessible place available to you at the time.
The following examples list structures along with their respective protection factors. The higher the factor, the better the protection.
TYPICAL BUILDINGS AND THEIR PROTECTIVE VALUE
Type of Building Factor
Underground shelters covered by 3 feet or more 1000+
of dirt, or sub-basements of buildings with more
than 5 stories
Basement fallout shelters, basements without 250
&
nbsp; exposed walls, and central areas of upper floors to (not top 3) with heavy exterior walls 1000
Basements of buildings with frame and brick 50
veneers, central area of basements with partially to exposed waifs, and central areas of upper floors 250
(not top floor) in multistory buildings with heavy floors and exterior walls
CALIFORNIA DANGERS 147
TYPICAL BUILDINGS AND THEIR PROTECTIVE VALUE
Type of Building
Factor
Basements without exposed walls of 1-2 story
10
buildings and central areas of upper floors (not
to
top) of multistory buildings with light floors and
50
walls
Partially exposed basements of 1-2 story
2
buildings and central areas on ground floor of
to
similar buildings with heavy masonry walls
10
Above ground rooms of light residential homes
2 or
or apartments
Less
REMEMBER, SOME PROTECTION IS BETTER THAN NONE.
GOOD PROTECTION WILL SAVE LIVES!
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FOR LOCAL DISTRIBUTION
CIVIL DEFENSE DIRECTIVE A-25
December 15, 1988
EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS FOR RADIOLOGIC DECONTAMINATION
THE FOLLOWING EMERGENCY GUIDELINES SHOULD BE FOLLOWED
UNTIL FULL-SCALE GOVERNMENT DECONTAMINATION EFFORTS CAN
BE UNDERTAKEN.
If you live near a War Zone, or if you are being billeted temporarily by military or local government, you may be in considerable danger through contact with materials that have been made radioactive by the bomb explosion itself, or from fallout.
Radioactivity cannot be seen. The only sure way to know if radioactivity is present is to use electronic detectors that measure radioactivity. These devices are available from your local government, or from the military units assigned to your area.
BUT WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS IMMEDIATELY
TO RADIATION DETECTORS?
It's best to be safe. If you live within 100 miles of a designated War Zone, it is highly likely that you will have at least some objects or surfaces affected with radioactivity. Or, if you live within any of the areas where fallout has occurred, you probably have some degree of contamination.
MOST RADIATION WILL DISAPPEAR WITHIN 60-90 DAYS. HOWEVER, DEPENDING UPON YOUR LOCATION AND PROXIMITY TO A BOMBED
AREA, YOU COULD HAVE SUFFICIENT RADIOACTIVITY PRESENT TO
CAUSE SERIOUS ILLNESS.
IF POSSIBLE, YOU SHOULD CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT
OR WITH MILITARY AUTHORITIES"TO DETERMINE THE LIKELIHOOD OF RADIOACTIVITY IN YOUR HOME OR BILLETING AREA.
If you know some radioactivity is present, or you suspect this to be the case, then you should utilize the following methods for decontaminating common materials and surfaces.
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1. CLOTHING
Clothing that is heavily contaminated, e.g., that which has been outside and unprotected, should be discarded at once and buried in a location that will not affect water supplies.
Other clothing can be brushed or washed, though you should be careful to control the runoff in order to prevent further contamination. Using a detergent will help. All washing should be done in one area and the runoff directed to the same collector, which later can be covered up.
Always use gloves if you can, and wash yourself thoroughly afterwards.
2. FOOD
Packaged food can be brushed or washed, though you should watch out for dust particles. Unprotected food should be disposed of as soon as possible.
You should not plan to hunt for wild game for another four months; the possibility that wildlife has ingested radioactive particles is still dangerously high.
3. METAL AND PAINTED SURFACES
Metal or painted surfaces, including cars and trucks, can be washed or scrubbed, with or without detergents or cleansing agents. Again, you should control the runoff. The use of complexing agents—oxalates, carbonates, acids or oxidizing agents—can be useful for porous surfaces but chemically dangerous; care should be taken in using chemicals.
4. LARGE STRUCTURES
Large structures, such as houses, buildings, barns, etc., are most quickly cleaned with water sprays. Structures that are heavily contaminated, however, will need more intensive treatment. Chemical treatment may be necessary; abrasion or sandblasting may be necessary with concrete and brick.
Runoff can be a major problem, and all cleaning personnel should wear protective clothing and masks.
5. TERRAIN
Earth surfaces that are radioactive can be removed, though disposal can be a problem. For farming areas, plowing under may be the most expedient action, but the ground remains radioactive for some time and may not be readily usable again. You should consult your local authorities about any substantial earth-moving activity you propose. Protective clothing should be worn at all times, and face masks, such as those worn by medical personnel, should be used.
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6. WATER
Standing water, such as that in pools or tanks, should not be used and little can be done to purify the water, short of using complex ion-exchange equipment. Water from streams or rivers may have surface contamination as a result of having passed through radioactive areas. Water for personal consumption should be purified using available equipment or homemade devices, such as natural filtration through buckets filled with stones, clay, and other filtrating materials. Filtered water should then be treated with iodine tablets to remove any trace of radioactive iodine. Water from deep ground wells should be usable without treatment.
WARNING: IF YOU ARE UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVITY OF ANY OBJECT OR SURFACE, USE CARE AND DE-
CONTAMINATED DO NOT HESITATE TO CONSULT YOUR
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR MILITARY AUTHORITIES FOR AS-
SISTANCE.
Rumors
Mutants and Super-Beasts
Jim and I heard our first rumor on the trolley into L.A. Since then, we've found that rumors run in the blood of this city.
R U M O R : There is a gigantic beast with bat wings and red, burning eyes that has attacked adults and carried off children. The creature stands seven feet tall and makes a soft whistling noise. It is often seen on roofs in populated areas, but only at night.
F A C T : Of all the rumors we heard, this was the most persistent.
Claiming that we were L.A. Times reporters, we called Dr. Edward Wagner of UCLA, a biologist, and asked him to comment on the possibility that some sort of radiation-induced mutation could have produced a new species of giant bat. Dr. Wagner stated that giantism is a fairly well understood evolutionary phenomenon that is caused by space-competition among species. He doubted that something as fully developed as this could have come about in the thirty-odd bat generations that have elapsed since the war.
A Glendale resident, who was attacked in August of '91, recorded his experience in the weekly Glendale Courier:
I had just gotten off the Glendale trolley when I heard this soft sort of cooing noise coming from the roof of a house. The sound was repeated and I turned to look toward the house. Standing on 151
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the roof was what looked like a man wrapped in a cloak. Then it spread its wings and whoosh! 'it was right on top of me! I remember it smelted awful, like something dead. It was working at my face with these long, probing fingers. It got them around my neck and it started snapping its teeth and hissing. Its wings were wrapped around me. I was smothering in there, in the stink of the thing.
When I saw its eyes, red and glaring, hideous, I thought it was the devil come for me and I gave out a scream. Just like that, it spread its wings and started flying, its fingers still around my head. I was dragged halfway down the block, then it let me go and t
ook off into the sky, cooing and hissing. I saw the moonlight glint off its wings, then it was gone.
The individual who told this story to the paper was also reported to have extensive scars on his neck and head, of the type that long fingernails or talons might make.
We have no further information about this story.
RUMOR: Radiation has caused many terrible mutations, such as babies who claw their way out of the mother's womb just as the first contractions of labor start. Also, babies who are born with the genitals of adults, or women having animal children, usually mon-keys or pigs.
P A C T : We have great difficulty getting used to the high level of mutation that is an inevitable side-effect of high ambient radiation.
Naturally, mutations occur with greatest frequency in areas most seriously radiated. A mother in California, for example, has little more chance of bearing a mutant child than before the war, but a mother in Dallas is many times more likely to bear a mutant.
Mutations take two basic forms, degenerative and progressive.
Ninety-nine out of a hundred degenerative mutations involve some sort of destruction or malformation of the fetus. They never involve atavism, such as a woman giving birth to an animal child.
Such a mutation is probably not possible. Nor are they likely to involve such farfetched nonsense as babies with claws or babies with fully developed genitals. The truth is much more prosaic, and much sadder. Common mutations are malformed limbs, bones, or eyes, brain disorders, and malfunctioning organs, such as improp-
CALIFORNIA DANGERS 153
erly formed hearts. In cases where the mutant is declared non-viable on the Hexler Function Scale, the parents may elect euthanasia.
Progressive mutations are much more rare, but they are not unknown. The most usual progressive mutation we are aware of is so-called hyperintelligence syndrome (HIS). Babies displaying this syndrome exhibit certain common characteristics: they are extremely aware even at birth and are generally capable of lifting their heads, smiling, and making organized sounds within a few hours of being born. This initial precociousness is not followed up, however, at least not evenly. There are HIS children three years old who can read Shakespeare but are still mastering the art of walking. A common problem in HIS children is difficulty acclimatizing to extreme stimuli such as loud sounds or bright colors. HIS