Three Mile Island Accident
At 4:00am, March 28th, 1979, (one year to the minute after the reactor’s start-up) the main feedwater pumps of the TMI-2 reactor at The Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant FAILED. Marking the begining of the most significant nuclear energy related accident in American history. Operators in the control room were relying on faulty, cheaply constructed equipment, and ambigious gauges and LEDs to determine the cause of the problem, which was a loss of coolant accident, however this was not determined untill after the 6am shift change, over 165 minutes after the initial problem sequence, that the site radiation alarm sounded and a “Site Area Emergency” was called.
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD HAZ MAT RADIOACTIVE PLACARD SIGN
Incidently Easton is also the home to the Crayola Factory (which you need reservations to go to in the summer).
Purple Fluorite, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
When the series of events leading to the accidnet are looked at step by step, the concept of murphy’s law comes to mind. While the accident itself resulted in little (if any) scientifically documented health problems to the public, it irreversibly changed not only the publics opinion on nuclear powerplants, it also managed to redirect the course of commercialized power generating in the United States. At the time of the accident 129 nuclear power plants had been approved for construction in the US; of those, only 53 were ever completed.
We have collected in Prospect Park several times, you can read about our trip there last summer, or see a video of us collecting a couple years ago.
Pyrite Cubes in Matrix - Pennsylvania
Wavellite, Mount Pleasant Mills, Pennsylvania
Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Light TMI Coffee Mug
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
On this day in 1911 the famous Triangle Stirwaist Factory caught fire and killed 148 garmet workers. The fire, started by unknown causes, origanated on the 8th floor. Most of the workers on the 9th and 10th floors recieved ample warning, and were able to escape the burning building. However the warning did not reach the young, largely immigrant seamtresses on the 8th floor in time. This floor only had one exit, a poorly connected fire escape, that soon fell from the weight of so many people on it at one time. The regular doors were looked during working hours to keep the women from leaving their posts, but no one had taken the time to unlock it, as the owners escaped to the roof for safety as soon as the fire broke out. Many of the women, upon realizing that they were trapped, broke the facotry windows and jumped to their deaths, the ones that didn’t were over came by the smoke and fire.
Dendritic Quartz Triangle Cabochon
This event shocked and horrified the public, being the worst industrial accident to date, and resulted in the push for safety reform for factory workers. In October of that same year the American Society of Safety Engineers was founded. The owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory were aquitted of criminal charges, but were ordered by the civil courts to pay reparations of $75 per victim to the families of the deceased. Today the Ash Building, as it is now called it a National Historic Landmark, located iat 23-29 Washington Place, Manhattan, New York.
GENUINE NANTAN METEORITE PYRAMID
MAGNETITE OCTAHEDRON CRYSTALS FROM AUSTRALIA
Happy Easter
As all of you know, today is Easter Sunday. Easter is a feast day, as it celebrates the resurection of Jesus Christ, after his crucifiction on Good Friday and his descent into Hades for the duration of Holy Saturday. Easter historically is the begining of the Easter Season that lasts for 40 days, ending on Ascension Day. However in modern times it lasts for 50 days, up until Pentecost. The date of Easter varies from year to year, so it is referred to as a moveable feast day. The date is now celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon, on or after the the vernal equinox.
HOLY TRINITY QUARTZ CRYSTAL CROSS CLUSTER
One of the oldest symbols associated with this time of year is the EGG. It’s relation to Easter dates back to the ancient Persians who decorated eggs in celebration of their New Year, which to the Persians was the vernal (spring) equinox. Eggs, (along with rabbits, chicks, and lambs) have allways been considered a symbol of fertility, so the connection with spring is clearly evident. Once early Christianity started to spread around the globe, traditional regional customs were adopted into the christain festivities.
Chrome Diopside Gemstone Crystal Egg
In western culture, especially in America and Europe, one of the most recognized symbols of Easter is a rabbit, or “Easter Bunny”. As previously stated, rabbits are a yet another ancient symbol relating to spring and fertility. Anyone who has ever raised rabbits, can certianly understand why.
Golden Tiger Eye Rabbit Pendant
Orange Calcite Carved Stone Rabbit
