Time to Change the Cat Box!

I was floored to hear the only credible theory investigators have about the Valentine’s Day radiation release at the Waste Isolation Plant (WIPP) placed the finger of blame squarely on organic kittie litter “cellulose material” and nitrate salts that together melted the radiated junk in one of the drums.

Of course, I thought, it’s those damn hippies again with their organic cat litter. See what happens when they impose their self-righteous will on the rest of us by insisting that only organic kittie litter be used at WIPP?

They’re unAmerican those hippies with their organic cats that they say have been going down into the salt vaults in search of all this kittie litter the DOE has been buying and stashing underground. There the litter stash has been safely coverted away where no one can see, and where, certainly, no one can account for all those thousands of organic kittie litter bags stored neatly in stacks on pallets in their own special chamber. There are consequences.

Now the DOE will have to return the unused organic kittie litter to Walmart and get the scented clumping kind that won’t melt the goods down in the caves. At least now there is an explanation of sorts. I am feeling a whole lot better knowing this approximation to the truth, but that’s not what bugs me.

What about all those organic cats that every night wend their way down into the God forsaken salt rooms and howl in lust for all the DOE kittie litter? Are they a security risk? What do they know and when did they know it? 

 

(Photos by Pedro Szekely and Tambako the Jaguar)




This piece was written by:

James Burbank's photo

James Burbank

James Burbank has written and published over 200 articles for regional and national publications such as Reuters International News Service, The World & I Magazine, National Catholic Reporter, Farmer’s Almanac, Los Angeles Herald Examiner, La Opinion, New Mexico Magazine, Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque Tribune. He is author of Retirement New Mexico, the best selling book published by New Mexico Magazine Press, now in its third edition. He is also author of Vanishing Lobo: the Mexican Wolf in the Southwest, published by Johnson Books.

As a professional writing consultant, he has written and edited publications, video and radio scripts, annual reports, and investment information for a wide variety of corporate clients. A Lecturer II for the Department of English, Burbank has specialized in teaching technical writing and professional writing. His interests extend from composition and writing theory to environmental and nature writing. He has played a leadership role in developing and implementing the English Department’s teaching mentorship program.


Contact James Burbank

Responses to “Time to Change the Cat Box!”