The Japanese military has built its own air base in the African country of Djibouti. The official reason is to help fight pirates.
The Japanese had been sharing a base with the United States, but built its own 12 hectare (29.6 acre) airfield for its surveillance aircraft.
The French have long time military ties to the country of Djibouti, but since the surge in piracy, Djibouti is making money off of allowing several countries (including the U.S.) to base military units there.
Chile’s Atacama Desert has been hit by record snowfall, 80 centimeters (2.6 feet). A bus full of people had to be rescued after it got stuck in the snow, for 48 hours.
The record snow has shut down some of Chile’s copper mines. There is concern that the snow, along with ongoing strikes by mine workers, will cause copper prices to soar.
New Zealand was hit by yet another major earthquake, the third this year. The 7.6 quake hit July 7, but this time it was off the north end of the island country.
A tsunami warning was issued, 1 meter (3.2 feet) tall waves were seen off of Raoul Island.
Tokyo Electric Power Company announced it will increase monitoring of airborne radiation levels around the damaged reactors at its Fukushima Daiichi plant.
TEPCo will especially focus on reactors 1 and 4. High levels of contamination are being found in dust and steam emitted from the reactor buildings.
Looks like it was the right move, for the Prime Minister to order standard safety stress tests of all nuke plant in Japan. The Tokai Daini nuclear plant in Ibaraki Prefecture has failed earthquake safety tests for its electronic equipment.
The amazing thing is that the earthquake safety standards for Tokai Daini were created by the very company that runs the nuclear plant.
The Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency says many of the nuclear plants in eastern Japan are failing their own earthquake safety standards for their electrical equipment. In one case it was discovered that the metal frames holding electric motors were made of such inferior metal that they could be easily broken by twisting. The agency also says they still don’t know the true reason why the electrical systems at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant failed.
Mitsubishi announced their new electric car can keep you from starving after a major disaster.
They claim that in case of major power loss to your home you can use the electric car to power your home appliances. Supposedly the batteries in the car can hold enough power to run your house for one and a half days.
Well, I guess they weren’t thinking of a really big natural disaster, like what happened on 11 March 2011. But getting through the first day after such a disaster is critical.
What we really need is someone to come up with a portable solar panel that’s powerful enough to cook with, and charge up the batteries on your electric car. Then who needs utility companies?
Mitsubishi plans to start selling their electric survival car in 2012.
06 July 2011, Prime Minister Kan Naoto has ordered those in the government, who’re in charge of nuclear reactor safety, to create new rules. Kan says the numerous and growing complaints from the people have made it clear a new system of rules for reactor start ups need to be created. Many prefectures are refusing to allow reactors to be re-started. Gee, I would’ve thought it was the fact that the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster is still ongoing.
Under current rules the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, and the Industry Minister, decide when it is safe to start up a reactor.
Prime Minister Kan wants the new rules to include stress tests, and be in compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Kasai Akira, of the opposition Communist Party, pointed out that it is useless to create new rules when local prefectures have the right to override those rules, as they are in not allowing reactors to re-start.
On the night of 05 July 2011, the Japanese Prime Minister issued an order to conduct stress tests on all nuclear reactors in Japan.
The tests are based on European Union standards. The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency says Japan’s reactors are safe, but many Japanese citizens think otherwise. Several prefectural governments are refusing to allow reactors to re-start. The new EU based tests are meant to ease any remaining fears among the people.
General Motors, desperate to increase domestic sales, will include insurance on new car purchases. But only if you live in Oregon or Washington states.
It is part of an experimental marketing program, to increase car sales. The insurance will be provided by Met Life.
The experiment will last until September 6. Oregon and Washington are being targeted because GM sales suck in those two states.
Standard & Poor’s is warning that a French plan to “rollover” Greek debt will force Greece into default. The plan was put forth by the Fédération Bancaire Française.
S & P’s is not the only finance rating company to make such a claim. It’s complicated, but basically they claim the French plan would result in current “investors” in Greek bonds receiving much less of a return on their investment, so much so that S & P’s is willing to declare Greece in default.
The plan was approved by the only economic powerhouse in the European Union: Germany.
“In our view, Greece’s near-term reliance on European Union and International Monetary Fund official financing, the government’s difficulty in reducing its sizable fiscal deficit, and the current pricing of Greek government debt in the secondary market all underscore the Hellenic Republic’s weak creditworthiness and, consequently, point to a ‘realistic possibility’ that financing option would fit the ‘distressed’ category.”-Standard & Poor’s