Toyota and Nissan hope to restart all their Japanese plants by mid to late April.
However, production will not be at full capacity.
Category Archives: International
Woman died trying to save Kindergarten students, school was supposed to be safe
According to NHK, A kindergarten school, in Miyagi Prefecture, was supposed to be safe from tsunami, according to an official tsunami danger zone map. The official map was wrong.
When the 9.0 quake hit on March 11, school officials knew a tsunami was coming, but they though they were safe. In fact, they kept the children at school because their homes were actually closer to the ocean than the school.
Parents were called to come and get their kids, if they wanted. All the children were loaded onto buses, to wait for their parents. When it became clear that the tsunami was going to sweep over the school, teachers began grabbing kids off the buses. One girl was pulled off in the nick off time, by her hair. She watched as the tsunami swept away her friends still on the bus.
One of the buses was found at a house. The woman of the house tried to save the kids on the bus. They scrambled for the 2nd floor of the home. 17 children were saved, but two kids died along with the woman. Their bodies were found in the yard. The house was filled with items washed in from the school.
More proof that the Libyan Civil War is about Oil, not Freedom
Libyan rebels have been focusing all their attacks on cities tied to the oil industry. They have already made oil deals with several countries including Qatar, and, they have received their first payment for oil apparently from China.
Now the rebels are complaining that they are losing three oil fields they recently took control of. Why so upset? They admit they want the oil money.
Just who attacked the rebel held oil fields is unknown. The Libyan government say the British bombed the rebels by mistake (plausible because NATO has done it, twice now). The rebels say some of the attacks where from artillery.
In any case the rebels are really upset about losing control of any oil production that they have captured. Mmmm. I didn’t realize that oil was an integral part of freedom and Democracy?
“low likelihood” Libyan Rebels can win, even with NATO support
The U.S. general in charge of the United States Africa Command, Gen Carter Ham, says Libyan rebels probably will not win, even with NATO help.
General Ham also says we should not be arming the rebels until there is “a better understanding of exactly who the opposition force is”. There is evidence that some of the rebels are al Qaeda, the group we’re supposed to be at war with.
Libyan Rebels say U.S. led NATO still bombing them
“NATO are liars. They are siding with Gaddafi.”-Salem Mislat, Libyan rebel
Once again U.S. led NATO has bombed the very people they’re supposed to be supporting. Rebels say five of their troops were killed.
The latest “friendly fire” incident happened in almost the same spot as a “friendly fire” incident last week. NATO says they are investigating.
Should we fear a government shut down? Ask the Belgians, they’ve been without a government for almost a year
Who cares if our government shuts down?
I, and many other citizens of the United States, get absolutely nothing from the Federal government. I didn’t even get a tax refund this year, or last year, or the year before that. I didn’t even get one of those extra checks from the IRS under the Bush Jr administration. I served in the military, I worked for government contractors, but I have no retirement (forget about SS).
I have not been able to find steady work for more than two years now. Yet, because of rules changes (and the fact that all my kids are adults now) I don’t qualify for Food Stamps, or AFDC.
I wasn’t even able to get Medicaid for my son when he had a hemorrhagic stroke at the age of 18! Now we’re dealing with $150,000+ in medical bills (on top of other debts, and no I don’t have $2,000 to hire a bankruptcy attorney, we don’t have free bankruptcy programs in our state [at least where we live], the only thing we can get is a waiver of Federal court fees). What were all my Federal taxes for, damn it?!
I live in a state that gets next to squat from the Federal government. Yeah, you people on the East (like New York City [get a rope]) and West (mainly California) coasts suck up most of the Federal tax moneys we all pay. California has redundant State social services programs that mirror and supplement the Federal programs. My state doesn’t, so no tears for you California! Any Federal government shut down will be barely noticed where I live.
The world has plenty of examples of countries doing fine without a government. As of March 30, 2011, Belgium had gone 290 days without any government. In fact it’s possible Belgium will now split into two countries.
But Belgium isn’t the only country that’s gone a long time without a government. Cambodia has the record of 353 days without a government, from 2003 to 2004.
So bring on a Federal shut down, it’ll save a lot of tax payer money.
Government and charities will meet to decide how to spend donated money
Japanese charities, and central and local government officials are planning to meet to figure out how to distribute donated money.
It’s been more than three weeks since the disasters and no aid money has been distributed. Complaints have not only been filed by foreign aid groups, but by other countries as well.
Aid that has been distributed was handled by the donors themselves, such as Iran who sent officials to witness the handing out of the aid supplies. China has recently complained that the Japanese government was actually impeding their efforts to get supplies in.
So far supplies are slowly getting through, but the money hasn’t gone anywhere.
Body of JET teacher from Alaska found after Tsunami
Monty Dickson, 26, teaching in Japan as part of the JET program, was swept away the March 11 tsunami.
His family in Alaska recently received an email, then a phone call, notifying them that his body has been found.
According to reports, Dickson was on the third floor of a building when the huge tsunami washed over the building. He was in Japan on the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program.
An Alaskan businessman gave the family a days proceeds to help them go to Japan.
Thinking about a trip to Japan? Good timing!
Tourism numbers are looking really bad for japan, thanks to the ongoing nuclear disaster. Don’t let that stop you from taking a trip to Japan.
In fact, because of the huge drop in tourist money coming in, you’ll probably get some really good deals in the near future. Even the Japanese airlines will start making unbelievable deals. JAL just got out of bankruptcy and now they’re in trouble, again, because of the ongoing nuke crisis.
The nuke disaster is taking place in northern Honshu. The prevailing winds blow east of there, offshore to the Pacific. Think about visiting southern Honshu (south of Tokyo), and Shikoku & Kyushu. Their locations mean they will avoid most or all airborne (waterborne contamination might be an issue) radiation contamination from northern Honshu.
Also, they are least affected by power outages.
Not only could you get a good deal on a vacation to Japan, but your tourist money will really help Japan to recover.
Tourists going to Japan drops 75%
The Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau says foreign tourist to Japan has dropped 75% compared to the same time last year. Blame the ongoing nuclear disaster.