Category Archives: U.S.

Idaho, Technology, U.S.

Ghostly Nuke Train rollin’ ‘cross Idaho desert

Text: AAron Hutchins

Photo by: Alex Hutchins

Across a cold windswept east Idaho desert, people say you can hear the nuke train haulin’ its contaminated cargo.  The short track rails start nowhere, and end nowhere.  You might even see the sickly yellow locomotive yourself, if your lucky and don’t miss the turn off  (for directions see earlier posting “Ancient Nuclear Powered Jet…”).

Lead-lined train in the Arco desert in Eastern Idaho.

OK, so there’s no ghost train, but, in the middle of nowhere, along side the world’s first nuclear powered jet engine, sits an odd shaped yellow locomotive. It’s not nuclear powered, but it is lead lined, to protect the crew from radiation exposure when hauling the huge HTRE units that make up the nuclear jet engine.

General Electric, who ran the nuke jet project, had rail lines built to haul the huge engine from one test area to the next.  In a 2005 document, the Department of Energy explained that “shielding” of various equipment from radiation, like the lead-lined locomotive, were based on 1950s understandings of radiation.

Two sets of tracks were laid for the program.  The locomotive rode on the inner rails of the two tracks, pulling, or pushing the HTRE units.  The HTRE units rode on both sets of tracks, they were that wide.  (More pics in the “Galleries” section, click on the “INL Nuclear Power Site” pic. Click on the pics to make them bigger.).

The nuke train had a top speed of 3.5 miles per hour, but, for safety reasons traveled at 2.5 mph.  For a detailed (and boring) explanation you can go to this website: www.inl.gov/technicalpublications/Documents/3028280.pdf Supposedly there are period photos in the document, but they didn’t show up for me.

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) used to be known as INEEL, before that INEL, before that ERDA and before that NRTS.  The names changes coincide with changes in government agencies controlling the “site”, in the early days, and changes in contractors who now run the site.

 

International, U.S.

Egyptian Army cracks down on protesters

Yes, people are still protesting in Egypt. This time they want the pro-U.S. military leaders out, replaced by civilian leaders.  They’ve also been demanding the prosecution of Hosni Mubarak, which the military leaders seem reluctant to do.

After 5 days of protest, the military moved in, rounding up protesters and tearing down barricades.

The Army claims a deal to clear Tahrir Square was made with protesters, but several protesters interviewed by the press said no such deal was made.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Vermont set to Protest GOP leader

Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, will not get a warm welcome when he speaks in Vermont on Wednesday.

Vermont Unions plan to protest Priebus, because they see him as the architect of Wisconsin’s anti-collective bargaining rights bill.  The protest will be in solidarity with Wisconsin’s Unions.

Priebus is speaking at a $100 per plate dinner, to raise money for the Vermont GOP.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Biggest protest yet planned for Michigan

People are preparing for what could be the biggest protest yet of the Michigan government.  On Wednesday thousands of people will demonstrate outside the state capitol building.

The issue is collective bargaining rights.  The Michigan government what’s to get rid of it.  People are also upset by the planned huge cuts to social programs.  Then there’s the proposed tax on retirement, which could tax retirement funds the same as regular income.

There is talk of Unions staging mass strikes.  Sounds like what’s going on in some European countries.

U.S.

Washington D.C. mayor & City Council arrested after protesting the Federal Government

The mayor of Washington DC, and six city council members were arrested today, while protesting the Federal Government’s budget plans.  They sat in front of a big sign that read “No Taxation Without Representation”, which was one of the rallying cries of the American Revolution against the British.

Mayor Vincent Gray said the Federal budget infringes on the District of Columbia’s sovereignty.  “Folks in congress will do things to the District of Columbia that they wouldn’t do in their own districts … It’s an outrageous position. We raise our tax dollars just like other states do, just like other cities do.”

41 other protesters were arrested as well.

Business/Economics, International, Opinion, U.S.

Cold War between China & U.S. began 2005

“If the United States would not allow CNOOC to purchase Unocal, will not itself guarantee China a steady energy supply and opposes Chinese purchases of Iranian oil and gas, how can China survive?”-Zhang Guobao, former vice chairman National Development and Reform Commission

In 2005 China tried to buy California based Unocal.  The attempt was blocked by the U.S. government.

Before anybody in the U.S. says “good, we don’t want foreigners taking over our oil”, guess what?  Too late, ever hear of BP?  British Petroleum has been slowly taking over U.S. oil companies since 1998 (ever wondered what happened to AMOCO, or ARCO, or Castrol? They all owned by BP now).  At least the Chinese have a track record of spending money big time, for other projects, in the countries they move into, BP does not come close.

On top of that, China has been allowed to take over smaller U.S. companies, why not the oil companies?  Is it because BP can’t handle the competition?  Officially our government says it’s about National Security.  You mean letting a limey, red coat, mortal enemy of the founders of the United States, British company take over U.S. oil companies is not a National Security threat?

In 2007 Zhang Guobao issued a warning to the United States, saying the blocking of their purchase of Unocal “will have many after effects.” Can you say ‘get your game on!’  Remember China is our largest creditor, we owe them big time for financing our financially inept, elected officials deficit spending.

China has already retaliated by not allowing Coca-Cola to take over a Chinese beverage company in 2009.  Then again, Atlanta, Georgia based, Coca-Cola was so arrogant that they didn’t think it necessary to lobby Chinese politicians (something they do all the time here in the U.S.).

Several attempts by U.S. companies, to take over Chinese companies, have been squashed.  But remember when China tried to buy GM’s Hummer brand?  That fell through, because of the Chinese government.  It seems that the Chinese government has decided that not only are they going to block U.S. companies from moving into China, but they are going to block any Chinese company from investing in the U.S.  Sounds like an economic war. All they need to do now is start dumping U.S. bonds, and we’re toast.

Many U.S. media still claim that the United States is the biggest customer for China, wrong.  In the last decade, the Chinese have been moving their consumer market eggs into different baskets (wise move).  They’re invested big time in Latin America, blowing the United States away, another reason why Obama’s trip to Latin America was a total waste.  Australia has become such a big supplier of crops to China, that their economy is going gang busters as well.  In fact, when you look at most of the countries that are not being affected by the global recession, they all have one common factor; China is invested big time with their economies!

By the way, remember that big announcement Obama made when he went to China in 2009?  Even Chinese officials claimed it would end the U.S. recession.  What happened?

In January 2011, it was announced that the U.S. and China agreed to a $45 billion trade deal.  Obama lauded the deal saying it would support (not create) 235,000 jobs.  But there’s a catch.  Obama, and members of Congress said the deal was contingent upon China addressing certain ‘human rights’ issues.

“We also know this: history shows that societies are more harmonious, nations are more successful and the world is more just when the rights and responsibilities of all nations and all peoples are upheld — including the universal rights of every human being.”-President Barack Obama

“…raised our strong, ongoing concerns with reports of human rights violations in China, including the denial of religious freedom and the use of coercive abortion…”-House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio

“While we appreciate those words, the United States will watch the actions of the Chinese government to make sure that they meet the words that were spoken in the White House yesterday.”-Robert Gibbs, White House Spokesman

I believe the reason why the U.S. economy is still struggling is because the U.S. don’t wanna play with China anymore, and China don’t wanna play with the U.S., it’s all just Nuevo Cold War rhetoric now.

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Obama’s Latin America trip wasted

Under Bush Jr, the United States lost two ambassadors in South America.  The Obama administration has lost another, bringing the total to three.

Those countries are Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela. So President Obama’s recent trip to Latin America did little to mend relations.

Even U.S. ally Columbia, is leaning towards Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.

Looks like the U.S. just doesn’t get Latin America.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

More WikiLeaks documents on how the U.S. views Ecuador & how Wachovia Bank became a spy

“We are concerned that Iran will try to undertake transactions related to the proliferation of weapons, evading the provisions of Security Council of the United Nations.”-U.S. Embassy cable 226556, September 2009.

The latest documents released by WikiLeaks shows the U.S. fearful of Ecuadorian ties to Iran, and that the U.S. considered Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa as emotionally immature.  This was after he threw out two U.S. diplomats in 2009.

He also accused one of the diplomats, Mark Sullivan, as doubling as the head of CIA operations in Ecuador.

The leaked documents also show concern about the ideological unity of President Correa, and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez.

In regards to Iran, dozens of documents show that the United States is obsessed with Ecuador’s efforts to establish strong ties with Iran, including deals with Iran’s Central Bank.  The fear is so great that, in February 2010, U.S. officials got Wachovia Bank, which is the largest trade financier in Ecuador, to spy on any of its customers that might be doing transactions with Iran.

 

Fukushima, U.S.

U.S. nuke experts barred from Japanese Prime Minister’s office!

“The Japan-U.S. alliance could collapse, completely contrary to [the recent trend of] being strengthened.”-Nagashima Akihisa, Democratic Party of Japan House of Representatives

The Daily Yomiuri is reporting that from the beginning, U.S. offers of help with the nuke crisis at Fukushima Daiichi, were given the cold shoulder by Japan’s government.

On 12 March, the U.S. ambassador made several calls to Prime Minister Kan’s office, asking him to allow nuclear experts from the U.S. to be involved with the decision making in the Prime Minister’s cabinet.  The answer was no.

U.S. officials pointed out that their B5B measures could offer fast response to the Fukushima Daiichi disaster.  B5B was developed after the 9/11/2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City.  It is designed to provide fast response to any attack on a U.S. nuclear plant, with one of the objectives to provide continuous electrical power to the plants.

Lack of electrical power at the Fukushima Daiichi plant accelerated the disaster. So far the worst case scenario, created by U.S. officials, seems to be playing out.  The real reason why the U.S. imposed a much larger evacuation zone, than the Japanese government, was because U.S. analyst said things were going to get worse.

Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, repeatedly told Japanese officials that they should NOT let Tokyo Electric Power Company handle the situation.  He even threatened to have all U.S. citizens evacuated from Japan, not just military families.

Supposedly an official with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, when visiting TEPCo headquarters on 18 March, asked who was really in charge of Japan’s government.

Apparently, it is only after the Japanese government thought it would lose support of the United States, that it got serious about Fukushima Daiichi.

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Toyota expects more production problems

“Output reduction in Japan and overseas will most likely continue until September.”-Kohei Takahasi, JPMorgan Chase & Co. in Tokyo

Toyota expects to lose 35,000 vehicles from the North American shut down, and that’s spread over five days.  The problem is that, because of continued nuclear power issues, it looks like parts supply is not going to improve anytime soon.

Almost 70 percent of the Toyota vehicles sold in the U.S., are put together in North America, but, about 85 percent of the parts and materials come from Japan.

The North American car market is important for Toyota, making up about 60% of their profits.

On April 8, Citigroup downgraded Toyota stock to ‘sell’.  Citigroup said the downgrade was because Toyota has not addressed the problems created by the lack of electrical power in Japan.  It’s clear the lack of power in Japan will go on for longer than expected.