Tag Archives: disaster

Fukushima

Government Incompetence & What Global Warming? Freezing temps cause more leaks at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant

Apparently officials with Tokyo Electric Power Company (which has recently been nationalized by the Japanese government, because TEPCo is broke) never thought to protect all the exposed pipes from freezing weather.  Maybe they thought global warming would protect them?

Japan is being hit with their usual freezing winter temps, along with record snow fall in some areas, and that has caused cooling pipes to freeze and burst at the General Electric designed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

TEPCo said at least 40 liters (10.5 U.S. gallons) of water leaked from pipes in Reactor 4.  However, they said 7 tons of water have leaked from Reactor 6!

Matsumoto Junichi, a TEPCo rep,  admitted they failed to protect the exposed pipes from the freezing weather!

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Iranian President says the United States, and Europe, are White Horse Bullies

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

The following are comments made by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on January 26, 2012.

“The West must be aware that the Iranian nation….does not need them. You impose embargo on Iran’s oil but do not see that the United States has not bought oil from us for 30 years, but nothing happened, and Iran followed its path with dignity.”

“The recent brewhaha about Iran has been created because Iran is on the path of progress and development, and the enemy is seeking to hinder this progress.”

“The U.S. says the Iranian nation is not the target of sanctions and that they (sanctions) target officials while they are of the type that directly affect the masses and do not hurt officials.”

“They say, ‘we adopt sanctions because Iran does not negotiate.’ And this is while they adopted sanctions ahead of Iran’s negotiation and are seeking to find an excuse to avoid negotiations.”

“Why should we make up excuses? A person who has logic and has something to say does not avoid negotiations, but rather those who are bullies and hegemons make excuses.”

“You impose sanctions on our central bank, but did you have dealings with our central bank? The value of our annual foreign exchange transactions is $200 billion, only 24 billion of which are with Europe.”

“At a certain juncture, 90% of our foreign exchange transactions were with Europe, but you are aware that the transactions have now decreased to 10% and (sanctions) cannot affect Iran’s economy.”

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3 & Government/Economic Incompetence: Iran will stop buying products from Europe and the United States! Working with China and India to trade oil for gold!

“According to one of the main clauses, the Islamic Republic of Iran will halt all oil exports to European countries as long as they continue to ban oil imports from Iran. Another clause obliges the government to forbid imports of all goods from countries which have imposed sanctions on our country.”-Nasser Soudani, Majlis (parliament) Energy Committee

January 28, Iranian lawmakers have finalized a bill that would freeze all oil shipments to Europe.  But the bill would also place an embargo on any products being sold to Iran from countries that have joined the U.S./EU oil embargo against Iran!

This shows the Iranians have realized that the U.S. and EU are not in a good economic position to impose embargoes.  They are taking advantage of that and  will not only stop all oil shipments to oil starved Europe, but with stop buying products from countries who embargo Iranian oil.

The Iranians created a petroleum trade institution that does not use U.S. dollars. It’s very successful, and part of why Iran has become so wealthy.  Not only do they not take U.S. dollars, but they actually accept barter for oil, such as trading raw oil for refined fuel.

Iran has become a major producer of refined fuel in the Middle East.  In fact, in February, 2011, Iran stopped buying refined fuel from other countries!  On January 14, 2012, Iran announced they now make their own jet fuel.

A German political analysts told Russian media that Iran has learned how to succeed under sanctions: “All the present faithful customers to Iran oil are set to continue buying this oil, and they will find a way, rest assured. This is the signal I get from Tehran.  I was personally present when the deputy economics minister of Iran was talking to a foreign society in Berlin, and the gentleman said very openly to the shocked audience ‘OK. You don’t want to buy our goods. Well, the Chinese do.’”-Christoph R. Hörstel

Now Israeli media are reporting that Iran, India, China and several other countries are working on a oil for gold trade deal.  The deal would allow countries to avoid going through U.S. and European banks to buy Iranian petroleum products!

Also, on January 26, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated: “Today, we have attained a status that we need not sell oil to Europe, and we are following our path determinedly.”

Business/Economics, U.S.

United Police States of America: New Mexico prison keeps man in solitary for 22 months, man was never convicted of a crime! Same prison has history of Staph infections. Story updated!

Dona Ana County officials have some ‘splaining to do, after they kept a mentally ill man in solitary for 22 months, even though he was never convicted of a crime! The same prison, in New Mexico, also has a history of untreatable Staph infections, and it houses child prisoners as well as adults.

On January 24, 2012, a jury in a federal court decided the county owed the man $1 million for every month he was held in prison, for a total of $22 million.

County officials tried to defend their actions, in court, by saying the mentally ill man had a criminal history, and that he was a danger to society.  However, that violates our constitutional rights regarding a fair trial.  Just because you have a criminal history, and you might be a danger to society, doesn’t mean you can be held without trial (unless you’re considered a terrorist under the new law sign by Obama).

After 22 months, the man finally got his trial, and it was a New Mexico District Court Judge, Douglas Driggers, that determined that while he was mentally “incompetent”, he was “not dangerous”!  Judge Driggers threw out all charges and freed the illegally held man.  Apparently Dona Ana County law enforcement, and prison officials, took it upon themselves to act as judge and jury when they locked up the mentally ill man.

County officials also tried to claim, in court, that the man never asked to be released from solitary.  However, evidence presented in the federal trial showed that the prison psychologist kept the man sedated with powerful drugs!  Other evidence showed the prison psychologist is not certified to administer drugs!

County officials still have not given an official explanation as to why they locked him up without ever going to trial, but they say they will appeal the federal court’s decision.

The Dona Ana County prison, which also houses child prisoners, has a history of recurring untreatable Staph infections, called MRSA.  It’s not just that county prison, but all New Mexico prisons, as admitted by an epidemiologist for the New Mexico Department of Health.   Doctor Mack Sewell said state health officials see MRSA infections in prisons “several times a year.”

07 March 2013 update: Dona Ana County appealed the $22 million dollar judgement against them. The county now claims the man was arrested for intoxicated driving, and driving a stolen car.  They could not prove their claim, but the judgement against them was reduced to $15 million.  The victim now lives outside New Mexico and is dying of lung cancer.

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

World War 3 & Government Incompetence: Oil embargoes are double edged swords. Iran about to swipe back at Europe, could stop all oil shipments voluntarily!

Europe is dependent on foreign oil.  The European Union was pushed into joining the United States in placing an embargo on Iranian oil (in exchange for exempting British Petroleum).  Now Iran says, so what, we’ll voluntarily cut off European oil supplies!

Lawmakers in the Iranian Majlis (similar to a parliament or congress) will decide a new bill on January 29, 2012.  If approved it would cease all oil shipments to Europe by the end of next week.  That’s significant, because the EU oil embargo involves only new oil contracts, not existing ones.

So, in reality the EU oil embargo is a paper tiger, because it doesn’t involve existing oil deals (part of the deal with the U.S. and exempting BP).  The Iranians have realized that oil is, at this point, their greatest weapon.

The United Kingdom is already suffering increasing fuel costs, and their fuel stations are running dry, because of internal problems.  So how stupid are countries who rely on foreign oil suppliers, when they threaten their own oil suppliers?

Could Iran voluntarily halting oil shipments, to U.S. and EU buyers, be a greater incentive to go to war, then their alleged nuclear weapons program?   Modern societies don’t run on nuclear bombs (not counting the ticking time bomb nuclear power plants), they run on oil.

 

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

Black Horse & Fuel Prices: United Kingdom to see record Diesel prices, not because of Iran oil embargo but because one of their refineries went bust!

…there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently warned that a successful oil embargo against Iran could cause oil prices to jump by at least 30%.  But already Britons are being hit with record fuel prices, as fuel stations are running dry because a major oil refiner went bankrupt and stopped shipping out fuel!

In February, 2011, gasoline (petrol) prices in Britain hit at least $9.67 per gallon.  British media now reporting that diesel prices could pass 1.45 pounds per liter (that’s U.S.$8.60 per gallon), with the average diesel car, not truck, driver paying more than $156.00 for a fill up!

Back in 2010, diesel cars became the most popular vehicles in Britain, because diesel fuel was a little cheaper, per gallon, than gas. I say was, because in May, 2011, diesel fuel prices in the U.K. finally went higher than petrol.

Now, the giant Coryton fuel refinery in Essex, England, stopped fuel shipments on January 24, 2012.  Coryton’s Swiss parent company Petroplus filed for bankruptcy, as they fell victim to the ongoing credit crisis in Europe (you see capitalist corporations don’t operate with cash, they operate on loans, just like Mitt Romney).  13 banks, including Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas, froze Petroplus’s credit accounts (can someone please freeze the credit accounts of our capitalist leaders here in the U.S.?).

But just because they stopped shipping out fuel doesn’t mean they’re not making it.  In fact Coryton officials admit they’re now hording all the fuel they make: “Our immediate priority is to continue to operate the Coryton refinery and the Teesside oil storage business without disruption while the financial position is clarified and restructuring options are explored.”–Steven Pearson, joint administrator

Now throw in the fact that fuel tanker drivers are on strike at another British refinery.  That strike is blocking supplies from getting to 340 fuel stations in Britain.  By January 26, 2012, filling stations in Britain began reporting they were out of fuel, after customers rushed to fill their cars when news of the fuel supply stoppage was heard.

“There is no doubt the loss of supplies from a major U.K. refinery, plus the problems in Iran, is going to give the speculators a field day. When they speculate, the only way is up as far as  fuel prices are concerned. Motorists are going to have to get used to seeing prices creeping up.”–Edmund King, The Automobile Association

 

 

 

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

World War 3 & Government Hypocricy: BP to be exempt from Iran oil embargo, proof the U.S. is controled by the British Empire

There are reports that say British Petroleum (BP) is to be exempted from the U.S. and EU oil embargoes.  It was part of the deal to get the European Union to impose sanctions against Iran.

BP was born out of the old British controlled Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. Despite the decades of sanctions against Iran (since the early 1980s) BP has still managed to do business with Iran.

BP, and a Norwegian company (Statoil), are currently running a natural gas operation in the Caspian Sea in co-operation with Iran, called Shah Deniz.  But back in the United Kingdom, sanctions forced BP to shut down a North Sea gas operation, because it was 50% owned by Iran!

British officials do not want anymore halts to BP operations, so they lobbied hard with the United States to get BP exempt from any European/U.S. oil embargo.

 

International, U.S.

Red Horse & World War 3: Western Warmongering media getting all hot & bothered about U.S. aircraft carrier entering Persian Gulf

Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, on its way home.  The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise is on its way to the Persian Gulf, through the Strait of Hormuz.

Western media, and U.S. officials are trying to make this look like tough action after Iran made threats against a U.S. Navy ship a couple of weeks ago.  But that’s just it, they made threats against one specific U.S. Navy ship, not the entire U.S. Navy!

Iran said back at the beginning of January that the USS John C. Stennis will not be allowed to return to the Persian Gulf.  The threat was not made against any other U.S. ship!

In fact the Iranians have responded to the western media’s brewhahaing about the movement of U.S. aircraft carriers through the Strait thusly:  “U.S. warships and military forces have been in the Persian Gulf, and the Middle East region for many years, and their decision in relation to the dispatch of a new warship is not a new issue and it should be interpreted as part of their permanent presence.”-Hossein Salami, IRGC

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

White Horse & World War 3: European Union approves oil embargo on Iran, Libya part of plan to go after Iran

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

EU ambassadors have agreed upon an oil embargo against Iran, it must now be approved by EU foreign ministers.  The sanctions would ban the buying of Iranian petroleum products, and would halt all imports to EU members by July 1, 2012.

This follows new U.S. sanctions imposed at the beginning of January, 2012.  Taken together, the U.S. and EU oil embargoes could halt 2.6 million barrels of oil, driving oil prices up and adding to the overall instability of the world economy.

You’d think the Europeans would not want to do anything to stop Iranian oil, after all most of Iran’s oil goes to Europe.  But maybe that’s why the EU (with help from the U.S.) took over Libya’s oil in the fake revolution supported by NATO.  Now they can go after Iran without too much worry about oil supply.

International, Technology

Pale Green Horse: India reporting new strain of H5N1

I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

According to the Indian National Institute of Virology (NIV), a new strain of H5N1 is responsible for the deaths of more than 500 crows.

The crows died three months ago, and test results have finally come in.  It’s an H5N1 strain never seen in India before, and might have come from Vietnam: “We have compared it to the strains from Vietnam, Indonesia and other places in Asia and found similarities with the Vietnam strain.”-A C Mishra, Director of NIV

The last version of H5N1 that hit India is called Clade 2.2.  This new Vietnam like strain is called Clade 2.3.2.1.  Understanding the versions are important: “Since the strain is a new form of bird flu, we have to be very careful. Once the virus is characterized and gene sequencing done we will be able to gauge the impact on bird health and then label as highly pathogenic or low pathogenic.”-A C Mishra, Director of NIV

In Vietnam H5N1 has already killed one Vietnamese man this year.