Tag Archives: GE

Fukushima

Japanese leadership: Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil

How bad is the nuclear disaster in Japan?  If you consider that ‘avoidance strategy’ (lying) is standard practice in Japan, then we should all be very concerned.

Remember the three monkeys? Hear No Evil, See No Evil and Speak No Evil, they come from Japan.

Many foreign organizations in Japan, are saying the current situation is much worse than what Japanese officials are saying. Even Japanese suffering within the disaster zones are saying their government is lying.

To understand Japanese ‘avoidance strategy’ read “The Japanese Negotiator: Subtlety and Strategy Beyond Western Logic”.

I’ve been following the 11 March disasters from day one, and I can tell you that from the start the Japanese government/corporations downplay everything.  Also, serious questions from the Japanese media have been blown off, only to be confirmed a day or two later.  Then, on top of that, the Japanese government has even accused Tokyo Electric of faulty radiation data (“faulty” to say the least, they won’t accuse them of lying because that doesn’t happen in Japan, only avoidance strategy happens).

With the fact that, by Western standards, it is common practice for Japanese leaders to lie, then I have no choice but to believe that the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster will end up being worse than Chernobyl.

 

Fukushima, Technology

U.S. sending World’s largest Concrete Sprayers to Japan

Claimed to be the largest concrete spraying trucks in the world, they will be on their way to Japan, after upgrades in California and South Carolina.

The two trucks are made in Germany, for spraying concrete for skyscrapers.

Kelly Blickle, a spokeswoman at Putzmeister America Inc., says similar types of trucks were also used on Chernobyl in 1986.

Officially the trucks will be spraying water, but if necessary, can spray concrete to entomb the reactors.

Fukushima

TEPCo screws up data for a second time!

“TEPCo faces a grave situation as it is failing to live up to the expectations of people who are very worried by the company.”-Nishiyama Hidehiko, NISA

The Japanese government is upset, after finding that radiation readings from TEPCo, proved to be faulty.

The Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) said Tokyo Electric Power Company presented faulty numbers on readings from contaminated ground water, around Reactor 1, at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

This is the second time TEPCo screwed up (maybe lied about?) its data. The first time was about contamination coming from Reactor 2, last week.

Fukushima

Why has the U.S. increased military help to Japan, and why are they going to pull out in mid-April?

The United States has continued to increase military help to Japan (Operation Tomodachi), to help deal with the disasters of 11 March.

Recently the USMC said it was sending a team specially trained in nuclear emergencies, and, the U.S. military is conducting a massive three day search for missing people in Japan, along with Japanese Self Defense Forces.

On top of that there are reports that the U.S. military is going to pull out most forces in Japan in mid-April.  The source of this info was not named.  It is thought some U.S. personnel will remain to help deal with the nuclear disaster.

It’s not just military personnel that the U.S. has sent, but personnel from other government agencies, as well as tons of equipment including radiation protected robots from the INL in Idaho. All this at taxpayer expense.

I know many experts, at the beginning of this Fukushima Daiichi disaster, said it wasn’t that bad, and rated it on par with Three Mile Island.  Those experts who called it another Chernobyl were dismissed by officials.  If that’s so, then why so much personnel and equipment from the United States?  And why, apparently, a pull out by mid-April?

Is there a reason 18,000 Japanese, and 7,000 U.S., troops will under take a massive, intensive search for missing people this weekend, then call it good after three days?  The official reason is that it will coincide with low tide along the coastline. The search will not take place in the radiation danger zone.

There’s a lot of evidence that the nuclear disaster is much worse than is being officially reported. For one, TEPCo has been caught lying about it’s radiation readings, twice now. Also, the IAEA, along with Greenpeace, has given their radiation readings which are much higher than what the government is issuing. The International Atomic Energy Agency has even asked for expanded mandatory evacuations, which the Japanese government said no to.

The problem for the United States is that the prevailing winds from Japan bring the radiation contamination right to it. The winds blow towards the U.S. from Japan.

So it is very likely that this nuclear disaster is worse than what is publicly stated, and, the United States is right in the path of any toxic wind from Japan.  Is this why the U.S. is sending so much help to Japan?

Why would U.S. forces begin ending their Operation Tomodachi in mid-April? Is it because only so much can be done to suppress a major disaster (like full melt down), and after that you need to get the hell outa Dodge? There is a time factor when dealing with nuclear disasters, and several experts stated it was time to start dumping concrete last week!

Fukushima

Cities left to die of starvation in Radiation Zone in Japan!

Not everyone who was living withing the 20-30km (12.4 to 18.6 miles) zone was told to evacuate.  Thousands of people were ordered to stay indoors, not to leave their homes, or even their work places, because of radiation.

Well, it’s been a three weeks now and those people are still there, running out of food and water. No supplies are getting in because of the radiation threat.

One mayor is so desperate that he’s posted a video call for help on YouTube. Sakurai Katsunobu, mayor of Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, said there are literally 20,000 people in his city that face starvation because no help has come. They obeyed the Prime Minister’s orders to stay indoors, but no help has arrived.

On 25 March the government said they should evacuate themselves, but the mayor points out that most people lost any form of transportation, because of the tsunami.

Sounds like a lack of emergency planning on the part of the government.  Yet more proof that Japan is not the most prepared nation in the world.

Fukushima

Radioactive water leaking into the ground under the Reactor!

Tokyo Electric officials now admit that contaminated water is leaking into the ground under the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Earlier TEPCo dismissed concerns over radioactive water getting into the ground, after tunnels and trenches under the pant were found to be full of contaminated water.

This continues the trend of corporate officials to dismiss concerns about serious issues, only later to admit the concerns were valid.

Fukushima

Japanese beef tests positive for Cesium!

Beef from Fukushima Prefecture has tested positive for cesium levels about legal limits.  Officials say the contaminated beef was not shipped out.

Also, the number of prefectures with crops being hit by radiation continues to expand. Again, officials say the crops have not been shipped to market.

Fukushima, International

Swiss pro-nuclear lobby office bombed

Swissnuclear, a pro nuclear power lobby group in Olten, Switzerland, was bombed on 31 March. Police suspect it was by anti-nuclear activists.

Two women were injured when the package they were opening exploded.

Swissnuclear works to promote the use of nuclear power.

Little Switzerland has five nuclear power plants. The government canceled plans to restart three old plants, after the disaster at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi plant.

 

 

Fukushima

TEPCo admits not protecting workers

Tokyo Electric Power Company admitted that they did not provide radiation monitoring devices to sub-contractors.  This is part of the reason three workers ended up in the hospital a little more than a week ago.

Japanese regulations requires all workers in nuclear power plants to have their own radiation monitor.

TEPCo officials said most of their radiation monitoring devices were washed away by the tsunami. Yet their is no evidence that they tried to get new monitors after the tsunami, in fact TEPCo officials say they will NOW get more radiation monitors.  This will reduce work at the damaged nuclear plant, until the new radiation monitors arrive.

Just more proof that you can NOT trust corporations. And should we really trust what officials are saying about radiation levels?

Fukushima, U.S.

Radiation in Milk, West Coast United States!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is increasing radiation monitoring after milk tested positive for trace amounts of radiation from Japan.

The milk, with iodine-131, was found in California and Washington states.

Dairy cows probably ingested the iodine-131 after eating grass, or feed, that the isotope settled on after being blown here from Japan.

Officials insist the radiation levels are so low that the milk is still safe to drink.  However, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is emitting higher levels of radiation now, and the predominate wind direction is towards North America.