Tag Archives: health

World War 3, East Asian Front: G8 threatens more sanctions against North Korea!

11 April 2013 (15:49 UTC-07 Tango)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

“…..If the DPRK conducts another missile launch, or nuclear test, we committed ourselves to take further significant measures…..supported the commitment to strengthen the sanctions….and further significant measures in the event of a further test or launch by DPRK.”-Foreign Secretary’s Remarks on Constructive G8 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Corporate Incompetence: A 4th radioactive leak at Fukushima Daiichi!

11 April 2013 (09:29 UTC-07 Tango)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1392/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

Now there is a fourth leak at another waste water pond in use at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Tokyo Electric Power Company reported a pipe connected to a pond leaked 22 liters (6 gallons) before workers discovered it.  They were trying to transfer contaminated water from another pond (in-ground open-air storage tank) that was leaking.

22 liters might not seem like much, but according to TEPCo that 22 liters contained 6.3 billion becquerels of radioactivity!

A couple of days ago TEPCo was ordered to stop using the ponds, after three leaks were discovered.  But, TEPCo pointed out that there is not enough above ground steel tanks in Japan to contain all the radioactive water being generated at Fukushima Daiichi.

H7N9 update: 38 cases, 10 deaths! KFC sales crashing!

11 April 2013 (09:17 UTC-07 Tango)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission reports five new cases and one death in the H7N9 outbreak.  Two new cases in Jiangsu Province, and three new cases, including the death, in Shanghai.

The 74 years old man that died was confirmed to have H7N9 Wednesday night, but died today.  As with other H7N9 cases, he had been admitted to a hospital with pneumonia.

Chinese health officials say, so far none of the relatives of the sick people are showing any signs H7N9 infection.

Yum Brands, the company that owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, say sales at their Chinese KFC restaurants are crashing. They blame the H7N9 bird flu for scaring customers off from eating chicken.  Sales at Chinese KFCs dropped 16% in March.

However, there is a problem with their blame game for crashing sales: The H7N9 bird flu scare didn’t start until the end of March.  Yum Brands own records show their restaurants in China have been losing sales since January.  In January and February they saw a 20% drop in sales.

H7N9 update: China distributes new test for rapidly mutating virus!

11 April 2013 (23:25 UTC-07 Tango 10 April 2013)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention is shipping out 160000 new tests (real-time PCR reagents) for the new H7N9 virus.

It’s hoped the new test will speed identification of new cases.  So far 33 people confirmed infected, nine have died.

Cesium levels drop in children, it pays to watch what you eat!

11 April 2013 (22:42 UTC-07 Tango 10 April 2013)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1392/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

Researchers at the University of Tokyo, Japan, have been tracking about 1400 grade school kids in Fukushima Prefecture.  They want to track radiation contamination as a result of the melt downs at the GE designed Fukushima Daiichi reactors.

Two years later the researchers report cesium levels in children have dropped, but not because of efforts to contain the disaster reactors, but because the residents have been careful about what they eat.

Almost a year after the nuke melt down, a system was in place for Japanese food sellers to test and report radiation contamination of food.  This came at the grass roots level, not at the national government level.  It was pushed by consumers demanding to know if the food they were buying was safe.  Local governments, and even grocery store chains obliged, and it was discovered that indeed many sources of food stuffs were contaminated, despite the national government telling people everything was OK.

The researchers at the University of Tokyo credit the grass roots efforts to identify and avoid contaminated food to the drop in cesium levels in children still living in Miharumachi, which is only 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Fukushima Daiichi.

World War 3, East Asian Front: North Korea playing mind games with missiles? Travel agencies cancel trips!

11 April 2013 (22:26 UTC-07 Tango 10 April 2013)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

“Because of the situation in North Korea, all tours are canceled from now. We will announce when tours begin again as soon as we get official information from North Korea.”-China based travel agency Explore North Korea statement

“We are in constant contact with our partners in North Korea, and they have told us that the North remains open to tourists and have encouraged us to run our scheduled tours.”-U.S. based travel agency Uri Tours statement

ROK and USFK upped security status to Watchcon 2, the second highest level.  However, some analysts in South Korea think the DPRK is playing mind games with their ICBMs: “…the North has been repeatedly moving its missiles in and out of a shed….”

It now appears that North Korea is purposely moving mobile ICBM systems all along their east coast.  One ROK analyst says the DPRK is trying to “fatigue” intelligence gatherers for South Korea and United States.

World War 3, Asian Front: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 09 – 10 April 2013.

10 April 2013/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

In Ghor Province, an Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier shot and wounded two Lithuanian/ISAF troops, using an RPG.  Government officials said the ANA was conducting a roadblock, and a Lithuanian/ISAF convoy refused to stop.  The ANA soldier fired an RPG destroying an ISAF armored vehicle, wounding two people inside.

In Herat Province, U.S. forces attacked a bus, killing two people and wounding another.  U.S. forces claim the bus got too close to their convoy.  Independent reports say the bus was behind the U.S. convoy, when it was attacked.

In Helmand Province, local government officials say a bomb exploded killing at least five people, and wounding five others.

09 April 2013/28 Jumada l-Ula 1434/20 Farvardin 1391/29 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

In Nangarhar Province, a U.S./NATO/ISAF helicopter crashed and killed two crewmen. Mujahideen claim to have shot it down.  Witnesses say the helicopter suddenly dropped from the sky.

In Kandahar Province, Panjwaee District, Mujahideen say the launched four hit and run attacks on a U.S. patrol. They say that in frustration the U.S. forces fired indiscriminately, wounding a Mujahid, and seven children.

In Kunar Province, Manugi District, local Mujahideen say they attacked Afghan government forces who had just kidnapped two people from a local village.  One Afghan government personnel killed, two wounded. No word on the kidnap victims.

In Nuristan Province, Mujahideen overran the main police checkpoint in Paron District. At least two Afghan National Police killed.

The last group of Red Coat British Royal Marine commandos left Helmand Province.  The unit had been deployed 12 times to Helmand.

World War 3, Economic Front: California makes deal with China!

10 April 2013 (15:00 UTC-07 Tango)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

“California could get new investment worth hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars from China by the end of 2020.”-Wang Chao, China’s Vice-Minister of Commerce

The city of Shanghai, and the provinces of Jiangsu, Shandong, Guangdong and Chongqing have signed a $1.4 billion USD trade deal with the U.S. state of California.

It’s the biggest trade deal with any U.S. state.  It involves more than 70 California companies and at least 100 Chinese entrepreneurs.

 

World War 3, East Asian Front: South Korean TV broadcaster knocked off the internet!

10 April 2013 (14:40 UTC-07 Tango)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

ROK TV broadcaster, KBS, reporting that their website went offline, three times today. They do not know why.

World War 3, East Asian Front: South Korean bank paralized!

10 April 2013 (14:35 UTC-07 Tango)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

The ROK bank, NongHyup Bank, reporting that its internet banking service is paralyzed.  They do not know why.  Technicians are working at their operating system location in Anseong, they hope to have it solved before tomorrow.