Tag Archives: u.s.

Big Aftershocks create more concern for damaged Nuke Plant

“As strong aftershocks occur almost daily, we have to consider what will happen to buildings already damaged by blasts.”-Nishiyama Hidehiko, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency

Concern for new problems at Fukushima Daiichi, caused by several intense aftershocks, and rising temperatures in Reactor 4 spent fuel pool after a battery storage box caught fire.

Tokyo Electric Power Company says that higher-than-usual levels of radioactive iodine-131, cesium-134 and cesium-137, are coming from Reactor 4 fuel pool.  Reactor 4 was shut down at the time of the tsunami, and all the active fuel rods were in the spent fuel pool.  Inspection of the fuel pool revealed that some rods are damaged, but most are intact.

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency wants TEPCo to inspect all buildings for more damage caused by aftershocks.  The concern is that the buildings have been weakened by the 9.0 quake, tsunami and massive hydrogen gas explosions.

 

 

High levels of Cesium in Fish!

Off  the coast of Fukushima, sand lance fish are contaminated with high levels of cesium-137.

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said the latest samples, taken as far away as 37km (22.9 miles) from Fukushima Daiichi, show the fish have 12,500 becquerels per kilogram of cesium!

The safe limit, under Japanese current 2011 Food Sanitation Law, is 500 becquerels.

 

Mexico asks for help as Fire hits 200,000+ Acres

NASA photos show, as of April 11, the Coahuila fire has burned at least 300 square miles.  The photo also shows the smoke blowing northeast, towards the Rio Grande (called Rio Bravo in Mexico).  This is contrary to some Mexican reports that say it’s blowing to the southwest (maybe they meant it’s bowing OUT of the southwest). But, the winds have been the main cause of the big fire, and could be changing directions.

“We could have the area under control in about two to two and a half weeks.”-Juan Elvira, Mexican Environment Minister

This has turned into Mexico’s biggest wild fire.  Fire fighting helicopters, and a Boeing 747 water tanker, from the United States are helping.  Mexico is asking Canada for help, as well.

French send experts on dismantling Nuke Plants to Japan

The French company Areva SA is increasing the number of nuclear experts they’ve sent to Japan, to help deal with the Fukushima Daiichi crisis.

Areva SA now has 15 technicians in Japan.  Some of the technicians specialize in removing contaminated water, and dismantling nuclear power plants.

France based Areva is also trying to get a uranium enrichment operation built in Idaho, U.S.A.

Radiation in Pacific Ocean continues to increase!

Despite efforts to stop the contaminated water from spilling into the Pacific Ocean, Tokyo Electric Power Company, and the Japanese government, say contamination levels  just off the Fukushima coast are at highest point so far.

Iodine-131 has hit 88.5 becquerels per liter, 30km (18.6 miles) away from Fukushima Daiichi. Cesium-137 levels continue to climb as well, but are still under Japanese safe limits.

 

 

Philippines orders all citizens in Japan to leave!

President Benigno Aquino ordered all Filipinos living within 50km of Fukushima Daiichi, to leave the area.  Any Filipinos living outside the 50 kilometers (31 miles) zone, can voluntarily leave.

The Philippine government said they would pay all the costs of bringing their citizens back to the Philippines. Any Filipinos who want to stay are ordered to move to the southern part of the big island of Honshu.

The order came when it was officially announced that Fukushima Daiichi was a level 7 nuke disaster (the highest level).

 

Strontium indicator that Reactor 3 is Breached!

More info on the strontium contamination found more than 30km from Fukushima Daiichi.

Namie Town and Iitate Village have evidence of strontium 90 contamination, they are 30km (18.6 miles) from the reactors.  Strontium 90 was also found in plant samples from Motomiya City, Ono Town and Otama and Nishigo Villages.  They are between 40 to 80 kilometers (24.8 to 49.7 miles) from Fukushima Daiichi.

The strontium was detected between 16 & 19 March.  One nuclear engineer points out that is immediately after Reactor 3 exploded.   Strontium would only come from fuel rods, and it’s a possible indicator that the reactor itself was damaged.

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.

 

 

 

Strontium contamination found around nuke plant!

Radioactive strontium has been detected in soil and plants, beyond the 30km (18.6 miles) zone around Fukushima Daiichi.

Strontium 90 is produced by nuclear reactors.  It’s half life is about 29 years.  It is absorbed by your bones, leading to disorders such as bone cancer.

Officially, this is the first time the detection of strontium has been announced. The samples were taken on 15 & 16 March.  There have been several nuclear analysts who said not all types of radiation where being reported to the public!

 

6.0 aftershock hits Fukushima & Ibaraki

It just doesn’t stop, since April 8, Japan has been hit with dozens of aftershocks of 5.0 or bigger, including two 7.0 quakes.

In the past few hours Japan has been hit with several large aftershocks, and they’re spread all over the big island of Honshu. The latest aftershock hit Fukushima and Ibaraki Prefectures, magnitude 6.3.

Before that, a magnitude 6.4 quake jolted Chiba Prefecture, just east of Tokyo, and a magnitude 5.6 quake rocked Nagano Prefecture in central Japan