Tag Archives: war

International, Opinion, U.S.

al Qaeda taking advantage of Libyan civil war, taking Western supplied weapons for Rebels, for use againt the United States

Gaddafi said it, exclusive reports in some western media sources said it, and even the U.S. Admiral in charge of NATO said it: Al Qaeda is operating with the Libyan rebels we are supporting.  And now they are taking the weapons for the rebels, for later use against the West.

Reuters is reporting that Algerian intelligence has proof that al Qaeda is operating in Libya, and they’re taking Western supplied, and captured Russian, weapons out of Libya.

Algeria, right to the west of Libya, has spent years trying to keep al Qaeda out. Now they’ve stepped up security operations because of the Western backed rebellion in Libya, precisely because they know al Qaeda is involved.

Algerian officials are amazed that the U.S., and other UN coalition countries are supporting, essentially, al Qaeda.

Haven’t we been here before? We supported a certain group who fought in the Afghan/Soviet War, that group became al Qaeda led by bin Laden (by the way not Afghani, but Wahhabi Arab), and that group declared war on the United States.  Then we invade Iraq, supposedly because of connections to al Qaeda, which were false, and as a result al Qaeda actually got into Iraq (Saddam Hussein was actively fighting al Qaeda before we invaded). Now there is more and more proof that we are supporting al Qaeda in Libya.  Sompin’ funny goin’ on here!

Remember the old “Sanford and Son” TV show?  Let me paraphrase Red Fox’s character’s favorite phrase for his son: “Obama, you big dummy!”

Fukushima, Technology

Japan now blames Weathermen for lack of radiation data

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the Japan Meteorological Agency delayed releasing info on radiation data.  He also said, that when the data was released it was so confusing that it has added to the problem of getting people out of harms way.

And as an example of overlapping authority, Meteorological Agency officials say they thought the data was only to be reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency.  They pointed out that the ‘data’ was a only computer projection, a simulation, of what could happen, not actual real time data!

 

Business/Economics, Fukushima

Honda & Nissan Big April production cuts

Nissan says its April production, in Japan, will be about 40% of what was planned before the 11 March 2011 disasters.

Honda says its Japanese production will be half what it was hoping for.

Nissan is actually getting help for its Japanese production, from its engine plant in the United States.

Fukushima, International

Russia offers Nuke Sub Cleaner to Japan

Russia is offering a ‘water cleaner’ used on decommissioned nuclear submarines, to Japan.

State-run Rosatom corporation, which is involved with taking apart old nuclear submarines, has a device that ‘cleans’ low level radiation from water.  TEPCo has to periodically release low level radioactive water into the ocean, to maintain operational safety at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Also, Reactor 2 continues to dump high level radiation contaminated water into the ocean.  However the Russian water cleaner can not handle the higher levels of radiation.

The Russian water cleaner is a 65 meters (213 feet) long floating platform that was build with money from Japan. Rosatom officials say they are ready to tow it to Japan, if requested.

Fukushima, U.S.

Toyota to close ALL North American plants

Despite trying to be optimistic, Toyota has now admitted that the parts supply problem is so bad that it will have to close ALL its North American plants.

Toyota spokesman Mike Goss, said the shut downs will take place later in April. At least 25,000 employees will be affected. How long the shut downs last depends on parts supply issues.

Goss said that the North American plants, in Mexico, U.S. and Canada, get only 15% of their parts from Japan, but they are crucial for assembly of the vehicles.

There is about one week’s worth of parts for North America. Toyota, as well as other car makers, are scrambling to find factories outside Japan to make the parts.

Business/Economics, Fukushima, Technology

Just how much do we rely on Petroleum? No ink, no bleach, no tape, no Shonen Jump

You wouldn’t believe how much we use petroleum products (oil & natural gas) in our everyday lives. The people of Japan are finding out the hard way.

The 11 March 2011 quake/tsunami has resulted in several petroleum plants closing down, due to damage and power cuts. Those plants turn oil and natural gas into everyday products.

How would you like disposable diapers with no tape to seal it shut? Unicharm Corporation discontinued production of special tape used to wrap diapers because of a lack of the chemical needed to make the tape.

Are you one of those people who just have to have your whites their whitest when doing the laundry? No bleach. Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co has stopped production at its Kashima factory, because of lack of electricity.

Love your Manga? The publisher of mangas including Shonen Jump, is delaying publication because there’s no ink. Maruzen Petrochemical Co stopped production of Diisobutylene, a chemical product used to make ink. Amazingly Maruzen is the only producer of Diisobutylene in Japan, so bye, bye Manga.

Business/Economics, Fukushima

Grocery store shelves empty due to lack of Packaging for food products

According to The Daily Yomiuri, lack of food is not the only reason for bare grocery store shelves.  Even food that is abundant is not making it to the Japanese grocery stores because of a lack of packaging.

The problem is a lack of plastic, and plastic wrap, used for food packaging. The 11 March 2011, 9.0 quake severely damaged a petroleum complex in Kamisu, Ibaraki Prefecture, where the chemicals are made for plastics. (another example of  how we are dependent on oil)

Even plastic bottle cap producers have shut down.

Cardboard production has been stopped as well. The result is products like milk can not be packaged, according to Nippon Paper-Pak Co, a major beverage packaging firm.

Fukushima

Japanese government OKs intentional release of Radioactive Water!

After blasting Tokyo Electric Power Company for the leaking water from Reactor 2, the Japanese national government has given the go ahead to release radioactive water from reactors 3 & 4!

Chief Cabinet secretary, Edano Yukio, said the intentional release of contaminated water from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is to maintain operational safety!

Fukushima

Shitake mushrooms radioactive, no response from national government, local government taking action!

Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, has order its own ban on Shitake mushrooms after a sample tested positive for contamination.

Iodine and cesium were found on mushrooms grown outdoors in the city of Iwata. No contamination found on indoor grown mushrooms. Iwata is 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The radiation levels are higher than safe limits set by the national (central) government. It was the local government that set the ban on shipping the contaminated mushrooms, after no order was heard from the central government.

Fukushima

Winds blowing radiation to North America, now the Black Current will bring radiation as well

The predominant winds from Japan are bringing radiation spread into the air, to North America.  The radiation is, so far, lower level isotopes, and the air disperses it over the long distance.

Now there is highly radioactive isotopes spilling into the Pacific Ocean, in higher concentrations, and the currents could eventually bring it to the North American coast.

The Kuroshio Current (Black Current, or Black Tide) runs northward up the Pacific coast of Japan, then turns eastward into the North Pacific Current heading towards the North American coast.