Wednesday, May 18, 2011

JAPAN’S NUCLEAR CRISIS CONTINUES


The Nuclear Energy Institute is saying that rods at the bottom of Reactor 1 have melted and that efforts to further cool the reactor are not necessary; only a small amount of water is needed.  But, efforts to contain the remaining reactors have stalled.  Extremely high levels of radiation in the building housing Reactor 1 may alter plans at the site.  The Japanese government plans to advise schools near the Fukushima facility that burying soil contaminated by radiation reduces its radiation level. The government said that burying topsoil 20 inches underground reduced its radiation level by 90 percent.  Chubu Electric Power Co. has agreed to the Japanese government’s request to shut down reactors at its Hamaoka nuclear power plant, about 200 miles southwest of Tokyo. The government had asked Chubu to implement safeguards against possible earthquakes and tsunamis. The company began shutdown of Hamaoka 4 on Friday.

COMMENTS:
The problems there continue to be serious.  We know now that the disaster is at least as critical as Chernobyl.  But, the underlying lesson is that they were lax in maintenance, lax in preparations for emergencies, lax in reporting standards, lax in inspections.  But, given their track records, they are still far safer than we think. 

TODAY’S QUERIES & ANSWERS:
Q.  Can Newt Gingrich, who is now back-peddling from what he said on “Meet the Press,” salvage his run for the Presidency?  (Nan ~ Redding, CA)
A.  He committed intolerable sins; he cut Paul Ryan’s knees off.  He backed a “modified version” of ObamaCare.  As far as I am concerned, he is now a non-entity, a bag of preposterous wind that has lost all credibility.  And, I think that conservatives are all feeling the same way.  He could have gone and had sex with Nancy Pelosi and that sin would not be as bad as this.  He’s toast.  Thank God we know his truths now, and not on January 21st, 2013. 

Q.  Is there a possibility Huckabee might change his mind and run?  (Nan ~ Redding, CA)
A.  Well, you get a twofer… two questions fer one blog post.  I hope so.  With Trump out and Gingrich toast, Huckabee might really be the slam dunk.  My fear is that Michelle Obama threatened to scratch his eyes out.  I also like Herman Cain.  I’m not excited about any other prospects right now.  I do like Sarah Palin, but I don’t think now is her time.  Michele Bachmann?  We’ll see. 

Q.  In your blog, MY AMERICAN OPINION, you said that the problem with the system is that politicians and the ones deciding who the runners will be, and that we should get away from that; Americans should be the ones deciding.  The way things have come to pass these last few days, I think you are right on.  Does this mean we are going to be stuck with Romney?  Is that written in the wind?  (Jim ~ Redding, CA)
A.  He’d like to think so. If that comes to pass, Obama will win and we can kiss this country goodbye.  As for me… I won’t even vote under these circumstances, and I’ve voted in every election since 1963. 

TODAY’S QUOTE:
“We might as well die as to go on living like this. ~ Charlie Chaplin

TODAY’S VIDEO: 


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