Archive for the 'Environment' Category
Radiation in Water at Fukushima Daiichi Reactor 2: Ten Million Times Normal
March 27th, 2011Update: Proof of Partial Meltdown Duh. Via: Deutsche Welle: TEPCO did retract on Sunday a previous announcement that the radiation in the water was 10 million times higher than normal, saying the mistake was due to confusion between readings of iodine and cobalt in the water. The operator did not retract the 1,000 millisieverts figure. […]
Radiation Beyond Legal Limit Found in Mustard Spinach Grown in Tokyo
March 25th, 2011Can anyone point to good information that deals with the health implications of consuming radioactive fallout, as opposed to just being exposed to ionizing radiation? Obviously, these vegetables have not been irradiated directly, so fallout particles must be coming down in the form or dust and/or rain. All the government assurances of don’t worry, be […]
Worst Texas Drought in 44 Years Eroding Wheat, Beef Supply as Food Rallies
March 24th, 2011Via: Bloomberg: The worst Texas drought in 44 years is damaging the state’s wheat crop and forcing ranchers to reduce cattle herds, as rising demand for U.S. food sends grain and meat prices higher. Texas, the biggest U.S. cattle producer and second-largest winter-wheat grower, got just 4.7 inches (12 centimeters) of rain on average in […]
Pump Truck with Long Boom Headed to Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant
March 24th, 2011…usually used for concrete pouring… Via: Xinhua: A Chinese-made pump truck with a long boom will leave Shanghai for Japan Tuesday after the owner of the troubled Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant requested it, according the vehicle’s manufacturer. The vehicle with a 62-meter boom is scheduled to be shipped Tuesday morning. It is expected to […]
Fukushima Engineer Says He Covered Up Flaw at Shut Reactor
March 23rd, 2011Via: Bloomberg: One of the reactors in the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant may have been relying on flawed steel to hold the radiation in its core, according to an engineer who helped build its containment vessel four decades ago. Mitsuhiko Tanaka says he helped conceal a manufacturing defect in the $250 million steel vessel installed […]
Japan: Monitoring Radiation Levels
March 21st, 2011A reader asked if I had any suggestions for monitoring radiation levels in Japan. I have no idea how accurate any of this is, but here are the sites I’ve been watching: http://www.bousai.ne.jp/eng/ http://www.stubbytour.com/nuc/index_en.asp Tokyo only: http://park30.wakwak.com/~weather/geiger_index.html (mirror)
Switzerland Moves Embassy from Tokyo to Osaka
March 21st, 2011Via: Swiss Info: Switzerland has announced that its embassy in Tokyo has been transferred to Osaka, 600 km south of the Japanese capital. A foreign ministry statement said the temporary move had been made because of the “uncertain situation” in Tokyo, and in particular around the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant. The ministry said the embassy […]
Oil Spill Reported Near Deepwater Drilling Site in Gulf of Mexico
March 20th, 2011Via: Huffington Post: The Coast Guard is investigating reports of a potentially large oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico not far from the Deepwater Horizon site. According to a knowledgeable source, the slick was sighted by a helicopter pilot on Friday and is about 100 miles long. A fishing boat captain said he went […]
Commander of U.S. Military Forces in the Pacific On Prospect of Reactors Being Abandoned to Melt Down: ‘That Can’t Happen’
March 18th, 2011Reminder: Voice of America is the official propaganda outlet of the U.S. Government. Via: Voice of America: The commander of U.S. military forces in the Pacific says he is sending his troops into the danger zone near the Japan’s crippled nuclear power plants as needed, and if necessary he will send more to help prevent […]
U.S. Checks Passengers, Cargo from Japan for Radiation
March 17th, 2011Update: Low Levels of Radiation Detected on Passengers from Tokyo: Radiation detectors at Dallas-Fort Worth and Chicago O’Hare airports were triggered when passengers from flights that started in Tokyo passed through customs, the New York Post reported. Tests at Dallas-Fort Worth indicated low radiation levels in travelers’ luggage and in the aircraft’s cabin filtration system; […]
