Archive - Mar 19, 2011

The next shoe drops as Japan realizes that what radionuclides go up, they typically come down, even despite a relatively short half life (and say goodbye to sushi unless one has a penchant for 15 eyed albacore). Bloomberg reports that "Radiation was detected in water in Tokyo and the prefectures of Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba and Niigata, Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said today in a faxed statement." But since nobody has any reason to doubt what the Japanese government says, here is the dislaimed: "Samples of tap water taken yesterday in Tokyo and five nearby
prefectures showed traces of radiation that were within acceptable
levels, the Japanese government said." And with the radioactive cloud about to loop back and hit Japan head on, things are about to get far worse, but in the meantime those living in Tochigi Prefectuve are advised to not drink the water: "Tochigi Prefecture’s reading of radioactive iodine-131 was 77 Becquerel per kilogram, the highest among the prefectures, while the level of iodine found in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district was 1.5. All the numbers were within the 300 Bq/kg limit, the ministry said." In the meantime the "Under Survey" farce continues: "Readings couldn’t be taken in Miyagi and Ibaraki prefectures because of disruption of water supply following the magnitude 9 earthquake that struck Japan on March 11, while Fukushima Prefecture takes its own readings, the statement said." But as long as people are indoors, and preferrably under their desk, when they drink radioactive water, all should be well, yes? Something tells us this total and utter bullshit, will lead to at least one more TEPCO executive profuse crying bout in front of the cameras within 48 hours.

It has begun - From the AP: "Top officials from the United States, Europe and the Arab world have announced immediate military action to protect civilians amid combat between Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces and rebel fighters. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said after an emergency summit in Paris on Saturday that France has already taken military action against Libya. Sarkozy said "our determination is total." Earlier Saturday, Libyan government troops forces stormed into the rebel capital of Benghazi, apparently ignoring a proclaimed cease-fire and potentially complicating any allied military action."

Given the presidency’s dual role as chief of state as well as chief executor, celebration of a multitude of ceremonies is necessary and fitting – all the more in times of peril when the nation’s spirit needs uplift. But Mr. Obama’s sports addiction, his gliterrati extravaganzas, his causal acknowledgement of our closest allies’ tragedies, and his wife’s Marie-Antoinette progressions are increasingly bizarre. Importing a Chicago Daley mob family member, supposedly as a pragmatic chief of staff, so far has not injected restraint much less austerity.

The stakes are high ...