Smoke from fires at a major refinery in Japn. From Huffington Post.
There are many conflicting reports on what has happened with Japan's nuclear reactor. Video of the explosion is HERE. Japanese authorities claim that the public is in no danger, that there was no substantial release of radiation. The next 72 hours or so will seriously test the authorities' credibility. Japanese authorities were REAMED back in '02 for their lack of candor with the Kobe earthquake -- I cannot help but think that their gut reaction will be to conceal the extent of the problem.
Already news suggests that they are not being very candid:
Radiation Levels Surge near Japanese Nuclear Power Plant from Salon
"Over 3,000 people were evacuated from the area in what the government is calling the first ever "nuclear emergency" … The agency said plant workers are scrambling to restore cooling water supply at the plant but there is no prospect for immediate success."
Read that: "NO prospect for immediate success." NOT GOOD! Some sources say that we already into a seriously dangerous zone:
Red Alert: Nuclear Meltdown at Quake-Damaged Japanese Plant from Stratfor Global Intelligence
"A March 12 explosion at the earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Japan, appears to have caused a reactor meltdown. "
And then there's this this:
Japan Orders Evacuation Near 2nd Nuclear Plant from the New York Times
"Japanese officials issued broad evacuation orders on Saturday for people living near two nuclear power plants whose cooling systems broke down as a result of the earthquake. The officials warned that small amounts of radioactive material were likely to leak from the plants."
Here's how some major US papers were covering the story this morning:
Explosion Rocks Japanese Nuclear Power Plant; 5 Reactors in Peril from the Washington Post
"An explosion rocked one of Japan's nuclear power plants, causing a portion of a building to crumble, sending white smoke billowing into the air and prompting Japanese officials to warn those in the vicinity to cover their mouths and stay indoors."
Japan's Fears Mount with Nuclear Plant Blast from the Los Angeles Times
"Officials try to calm residents wary of a possible radiation leak -- or worse -- at the Fukushima power plant, which lost its cooling system in Friday's massive earthquake. Nationwide, the death toll from the quake and tsunami could top 1,700."
Other notable news items:
Why I'm Hopeful about the Middle East Uprisings from the Washington Post
"Their great awakening has shattered the truism that, unlike "us," they have no real desire for freedom. With tremendous courage, they have risked their lives to declare otherwise. In that stirring spectacle lies the first, elemental reason for my hope that a historical page has at last begun to turn. But the window is only so wide, and many forces aim to shut it. So what comes next?"
Iran and the Arba Sandstorm (Jonathan Paris) from Standpoint Magazine [of the UK]
"The more important consequences of the Arab people's rebellion are its impact on the Iranian people. There are at least four connections between Iran and the Arab sandstorm currently sweeping through the region."
Hillary Clinton on Middle East Women's Revolution (Lisa Miller) from the Daily Beast
"In a rousing keynote speech at Newsweek and The Daily Beast’s Women in the World summit, Secretary Clinton doubled down on her commitment to women’s rights in the Middle East, unveiled a new State Department partnership with all-girls colleges, and called pointedly for a future female president."
Hillary's speech can be watched HERE.
Assange: An Unserious Man from Standpoint Magazine [of the UK]
"Leigh and Harding's excellent book shows us that right now we should be questioning an important matter about Julian Assange — his seriousness."
Obama Over the Last Three Months from Public Policy Polling
"There are 3 swing states- Virginia, Missouri, and Wisconsin- that we polled around Thanksgiving and have now polled again in the last couple weeks. Barack Obama is in a stronger position across those states now than he was in late fall against all four of his top Republican opponents."
The Cook Report: Voters Want More Government - Trend or Fluke? (Charlie Cook) from the National Journal
"A new poll that shows independents warming to the role of government could signal an important shift. … The government-should-do-more camp is once again a majority."
This could be VERY important.
Democrats See Wisconsin Loss as Galvanizing from the New York Times
"Even as the Republican governor of Wisconsin was signing a bill Friday that all but ended collective bargaining for state employees, Democrats nationally had put out advertisements and letters to use his own success against him."
Fallout from Wisconsin: Experts from Both Sides of the Battle Weigh In. from National Journal
"Paul Maslin: 'VICTORY'???!!! Pyrrhus Had Nothing on Scott Walker. I was Gray Davis’ pollster from 1993 through his two gubernatorial victories and his ultimate defeat to a recall movement and Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003. Make no mistake, the union-busting strategy whose true nature was finally completely unmasked by the junta-like power play at the State Capitol in Madison last night will lead to Walker’s premature ouster from office."
Florida Loses $2.4 Billion For High-Speed Trains from the Associated Press via the Huffington Post
"The Obama administration has taken back the $2.4 billion allocated to Florida for high-speed trains and is inviting other states to apply for the money, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Friday."
I'll be curious to see if this issue has any legs in Florida next year.
Along for the Ride (Ronald Brownstein) from National Journal
"Republican presidential hopefuls aren’t so much leading as reacting. That could hurt them in 2012."
Oy, What a Week for NPR from NPR's On The Media
"It was a rough week in a tough season for public radio, starting five months ago with the mishandled firing of NPR news analyst Juan Williams, and ending with the resignation of NPR CEO Vivian Schiller. Brooke and Bob look back. Way back."
If you're concerned about the impact of this week's revelations on NPR's funding, most of this week's program is devoted to the topic in one way or another.
COOL TORNADO/DUST DEVIL VIDEO NUGGET!!
Surprisingly graceful, almost staged look at the beginnings (perhaps) of a tornado - from Americablog.
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