Meltdown Blogging

It's hard to read this and feel confident that the Japanese have the situation in hand.

The radiation plume is meant to hit Southern California Friday afternoon and I will be shocked if there are no bars that pick that up as a happy hour theme.

A United Nations forecast of the possible movement of the radioactive plume coming from crippled Japanese reactors shows it churning across the Pacific, and touching the Aleutian Islands on Thursday before hitting Southern California late Friday.

Health and nuclear experts emphasize that radiation in the plume will be diluted as it travels and, at worst, would have extremely minor health consequences in the United States, even if hints of it are ultimately detectable. In a similar way, radiation from the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 spread around the globe and reached the West Coast of the United States in 10 days, its levels measurable but minuscule.

The Christian Science Monitor had a good meltdown primer covering spent fuel rods in pools.

Comments

[clarice]

Maybe you'd feel more confident if you read Chaco's blog at PJM re the latest IAEA report. Of course, if you want to get bad news stick to the NYT.

[Luke Lea]

Here is a un-hyped account:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/16/fukushima_wednesday/

The real story here is spelled: R A D I A T I O N H Y S T E R I A

[narciso]

I was wrong, 'a physicist' is Hugo Farnsworth, not dr. Emmett Brown

[nuclear_balm]

Keep in mind that, as always, NYT reporting on this event is agenda-driven. Ask yourself what leftist agenda can be served by mis-reporting and interpret all NYT articles on the "grave nuclear crisis" through that lens.

[rse]

OT but I hate italics.

City Journal has a great article up on Lionel Trilling and his antipathy to the idea politics and social policy could reengineer the human soul.

LUN

Mel-sent you an email.

[Ignatz]

Thanks for that sensible link from the Wednesday UK Register, Luke Lea.
At the bottom of the page was this even more optimistic update for Thursday entitled "Prospects Starting to Look Good.".

[fdcol63]

Would nuking Fukushima release more or less radiation over the long term?

[Ignatz]

Vastly more and vastly more long lived and dangerous types.

[Threadkiller]

I am searching the web for any articles related to the radiation cloud that must have affected millions on the west coast after we BOMBED Japan with atomic weapons.

I would think two uncontrolled explosions would have emitted a far more dangerous cloud.

What do I know? I am still searching.

[Danube of Thought]

My understanding of nuclear radiation is limited to what I recall from my experience with handling nuclear weapons, and with nuclear weapons defense, all of which ended almost forty years ago. I recall very well the three types of radiation released by a detonation--alpha, beta and gamma--the latter being a part of the electromagnetic spectrum, traveling at the speed of light, and penetrating just about anything except a lead shield.

Alpha particles are relatively large and slow (they are the nucleii of atoms), and have almost no penetrating ability. But they are lethal if inhaled or swallowed, and they can travel great distances with particulate matter, e.g. the dust cloud from an explosion.

Beta radiation is electrons--not too much penetrating ability, and I can't recall how well it travels with particulates in the wind.

So what kind of radiation is it that might arrive at the west coast? If it's gamma, how does it get there? Ditto beta.

[Ignatz]

Interesting Article at BI on how newer reactors would have handled what occurred in Japan. Very sensible and written by a girl and one from San Fran no less.
Death threats in 3...2...1...

[Danube of Thought]

I guess Popular Mechanics gives a partial answer to my question:

The biggest radioactive risk right now comes from the byproducts of fission. Tokyo Electric Power Company, which runs the reactors, has reported releases of both iodine-131 and cesium-137, the two primary radionuclides that nuclear fission creates. According to Hutchinson, strontium-90 has also been detected, and the presence of cesium and strontium indicates fuel melting.

Iodine-131 moves through the atmosphere more easily than cesium-137, but it has a half-life of only eight days, according to Classic. That means it would be all but gone within weeks. Cesium-137, on the other hand, attaches itself to particles or debris. That means that eventually cesium-137 will fall out of the air onto the ground, and there it will stay until it decays. The isotope’s half-life is about 30 years, so it would be a long time before an area it traveled to would be free from radiation. Depending on the level of radiation, the area would have to be sectioned off or the material dealt with by a hazardous waste disposal team. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, exposure to radiation from cesium-137 near a nuclear accident site could significantly increase the risk of cancer. Trace amounts of cesium-137 are already in the environment worldwide, mostly because of nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s and ’60s, but most of that has decayed.

[cathyf]

DrF put this on his facebook page this morning:

When helicopters are called in to drop things on reactors or fuel ponds, you're in trouble. Fortunately Japan has some of the best engineers in the world.

(I'm not a nuclear physicist, and I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I do sleep with a nuclear physicist... ;-)

[Porchlight]

rse,

Thanks for that Trilling link. I recently reread a 2003 essay by Jeffrey Meyers in the New Criterion on Trilling and the 1968 student protests at Columbia. (It's linked here but is behind a subscriber firewall - I can get a pdf to anyone's email if they're interested.) Trilling was completely rattled and surprised by the protests. I don't think he believed the students capable of that kind of violence and disruption. It was the end of an era in his thinking.

[Thomas Collins]

All right, cathyf, you opened up the line of inquiry.

When you do sleep with the nuke physicist, is the reaction fission, fusion or total meltdown?

Now slapping myself for my impertinence.

[Old Lurker]

And does he glow in the dark when his electrons are in an excited state?

[larry]

Been busy & now several threads behind, so please forgive me if I repeat something. Here's a couple days' worth, lots copied from my post on the other meltdown thread.

Alas, I must break the silence about the elephant in the room. Maybe we're all in denial, but our dear friend, Rick Ballard has developed the stutters. There, I said it and I'm glad. Just the first step on a slippery slope?

LUN for The Screwtape Emails. Thanks tons, Janet for reminding me of something I last delighted in reading at least 35 years ago.

@Danube of Thought - how about "Winning isn't everything it's the only thing".
Makes no sense at all but passes for wisdom because it was said by a winning football coach.
Posted by: middyfeek | March 16, 2011 at 02:27 PM When I first heard it (In 1958, long before Lombardi's public utterance, from USAF Academy athletic director,
George B. Simler, then O6. Main instigator for Commander's Trophy) it was "Winning isn't the most important thing........"
Makes more sense.

Posted by: clarice | March 16, 2011 at 02:41 PM She's just copying what you've already done, Clarice. BTW, seems I read somewhere in these threads there's been some
unlicensed pistola wielding? Say it ain't so!

Not to denigrate the efforts of those courageous Fukushima 50, But WTF are they trying to do? Aren't they just going to pour cement over the whole thing? Why do these brave souls have to risk near-certain death by radiation poisoning? If they're gonna be at risk, make it for pouring concrete. One of you scientists may have already addressed this. If so, please point me at it.

The foundation I work for may be sending a good portion of their annual prudent reserve to Red Cross and Salvation Army earmarked for Japanese victims. They give to them each year, but this'll be more and sooner.

[larry]

OL-does he glow in the dark when his electrons are in an excited state? Really easy to misread that word, electrons, OL.

[cathyf]

Not telling!

[larry]

Further- Does he grow...............

[Extraneus]

I bet particle physics gives him a hadron.

(After an old physics t-shirt.)

Guns don't kill people, physics kills people.

[Danube of Thought]

Via Insty, Roger Kimball reminds us how American presidents used to act. Definitely worth a read. Miss him yet?

[larry]

Ext-Guns don't kill people, physics kills people. Ya, whenever I take one, I'm stuck in the smallest room all day.
How do you delete an LUN? I've erased it, but it comes back every time.

[larry]

Agree wholeheartedly with DoT, above.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

Dot I read your cousin's email on the air. It was just as compelling the second time. Thanks so much for posting it.

[cathyf]

How do you delete an LUN? I've erased it, but it comes back every time.

Beats me -- Once I used an LUN it would come back. If I changed it, then the new one would keep coming back. So I just gave up and picked a permanent link.

(This is because we are using the field for something other than what it is intended. The Typepad people set that up so that when a blogger comments on another blogger's site, the commenter can put his/her blog's url under his/her name. It reflects a view of the blogosphere where everyone is a blogger, and they communicate by writing blog posts. This development of communities of commenters wasn't planned for. We do have a few commenters here who are bloggers in their own rights who use the LUN that way -- Sara, for example.)

[henry]

Gateway Pundit has a post up claiming the new power line to the Daiichi Plant. Any chance the regular cooling systems still function?

[Thomas Collins]

Physics kills people? I remember from a poly sci textbook the notion that when testifying before Congress, scientists had to "sex up" the research for which they were seeking funding, because, as the author so pithily put it, "noone ever died from microbiology." Who knew that physics in itself was far more potent than microbiology!

[Ignatz]

Henry, if you haven't read the 10:24 and 11:03 links do so.
There is always a small chance of the worst possible outcome in anything but looks to me, despite the imbecilic hype, like this is already winding down.

[henry]

Thanks Ignatz, I hadn't read those yet. Those links explain quite a bit. I guess the media wants to milk the hysteria a bit longer (still yelling meltdown on the quick updates).

[KyH]

Physics doesnt kill people,fission does.So,maybe the Japanese figured the fission part of the nuclear reaction could be tunred into a directed beam and burn through the earth like a meltdown and CIA new this and had Plame visit with a stolen los alamons laptop proving we already had the technology like Iran doesnt and wont talk cause they dont want all the friendly foreigners murderwd by Plames good terrorist like Iraq.So.whatever happens the Japanese are following counties dont talk rule and we'll never know because of the Tsunami that someone created ruined the experimental data.

[Captain Hate]

How do you delete an LUN? I've erased it, but it comes back every time.

You can't unless you delete all your cookies. What I do is just delete everything but the first "h" and hit "post"; it comes back with an invalid URL but it will stay and you then just have to delete one letter instead of the whole URL.

O/T Tammy Bruce is crushing Preznit RiO claiming the 2008 election is like having sex when you're drunk; you don't know what you're doing and when you sober up you feel really bad about it.

[Danube of Thought]

"you don't know what you're doing and when you sober up you feel really bad about it."

Speak for yourself, Tammy.

[PaulL]

You know what Ibama's problem is? Well, when he wakes up in the morning, first thing he does is talk to the military, instead of talking to other Nobel Prize winners.

At least, according to Joan Baez, linked at Drudge.

[jimmyk]

when he wakes up in the morning, first thing he does is talk to the military

Would that it were so! My guess is that he checks the sports pages (especially those NCAA results) and hits a few practice putts on the carpet. And it's downhill from there.

[fdcol63]

Joan Baez is just angry that Obama hasn't closed Gitmo yet.

Baez, Amnesty Int'l, and hippy liberals - all residing in FantasyLand.

[ROA]

But she wasn't mad enough to turn down an opportunity to perform at the White House for Obama.

[Danube of Thought]

Someone--I saw it earlier today--mad the inspired suggestion that the WI GOP should introduce a bill to make their public employee unions' rights identical to those of federal workers.

Brilliant: it would focus attention like a laser on the real issue, and the Dems would be hard put to explain any opposition to it.

[clarice]

Well, DoT, Walker said much the same in his WSJ op ed..that WI workers had far more rights than federal workers.

My b-i-l reports that the extent of the recall craziness is not to be believed.

[fdcol63]

If union thugs keep pushing, somday angry mobs of TEA Party types will rally and protest in front of union offices.

[Thomas Collins]

Khadafy threatens no mercy (LUN) . . .

[bgates]

You know what Ibama's problem is?

Somebody wants to get another thousand-comment thread going.

[Thomas Collins]

While Obama fiddles and diddles at the UN (LUN).

I'm sure that Obama's actions here are making the Chinese think twice about asserting themselves with their Asian neighbors. Imagine. If China attacks Taiwan, Obama might have Susan Rice write a nuanced position paper to the Security Council. Hu Jintao must be shaking in his wingtips.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

DoT, the major issues are with gamma emitters, although iodine and I think caesium also emit beta.

Gateway Pundit has a post up claiming the new power line to the Daiichi Plant. Any chance the regular cooling systems still function?

The cooling systems have always functioned; the problem is they're electrically powered, and the tsunami swept away the power lines and backup generators. They have indeed completed a new power line, which will help a lot.

While the press fills with "suicide squad" stories, the IAEA reports no health-significant radiation.

While that dolt at the US NRC says the spent fuel rods are exposed, the water having boiled away, the IAEA reports the temperature in the fuel rod ponds not exceeding 85 deg C.

While the US is recommending voluntary evacuation of US citizens from Japan, they aren't recommending the same thing from South Korea,which is considerably closer to Fukushima than many parts of Japan.

These things puzzle me.

[Thomas Collins]

Meanwhile, Hillary's rumpswabbers continue the low key long shot attempt to push Obama out of the 2012 race (and the less long shot attempt to distance herself from Obama in preparation for the 2016 race). See LUN.

[fdcol63]

We should fuel up a Boeing 747, pack it with a MOAB, paint a big Pan Am logo on it, and fly it into Khaddafi's compound when he's least suspecting it ... and there.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I am searching the web for any articles related to the radiation cloud that must have affected millions on the west coast after we BOMBED Japan with atomic weapons.

Atomic above ground testing was happening on a regular basis back in the '50s.

Nuclear Testing In Nevada

* 1950’s Nuclear Testing Initiated at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) [Source Reference]
* 100 Atmospheric Tests
* 828 Underground Tests
* One Underground Test at CNTA
* One Underground Test at Shoal Site [Link]
* Numerous Subcritical Surface Tests conducted on both NTS and Nellis Range
*September 1992 Testing Ends

[jimmyk]

From TC's LUN, this is as shocking as the Japan/NCAA brackets comment:

Obama himself made light of her strong feelings for supporting the opposition in a speech last week at the Gridiron Club Dinner, an annual gathering that traditionally features a stand-up comedy act by the president.

"I’ve dispatched Hillary to the Middle East to talk about how these countries can transition to new leaders — though, I’ve got to be honest, she’s gotten a little passionate about the subject,” Obama said to laughter from the audience.

“These past few weeks it’s been tough falling asleep with Hillary out there on Pennsylvania Avenue shouting, throwing rocks at the window.”

Har-dee-har-har.

[LouP]

Somebody help me please. It's been a very long time since I dabbled in physics, but from what I recall...

Mankind can refine, concentrate and irradiate other elements, but mankind has not (yet) learned how to create a basic source of nuclear radiation. That basic source is mined as a naturally-occurring radiation, i.e., uranium. Is that fundamentally correct?

OK, does anyone recall anyone monitoring radiation levels when a volcano erupts? Why not (in light of the recent hyperpanic)?

[MayBee]

Obama's message in Japan's embassy guestbook:

“My heart goes out to the people of Japan during this enormous tragedy. Please know that America will always stand by one of its greatest allies during their time of need.

“Because of the strength and wisdom of its people, we know that Japan will recover and indeed will emerge stronger than ever. And as it recovers, the memory of those who have been lost will remain in our hearts and will serve only to strengthen the friendship between our two countries.”

“May God Bless the people of Japan.”

[Rick Ballard]

Perhaps he would enjoy being the host at Daffy's mass executions of Libyan tweeter traitors? Assange could be co-host. I'm sure all Mohametans living under a tyrant's boot would get a kick (or two) out of it.

[Janet]

We should fuel up a Boeing 747, pack it with a MOAB, paint a big Pan Am logo on it, and fly it into Khaddafi's compound when he's least suspecting it ... and there.

I love this idea, fdcol63!

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I forgot to include the link on the testing above.

The caption for the picture reads:

This above ground atmospheric nuclear test was conducted at the Nevada Test Site on May 25, 1953. Named "Grable" the nuclear bomb was fired from a 280 mm gun. The test was an "Airburst, it was weapons related and had an estimated yield range of 15 Kiloton

The link: State of Nevada Environment Protection Agency

[Danube of Thought]

Chaco, are those gamma emitters molecules--or particles--of the cesium, iodine or whatever? Do they migrate with the wind by being attached to dust particles? If not, how?

[Porchlight]

Video at RCP:

Obama: Never Take For Granted That I'm President

"The first time around it's like lightning in a bottle. There's something special about it, because you're defying the odds. And as time passes, you start taking it for granted that a guy named Barack Hussein Obama is president of the United States," Obama said. "But we should never take it for granted."

[Thomas Collins]

Kentucky holds off Princeton, 59-57.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

LouP: I was wondering about volcanoes this morning. I found this:

Conduction is the transfer of heat from one molecule to the other without the molecules themselves being moved along (otherwise it would be convection). As the convection cells approach the surface of the Earth the "thermal gradient" (hot Earth below and cool skies or water above) is sufficient to allow the heat to escape by the less energetic means of conduction. When you place your warm hand on a cold piece of metal you transmit heat from your hand to the metal by conduction. Molecules don't move from your hand to the metal. Instead the molecules move the heat by passing it along like a bucket brigade. About a hundred meters below the surface of the Earth the rocks heat up about one degree centigrade for every few hundred meters of depth. This is due to the conduction of heat from the tops of convection cells much further below. (The upper hundred meters or so don't have an obvious thermal gradient but it is there). Once the heat reaches the surface it is picked up by the air or water and carried away as atmospheric and oceanic convection and conduction. However, this heat is too small to cause the formation of atmospheric or oceanic convection cells because the local weather and ocean conditions dominate the heat transfer from the Earth's surface. Ultimately this "air-borne" heat is lost into space by "radiation". This should NOT be confused with the "radiation" of radioactive materials.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

But we should never take it for granted."

Sounds like a threat to me.

[Danube of Thought]

Sara, my father conducted many, many nuclear tests in 1958 and again in 1962. For the earlier ones he commanded Task Force 88, which was formed for the purpose of conducting tests in the upper atmosphere in the South Atlantic. They did a bunch of them, but I don't recall how many.

In 1962 he had Joint Task Force Eight, which detonated scores of nuclear devices out in the Pacific at Christmas Island and Johnston Island.

I think there was a bit of "controversy" over at least the 1958 ones, all generated byt he usual suspects, who issued dire warnings about Strontium 90 in children's milk. So far as I am aware there is no record of any ill effects on any humans from any of these detonations.

[Agent J. (formally known as "J"..]

fdcol63 - What's a MAOB?

[jimmyk]

Please know that America will always stand by one of its greatest allies during their time of need.

"... provided, of course, that we obtain UN approval, and I've had sufficient time to think about it."

There is also a grammatical error. Otherwise it's a fine statement.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

CHACO (or anyone):

Why don't we build our nuclear reactors inside mountains? We have NORAD inside a granite mountain to keep it safe from a nuke attack, the LDS church has one of the large document storage areas, inside a granite mountain. I know there are nuclear weapons storage sites along the Blue Ridge.

And somehow we manage to keep all these sailors safe:

[MayBee]

There are a couple grammatical errors, aren't there?

But I'm glad he did this. His statement at his presser earlier in the week was dismal.

[Old Lurker]

Massive Ordnance Air Blast (conventional) Bomb

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

DOT: I forget which island, but I saw not too long ago, a Discovery Chan. follow-up on an island that had been evacuated more than 50 years ago due to the nuclear testing. I wish I had paid more attention.

And I think that some problems started cropping up decades later for those who took part in some of the Nevada testing, but these were people who had stood around in business suits just yards from the actual tests. I think one picture had people sitting out in the desert in their lawn chairs to watch and were vying for front row seats.

I remember reading something years ago postulating that John Wayne, Steve McQueen and Susan Hayward died from cancer caused by the radiation they absorbed while filming in Nevada during some of these tests. I didn't doubt it then, but I can't remember what the proof, if any, was for the assertion.

[Sea-water glow sticks for free]

There's been far too much confidence in TEPCO, which has been behaving more like Halliburton.

Aside from the human tragedies present and future, there is the question of whether Nukes have a future. If we start seeing two-headed tunas on the market, that will be the beginning of the end.

Oil Co's and Nukers keep fucking up. Bean-counters and engineers....pfeh.

[Danube of Thought]

Sara, I think you are probably referring to Bikini Atoll, where a great deal of testing was done right after WWIi, and to a 1954 test of an H-bomb where the locals on some neighboring islands had not been evacuated. I have never heard of any ill effects from Christmas or Johnston. I think I saw a 60-Minutes-type thing on Bikini or the other one.

[boris]

cleo can't do math and hates people who can.

[jimmyk]

There are a couple grammatical errors, aren't there?

Maybee, the only one I see is "their" in the sentence I quoted.

I agree about the statement, but it's remarkable that with this president, well-expressed statements seem to be the exception rather than the rule.

[No, no, no, no!]

Mt. Hillary is rumbling.
===========

[Rob Crawford]

I remember reading something years ago postulating that John Wayne, Steve McQueen and Susan Hayward died from cancer caused by the radiation they absorbed while filming in Nevada during some of these tests.

They weren't there during, but down-wind of a test site much later.

Nuclear bombs are not nuclear reactors. Yes, some of the same material is present in both. But the structure and results are vastly different. Bombs are (not to sound patronizing) meant to explode -- they're designed to spread themselves over large areas. Reactors are designed to generate heat.

As for 'cleo or whoever the Luddite is -- get off the 'net. It could not exist without petroleum or nuclear, and if you're so opposed to both, live up to it.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

They weren't there during, but down-wind of a test site much later.

Aaaah, thank you. The older I get, the more info I seem to have at my disposal, and the less details I can repeat with any authority. I seem to remember just enough to give me a starting point to Google, so I guess that is better than nothing, but it does get frustrating.

[Danube of Thought]

I would add that bombs can be intentionally made to be "clean" or "dirty," and for any bomb the dirtiness of the effect depends in part on where it is detonated. To maximize the destructive effect of the blast you want an airburst--the more powerful the weapon, the higher from the ground (I think the two in 1945 were at 1500 feet). You get maximum radioactive fallout from a ground burst.

[cathyf]

While the US is recommending voluntary evacuation of US citizens from Japan, they aren't recommending the same thing from South Korea,which is considerably closer to Fukushima than many parts of Japan.

People in Japan are in the middle of a place with seriously degraded infrastructure, shortages, disaster victims in shelters, etc. Anybody who is a net drag on the situation who has someplace else to go ought to leave. Lots of foreigners would fit that description.

I remember reading something years ago postulating that John Wayne, Steve McQueen and Susan Hayward died from cancer caused by the radiation they absorbed while filming in Nevada during some of these tests.

All three were smokers, which is known to multiply the lung-cancer risk of airborne radiation.

[Jane]

I am simply appalled at this administration and Libya. I cannot believe he based his decision for a no-fly zone on the UN - far too late to do any good. We look pathetic, stupid and weak. And our president is all those thing.'

I am embarrassed.

["No" even to wanting to be President.]

Jane, I think Libya is a straw breaking Hillary's back. Note that she told Sarkozy that there are 'problems' with communicating with the White House.
===================

[Danube of Thought]

Go to Althouse's blog to see how the drive for civility has taken hold in the public-sector unions.

Given what we are seeing in Madison and elsewhere in Wisconsin, it seems we are looking at the rise of a form of fascism in this country. It is not coming from the right. And it is becoming a seriously under-reported story.

[narciso]

No, not fascism, but something sadly familiar, in Cuba, they are known as rapid response brigades, in Sandinista 1.0 Nicaragua, they were called turbas.

[Captain Hate]

Why don't we build our nuclear reactors inside mountains?

You need it to be located on a site with a large supply of water for cooling purposes. Plus you want transmission lines on a relatively flat terrain.

[Ignatz]

Steve McQueen died of mesothelioma which is not associated with either smoking or excessive radiation exposure.

[Danube of Thought]

No-fly zone approved by UN. Now what?

[Henry]

Heh, on local TV a DUI scandal for Abele (Dem) in his attempt to fill Walker's old Milwaukee County Exec spot. He took 7 years to show up in court after blowing 2.1 in 1996.

They also report broken car windows and nails in driveway of Sen Kapanke (R).

Also highlighted a manufacturer moving in from IL.

[Captain Hate]

No-fly zone approved by UN. Now what?

Blue helmeted guys in gliders? Green energy FTL.

[Rick Ballard]

"Now what?"

A joint Saudi - Egyptian strike force will begin launching sorties immediately. They have all the equipment necessary and are well positioned to maintain 24/7 coverage.

Alternatively - Brussels will put all the truss factories in Europe on a war footing as the First Chocolatiers begin the rather lengthy march south.

The President of the United States will authorize clearance of all golf course within 200 miles of the Capitol in order broaden his scope of potential action.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

The union thugs are completely indoctrinated through the schools they are trying control. Shades of:

“Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.” – Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

[Jane]

I cannot believe we have outsourced foreign policy to th UN. I can't believe the press reports nothing about Wisconsin. I can't believe Obama said Japan is not our crisis. I can't believe the man is partying tonite and vacationing tomorrow.

I never thought i would see the day - and half the country approves of this guy.

[Ignatz]

Other than Gaddafhi's M-24 Hinds, which can loiter and slaughter with impunity, I doubt his mighty air force was accomplishing much anyway. I don't think his few old Mig 23's dropping the occasional haphazard unguided bomb are of much use.
Unless the UN declares a no-tank, APC and artillery zone I suspect he'll still slaughter the rebs.

[Danube of Thought]

This is from Michigan:

"Lansing — One person arrested at Wednesday's protests at the Capitol was armed with a weapon and faces felony charges, Michigan State Police said.

"State Police troopers arrested 14 people during a rowdy protest of Gov. Rick Snyder's budget bills. One of them was a man who allegedly broke into the Capitol through a window and assaulted officers, state police said. The man was armed with a sharp-edged weapon, He will face felony charges. The others will face misdemeanor trespassing charges, state police said.

"More than 3,000 people converged on the Capitol to protest the budget bills, which feature deep cuts in education, a tax on pensions and weakening of bargaining rights of unions. A suspicious package also was reported but it turned out to be a laptop computer.

"Snyder has said he respects the rights of the protesters."

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

UN - no fly zone:

The United Nations Security Council approved a resolution Thursday evening authorizing a no-fly zone over Libya and other measures military action against Libya.

The vote was 10-0 with five abstentions, including Russia and China.

The United States, France and Britain pushed for speedy approval because Muammar al-Qaddafi's forces are advancing toward opposition-held Benghazi. The Libyan leader vowed Thursday night to oust the rebels from their eastern stronghold.

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said if the resolution was approved, France would support military action against Qaddafi within hours. The U.S. said it was preparing for action.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/17/seeks-resolution-authorizing-wide-range-strikes-libya/#ixzz1Gu0SRAT9

The U.S. said it was preparing for action? Why are we still preparing. Everyone else seems ready to go right now.

[narciso]

For now Sarkozy leads the West, it's a strange
'bearded spock' universe, now in the future, in the LUN

[Henry]

Gotta switch to beanbag tipped sidewinders.

[centralcal]

From WSJ Tweet:

Egypt's military has begun shipping arms over the border to Libyan rebels with Washington's knowledge http://on.wsj.com/fB3riN

[scott]

In my office there is a late 50's early 60's artillery manual that lists nuke warheads, rounds for 105mm and 155mm. Some of the older guys tell me they planned on using them to build bridges and dams etc..

I hope we don't get too involved in Libya. I think Q'ad'aff'i will wrap that one up in a few weeks..

[hit and run]

Jane:
I can't believe the man is partying tonite and vacationing tomorrow.

Believe it or not,but Obama is the hardest working man in government

[glasater]

Congrats Chaco on your superb article getting a plug at Real Clear!

[pagar]

"“Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.” – Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

We're allowing home grown terrorists to recruit and train right here in America.

LUN

[Jane]

Hit,

Send that to Insty and tell him to publish that and DOT's letter.

For some reason my anger and angst has ratcheted up to a new level this week. I don't know if we should be in Libya, but to encourage the rebels and then wait until they are just about all dead really disgusts me.

I cannot believe what the unions are getting away with.

And my heart breaks for Japan, and the fact that our CIC doesn't appear to give a shit.

I know I am repeating myself. This feels like a breaking point,altho maybe I am the one breaking. Why aren't people at least calling for him to step down?

[I don't want an 8 year metric, MSM. Do you hear me?]

I think it is going to be a measure of our strength and resilience that we'll be able to survive 4 years of terrible misrule by Obama, Inc.
==========

[Threadkiller]

Sara, I was searching the web for the aftermath on the west coast caused specifically by the fallout of the bombs dropped over Japan.

The Japanese successfully flew balloon bombs across the Pacific during WWII, using the same prevailing winds that should have carried the radiation, I would have expected far more devastating results in 1945. Especially after watching the news about the current disaster.

Question: Is there a coolant, that can be mixed with the water they are dumping, to raise the boiling point?

[Rob Crawford]

Question: Is there a coolant, that can be mixed with the water they are dumping, to raise the boiling point?

Just water is probably the best thing for the job. Water can soak up a lot of heat.