The Three Stooges? This is just FUBAR.

The media talking heads had better cease and desist on their attempts to play down what is happening at the plant in Japan by repeating the mantra of tougher safety standards and Japanese technical prowess, because reality is painting a different picture.

From the BBC – Meltdown alert at Japan reactor

Technicians are battling to stabilise a third reactor at a quake-stricken Japanese nuclear plant, which has been rocked by a second blast in three days.

The Fukushima Daiichi plant’s operators have resumed pumping seawater into reactor 2 after a cooling system broke.

They warned of a possible meltdown when the fuel rods became exposed after the pump stopped as its fuel ran out.

A cooling system breakdown preceded explosions at the plant’s reactor 3 on Monday and reactor 1 on Saturday.

The latest hydrogen blast injured 11 people, one of them seriously. It was felt 40km (25 miles) away and sent a huge column of smoke into the air.

The outer building around the reactor was largely destroyed.

But as with the first explosion, Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) said the thick containment walls shielding the reactor cores remained intact. It also said radiation levels outside were still within legal limits.
…

The US said it had moved one of its aircraft carriers from the area after detecting low-level radiation 160km (100 miles) offshore.

So, how long until they figure out that venting the building to reduce the hydrogen build-up releases less radioactivity than not venting and having the building blow up? How long until they find someone capable of checking the fuel level on the cooling pumps and ensuring they don’t run out? How long until they figure out that they need to get as many people as possible, as far away as possible because Tokyo Electric Power is not up to the job? The radiation sensors on that aircraft carrier tripped an alarm 100 miles off the coast! The fuel rods were exposed for more than two hours!

James Bardoner (57), the doctor from Tennessee, scratched with all 16 puppies at Iditarod. As the Red Lantern he was ploughing snow that was churned up by more than 50 teams in front of him.

Ramey is slower than John. Ramey was 41 minutes behind John leaving for Koyuk, but arrived an hour and 42 minutes after him. He is, again, cutting rest time to stay close, which is fine for him, but the puppies need rest. John’s puppies can smell home, because they live in Kotzebue, on the coast North of Nome. Ramey’s puppies are from Willow, the start of the race.

Update: John raised the stakes by anticipating Ramey’s move, and going through Elim towards White Mountain without taking a break. There is a mandatory 8-hour stop at White Mountain. Ramey’s best chance would have been to catch John at Elim and move through to White Mountain where his team could recover. Ramey’s team has been slower than John’s or Hans Gatt’s team, and he has only maintained second by cutting his rest periods.

Update: Brennan Norden (44) scratched at Shageluk for pretty much the same reason as James Bardoner, the puppies were not happy acting like snowplows.

Update: John is at White Mountain for the 8-hour stop.

At White Mountain

1 John Baker (53)
2 Ramey Smyth (30) +0:51
3 Hans Gatt (23) +3:30

Beyond Elim

4 Dallas Seavey (21)
5 Hugh Neff (35)
6 Sebastian Schnuelle (31)
7 Ray Redington, Jr (3)

At Elim

8 DeeDee Jonrowe (2) [Read more →]

3/14 is Albert’s birthday and

Π Day.

I assume you have all shopped for the perfect gift.

To get you started: Π ≅ 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419
716939937510582097494459230781640628620899862803482534211 70679…..