RattlerGator Blog

America, Again

While racing through some of the morning papers and websites, I ran across this article in the London Telegraph, World Power Swings Back to America. Here's a representative sampling:

As Cleveland Fed chief Sandra Pianalto said last week, US manufacturing is "very competitive" at the current dollar exchange rate. Whether intended or not, the Fed's zero rates and $2.3 trillion printing blitz have brought matters to an abrupt head for China.

Fed actions confronted Beijing with a Morton's Fork of ugly choices: revalue the yuan, or hang onto the mercantilist dollar peg and import a US monetary policy that is far too loose for a red-hot economy at the top of the cycle. Either choice erodes China's wage advantage. The Communist Party chose inflation.

Foreign exchange effects are subtle. They take a long to time play out as old plant slowly runs down, and fresh investment goes elsewhere. Yet you can see the damage to Europe from an over-strong euro in foreign direct investment (FDI) data.

Flows into the EU collapsed by 63 [percent] from 2007 to 2010 (UNCTAD data), and fell by 77 [percent] in Italy. Flows into the US rose by 5 [percent].

The current China fixation is the "Japan, Inc." phenomenon from the 1980s all over again with a major, extended worldwide recession thrown in right now, rather than looming on the horizon. I haven't been able to watch this video (embedding of the video has been disallowed) from one of the authors of the book that serves as much of the basis for the article, The American Phoenix: And Why China and Europe Will Struggle After the Coming Slump, but I'm sure it's an interesting five minutes.

Rarely is it a good bet to wager against the United States of America. However, as the article concludes:

The switch in advantage to the US is relative. It does not imply a healthy US recovery. The global depression will grind on as much of the Western world tightens fiscal policy and slowly purges debt, and as China deflates its credit bubble.

Yet America retains a pack of trump cards, and not just in sixteen of the world’s top twenty universities.

It is almost the only economic power with a fertility rate above 2.0 - and therefore the ability to outgrow debt - in sharp contrast to the demographic decay awaiting Japan, China, Korea, Germany, Italy, and Russia.

Europe's EMU soap opera has shown why it matters that America is a genuine nation, forged by shared language and the ancestral chords of memory over two centuries, with institutions that ultimately work and a real central bank able to back-stop the system.

The 21st Century may be American after all, just like the last.

Hubba Hubba !!!

Allen West on the Campaigner-in-Chief

Congressman Allen West released this statement yesterday on the news that Barack Obama was ending America's military campaign in Iraq:

(WASHINGTON)--- Congressman Allen West (FL-22) released this statement today:

“Today, the President announced the withdrawal of all combat forces from Iraq by the end of the year.

As a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom who served during the initial battles of this conflict, I am proud to be among the more than one million Americans who served in Iraq. What my fellow comrades in arms achieved in Iraq is nothing short of historic. Together, we defeated one of history’s most tyrannical dictatorships and replaced it with a free and democratic government. American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines fought and defeated a radical Islamic insurgency, and helped create an ally and partner in freedom.

I will never forget those who I served with, and those who served after I left. I will never forget the sacrifice borne by so many of our service members and their families.

However, I must question the motives of President Barack Obama for this sudden announcement. Why now? Did the President consult with any of our American Generals on the ground before making this decision? What kind of message will this send to our allies, the Kurds, in the Northern part of Iraq, and will they feel abandoned? My fear is that political expediency drove this decision, not recommendations by the Military’s leadership.

Much is at stake and many questions are yet to be answered. I fear that our President is acting as “Campaigner in Chief” rather than “Commander in Chief,” thus putting the entire Middle East at risk.

Right now, the American people deserve answers.”

It has been a long engagement; it has also had historically low casualties -- something rarely reported. I would feel much better about this exit if this President wasn't driving the train but it is what it is. We've gained tremendous assets, both from a person-to-person contact perspective and from a culture-to-culture perspective, from this war. These contacts will serve us well as America moves forward in the 21st century.

Questions will be asked, as Congressman West has shown, and they should be. Vigorously. More important to me is how do we move forward in that region? How do we honor the sacrifice that America has made there? And the naive person who made an incredibly ignorant World Apology Tour as his presidency began a few short years ago had better not piss me the hell off this time around.

Osama Sleeps with the Fish

Not only is Osama bin Laden dead, he died at American hands. Not only did he die at American hands, it wasn't a missile that did it but a bullet to his noggin. Not only was it a bullet to his noggin, it was in his Pakistani safe haven.

Uncle Sam said, "Hello, punk bitch. Quit running, MoFu! And shut the hell up! What, ninja!?! Ninja, what!?! BOOM !!! That's what !!!"

Now his earthly body sleeps with the fish -- his soul, however, writhes in hell.

Yes, this is a personal national holiday for me. No, it doesn't make me feel better about President Obama. Yes, I still believe the President is screwed and yes I marvel at all of these people on the left who don't even believe in the CIA or know how to support the American military -- not simply the "troops" -- but expect me to forget that fact.

No, sir.

But I do congratulate the President for allowing the mission to move forward. And I especially compliment the finest fighting force on the planet, America's military, and the CIA's paramilitary forces for staying ever-vigilant and getting the job done. This modified photo of Lady Liberty (via Pajamas Media The Tatler) speaks volumes.

Yes! Yes! Yes! As for Pakistan, I'm 100% with India right now. They were right all along; the Pakistanis were, and are, full of scheisse.

Phenomenal Tsunami Video from Japan

The situation in Japan is still unfolding but this new video of the tsunami hitting a Japanese town bring home the unrelenting terror that must have been experience by millions of Japanese who had to deal with this disaster. It's awe-inspiring to watch the steady, methodical advance of the destruction:

Wow.

Arab Man Dies for His Country

People fighting to be free is a constant around the globe, especially wherever totalitarian regimes rule. Libya, for instance. Thanks to Galrahn at Information Dissemination, I've been introduced to a man who died today -- Muhammad Nabbous. In the video posted below, we hear from his widow who is announcing his death. I have always been something of a sucker for a woman crying out of grief. I often marvel at what it does to me; this was a tough video to watch and listen to:

libya17feb on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

I salute you, Nabbous, though I know very little of you. May the master of the universe have mercy on your soul. Whittaker Chambers was right; life must be cherished, but it is such an everyday struggle.

Turning the Corner at Fukushima?

UPDATE:

Yes, we have apparently turned the corner in this fight to neutralize the nuclear reactors. Read this dispatch from M.I.T. NSE.

* * * * *

This is the latest update from just after midnight last night via the folks at the Nuclear Science and Engineering program at M.I. T. in Cambridge, Massachusetts:

UPDATE AS OF 9:00 P.M. EDT, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16:

 Crews began aerial water spraying operations from helicopters to cool reactor 3 at Fukushima Daiichi shortly before 9 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, March 16. The operation was planned for the previous day, but was postponed because of high radiation levels at the plant. News sources said temperatures at reactor 3 were rising. Each helicopter is capable of releasing 7.5 tons of water.

Spokesmen for TEPCO and Japan's regulatory agency, Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency, on March 17 Japan time refuted reports that there was a complete loss of cooling water in the used fuel pool at Fukushima Daiichi reactor 4.

The spokesmen said the situation at reactor 4 has changed little during the day today and water remained in the fuel pool. However, both officials said that the reactor had not been inspected in recent hours.

"We can't get inside to check, but we've been carefully watching the building's environs, and there has not been any particular problem," said TEPCO spokesman Hajime Motojuku.

At about 7 p.m. EDT, NISA spokesman Takumi Koyamada said the temperature reading from the used fuel pool on Wednesday was 84 degrees Celsius and that no change had been reported since then. Typically, used uranium fuel rods are stored in deep water pools at temperatures of about 30 degrees Celsius.

Recent radiation levels measured at the boundary of the Fukushima Daiichi plant have been dropping steadily over the past 12 hours, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said on Wednesday night (U.S. time).

At 4 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, a radiation level of 75 millirem per hour was recorded at the plant's main gate. At 4 p.m. EDT, the reading at one plant site gate was 34 millirem per hour. By comparison, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's annual radiation dose limit for the public is 100 millirem. Radiation readings are being taken every 30 minutes.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yukio Edano, said earlier today a radiation level of 33 millirem per hour was measured about 20 kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi plant earlier this morning. He said that level does not pose an immediate health risk.

Edano said that TEPCO has resumed efforts to spray water into the used fuel pool at the damaged reactor 4.

TEPCO also continues efforts to restore offsite power to the plant, with up to 40 workers seeking to restore electricity to essential plant systems by Thursday morning, March 17.

http://nei.cachefly.net/newsandevents/information-on-the-japanese-earthquake-and-reactors-in-that-region/

The Wall Street Journal confirms the report, but suggests an external power line will be connected on Thursday afternoon (local time).

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704261504576205363484153564.html

Godspeed to all involved. Best-case scenario, obviously, is if that external power line is, in fact, connected today or tonight.

U.S. Navy, Calm in the Storm

Mad props to the Navy's Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group off the coast of Japan. In harms way, and giving aid to the needy. This photo tells the story:

 

Although the photo does tell the story, this caption helps explain it:

WAKUYA, Japan (March 15, 2011) Chief Naval Air Crewman Steven Sinclair, assigned to the Black Knights of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4 embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), is embraced by a Japanese citizen after delivering humanitarian supplies. Ships and aircraft from the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group are conducting search and rescue operations and re-supply missions as directed in support of Operation Tomodachi throughout northern Japan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin B. Gray/Released)

Well done, Sailors.

Good Perspective about Japan's Fukushima Problem

Because I found it extemely useful, I'm re-printing in full Galrahn's latest post at Information Dissemination about the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan surrounding the Fukushima nuclear power facility in Japan, that nation's oldest nuclear site:

There is a lot of hype and even some stupid nonsense being thrown around in the media about the nuclear situation at Fukushima. If you don't understand nuclear power, seek out discussions on the topic from the retired Navy communities, many of whom work on civilian reactors today and are discussing this issue in numerous places all over the web. A good place to start is the comments of this post at Bubblehead. Also see Dr. Josef Oehmen's comments here, a very useful read for context and perspective.

A few details that folks might want to note:

The reactors that are being discussed in the news were successfully shut down. The problems are related to post shutdown safety.

People who compare Fukushima and Chernobyl don't know anything about Fukushima or Chernobyl. This is like comparing the safety, survivability, and resilience of row boats and battleships. Everything that made Chernobyl a disaster - lack of safety, redundancy, etc.. - is what is making Fukushima a successful containment of a serious problem.

This event in Japan is the worst case scenario. First you have a 9.0 earthquake, then you have this massive tsunami, then you have the freezing weather that compounds your water problems. In the case of Fukushima the earthquake knocked out the power, forcing them to move to generators. The tsunami came along and knocked out the generators, forcing them to move to battery power.

The battery power has very limited life, somewhere between 8-24 hours, and we are somewhere north of 54 hours on battery power now at the nuclear plants. Obviously that creates a serious problem with these old reactors that require electricity for cooling. BTW, worth noting, the new nuke tech does not require electricity to cool.

Observing that this is the worst case scenario and that Fukushima is Japans oldest nuclear power plant; worth highlighting that there is still no evidence that there has been loss of containment or a leak that represents a public health concern. The leaks to date have been controlled and regulated as part of the safety procedures. Keep your head on folks, all of the public safety being done from iodine to evacuations is part of the stated Japanese nuclear safety plan which can be found online (I have not seen an English version).

The Fukushima plant situation is serious, but it is not some emerging catastrophe some are making it out to be.

Good points, all. The extensive (and well-worded for the layman, such as yours truly) response by M.I.T's Dr. Josef Oehmen was absolutely phenomenal!

Admiration for the Japanese

I suspect there will be many, many posts all over the globe about the massive 8.9 earthquake in Japan today. In a time when we see so much of government at its worst, this was government at its most proper. I'll simply post, in admiration, this simple video via YouTube. It speaks volumes:

With the memories of the Haitian catastrophe still fresh in our minds, that makes this video all the more impressive. A truly massive earthquake hits, and the building sway with the rolling earth.

Godspeed to the Japanese people as they deal with the effects of this natural disaster.

Specific Hope for Haiti

I'm getting old and today is depressing reminder of the effects of getting old on yours truly. Back in mid-December I came across a video purporting to show 200 years of global progress in just four short minutes. It was impressive and on-point, I thought, for the work in Haiti that I've been contemplating for a few years now. This morning, a good friend who is also involved in the agricultural and economic development strategy we hope to implement in Haiti sent me a forwarded eMail on the same video. I responded to him that I had sent the YouTube video to him weeks ago. He responded that I had not.

Wrong, I thought to myself. When time presented, I searched for the eMail so that I could then send the proof to him.

Couldn't find it.

Never sent the eMail.

In fact, I didn't even post about it on the blog, and I had begun the preparation to do that as well. Obviously, something came up that day, I laid the immediate task down, never got back to it, and now can add to my collection of anecdotes that multitasking for me just isn't what it used to be. Here's the video in question:

Isn't that impressive? It's also damning, isn't it, but I'll leave that discussion for another day. That presentation was followed up in January with a good column from Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times (Ladders of the Poor) that said, in part, this:

Private and public donations saved lives in Haiti, no question. But it’s also true that well-meaning bleeding-hearts tend to exaggerate the impact aid typically has on a country. Those nations that have managed to lift themselves out of poverty have done so mostly with trade, not aid — with giving people jobs and a ladder, not handouts and an elevator.

Precisely.

That superior column was accompanied by a video that helped to shed light on the specific hope for progress in Haiti. In my opinion, that hope is made evident when one considers the import of the prior video detailing 200 years of global progress. How so? First, here's the video on Odecile Jean, and the progress that has been made possible (in part) by the peasant bank, Fonkoze:

When I look at Odecile Jean and contemplate her striving for more, I think of Maya Angelou's poem, Still I Rise, and it's famous line, “I am the hope and the dream of the slave.”

As we have certainly learned in this nation, poems and sassiness and resilience aren't enough.  Hopes and dreams sure as heck aren't sufficient. Faith, alone, isn't enough. It has to be married up with the responsibility required if one is to survive in the world of commerce.

For better or worse, Haiti has to embrace the world of commerce and it has to do so now.