CARLSBAD, N.M. (KRQE) - The Department of Energy announced Wednesday tests show 13 employees at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad were exposed to radiation.
There will be more testing to see if more people were exposed, and an investigation into how this happened in the first place.
The underground facility, which stores low-level contaminated waste from Los Alamos and other nuclear sites, is still closed.
No one knows yet how bad the situation is in that storage area, but the Department of Energy sent out a letter Wednesday to tell people in two counties what they do know so far.
In a letter to the people of Eddy and Lea counties, DOE said the radiation that got into the air Valentine's Day was likely at very low levels, no more risky than a chest X-ray.
Eddy County Manager Rick Rudometkin said he is confident DOE is handling it. "We've got top men working on it. Top men."
#2
I've been to the Trinity Site. It is well worth a visit, check ahead for open times, usually in spring or fall. It's a long drive from ABQ, scenic but barren desert country. There's plenty of small pieces of trinitite laying around the site, but don't try to steal any.
#3
So far, much ado about nothing. Detected levels seem to be minimal. My concern would be what caused the exposure/leak and that has NOT been discussed at all.
The operators hand is exposed to radiation when he cleans the source rod on a nuclear densometer (used to test density/compaction of base and surface of roadways). No problem at all unless the torso or head are exposed (through sloppy techniques/procedures) and that's why anyone that works around nuclear devices were exposure badges.
Right now the radiation around WIPP is closer to normal and KRQE New 13 is told 182 workers are still on the job.
Its unclear what caused the radiation leak, possibly a roof or ceiling collapse.
The plan right now is to send in probes and then people below ground to determine exactly where the leak is and where the air itself is safe to breathe.
WIPP Project Manager Farok Sharif said officials have a lot to get done but they will not rush the process.
WIPP has been sorting nuclear waste for nearly 15 years and this is the first problem like this the project has had.
[An Nahar] Sweden's new princess, born last Thursday in New York, is called Leonore, her grandfather King Carl XVI Gustav said Wednesday.
Her full name is Leonore Lillian Maria and she has received the title of duchess of Gotland.
Leonore's parents are 31-year-old princess Madeleine, the king's youngest child and fourth in line to the throne, and 39-year-old U.S.-British financier Christopher O'Neill, who got married in Stockholm in June.
The Swedish Royal Court published the first pictures of the baby on Wednesday.
Fred just wanted an excuse to run that pic again. Not that there's anything wrong with that...
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2014 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11126 views]
Top|| File under:
[DAWN] A US appeals court on Wednesday ordered Google ...contributed $814,540 to the 2008 Obama campaign... Inc. to remove from its YouTube video-sharing website an anti-Islamic film that had sparked protests across the Moslem world.
By a 2-1 vote, a panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected Google's assertion that the removal of the film "Innocence of Moslems," amounted to a prior restraint of speech that violated the US Constitution.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2014 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11129 views]
Top|| File under:
According to staff from the Ministry of Interior of the Somali government, they explained to us that an official from the Ministry of Interior was killed in Mogadishu.
The official that was killed was named Mohamud Mohamed Sheikh Sadiiq Jarati and it was rumoured that the person behind his death was his wife according to reliable sources.
We'll list this as "Non-WoT" unless his wife is a Shaboob commander...
Jarati is being laid to rest today at Kahda district in Banaadir region with his funeral being attended by officials and heads of the Soali government.
It is not known why the spouse of the deceased Jarati ordered his death but sources could not add further information regarding his murder.
Wife ordered his death? Don't give my wife that kind of power, please...
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2014 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11129 views]
Top|| File under:
[An Nahar] Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa Wednesday asked his cabinet to resign after his ruling party was soundly defeated in local elections over the weekend, a government official said. The official said the changes would be announced after next week's Carnival holiday.
Sunday's polls involving some 221 municipalities saw center-right candidates defeat Correa's candidates in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca -- the country's largest cities. It was the biggest electoral setback for Correa and his leftist government since he took office in 2007.
Correa, a populist in the mold of the late Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, acknowledged that the outcome was "painful."
He told news hounds Tuesday in Guayaquil, however, that he had already planned to restructure his government.
"Regardless of the election outcome, we had felt it necessary to energize the cabinet," Correa said.
Re-elected last year to a final four-year term -- the constitution prevents him from staying on longer -- Correa had argued that losing the capital to the opposition would threaten stability.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2014 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11126 views]
Top|| File under: Commies
#1
Why does this picture remind me of the Jack in the Box guy?
[An Nahar] Venezuela's opposition refused Wednesday to take part in talks that were called by the government in a bid to halt three weeks of protests that have left 14 dead. "We will not lend ourselves to a sham dialogue that would end in a mockery of our compatriots," the the opposition coalition MUD said in a letter to Vice President Jorge Arreaza.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2014 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11125 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
A dialogue with people who sent armed thugs out to kill and enslave you?
Havana -- A Russian warship was docked in Havana Wednesday, without explanation from Communist Cuba or its state media.
The Viktor Leonov CCB-175 boat, measuring 91.5 meters (300 feet) long and 14.5 meters wide, was docked at the port of Havana's cruise ship area, near the Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
The Vishnya, or Meridian-class intelligence ship, which has a crew of around 200, went into service in the Black Sea in 1988 before it was transferred seven years later to the northern fleet, Russian media sources said.
Neither Cuban authorities nor state media have mentioned the ship's visit, unlike on previous tours by Russian warships. The ship is reportedly armed with 30mm guns and anti-aircraft missiles. ..lemme see......Iranian warships coming from the East, now a Roosky Intelligence tub to the South....anything to the West Joe.?
#1
See TOPIX > [Stars-N-Stripes] MANILA TO SEND TROOOPS TO DISPUTED SHOAL IFF NEEDED.
AFP CoS Gen. Emmannuel Bautuista, whom also says the PHIL may respond militarily to provocations by China.
* DEFENCE FORUM INDIA > JAPAN MAY ALLOW US TO BRING NUKES [Nuclear Weapons] INTO THE COUNTRY.
* SAME > CHINA LABELS JAPAN A [de facto Regional] "TROUBLE-MAKER".
Chopstick fights may have to break out at "High Noon" [rolling tumbleweeds, CLINT-VS-VAN-CLEEF].
* CHINA DAILY FORUM > BEIJING SEES HIDDEN AGENDA IN MANILA "WATER CANNON" PROTEST.
RELATED ...
> DEFENCE.PK/FORUM = CHINA WILL NOT ACCEPT PHILIPPINE PROTEST: CHINESE EMBASSY.
> CHINA URGES PHILIPPINES TO RESPECT ITS SOBEREIGNTY: CCTV NEWS - CNTV ENGLISH.
versus
* FREEREPUBLIC > PHILIPPINES TO BECOME 51st US STATE?
-----------
As for the Russians, they have possible covert knowledge about the state of Uncle Fidel's health of late.
#2
CoS Gen. Emmannuel Bautuista is a combat hardened officer. His father was also a general and was killed in an ambush heading to peace talks. Killed by the MILF. A quiet unassuming gentleman but a violent warrior and great leader.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
02/27/2014 10:01 Comments ||
Top||
#3
As far as remembering Georgia, remember Chechnya and Afghanistan too. Russia is good at stomping out freedom and small democracy movements within and on its borders. Problem for them is the Ukraine is not that small and does possess significant military resources that are increasingly in the hands of the citizenry, or local police and military units who will fight. Driving all the way across the Ukraine will destroy the Russian Army. And there are Patriot batteries sitting nearby in Poland that can make the entire area No-Fly for Russia. Plus the scale is a lot larger.
Its a whole nother potato. If Putin is smart he will stick to the Russian areas, and draw a partition line there. And carve out Crimea, which is what it looks like he has already done with those "gunmen" (spetnatz likely) taking over the local parliament there.
Putin is a thug, and so is Russia. Make no bones about it. But a solid punch l slow them down, so that's all the Ukranians have to do. This isn't the Red Army of 56 we are talking about.
Russia is planning to expand its permanent military presence outside its borders by placing military bases in a number of foreign countries, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday. Shoigu said the list includes Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, the Seychelles, Singapore and several other countries.
"The talks are under way, and we are close to signing the relevant documents," Shoigu told reporters in Moscow.
The minister added that the negotiations cover not only military bases but also visits to ports in such countries on favorable conditions as well as the opening of refueling sites for Russian strategic bombers on patrol.
Moscow currently has only one naval base outside the former Soviet Union -- in Tartus, Syria, but the fate of this naval facility is uncertain because of the ongoing civil war in that country.
Post-Soviet Russia closed a large naval base in Vietnam and a radar base in Cuba in 2002 due to financial constraints.
However, Russia has started reviving its navy and strategic aviation since mid-2000s, seeing them as a tool to project the Russian image abroad and to protect its national interests around the globe.
According to the report, the US Department of Defense assessed that the PLA is developing intermediate-range ballistic missiles with ranges of up to 5,000 km, meaning they could eventually threaten Guam, the Marianas, Palau, northern Australia, Alaska and US bases in the Middle East. If the Chinese program is successful, even Hawaii and the west coast of the US could be threatened by ICBMs by the early-to-mid 2020s, the report said. ..feelin' lucky Joe.?
#2
What's the scoop on the quality of Chinese mil stuff? Their manufactured exports tend to be low-rent poorly finished junk. This is fine if you need a screwdriver to open paint cans, or a $20 dvd player for the kids to break, but you wouldn't buy a digital camera from the mainland.
#4
On the one hand they produce junk and they over-promise what they'll do. On the other hand thy have put a person or two into orbit and returned them alive.
[DAWN] Central jail authorities have turned down a request of two bigwigs of the British embassy seeking treatment of a convicted British national, Asghar Kasab, from a private doctor for his mental disease, Dawn has learnt.
The convict was incarcerated Drop the rosco, Muggsy, or you're one with the ages! by Sadiqabad police in 2010 on charges of blasphemy.
The officials of the British Embassy approached the central jail authorities with the request on Tuesday, but the jail authorities refused to entertain their appeal, saying he was mentally fit. During the meeting Asghar Kasab was also present.
"We wanted his medical check-up to know about his mental disease," a source said while quoting the embassy officials.
The sources said that the jail doctor assured the embassy officials that the convict was fit enough.
During the meeting Asghar complained that he was not being allowed to read newspapers.
He was later allowed to browse newspapers; however, his access to a private doctor is still barred.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2014 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11129 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[An Nahar] Sweden's new princess, born last Thursday in New York, is called 
[DAWN] A US appeals court on Wednesday ordered 
[An Nahar] Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa Wednesday asked his cabinet to resign after his ruling party was soundly defeated in local elections over the weekend, a government official said. The official said the changes would be announced after next week's Carnival holiday.
[An Nahar] Venezuela's opposition refused Wednesday to take part in talks that were called by the government in a bid to halt three weeks of protests that have left 14 dead. "We will not lend ourselves to a sham dialogue that would end in a mockery of our compatriots," the the opposition coalition MUD said in a letter to Vice President Jorge Arreaza.
