Harry Truman’s Grandson Visits Hiroshima for Ceremony; 1st Member of Truman Family to Do So

TOKYO (AP) — A grandson of ex-U.S. President Harry Truman, who ordered the atomic bombings of Japan during World War II, is in Hiroshima to attend a memorial service for the victims.

Clifton Truman Daniel visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on Saturday and laid a wreath for the 140,000 people killed by the Aug. 6, 1945, bombing authorized by his grandfather. Another atomic blast in Nagasaki three days later killed 70,000 more.

“I think this cenotaph says it all — to honor the dead to not forget and to make sure that we never let this happen again,” Daniel said after offering a silent prayer.

Daniel is in Japan to attend ceremonies next week in Hiroshima and Nagasaki marking the 67th anniversary of the bombings. His visit, the first by a member of the Truman family, is sponsored by the peace group Sadako Legacy, named after Sadako Sasaki, an A-bomb victim who died of leukemia at age 12. While in the hospital, Sadako folded hundreds of paper cranes after hearing a legend that people who make 1,000 origami cranes can be granted a wish. Origami cranes have since become a symbol of peace.

Daniel met Sadako’s 71-year-old brother, Masahiro Sasaki, who survived the bombing, at a peace event in New York in 2010. They agreed to work together to deepen understanding between the two countries, which are still divided over the question of the legitimacy of the atomic attacks.

for more: http://news.yahoo.com/truman-grandson-visits-hiroshima-bomb-memorial-123905648.html

How Close is Your Home to a Nuclear Power Plant?

How close is your home to a nuclear power plant?

If a crisis at a nuclear reactor happened in the U.S., could you be living in a danger zone? In a 10-mile radius, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the air could be unsafe to breathe in the event of a major catastrophe. In 50 miles, food and water supplies may be unsafe.

http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/nuclear_power_plants_locations/index.html

FRIDAY Thoughts: Libya, Japan, Debt Crisis, Obamacare

It’s Friday, the day after St. Patrick’s Day………………………

And the world goes on…………………….

       Hours after the UN Security Council approves a “No-Fly” Zone over Libya, and France forms a coalition to aid the Libyan rebels, Muammar Quadafi declares a “cease-fire”. This move is an obvious detractor to the international community and their proposed actions.

      Japan’s earthquake and tsunami occurred one week ago today. Now the focus of the crisis has been on the nuclear reactor in Fukishimo. The Japanese news releases about the reactor have not been the most forthright. Today, consideration is being given to “burying” the reactors in concrete.

      ObamaCare…… why are the Republicans refusing to have a vote on the monies already allocated to fund this miserable legislation? And why does the legislation include the formation of “armies” for national emergencies?

      Who is to blame, or are all parties to blame, for failing to put together the necessary budget to operate the government through September 30th, 2011, and will the GOP proposed budget for 2012 actually address the debt crisis and entitlements, or will we be “politics as usual”?

THOUGHTS?

 

Meet Jay Carney: Just When You Thought Gibbs Could Not Be Outdone

Meet the new WH press secretary…no better than the last. 

 

 If our reporters want to know what specifically is going on in Japan, they should ask our reporters over there.

 

http://realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/03/16/whs_carney_to_tapper_ask_your_own_reporters_on_japanese_nuclear_situation.html

Attempts @ Humor Cost a Press Secretary and an Actor Their Job

It seems that Gov. Barbour’s press secretary tries to be humorous in his morning emails, and comedian Gilbert Gottfried, the voice of the AFLAC Duck, thought it was already time for “Japan” jokes:

From RollCall:

The press secretary for Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, a potential GOP presidential candidate, has resigned following off-color jokes he made in an e-mail Friday, Barbour’s office said Monday.

Dan Turner compiled morning roundups for Barbour’s staff and “allies,” and Friday’s e-mail made light of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan and poked fun at former Attorney General Janet Reno, Politico reported Monday.

Under the section that noted historic events that fell on March 11, Turner wrote that in 1968, “Otis Redding posthumously received a gold record for his single, ‘(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay’. (Not a big hit in Japan right now.)”

He also wrote: “In 1993: Janet Reno was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become the first female attorney general. (It took longer to confirm her gender than to confirm her law license.)”

It was not the first time that Turner made such jokes in the morning e-mail, Politico reported.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/-204114-1.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Aflac Inc. has fired comedian Gilbert Gottfried, the voice of the Aflac Duck, for insensitive remarks he tweeted about Japan after the major earthquake and tsunami on March 11.

Gottfried tweeted: “Japan is really advanced. They don’t go to the beach. The beach comes to them.” He also posted: “I just split up with my girlfriend, but like the Japanese say, ‘They’ll be another one floating by any minute now.”

“Gilbert’s recent comments about the crisis in Japan were lacking in humor and certainly do not represent the thoughts and feelings of anyone at Aflac,” Aflac Chief Marketing Officer Michael Zuna said in a statement. “Aflac Japan — and, by extension, Japan itself — is part of the Aflac family, and there is no place for anything but compassion and concern during these difficult times.”

Gilbert Gottfried canned as Aflac Duck voice | Atlanta Business Chronicle

From Japan, The Pictures Say It All

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1365229/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-Fears-massive-death-toll.html

Tragedy Grips the Pacific Rim: US Braces for any AfterMath of Japan’s 8.9 Earthquake & Tsunami

     The pictures and the videos basically say it all. At 2:46 PM Japan Time, an 8.9 Richter Scale earthquake shook through Japan, and in its aftermath, the tsunami affects are raging tragedy through Japan, and its thunderous waves have impacted Hawaii, and the West Coast of the US braces for the unknown.

     The tsunami wave that struck Japan was 23 feet at some points.

      The nuclear plants in Japan are being closely watched, with reports of fires on the premises. There are no reports of any leak issues, and they are being closely monitored. Cooling systems procedures are now being applied. There has also been reports of a dam breaking in Japan.

     From Los Angeles, to Orange County, to San Francisco, Oregon, and Washington State, evacuations and advisories are being implemented. Some schools and beaches have been closed. The Coast is being closely watched, with the tsunami wave being expected after 11:00 ET.

December 7th, 1941: A Day That Lives in Infamy

Foreign Demand for Our Treasuries Drop

The government said Tuesday that foreign demand for U.S. Treasury securities fell by the largest amount on record in December with China reducing its holdings by $34.2 billion.

woodleywonderworks U.S. Treasury securities fell by $53 billion in December, the largest amount on record.

The reductions in holdings, if they continue, could force the government to make higher interest payments at a time that it is running record federal deficits.

The Treasury Department reported that foreign holdings of U.S. Treasury securities fell by $53 billion in December, surpassing the previous record of a $44.5 billion drop in April 2009.

The big drop in China’s holdings meant that it lost the top spot in terms of foreign ownership of U.S. Treasuries, dropping to second place behind Japan.

For full article: http://www.cnbc.com/id/35420831

The Respectful Barack Obama

http://hillbuzz.org/2010/02/01/photoshop-challenge-obamas-bowing/