10 reasons why US can no longer dictate world policy

From The Economic Collapse:

1) China and Japan
2) The BRICs
3) China and Russia
4) China and Africa
5) China and UAE
6) Iran
7) China and Saudi Arabia
8) The UN
9) The IMF
10) Most of the rest of the world

Mutant rabbit born in Japan

Earless rabbit born just outside of Fukushima "exclusion zone."
Now we'll need a radioactive mutant lizard to save Tokyo from this monster.

China dumps US Debt for 5th straight month

In addition to officially beginning to loot US pensions today, The US Tresaury released its Treasury International Capital (TIC) data for March 2011, and it's not the best of news.
Foreign holdings of dollar-denominated short-term U.S. securities, including U.S. Treasury bills and other custody liabilities, decreased $18.3 billion, and Foreign holdings of U.S. Treasury bills decreased $21.9 billion.

The key trend in US paper holdings continues to be China, whose total US debt holdings dropped for the 5th consecutive month in a row at $1144.9 billion, and the largest one month decline since November 2010.
-Zero Hedge

Footage inside Fukushima reactor buildings

TEPCO iRobots ventured into the damaged reactor buildings at the Fukushima I nuclear plant, and here is some of what they saw:

China dumping US Treasury Securities

In February, the largest holder of US debt dumped $600 million worth of US Treasuries, continuing a now 4 month streak of reductions in US bond holdings.
China still owns about $1.15 trillion in US debt, and the dumping was only a small fraction, but considering that US debt-holders have been abandoning the dollar for four straight months, the move should be viewed with concern.

"We hope that the U.S. government will take practical measures under a responsible policy to protect the interests of investors," China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in a statement on the ministry's website, adding that China has noted the S&P warning.
-The Hill

Yeah, good luck with that China.

Clearly, they know better though. Earlier this week, China announced that it needs to return to "reasonable" foreign currency reserve levels.

In politician speak, this is a clear, “we are sick of the US Dollar and will be taking steps to lower our holdings.” Remember, the US Dollar is China’s largest single holding. And China has already begun dumping Treasuries (US Debt).
This comes on the heels of China deciding (along with Russia) to trade in their own currencies, NOT the US Dollar. Not to mention the numerous warnings Chinese politicians have been issuing to the US over the last 24 months.
In simple terms, China is done playing nice and is now actively moving out of US Dollar denominated assets. This is the beginning of the US Dollar’s end as world reserve currency.
The dimwits in Washington don’t understand this because their advisors are all Wall Street stooges who don’t think debt or deficits matter. After all, why would they? Their entire business model is now based on endless cheap debt from the US Fed. So it’s only logically (in their minds) that the US as a sovereign state engage in the same strategies.
-Phoenix Capital Research

Japan is the second-largest holder of US Debt at $890 billion, and they upped their ownership in February by $4.4 billion.
Obviously though, with Japan in need of its own liquidity for reconstruction, the earthquake-damaged nation might also be looking to continue the trend of dumping US Debt despite public announcements that they still have faith in the dollar.

Arnie Gunderson on Fukushima

"Clearly we're witnessing one of the greatest disasters in modern time."

Closing Ranks: The NRC, the Nuclear Industry, and TEPCo. Are Limiting the Flow of Information from Fairewinds Associates on Vimeo.

Well, Now it's "official"

(Reuters) - The core at Japan's Fukushima nuclear reactor has melted through the reactor pressure vessel, Democratic Congressman Edward Markey told a hearing on the nuclear disaster on Wednesday.

"I have been informed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that the core of Unit Two has gotten so hot that part of it has probably melted through the reactor pressure vessel," said Markey, a prominent nuclear critic in the House of Representatives.
-Reuters

Here is some video footage of the meltdown magma from Chernobyl:

Wow.

Fukushima 50 expect to die

The group of about 300 technicians, soldiers, and firefighters who are struggling to contain the nuclear disaster unfolding at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan have accepted the fact that they are very likely to die of radiation exposure. They are referred to as the "Fukushima 50" because they are organized into shifts of 50 people.

The mother of one of the men has admitted that the group have discussed their situation and have accepted that death is a strong possibility.
“My son and his colleagues have discussed it at length and they have committed themselves to die if necessary in the long-term.”
-The Telegraph

We appreciate the sacrifice guys. We all have idiot bosses who make messes that we then have to clean up, but most of us don't become martyrs in the process. Please keep these brave souls in your thoughts everyone.

The Chernobyl Solution

Huge cement pumps are arriving in Japan to help douse areas of the troubled Fukushima nuclear plant with water, but eventually will be used for cement work: i.e. entombing the site under concrete and steel as was done in Chernobyl.

Apparently, there has still been no mention yet about this strategy in the Japanese media...

Radioactive lava

We have achieved meltdown.

"It won't come out as one big glob; it'll come out like lava, and that is good because it's easier to cool."
-Richard Lahey

Radiation is good for you?

When Bill O'Reilly is the voice of reason in a conversation, you know the other person is an idiot.

It's "serious"

Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Commission has finally acknowledged what many of us have known for two weeks now: the Fukushima event is worse than 3 Mile Island, but not yet as bad as Chernobyl. Emphasis on not yet.
News coming out of Japan over the past few days has been dire at best. Tokyo has no safe tap water OR bottled water. Eesh. Good luck ladies and gentlemen.

Here is a very informative update from the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Here's a link to the TEPCO webcam for those of you who are more visually inclined.

Reuters has put up a live blog with constant updates, so stay tuned to this very "serious" situation.

****Correction*******
Reuters is closing the live blog, but will open it back up if the situation warrants, which I think we can assume that it will. They have put up something similar on their facebook page.

Allegedly, we're "safe"