California’s Diablo Nuclear Power Plant Reactor Shut Down For Pump Repair

The Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in San Luis Obispo, California has shut down one of its two nuclear reactors because of a problem with a pump that supplies water to the steam generators on the non-nuclear side.

 Diable Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

This plant has been the subject of much discussion because it is located near the San Andrea fault located in California. This is an example of the heightened level of attention given to something that never would have made headline if not for the ongoing nuclear power plant disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan.

An article titled “Diablo nuke plant reactor shuts down to fix pump” by the Associated Press March 29, 2011 and published in SFGate details the issue. Sensitivity to everything nuclear is at a high in the United States not seen since the Three Mile Island incident in Pennsylvania.

Over time, interest in this issue will decrease and routine maintenance issues will not be news, but some of that depends on how the situation in Japan is eventually resolved.

Japan Earthquake, Tsunami & Arab Wars, Some Consult Bible & Other Holy Texts

Holy Bible                     Holy Quran

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

The prior passage is from Matthew 24, verses 6 and 7 in the New International Version of The Holy Bible. This is what Jesus said when referring to events that would be a precursor to the end of days. In verse 8 he said that these were the beginning of birth pains.

Whenever there are upheavals on a worldwide basis, whether they are natural or man made, there is talk and speculation of the end of the world and Armageddon. A simple internet search using the terms earthquake, tsunami and the end of the world will show how much chatter is taking place regarding this subject.

Adding to the undercurrent of speculation is that the location of much of the unrest in the world is centered in North African and the Middle East all around the nation of Israel where the final battle is to take place.

We have had numerous earthquakes over the past several years of large intensity including Indonesia, Haiti and Japan events. We have had numerous wars, but what about the current unrest in the Middle East and North Africa. The unrest in those countries is primarily from citizens revolting against oppressive leaders versus countries attacking each other. Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain are internal struggles of people wanting more opportunity within their own nations.

Yes we have conflicts with other nations with a coalition waging a campaign in Libya to protect its citizens from the country’s own government. In Afghanistan the war is against a terrorist group and the Taliban, not the nation. It would seem that the nation against nation portion of this passage has not been fulfilled. It is also said that man will not know when that time comes and that is probably the part of this we can count on the most.  

U S Gives Out Potassium Iodide Pills In Japan And Workers Flee Smoking Nuclear Power Plant

Potassium Iodide

In a real life saga that seems to never end, workers fled from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power Monday March 21, 2011 as smoke rose from two reactors. In a separate action the United States made Potassium Iodide pills available to U.S. personnel and dependents in Japan.

These two events while separate certainly have an intersection. The intersection is the radiation coming from the damaged nuclear power plant and the potential harmful effects it could have on those exposed to it. An article titled “Workers flee Japan nuclear plant as smoke rises” by Eric Talmadge and Mari Yamaguchi March 21, 2011 and published on Yahoo.com details a setback in efforts to brink the nuclear reactors under control as workers fled the Fukushima Dia-ichi nuclear power plant as smoke rose from two reactors.

Another separate article titled “U.S. makes potassium iodide available in Japan” by Arshad Mohammed and published on the Reuter website details the U.S. decision to make potassium iodide available to its personnel and dependents in certain parts of Japan.

One of the radioactive elements released into the environment from the nuclear power plant in Japan is radioactive iodine. Radioactive iodine has been detected in the environment in Japan. The human thyroid, that regulates growth, will absorb iodine and can’t tell the difference between radioactive iodine and nonradioactive iodine. Iodine is needed in order for the thyroid to function properly. When you see the label of “iodized” on table salt it means that small amounts of iodine containing salts have been mixed with regular salt to help prevent iodine deficiency. The thyroid will absorb radioactive iodine and that is where potassium iodide comes in as a blocker. The thyroid will absorb the potassium iodide and become full. If the thyroid is full it will not absorb radioactive iodine.

Radioactive iodine absorbed by the thyroid can cause thyroid cancer. There are many issues taking place in Japan and the longer it goes on, it seems the more serious things become.