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News bites: The latest on the nuclear crisis in Japan; enviros write song about Upton
Here’s the latest on the Japanese nuclear crisis, via The New York Times:
“Japan’s nuclear crisis intensified dramatically on Wednesday after ... authorities announced that a second reactor unit at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant in northeastern Japan may have ruptured and appeared to be releasing radioactive steam.
“The break, at the No. 3 reactor unit, worsened the already perilous conditions at the plant, a day after officials said the containment vessel in the No. 2 reactor had also cracked.”
But everybody is wondering how the nuclear disaster in Japan will affect
stock prices Wednesday.
From The
Associated Press: “Investors will get several updates on the
U.S. economy. The big question: Will the economic news override worries
about the nuclear crisis in Japan?
“Major indexes fell on Tuesday after Japan’s prime minister said four
crippled reactors at a nuclear power plant were leaking dangerous
amounts of radiation. On Wednesday, Japan temporarily suspended work at a
stricken nuclear plant after a surge in radiation made it too dangerous
for workers to remain at the facility."
Oil price update:
“Oil prices rose to above $98 a barrel Wednesday in Asia as fears that clashes in Bahrain and Libya could further disrupt crude supplies outweighed concern Japan’s disaster will crimp demand,” the AP reports.
And we have two candidates for odd news story of the day:
First, pranksters said that a major Canadian oil pipeline operator would use human hair to clean up future oil spills.
The Toronto Sun reports:
“An Enbridge initiative claiming to turn human hair into oil-absorbent booms turned out to be a hoax, the Calgary company behind the controversial northern gateway pipelines project confirmed Friday.
“The fake initiative, dubbed MyHairCares, ‘is a hoax and makes light of a serious issue,’ said Enbridge spokeswoman Gina Jordan, noting the company ‘deplores this cynical attempt to take advantage of public concern about the environment.’
“Early Tuesday, the initiators of the hoax sent a press release, attributed to Greenpeace co-founder Rex Weyler, to newsrooms across the country.”
Second, the Natural Resources Defense Council has recorded a song about House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.).
“Dubbed ‘Upton Bill,' the karaoke video version of the take on Billy Joel's famed ‘Uptown Girl’ just recently hit YouTube,” the Detroit News reports.
Here’s the video.
