Tagged: japan

Winter's not over yet

Much of Michigan is under a winter storm warning as cold air and moisture head our way. The storm, which will bring snow, sleet, ice, and rain, is expected to start tonight around 7 or 8pm. The National Weather Service (NWS) says the winter storm warnings and watches are in effect until Wednesday night:

Significant icing of power lines and tree limbs is possible tonight and Wednesday. Roads will likely become ice covered...making travel dangerous by the Wednesday morning commute.

City leaders react to Governor Snyder's revenue sharing plan

Governor Rick Snyder unveiled his ideas for sharing state revenue with local governments yesterday. As Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta reported, Snyder's plan would "withhold some state aid to local governments unless they make plans to consolidate services and make their finances more open."

Snyder also called for labor negotiation and pension reforms at the local level.

The Detroit Free Press has reaction from some local leaders:

Robert Cannon, supervisor of Clinton Township, said his community has made some of the changes Snyder recommends. But he doesn't like linking revenue sharing to the outcome of bargaining with employee unions...

Royal Oak City Manager Don Johnson said his city has accomplished some of what Gov. Rick Snyder wants to see in trimming the cost of government...

"Some of our groups have been very cooperative, others not so much, but more and more they're coming to terms with economic realities," Johnson said.

Although he agrees with most of Snyder's plan, he said it may be difficult for some to achieve the results the governor wants.

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said the reduction would be "a serious impediment to our progress," noting that the city has whittled down an accumulated deficit of $330 million to $150 million.

"I recognize the need for shared sacrifice. However the state must step up to provide local governments like Detroit the tools we need to make the fundamental changes necessary," Bing said in a statement.

Automakers feeling ripple effect from Japan disaster

A new report from IHS Global Insight says every major automaker will be affected by the disaster in Japan in the coming month.

From the Detroit News:

"It is not a matter of if, but when," said Michael Robinet, IHS's Director of Automotive Forecast, in an analysis of the impact of the disaster that halted domestic vehicle production and affected the parts supply chain.

The ripple effect is already being felt at plants around the world but Robinet expects the impact to grow in the coming weeks and months because many automakers rely on Japanese-sourced components such as semi-conductors, integrated circuits, sensors and LCD displays.

Many of those parts were in short supply before the disaster.

On Wednesday, Fresh Air interviewed Dr. Gregg Bloche about the dangers that rising health care costs pose to patients and to doctor's adherence to the Hippocratic Oath.

From NPR's website:

In most medical schools, students recite the Hippocratic Oath together to mark the start of their professional careers. The soon-to-be physicians swear to uphold the ethical standards of the medical profession and promise to stand for their patients without compromise.

Though the oath has been rewritten over the centuries, the essence of it has remained the same: "In each house I go, I go only for the good of my patients."

But the principles of the oath, says Dr. Gregg Bloche, are under an "unprecedented threat." In The Hippocratic Myth, Bloche details how doctors are under constant pressure to compromise or ration their care in order to please lawmakers, lawyers and insurance companies.

President Obama orders review of U.S. Nuclear Power Plants

In light of the unfolding crisis at the crippled nuclear reactors in Japan, U.S. officials say they will review the safety of the 104 nuclear reactors in the U.S.  There are four nuclear reactors operating in Michigan (Fermi 2, Palisades, and D.C. Cook Unit 1 and Unit 2).

From the Associated Press:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will conduct a "comprehensive review" of the safety of all U.S. nuclear plants following what U.S. officials are calling the dangerous and complicated situation at Japan's damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors.

President Barack Obama took the rare step and called upon the independent commission to conduct the review.

"When we see a crisis like the one in Japan, we have a responsibility to learn from this event and to draw from those lessons to ensure the safety and security of our people," Obama said Thursday.

The nuclear industry agreed a review is a good idea. Anthony Pietrangelo of the Nuclear Energy Institute said they will look at the events that unfolded in Japan and "we will learn from them, we will get that operating experience, we will apply it and try to make our units even safer than they are today."

GM Halts Production at truck plant after parts shortage from Japan

Tremors are being felt in the auto industry after the Japanese earthquake.

From the Associated Press:

A shortage of parts from Japan will force General Motors Co. to halt production at its pickup plant in Shreveport, La., next week, the company said Thursday.

It's the first time a U.S.-based automaker will stop production in North America over parts shortages caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Toyota Motor Co. and Subaru have already slowed North American production to conserve parts that they normally import from that nation.

Reuters reported earlier this week that some automakers in Europe might be affected as well.

Tough night for MSU at NCAA Tourney

The Michigan State men's basketball team lost last night to UCLA in the NCAA Tournament 78-76.

The Spartans pulled close at the end of the game after trailing by as many as 23 points in the second half.

The Lansing State Journal:

"We got off to such a bad start," a red-eyed Izzo said afterward. "And yet I'm so proud of these guys. They've been knocked down so many times this year."

Down two with the ball, MSU senior guard Kalin Lucas was called for traveling with 0.2 of a second left on the clock, erasing a late chance at a halfcourt shot to win it.

After struggling through his worst offensive night in several weeks, Lucas got MSU within three points with a free throw and 42.2 seconds left. Lucas missed the second free throw that would have cut it to two.

The men's basketball teams at the University of Michigan and Oakland University play today.

U.S. has bleaker outlook on nuclear crisis in Japan

In another sign that U.S. officials differ from their Japanese counterparts on the nuclear crisis unfolding there, U.S. officials have authorized the evacuation of American citizens.

From the Associated Press:

The United States has authorized the first evacuations of Americans out of Japan, taking a tougher stand on the deepening nuclear crisis and warning U.S. citizens to defer all non-essential travel to any part of the country as unpredictable weather and wind conditions risked spreading radioactive contamination.

The AP reports the "authorized departure offers voluntary evacuation to family members and dependents of U.S. personnel in Tokyo, Yokohama and Nagoya and affects some 600 people."

Protests in Lansing

In one of the larger protests at the Michigan Capitol this year, around 3,000 union supporters, school teachers, seniors, students, and others spoke out against bills in the Michigan legislature. The Lansing State Journal reports that 11 people were arrested after a 2 1/2 sit-in in the Capitol. MPRN's Laura Weber described some of the people she saw at the protest this way, "there were big, hulking men in hard hats, business people in suits, and young parents pushing strollers."   One of the more controversial bills, one that gives power to Emergency Financial Managers to end void union contracts, was signed into law yesterday by Governor Snyder. Scott Davis of the Lansing State Journal reported: 

In their biggest show of force yet this year, union members descended on the Capitol in a show of unity to protest several bills moving through the Legislature. It was the latest in a series of union-led protests in recent weeks - and a reflection of the ongoing battle by public worker unions in Wisconsin."It's beautiful," Joe Bowen, a retired automotive worker who traveled to the rally from Saginaw, said of the show of unity. "It sends a message that it's not fair. They are trying to pinch unions."

Michigan's Hoop Dreams

The NCAA men's basketball tournament begins today and three teams in Michigan are hoping to advance.

Michigan State University plays UCLA tonight at 9:15 (TBS); the University of Michigan plays Tennessee tomorrow at 12:30 (truTV); and Oakland University plays Texas tomorrow at noon (CBS).

Since the Japanese nuclear crisis began, the handful of pharmacies in Michigan that stock anti-radiation medicine are seeing an uptick in demand.   

Michigan’s Attorney General issued a warning today about a growing number of scams linked to the Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami disaster.  Numerous scams have popped up since last week’s disaster, including a viral video making the rounds on Facebook purporting to show people fleeing the tsunami wave.

 Attorney General Bill Schuette says Michiganders wanting to help should beware of phony charities trying to take advantage of them.  

"Even during tough times, the people of Michigan give generously to charities that assist disaster victims around the world….It's important to take steps to ensure your dollars are not lost to fraud and your financial information remains secure."

Americans have been offering help to the people suffering in Japan.

The Japanese Consulate General of Japan in Detroit issued a statement thanking people for their support and providing more information about where people can donate, and how people may contact loved ones in Japan.

The Consulate says they are not yet accepting volunteers willing to travel to Japan as they are not in a position to "receive and deploy" them.