EXPLOSIONS AT U.S. ARMY STORAGE FACILITY NEAR TOKYO

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES:
Explosions of still-undetermined origin rocked a United States Army storage depot near Tokyo, the Pentagon said on Sunday. No injuries were reported.
Masuo Kobayashi, a spokesman for the Sagamihara fire department, said a worker at the Army depot called around 12:45 a.m. local time. The fire department dispatched 13 firefighting teams, including more than 10 fire engines, Mr. Kobayashi said. 

Several hours later, the fire still had not been extinguished.  

The Defense Department released a statement late Sunday night emphasizing that the building hit by the explosions and fire “is not DESIGNATED [Remember this word.] as a hazardous material storage facility,” and “does not store ammunition or radiological materials.

[HOW ABOUT DEPLETED URANIUM, FELLOWS? GOT ANY "DU" THERE? YOU LEFT PLENTY IN IRAQ, AND EVERYWHERE ELSE YOU'VE BEEN FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS. LOOK AROUND, GUYS! I BET YOU FIND SOME.]

”There were no evacuation advisories issued for nearby residents, and the possibility that the fire could expand or do further damage was thought to be low.

Video footage taken by a resident about 300 yards away from the depot showed a large, orange, smoldering glow as bursts of light resembling fireworks flashed through the night sky.The sounds of explosions continued for nearly 15 minutes."  

SO JAPAN HAS ANOTHER HEADACHE ADDED TO ITS ONGOING FUKUSHIMA MIGRAINE AND VOLCANOES THREATENING ITS ONE RESTARTED NUKE FACILITY ON THE SOUTHERNMOST ISLAND.

WELL, SURELY OUR GUYS WOULDN'T LIE ABOUT THAT "DON'T WORRY, NOTHING BIG THERE", WOULD THEY?
SURELY NOT.

WHATEVER WAS STORED THERE SURE MADE A NICE BRIGHT FIRE AND BIG BOOMS.

"OXIDES"???
WHICH OXIDES?
NITROUS OXIDE?
ETHYLENE OXIDE?
SULFUR DIOXIDE?
ZINC OXIDE?
CADMIUM OXIDE?
THOSE ARE NOT REALLY "FRIENDLY"  OXIDES, ARE THEY?

WHY DIDN'T THE NYT ASK WHICH OXIDES?
OH, I BET THAT WOULD MAYBE PUT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AT RISK.
SEEMS LIKE GIVING WIND SPEED OR SAYING WHETHER THAT'S THE MOON OR SUN OVERHEAD  THREATENS NATIONAL SECURITY THESE DAYS.
SUPER-SECRET STUFF, ALL THAT!

NOW, IF WHAT WAS BURNING WAS CYANIDE, DARE WE IMAGINE THE ARMY WOULD CONFESS TO THAT?
GIVEN THAT THE JAPANESE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET RID OF AMERICA'S MILITARY PRESENCE THERE FOR MANY YEARS [SEE <THIS> FROM THE BBC, AND <THIS> FROM THE TELEGRAPH], AND THE, SHALL WE SAY, TENSION BETWEEN LOCAL RESIDENTS AND THE MILITARY ... WELL....

WE CAN HOPE OUR GUYS WOULD 'FESS UP'.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE ASYLUM, NORTH KOREA HAS DEPLOYED 50 OR MORE SUBMARINES DURING THEIR STANDOFF WITH SOUTH KOREA, BUT NOBODY CAN LOCATE THOSE SUBS, NOT ONE OF THEM!

HOW'S THAT FOR AMAZING?

AND, SOME ARE SAYING AS SOME WILL, "WHAT A COINCIDENCE! MISSING KOREAN SUBMARINES SO CLOSE TO JAPAN, THEN A BIG EXPLOSION AT A U.S. MILITARY BASE."

I'D SOONER BELIEVE ALL THOSE SUBMARINES ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA BECAUSE NORTH KOREA'S WHACKO LEADER TOLD THEM TO KEEP THE HATCHES OPEN WHEN THEY DIVED JUST TO SHOW THE WORLD HOW AWESOME NORTH KOREA IS, THAT THEY CAN BREATHE SEA WATER. 

US and South Korean reconnaissance planes and naval vessels searched yesterday off the east and west coasts of the Korean peninsula  for the submarines. 

Military officials said deployment of the submarines was the largest in the region since the Korean War.

The question is whether the 50 submarines, 1,400-ton Romeo-class and 1,000-ton Whiskey-class vessels, have orders to target commercial or naval vessels – or are just putting on a show of force. 

“No one knows,” said a military spokesman. “We are mobilising all our surveillance resources .”

Really?
America can't find them, either?

WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT HOW SAFE WE ARE HERE, SINCE WE MAY NOT HAVE A CLUE ABOUT SUBS OFF OUR COAST, IF WE BELIEVE THEY CAN'T FIND SUBS OFF KOREA?
Signs of impending North Korean attack grew as talks continued for a second day between the two countries in Panmunjom, in the middle of the DMZ, yesterday evening. 
BACK TO THE EXPLOSION...

NO, HANG ON A SEC!
DOESN'T NORTH KOREA HAVE NUKES?

TIME MAGAZINE REPORTED THAT CHINA SAYS THEY DO.

AND THAT CHINA WAS WORRIED.
"China may be worried—or more worried than normal—about North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Citing “people briefed on the matter,” the paper reported that Chinese experts privately advised American nuclear specialists that Pyongyang may have up to 20 warheads, as well as enough weapons-grade uranium to double that number within a year." 

THAT SORT OF CHANGES THE CONCERN OVER 50 MISSING NORTH KOREAN SUBMARINES, YES?

THE EXPLOSION...
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD HAS SOME NEW PHOTOS SHOWING SOME OF THE DAMAGE AND SOME LARGE CANISTERS SCATTERED ABOUT.

The warehouse roof is partially collapsed as canisters of compressed gases including nitrogen, oxygen, Freon, and air are strewn about in one-story concrete building after the explosion. Photo: US Army/AP

AND THIS 'REVELATION' ABOUT WHAT WAS STORED THERE.

"The local fire department said it received a call just after midnight of an explosion at the warehouse where it said "dangerous material" is stored and sent firefighters.

The Japanese Broadcasting Corp said earlier the Sagami General Depot was used to store petroleum products and ammunition."
UH-OH.
WHO DO WE BELIEVE?


HOW ABOUT A COIN TOSS?
ANYBODY HAVE A QUARTER?