Le Show; 2014-02-23

From deep inside your radio. Well, it's raining. I might as well do a radio show, ladies and gentlemen. And you know, when I say raining, you probably think of a nice assortment of drops coming down from time to time, just to decorate the scene. But this is New Orleans. And rain here almost always means clearance sale. Sky's got to get rid of all its water now. It's pretty impressive is what it is. And I would say that as you're hearing this program in New Orleans, we already know the answer, but looking ahead as we're recording live to much of the nation. It's going to be a smell of wet dogs in the French quarter this afternoon. And as the technical director here, Jenny Lawson added, in addition to the usual street gravy, ladies and gentlemen, news of, oh, by the way, before we get to that.

So the big news, of course, so big, such big international news, it broke through the bubble of US news coverage. It actually had to send people across the Atlantic or find some to cover the story in Ukraine. Ukraine, I never, of course, the apparent deposing of the current president and the demonstrations, the killings, all of that made big news this week. And an important story that we needed some perspective, some understanding, some context for God's sake. And so it was this morning on ABC that they introduced their two experts to discuss the subject. Tom Friedman and Bill Crystal, not Billy, that would have been, well, and you just have to figure, okay, it's either contact list shrinkage,

or it's just green room comfort level, you know, either they just don't know where to find any people who have studied, oh, Russia, or the Ukraine, I don't, do we have those? Or it's just, yeah, it's Tom and Bill around the bagels again and the orange juice. Hey, how you doing? I think it's the latter. Ladies and gentlemen, news of after. This is from the Guardian. Stability in Afghanistan will require tens of thousands more troops. What? Costing billions more dollars than NATO envisioned at its fateful 2012 summit. This, according to a new review sponsored by the Pentagon. The Pentagon wants to spend more money and have more troops in Afghanistan.

The review released this week and conducted by the nonpartisan think tank, CNA, at the behest of the Pentagon's policy directorate, found the Taliban insurgency is likely to swell in the years following the upcoming U.S. and NATO military withdrawal, sharply challenging expectations set the NATO summit. The review also saw widespread deficiencies in NATO's planning for Afghanistan, manpower, logistics, air support, and ministerial strength. Aside from that, this is Lincoln. It's all good. The review comes as the U.S. has all been given up, given up on Karzai, a setting to a residual U.S. military force. The review panel, which included a former Marine Corps Commodant and U.S. Army Chief of Staff, well, they wouldn't be found that the persistent Taliban insurgency will mount an increased threat to the Afghan government for years after the withdrawal and require a force substantially larger and more expensive than NATO had planned. A force of 173,000 Afghan soldiers and police will likely cost between

$5 and $6 billion annually to sustain. NATO would project at $4 billion. Most of that cost will be borne by, hey, look in the mirror. And a $6 billion price tag is what the U.S. spent on the Afghan security forces during the height of the surge. Remember the surge? Remember David Patras. Oh, good days. That force is approximately 9,000 soldiers and police smaller than today. But U.S. and Allied militaries have long planned on diminishing the size of the Afghan security sector drastically. The CNA team's prediction of an increased Taliban threat, supported by a recent U.S. intelligence assessment stands in direct contradiction to the assumption of a reduced insurgent threat made at the NATO summit. Well, that's why they got agreement. The CNA team advises the Pentagon to keep international military advisers

in the Afghanistan Ministries of Defense and Interior through at least 2018 to mitigate long-term problems, including corruption and incompetence. Yes. By 2018, that will be solved. That's my hands wiping from the fact that we've completed the job in four years of getting rid of incompetence and corruption. And then we can tackle the United States. Our analysis suggests that the absence of these advisers has the potential to undermine combat effectiveness of the Afghan forces over the time frame of this study thereby imparting additional risk to the U.S. policy goal for Afghanistan. Anybody say a mission accomplished? I didn't. But now we're not number one. Britain's military is the second most gay friendly in the world. According to another independent think tank. When I come back, I'm going to come back as the proprietor of an independent nonpartisan think tank because that, ladies and gentlemen, is where the money is, I'm convinced of it.

Although coming back as Robert Murdock would be a good second. The Hague Center for Strategic Studies ranked more than 100 armed forces by inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender personnel. The study based on 20 policies and practices put New Zealand at number one. The UK shared second place with Netherlands. UK armed forces received top scores for putting the gay community at the forefront of all policies and practices around admission, tolerance, inclusion, exclusion, and persecution. Australia ranked fifth. The United States out of 103 countries ranked 40th. That's again, ladies and gentlemen, say with me, we're not number one. And the Ukraine, again, wrapping up the opening segment of the broadcast today coming back around. Of course, kind of interfered with President Putin's little party in Sochi, especially since there were widespread commentaries

that Putin was behind, or may have been behind, may have been urging the now toppled president to take the strong, some would say brutal action against the protesters that eventuated in him being toppled from office. But lest you judge President Putin too harshly, recall with me, if you will, these words of former president George W. Bush. When I asked the question, do you trust Vladimir Putin in front of a huge press conference after our meeting? My answer was yes. And I could have tried to be clever like Ronald Reagan, who had the great answer to trust but verified, but that would have sounded like plagiarism. And so I said, yes. And the reporter said, why? And I said, because I looked into his eyes and I saw his soul. Yes, you could have tried to be clever. Hello, welcome to the show. Well, it's gonna be time.

Everybody is happy. They forced me to rock in the bummer, once I feel ever, the judge are dim and back and I'm about to smother. Oh, because it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Everybody is happy. Oh, well, it's gonna be time.

Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Everybody is happy. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time.

Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Everybody is happy. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. Oh, well, it's gonna be time. From where else New Orleans Louisiana where it is in gentlemen, where it is carnival time. I'm Harry Scherer, welcoming you to this edition of the show. Where the, where FEMA has just certified that they knew so far $11 billion, but more to be spent. Post-Katrina Hurricane Risk Reduction System built by the US Army Corps of Engineers. And FEMA has certified it to give New Orleans 100 year protection. Protection against a storm that has a 1% chance of happening in any given year.

I guess FEMA didn't see the emails, the internal emails from the Corps from the pump stations during Hurricane Isaac. But that's fine. It means the flood insurance rates go down. And now, ladies and gentlemen, the apologies of the week. I'm so sorry. I mean, oh, by the way, first of all, I missed this apology last week and I somehow the tape of it didn't make it here to the broadcast today. But Sam Rubin, the entertainment reporter for KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles, apologized on the air for, during an interview with Samuel L. Jackson, asking him what the reaction had been to a commercial that he'd been in during the Super Bowl. And the performer who was in that commercial, in fact, was Lawrence Fishburn and Sam Rubin apologized to Samuel L. Jackson

and then after for mistaking Samuel L. Jackson for Lawrence Fishburn. You're doing the commentary right there. I heard you. Now, amid unyielding scrutiny to the role of Governor Chris Christie and New Jersey and his administration in the lane closings of the George Washington Bridge are top official of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. I apologize this week to the commuters who sat in manufactured traffic over the course of several days in September. The remarks were delivered by David Samson, the agency's chairman and a confidant to Governor Christie. Samson's own role, the authority has been questioned in recent weeks. Quote, I cannot allow this agency to be mischaracterized by the actions of a few individuals. Apparently referring to two agency officials who have resigned amid revelations they were connected to the closings. Quote, on behalf of the Board of Commissioners, we are deeply sorry for inconvenienced cause to our travelers. Travelers.

They're not customers. They're not guests. They're travelers. Brian Williams apologizes on the NBC Nightly News from Sochi to syndicated late nights to host Arsenio Hall. After NBC News left Hall's photo off a photo montage of late night stars part of NBC's coverage of Jimmy Fallon's take over the tonight show. The graphics included photos of NBC's late night stars and also those of parent company Comcast, Chelsea Handler, and Carson Daly. Also David Letterman of CBS and Craig Ferguson of CBS and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O'Brien of TBS as well as comedy central stars John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. There's still one. In a voiceover, Williams was sort of talking about all the media types slugging it out for the turf Johnny Carson used to own. Williams now says Arsenio is a late night veteran and he took us to task on his show. So when apologizing to Arsenio, we just wanted to point out

that at least you're in good company. Williams noted NBC news left the state of New Hampshire off a map last July. And they spelled the city of Brotherhood Love this week as Philadelphia. This came hours after Hall said, quote, if you're doing a story about late night on his show, he said, this all I ask is you mention me. You don't even have to see a use of photo. I know how journalism is these days. Use Samuel Lachaxen. It doesn't even have to be my photo. Use Lawrence Fishburn. Just mention me, unquote. Topical. Always topical. Controversial rocker Ted Nugent said his remarks calling president Obama a, quote, sub-human mongrel, unquote, crossed the line. After his campaign of parents with Texas Republican gubernatorial, full, caused a stir. Nugent was asked by conservative radio host Ben Ferguson. You heard of him. The great Ben Ferguson. If he would apologize to the president, yes, I would, Nugent said. I did cross the line. I do apologize.

Not necessarily to the president, but on behalf of a much better men like then myself, like the best governor America, governor Rick Perry. Nugent expressed regret that his words had been used against Republican politicians that had campaigned with him, including Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. Abbott faced questions about his decision to campaign with Nugent. Perry was also asked about the issue in media interviews. He defended Abbott, but distanced himself from Nugent's comments, and said, Nugent should apologize for the sub-human mongrel term. Nugent now says he should have used different words, quote, on behalf of those professional politicians and those who put their heart and soul into representing we the people, so aptly like the gentleman I just mentioned, I apologize for using the street fighter of sub-human mongrel instead of just using more understandable language, such as violator of his oath, the constitution, the liar that he is. Still quoting Nugent,

I apologize for using the term sub-human mongrel, and I will try to elevate my vernacular to the level of those great men that I'm learning from in the world of politics. Unquote. Sounds like he's learning from Jerry Lewis. Asked one more time if he was apologizing directly to the president, Nugent said, yes, so he's not learning from politicians. If you can actually say, answer a question with, yes, Ted, you've got a lot to learn. Social media giant Facebook's latest acquisition, WhatsApp. This is a text messaging app that Facebook acquired this week for Zillions. Had to apologize, did WhatsApp to its 450 million monthly users after it went down for over two hours, a team tweeted to its users, 70% of whom use the application every day, sorry, we currently experiencing server issues, we hope to be back up and recovered shortly. Chat conversations on the highly popular application showed a loading asterisk and the alert connecting,

well, the issues persisted. By the way, what are they loading? It says loading. I don't think they're loading. I think they're doing something else. I think loading is just to pacify us. That's just me. Check it. Somebody who knows, tell me. They're not loading, are they? Anyway, back to the apology. The problems have been fixed a couple hours later. The company apologized again, tweeting WhatsApp service has been restored. We are so sorry for the downtime. Some users complained about the problem while others joked that the WhatsApp team had gone on holiday following their multi-billion dollar deal with Facebook. Here's all you'll hear about the Sochi Olympics on this program. The Australian hockey team has found themselves in a bit of hot water. After reports surfaced, alleging that the team partied too hard before their match against Slovenia. Australia's three NHL players, Thomas Vanick, Michael Grabner, and Michael Raffel. Raffi confirmed the reports and apologized in a press release. Quote after the hard fought victory,

the team visited the Austria-Tural House. Initially, some official appointments have been completed, then they celebrated the respect, success, and private not in public areas. This is the press release. Since no game on Monday was on the program, it was at some of us too late. This behavior was not professional with security, unquote. I forget the team. I think the press agent was partying too hard. They said in the release they didn't think it contributed to their 04 loss, roughly 36 hours later. Quote, we're of the opinion that this did not affect the disappointing team performance at the playoff game against Slovenia. But we are aware of our role as role models, that we are modeling. No, they didn't put that in. And should have more, should have moved, the celebrations on the evening after our last tournament play. Players in the coach apologized to fans. Quote, we are at the end of the day, just people who make mistakes, unfortunately, for the negative impression that may have arisen in the public. We want to sincerely apologize.

And we are it. Hereby, we want to emphasize our draw lessons, unquote. The press release. Oh, sorry, not Australian, Austrian. I would explain it. They wrote badly. I read badly. Hey, I'm read badly. How are you? A University of Texas art history lecturer was checking her email last week when an unusual sender came up. The White House. And closed was a scan of a handwritten apology letter from President Barack Obama for comments he made last month about art history degrees, which set off a flurry of objections for apparently devaluing the field. Obama made the offending remarks on a January 30 speech in Wisconsin about expanding manufacturing, job training programs. Quote, a lot of young people no longer see the trades and skilled manufacturing as a viable career, but I promise you folks can make a lot more potentially with skilled manufacturing or the trades than they might with an art history degree, unquote. He immediately backpedaled at the time saying, quote, there's nothing wrong with art history degree.

I love art history. I don't want a bunch of emails from everybody. Unquote President Obama. But now the letter says, dear Anne, let me apologize for my off the cuff from Mark. So I was making a point about the jobs market, not the value of art history. As it so happens, art history was one of my favorite subjects in high school. Yeah, I bet the whole chum gang would talk about art history after some puff. And it has helped me take in a great deal of joy in my life that I might have otherwise missed. So please pass on my apology for the glibber marks to the entire department and understand I was trying to encourage young people who may not be predisposed to a four-year college experience, to be open to technical training that can lead to a notable career. Sincerely, Barack Obama scanned for your reading pleasure. And finally, deadline Miami. A day after the art world reacted in shock to a South Florida's artist act of protest at the Perez Art Museum. Maximum Caminaro apologized to Chinese dissident artist, A Way Way, for smashing one of his vases,

the green vase, one of 16 on display at the A Way Way exhibit had been valued by the museum at a million dollars, and sure for insurance purposes. I have not the right to break his piece. I feel sorry for that, Caminaro, told the Miami Herald. I'd like to apologize for the all the inconvenience I caused Mr. Way Way. Actually, his last name would be A, A, I, Way Way. Chinese put the first name's second. I have no right to break the piece of someone else. It broke a piece of someone else. On Sunday, Caminaro attended the exhibit, a politically charged location in the Chinese culture and history. One component features a series of three black and white photos of the artist, Mr. A, Way Way, I, Way Way. In protest mode, as he holds a Chinese vase and lets it smash to the ground. According to the police report, Caminaro picked up one of the vases and refused the security staffer's order to put the piece down. Instead, he broke the vase. On the floor, he told the arresting officer he smashed the artwork in protest. On behalf of local artists, he felt we're slided

on behalf of international artists. At the new $131 million complex, please give on Biscayne Bay. Caminaro, a Dominican Republic-born artist, has been exhibited at numerous galleries in Miami, and abroad. But he apologized. The apologies of the week, ladies and gentlemen, it is a copyrighted feature of this broadcast. And we now turn to news of Knife's Corp. Nice people doing nice things. The Australian Financial Review reports that a big budget deficit left by the departing labor government in Australia before they were replaced. And in that budget deficit,

the largest single expenditure, the largest single gap causing the deficit, was $800 million Australian that the country is paying to Nice Corp. For a transaction, the Australian Financial Review describes as a paper transaction with no economic reality whatsoever in which an Australian division of Nice Corp transferred some stuff to the American division of Nice Corp and then somewhat later the transfer was reversed, somehow incurring a $800 million tax benefit that Australia is having to pay to Nice Corp. Oh, stop. More media executive Rupert Murdoch is in negotiations according to Wall Street Journal, which he owns. To buy the top four floors of a new Manhattan condo building, one Madison, this is according to a spokesman

for Rupert Murdoch. Who should know a spokesman for Rupert Murdoch talking to a newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch about a story, about Rupert Murdoch? Who's world are we living in? Murdoch is going to pay $57.25 million for the residents, according to sources with the knowledge of the purchase, set to close next week, Rupert, if you need some cash, Murdoch bought floors 57 to 60. Those are so lucky, totaling 10,000 square feet, they include a 6,850 square foot triplex penthouse that had been on the market for 50 million and a three bedroom apartment on the floor below that that had been listed for 16.5 million. So he didn't get a bargain. It's funny because he knows how to drive a hard bargain in so many other areas of business and life. The two apartments are unconnected but could easily be combined.

Penthouse has five bedrooms. I'm going to cough. And having cough, I continue. The penthouse has five bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms and a 586 square foot wrap-around terrace a double height, great room. Not just a good room, a great room. With a circular staircase has close-up views of the clock tower building, floor ceiling windows, blah, blah, blah. The apartment has an internal private elevator. Murdoch reached a divorce settlement, as you know, with his second wife, Wendy Dang. Last year, she's keeping the fifth avenue penthouse the couple purchased in 2005 for 44 million. Oh, yeah. 44 million, she can have that. I'm going to live in a place at, of course, 57. And there was a trial going on, this also news of nice corp. There's a trial going on in London right now of Rebecca Brooks, former editor of the news of the world, the tabloid newspaper,

shuttered by Rupert Murdoch in the wake of the phone hacking scandal. And her colleague and sometimes intimate, Andy Colson, later a spokesperson for David Cameron, currently the Prime Minister of England, whose world is it we're living in? This week, at the trial, we learned that Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister, advised Rebecca Brooks to launch a Hutton-style inquiry into phone hacking at the news of the world at the height of the scandal. The Hutton inquiry was an inquiry that Tony Blair launched to clear him of charges that the dossier he'd presented to Parliament in the run-up to the Iraq war was in the English usage dodgy. That is to say a whitewash. Email was read to the jury in the hacking trial. It followed what Brooks said was an hour-long phone call from Tony Blair to her. According to the email, sent the day after the news of the world's final issue, Blair said he was available to her

and to James Murdoch and to Rupert Murdoch as an unofficial advisor on a quote between us. Unquote basis. Parents had elite Tony Blair, also Godfather to at least one of Rupert's children with Wendy Deng, and as you may recall, recently, reportedly involved in them, visits with Wendy Deng to properties owned by Rupert in the absence of Rupert, which apparently, according to these reports, steamed Rupert. The advice was, this is earlier, apparently. Maybe not. Maybe it's the same time. This was Blair advising Rebecca Brooks to set up an independent inquiry. Who could have outside counsel a quote, a great and good type. He said the inquiry would be Hutton style and would clear her. In you, the inquiry would clear her.

The independent inquiry would clear her. That's how good an inquiry would be. But warned that shortcomings would have to be accepted as a result of the report. Blair advised her to tough up and not make any rash short term solutions as they only give you long term headaches. The entire email was read out at the trial and one of the points, Tony Blair made, published one of the report at the same time as the police closes its inquiry and clear you. So they knew the police was going to clear. Whose world is it we're living in? Number three, point three. Oh, sorry, point four. It will pass. Tough up. He didn't want to say man up because she's, and then point three, keep strong. And definitely, Tony Blair's advice to Rebecca Brooks and definitely, sleeping pills. You're restless.

You toss and turn. The night unfolds like an intercession of prime minister's questions and parliament. And you dread dragging yourself through another day of high level meetings and highly paid speeches. What's the answer you ask? Hi, I'm Tony Blair. And that kind of sleeplessness is caused by insomnia, which is a real WMD. A weapon of mind destruction. According to this dossier prepared for this commercial. Many people watching right now could possess this WMD. But it doesn't have to be this way. You see, whether I'm laying the groundwork for Middle East peace or doing something similar with a dear friend's wife, I know how important a good night's sleep is. For years, high ranking government and corporate officials, as well as jet-setting diplomats, have relied on a secret European formula to get that precious slumber. Now that formula's a secret, no more. This is the miracle of Diplomax PM. Imagine a sleeping pill with no morning hangover,

no disturbing dreams about war-dead hacking victims, and its non-habit forming, so you can take it each and every night. And you'll want to, because Diplomax PM sleep is the best sleep you've ever had. Call me, restful, getting you ready for whatever the next day holds, whether it's aluminium or testimony. I'm Rebecca. Diplomax PM kept me just alert enough when I needed to be totally oblivious to the doings of my underlings. I'm Wendy. Diplomax PM is one reason why guilty feelings never rub me of a good night's sleep. But Diplomax PM is too powerful to be sold in drug stores. It's available only through this special TV offer. If you're ready to wipe out your own WMD, weapon up mind destruction. Have your credit card ready and call the number on your screen, or have your screen ready and call the number on your credit card. It's up to you. Remember, you can't be your best. If you don't get your rest, Diplomax PM as in Prime Minister.

Ask a doctor if the side effects are right for you. I'm Tony Blair, and I'll see you in your dreams. Get your bed up full of wine. Then you head on out to the top of the top of the second line. Second line. Send a second line. Come on, take a line. Come on, take a line. I'm Tony Blair,

and I'll see you in my dreams. Get your bed up full of wine. Then you head on out to the top of the second line. Then you head on out to the top of the second line. Then you head on out to the top of the second line. Come on, take a ride Hey, everybody, take a ride Come on, take a ride Hey, everybody, take a ride Come on, take a ride Hey, everybody, take a ride

Come on, take a ride Hey, everybody, take a ride And I'll do my job for legal, for your story, good for your honor, my honor. If you're done and you feel them blue, check the doctor's foot better with you. Ready for one or nine of you I'll leave, and help your wife at the top. Then you don't know how to do the bad of whoppers. I thought I'd have to step for life. Come on, second line. Hey, hey, everybody, I'm about to take a time. Get together and start the line. Second line. You know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you can't keep the beat.

And I take that from God in the street. Come on, second line. Second line. Come on, second line. Second line. This is Lesho from New Orleans, and now it isn't gentlemen. News of our friend, the Adam. Clean, safe, too cheap to meet. Safe, cheap, too cheap to meet. Clean, safe, too cheap to meet. Clean, safe, too cheap to meet. Eddie. Yes, sir. You're not in costume this week. No. I decided not to, because I wanted people to recognize me. Excellent choice. Eddie, the Adam with us, ladies and gentlemen, as usual. First of all, what's happening at Fukushima? Glad you asked.

No, I'm not. 100 tons of highly contaminated water has leaked out of a tank at the Fukushima nuclear plant, the worst incident since last August. Way back then, when a series of radioactive water leaks sparked international alarm. Tokyo Electric Power Company told you off me up. Oh, sorry. Change my voice there. Tokyo Electric Power Company told reporters the latest leak was unlikely to have reached the ocean. That's reassuring. It is. But news of the leak at the site devastated by, you know what, further undercut public trust in the utility rocked by a string of mishaps and disclosure issues. I trust them. They have to learn their lesson by now. Yes. Good thinking. When Adam's think, ladies and gentlemen, that's what happens. We are taking various measures, but we apologize for worrying the public with such a leak as Masayuki. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. A spokesman for the utility. Water is unlikely to have reached the ocean as there is no drainage in that tank area. Well, that you can take to the tank.

I saw it you did there. You did. Teppko said water overflowed from a large storage tank at the site laid on Wednesday after a valve had remained open by mistake. That darn valve. How could they make a mistake, how could a valve make a mistake like that? I don't know. And sent too much contaminated water into a corporate holding, a separate holding area. It's all corporate. A worker patrolling the area around 700 meters in the ocean. Can't go from... No, it can't, 700 meters. Spotted drips of... I know what you were thinking. Spotted drips of... I read an Adam's mind. A spotted drips of water leaking through a drain attached to the side of the tank. The utility has been harshly criticized for its response to the three nuclear meltdowns. Why would you harshly criticize somebody for that? It's an accident. Yes, I know. It's an accident. Nuclear regulatory official last week said, TEPCO delayed release of record high measurements of strontium 90 and groundwater despite repeated requests by the regulator, as you know. We covered that. Don't wrap it in.

All right. Well, and TEPCO says there is just one working thermometer, monitoring the temperature of melted nuclear fuel in the plant's number two reactor. Once all you need, really. How many thermometers do you have in your house? That's a good question. I'll go look. Officials of TEPCO say they have discovered a fault in one of the two thermometers used to monitor the lower part of the reactor's container vessel. They say the problem is found this week after workers accidentally caused a short circuit by delivering 250 volts of electricity instead of 100 volts during checks of the thermometers. That's a music, isn't it? I'm not laughing. Okay. I wasn't either really. It was fake. The company continues to pour water into the number two reactor to cool the melted fuel at the bottom. Assuming that it'll get cooler. Thermometers. All right. Everything you know. That's right. A series of problems left just one of nine thermometers working at the lower part of the pressure vessel by September 2012. The newly malfunctioning thermometer was installed later that year. Well, it's still under warranty.

Yes. I think it. Call the helpline. On a Sunday, the utilities announcement came more than 24 hours after the abnormality was found on Tuesday. You had to think about it for a while. Officials say they failed to immediately notice the problem. Since the faulty thermometer was showing a similar reading about 20 degrees Celsius to the working one. The officials say replacing the thermometer is likely to take time because of high radiation levels in and around the reactor. They say a new thermometer will have to be inserted through a pipe. Sounds easy to me. Look at going around. Thermometer. Nah, that sounds like some procedures. Ladies and gentlemen, the U.S. Energy Department said Tuesday that open an investigation into a leak of radioactive materials at a nuclear burial site near Carlsbad, New Mexico. The department shut down normal operations at last week at its waste installation pilot plant WIP. After radiation alarms sounded late Friday when no one was in the underground facility. Officials at the site discounted any effect on human health, saying no radiation had escaped to the surface

and no workers were exposed. So far it's unknown what caused the release of radioactivity inside the repository. Built an ancient saltbeds 2,100 feet below the surface. The nation's massive nuclear weapons cleanup program sends a couple of truckloads of waste to the facility almost every day. What happened to the other day? No, the almost every day. I know. What's wrong with the one that's not including? The waste isolation plant takes clothes, tools, wood, paper, and other items contaminated at low levels. With plutonium, energy department officials say their primary focus is on the health and safety of the public. But we knew that. They didn't have to tell us that. The energy department is poised to approve a $6.5 billion federal loan guarantee for the first nuclear power plants built from scratch in this country in more than three decades. Well, they need it to be self-sufficient in the market. Markets, something's wrong with the market. You said that.

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz was expected to announce final approval of the deal. A day before he visits the $14 billion Vodal nuclear plant now under construction in eastern Georgia. What? No, I'm just wondering if loan guarantees of that ill could be in the offing for a say solar or wind. But they're not as expensive. White line Spokane, whistleblower Donna Bush, who raised safety concerns at the nation's most polluted nuclear production site. Nuclear weapons production site. Hanford, Washington, was fired this week from her job at the Hanford nuclear reservation. Her complaints are part of a string of whistleblower and other claims related to the design and safety of an unfinished waste treatment plant at Hanford. Fifty-year-old Bush said she was calling to the office Tuesday morning and told she was being fired for cause. I turned in my key and turned on my badge and left the building, she said. They don't have guns. Bush worked for URS Corporation, which is helping build a $12 billion plant to turn Hanford's most dangerous wastes into glass. But glass could cut people.

I don't think it's that kind of glass. Construction of the plant has been halted over safety concerns. Bush has filed complaints with the federal government alleging she suffered retaliation since filing her original safety complaint in 2011. You get earaches after all. From what? Those whistles. An estimated $103.6 billion is the new price tag for completing the remaining Hanford reservation cleanup plus some close cleanup oversight. The new estimate of cleanup cost was included in the 2014 Hanford Life Cycle Scope Schedule and Cost Report released this week. $113.6 billion dollars, ladies and gentlemen. It's gone down from last year's estimate of 114.8 after a year of cleanup work under a budget of roughly $2 billion and some adjustment of estimates. Worth it, it's one tenth the cost. That's correct. It'll be difficult for TEPCO, going back to FOOC, to reach the target for completing the purification of water contaminated with radioactive substances and storage tanks at its crippled plant. According to TEPCO's estimates, 1,900 tons of contaminated water per day must be processed to purify about 350,000 tons of polluted water and storage tanks, but the advanced liquid processing system or Alps is not capable of processing that amount of contaminated water per day.

Lengthen the day. What? Lengthen the day. This report from the Yomayori Shimbun in September of the TEPCO President promised the Prime Minister that the utility would complete the purification of contaminated water and storage tanks in fiscal 2014. However, it now appears, quote, difficult to achieve this target. The difficult we do, let me get around to it. Clean, cheap, too difficult to meet our friend, the Adam. The Oscars close out the award season next week. But does the glamour excite that it's snark ever after? Inside extra access tonight goes in depth for late February 2014. Hi everybody, I'm Mike Divir.

And I'm Pat Mungo, hooked on rehab. Is there anything in the world as exciting and glamorous as the red carpet at awards time? And is there anything that attracts as much attention, positive and negative? One man thinks that particular carpet doesn't have to be put away after the last Oscar party has rolled Harvey Weinstein out the door. And like everyone else in Tizzle Town, he's betting someone else's money that he's right. There are the gowns, there's the hair, there's the makeup, and there are the women too. And just kidding, that's to black. Well, Junior is a newcomer to the world of digital television channels. But he's no newcomer to the world of the red carpet. Well, over the years, I've watched as the whole wondrous world that is the red carpet is spread its magic only to leave us reaching for the antidepressants come the beginning of March. Some people ask why, some people ask why not.

I asked, when did I run out of pills? Mr. Blackwell, Junior, no relation to the late fashion commentator, has decided to take the next step. In a world of exciting startups, his may have the most start and the most up. We're calling it carpet. And it's totally digital 24-7 video channel about the fabulous world that is the red carpet, the celebrities, the designers, the makeup people as well as the music, the food, just everything carpet. You not only meet you digitally mingle with the people in front of the cameras behind the cameras and in between whether it's a designer wondering where to get two yards of oil in a Saturday at midnight or a paparazzi out of the track doing car dodging training. If it's anything about the wonderful world of the red carpet, carpet will be the place to go to and to stay in. Also joining the project as an on camera face is Tim Gone, fresh from project runway and tide commercials.

Of course the runway is just like the red carpet except for more tuffing. So I'm very excited. I'm perplexed by this hasn't happened much sooner. And what I'll be personally narrating is the most unbelievable collection of footage of red carpet moments throughout Hollywood history. So there's leaves, there's Benny Davis, there's the very young share, taking a walk and talking about their upcoming projects from the past. And of course after midnight just the most wondrous infomercials about products used on and around or near or totally away from the carpet. But is there demand for a TV channel that's all red carpet all the time except for the infomercials? Last year at Khan, not at the film festival, I met a fabulous young Saudi chic. He couldn't stop asking me questions about the world of the red carpet.

And at the end of our scheduled hour he said, you know Mr. Blackwell Jr. there must be a lot more people like us. We'll find out starting right after the Emmys. Italy plans call for the carpet channel to be available on digital tiers of cable systems not yet owned by Comcast. And like everything else, it'll be on the internet. You know last year at this time, I didn't even know how to work a computer. Oh, I am actually in one. We'll keep you posted on carpet as the rollout begins. That's it for today, but inside extra access tonight covers rollin' back with the results of our latest IEAT poll. We asked you whether reality TV has gone too far yet and the results will have you looking in the camera and squaring. Till then, I'm Mike Divir. And I'm Pat Mungo, so long from Culver City. And now it is gentlemen, news of the war, won't you?

Come on, it's warm. Nice. Since as early as the 1960s, scientists have hypothesized that melting sea ice increases global warming by decreasing Arctic albedo. I think that's how it's pronounced. It's the reflectance of the snow and ice in the Arctic. Researchers have since devised climate models to demonstrate this phenomenon until now nobody had relied entirely on satellite data to confirm this effect. This is reports from theLiveScience.com. Now, scientists based at UC San Diego have analyzed Arctic satellite data from 1979 through a couple years ago. And it found that average Arctic albedo levels have decreased from 52% to 48% since 1979, twice as much as previous studies based on models have suggested. That'll teach you to listen to models.

This is in the journal proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The amount of heat generated by this decrease in albedo is equivalent to roughly 25% of the average global warming currently occurring due to increased carbon dioxide levels. Just from the reduction in reflectance in the Arctic. Quote, although more work has needed a possible implication of this is that the amplifying feedback of Arctic sea ice retreat on global warming is larger than has been previously expected. Said study co-author Ian Eisenman. Previous models of Arctic albedo have suggested the reflectiveness of white cloud cover could potentially mitigate a portion of the law due to melting ice. But these new observations show that cloud cover has a negligible effect on overall Arctic reflectivity the team says. Arctic sea ice will not likely return to 1979 values in the near future, but the ice does change from year to year and might still experience some comeback this century, though the extent to which this might happen remains unclear. Using the warm ladies and gentlemen copyrighted feature of this broadcast and now news from outside the bubble.

You know, there's only the ability in American news media to cover one international news story at a time. And if that, assuming Tom Friedman and Bill Crystal are available, this from Asia times on January 23rd, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Myanmar formerly Burma, voiced deep concern on reports of alarming levels of violence against ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar's western Rakhine state. The causes were being robbed in a village. The residents called for help. Villagers fled the site when they realized the robbers included police and ethnic extremists. Then a group of military other security forces and police raided the village, blocked the entrance and fired indiscriminately into escaping men, women and children at least 40 people were killed many more injured. The remaining villagers were routed up put into two trucks and carried off to an unknown location. Authorities later declared the village and no entry zone, the UN report, rapporteur demanded the government immediately investigate the reports of violence the call was ignored, as have been all the other urgent calls for action by various international groups.

Instead, the Ministry of Information Burma announced that journalists responsible for reporting the story would be held accountable for any unrest supposedly caused by their reports. Ethnic Rohingya, sorry, are not recognized as one of the country's 135 official national races, according to the UN they are one of the world's most persecuted minority groups. In 2011, the Minister of the country asked the UN to resettle to second countries all of the estimated 800,000 Rohingya now resident Myanmar. And 1982 law strips them of citizenship. In Myanmar, ladies and gentlemen, this from Asia times by Nancy Hudson-Rod, honorary research fellow, sorry at the University of Associate, University of Tasmania has conducted research into this. But it's outside the bubble. So relax. News from outside the bubble, copyrighted feature this broadcast.

Well ladies and gentlemen, that's going to conclude this week's edition of the show the program returns next week at the same time.

You know where to find me, Harry, I don't have to listen to your phone calls and know what you're doing. That's right. You'll find me on NPR Worldwide throughout Europe on the U.S. and 440 cable system in Japan, around the world through the facilities of the American Forces Network, up and down the East Coast of North America via the shortwave giant WBCQ, the planet on the mighty 104 in Berlin, on your smartphone via Stitcher.com and available it around the world by the Internet at two different locations live, an archive, whatever you want, at harryshure.com, and kcsn.org, and available as a free podcast at www.wno.org, SoundCloud, SciShow Network, and iTunes. And it'd be just like getting Tom Friedman and Bill Crystal in here to explain me and Mar to us. If you'd agree to join with me then, would you already thank you very much?

Uh-huh. Thank you very much. And a playlist of the music heard here on available at harryshure.com, while you're there, visit the store, where they have cars I talk t-shirts on sale for $5. And if you're in the United Kingdom or planning to go this week, final episode Nixon's the one airs Thursday night on the Sky Arts Channel, and you'll see the eight minutes before he resigns the presidency, and the minute after, perhaps for the first time. And I'll be, you know, typing at you 140 characters at a time, at the harryshure on Twitter. Don't look for me on WhatsApp.

Yep. The show comes to you from Century Progress Productions and originates through the facilities of www.wno.new Orleans flagship station of the Change Is Easy Radio Network. Happy Carnival, everybody.