I wish the first words in the headline were “The United States,” but I’m relieved to see Japan’s pledge to phase out nuclear energy by 2039 at the latest.

Via the L.A. Times:

The Japanese government announced a dramatic turn in its energy policy Friday, vowing to make the densely populated island nation nuclear-free by the 2030s. [...]

The new blueprint calls for investing almost $500 billion over the next two decades to expand renewable sources like wind and solar power, the NHK broadcast network reported.

And no longer in the L.A. Times online post, but from my morning paper:

A 40-year limit has been set on operation of existing plants, meaning the last one would have to shut by 2039, but officials hope to close it earlier.

Expanding renewable energy sources is exactly what we should be doing, but the GOP has decided that’s too Kenyan. They prefer to take long, luxurious crude oil soaks while having their toesies massaged by Exxon CEOs.

And while they’re basking in the lovely green glow of leaking radiation, someone should remind them to expect the unexpected:

The word “expect” keeps popping up, and that ambiguity is what makes many of us a little wary. That’s because the 9.0 magnitude was also not expected. The combo of a huge quake and a tsunami was not expected. Experts say they don’t expect a quake larger than 7.0 near the San Onofre nuclear plant, nor do they expect one bigger than 7.5 near Diablo Canyon, despite the fact that new fault lines are discovered from time to time, not to mention the proximity to the San Andreas Fault.

But no, Republicans care more about profit than the health and well-being of their fellow Americans, so what do they do? They pass the No More Solyndras Act.

How’s that for forward thinking?