Japan hit by 8.9 earthquake w/tsunami

I like the entombment approach and don't understand why Japan doesn't start that process. I don't see any evidence that they're even beginning to ramp up for burying the reactors. Just seems to me that the company is causing more evironmental/people harm by attempting repairs and recovery. I say let's GERD and bury those big bad boys right now. Maybe this would let people continue their recovery process without having to worry about continued radiation poisoning.

On a seperate thought, yesterday's national news says that Japan parts plants for their hybrids are off-line. I'm thinking if your Prius or other hybrid has an accident or repairs, it could put the car out of commission until the Japan supply lines are reorganized or reopened. I think this crisis, provides conventional manufacturing invaluable lessons-learned regarding global supply chain management. I still feel this gives the U.S. a good shot at getting a Prius/hybrid plant.

 

There was a recent Nova ep on the quake and tsunami. I've only gotten through half of it so far.

See NOVA | Japan's Killer Quake for more info. It's being rerun in my area many times in the next two weeks.

 

Reminded me to rewind my overnight tape and watch it.

 

I finished it. It was decent recap of much of what has happened. I hadn't seen footage of the destroyed areas in high def until today since I normally only record standard def broadcasts of the news.

The automated alert on TV and early warning message on phones (SMS?) was cool. I didn't know about the seawall in that one town being basically useless.

 

I'd heard about the TV / phone / computer early warning systems giving 10-60 seconds warning to a considerable portion of the population before the strongest shaking arrived, but it was good to see recordings of it in action.

Not only did the quake suddenly lift a huge portion of ocean about a meter, but it also lowered a lot of the shoreline, and the seawalls protecting it, by 1-2 meters before the tsunami arrived. I'm waiting to see the eventual maps of the ground displacements.

The American tourist video of fissures in the earth opening and partially closing, and soil liquification as it happens, was also quite interesting. While the gaps were not big, I wouldn't have kept my cool well enough to stand over a gap and tape it as it moved.

 

I saw the video of the gaps opening up in the park online (on YouTube?) well before I saw the Nova ep. Until it was explained on Nova, I didn't really know what the deal was w/the water coming up. I figured it was a piping for water or sewage that was leaking or damaged.

 

NHK is saying that the Japanese government may have been covered up computed projections of high-level radioactive release.

NHK WORLD English

 

Today, I just heard an NPR interview where the "expert" says people have an adverse opinion about radiation. His supporting evidence is that we live with radiation in our atmosphere, homes and food as natural radiation. He believes Japan's radiation leaks are exaggerated. W.T.F...is this guy on dope? I'm not sure the "expert" realized that Japan is pumping a bazillion gallons of highly radioactive contaminated water into the ocean where the planktons will absorb it, the fish eat the planktons, the big fish eat the little fish, and people eat the tuna and salmon! Good grief...

 

^ so why are you listening to NPR?

 

The expert is correct. Dumping radioactive material into the sea is not a good thing, but it's not the end of the earth either. Radiation is everywhere. Every single cell of your body is radioactive, but it's not a big deal. It all depends on the type of material, it's concentration, and how it is dispersed.

Hysterical posts like the ones found here on PC are exactly what this expert is trying to correct. Should we be concerned? Certainly. Should we be alarmed? Not necessarily. So far the situation in Japan is not reached an alarming level for the rest of the world. It's not good for Japan, but as it presently stands it will have very little health impact on the rest of the world.

Tom

 

Because it's the only station that comes in on my cheap radio in the garage! Besides, I like Click and Clack.

 

How radioactive is this 11,500 tons of water? I thought the 'highly radioactive' water is what will go into this pool next, after the less-contaminated stuff is pumped out.

Would the American public freak out if seawater along some of their beaches was contaminated with more than 3 milligrams of uranium per cubic meter?

Then what if the ante is raised, from 'some' to 'all' ?

Then up it some more by spreading several grams (not milligrams) of uranium through the kitchen counters?

 

By YURI KAGEYAMA and RYAN NAKASHIMA, Associated Press Yuri Kageyama And Ryan Nakashima, Associated Press – 15 mins ago
TOKYO – The government set its first radiation safety standards for fish Tuesday after Japan's tsunami-ravaged nuclear plant reported radioactive contamination in nearby seawater measuring at several million times the legal limit...


Isn't this like closing the barn doors after the horses escape? Makes me wonder what else is not being said about lack of safety standards.

 

This is a new situation that has not been contemplated by standards bodies such as the IAEA.

 

Those would all be bad. I can think of unlimited horror stories, but being able to think of them does not mean that we have them. Instead, it's important to focus on the actual situation, and to consider worst case options.

Tom

 

Then it becomes time to check out the natural uranium contents of seawater (~3ppb) and granite (several to many ppm).

So, when does the freaking out begin?

 

Whoops. Sorry. I didn't look carefully at the levels.

I thought your post was yet another "THE SKY IS FALLING!" post and responded accordingly.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming....



Tom

 

March 11th!

 

I don't know what to say anymore. The situation is looking beyond their control at this point.

NHK WORLD English

 

NHK WORLD English