Japan's Nuclear Disaster

[Bill Cravener]

This is not looking good!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlZhUi1nhtE




By the way, would the rad counts increase if three of the reactors meltdown?

[clive]

Well the're going to loose containment on all 4 reactors at Fukushima (and perhaps the other two just north of the ones usually pictured), and the spent fuel pond. Doesn't one of theses units have plutonium in it? Problem is all governments lie about the scale of these things. Watch where the politicians and their families go.

[FORTRANS]

Doesn't one of theses units have plutonium in it?

Hi,

   Yes, in the waste ponds.  Japan has enough plutonium to
become a nuclear power if they wanted to.

Regards,

Steve N.

[donkey]

yawn...

http://politisite.com/2011/03/17/nuclear-fallout-map-showing-750-rads-to-west-coast-united-states-is-a-fabrication/

The real, unaltered map.

[xanatose]

Good, people on California and Alaska do not need to worry about glowing in the dark
Still, there is the possibility of a Giant Radioactive Lizard bound to destroy Tokio.  :)

[dedndave]

our hearts go out to those in Japan, to be sure
while this disaster may not pose a huge threat to the US (at least, short-term),
it brings to mind the nuclear plants in California - i guess they have a half-dozen or so
i am wondering what the effects will be after the "big one" hits CA

[Bill Cravener]

Well I don't care what you believe Edgar, if these reactors go to meltdown and the time it takes to case them in sand and concrete it will expose people to radiation their lives wouldn't normally be exposed to. Can't be good. Especially the younger folks who may not see the effects for 15 to 20 years (I should be dead by then anyway). We live our lives being exposed to natural radiation (banana's are radioactive), getting more can't be good.

It's incredible they are asking for volunteers to help because it's a definite death sentence.

[redskull]

The big question is whether it just 'melts down', or explodes Chernobyl-style.  The former is bad, but probably wouldn't end up over in the US.  In the latter case, where an explosion blows parts of the reactor every which-way, it would be devestating.  But with containment like they have, it's probably not very likely.

-r

[FORTRANS]

Hi,

   It can't explode Chernobyl style.  Wrong situation and design.
Chernobyl was running when it did its thing.  Japan's shut down
after the earthquake.  It can melt down, but that's not a real
problem long term.  If it catches fire, that is a big whoops.
So hope they get the generators running, the electricity turned
back on, or the tries with the water succeed.

Regards,

Steve N.

[hutch--]

The greatest risk in Japan at the moment is the cold, it will kill more people than the sum total of radioactivity leaking from all of the reactors.

They are facing massive problems getting food and water to a very large number of people who are in temporary shelter in freezing conditions with no power available.

As far as I can tell Japanese nuclear reactors are far better designs than the old one in the Ukraine and even after being swamped by a tsunami its in better shape.

[donkey]

Well I don't care what you believe Edgar, if these reactors go to meltdown and the time it takes to case them in sand and concrete it will expose people to radiation their lives wouldn't normally be exposed to. Can't be good. Especially the younger folks who may not see the effects for 15 to 20 years (I should be dead by then anyway). We live our lives being exposed to natural radiation (banana's are radioactive), getting more can't be good.

It's incredible they are asking for volunteers to help because it's a definite death sentence.

Hi Bill,

Its not what I believe, I don't have the necessary background to have an informed opinion and I hesitate to use any information I get from CNN or the other vultures to form one. I was just making a comment about that map being a fabrication that targeted peoples fears in order to sell them some useless or virtually useless medication at inflated prices. I do agree that it is a tragedy and potentially very dangerous but when the gougers come out of the wood work trying to scare people in order to profit from a disaster it really pisses me off. The situation is bad enough that exaggeration is really not necessary.

Edgar

[dedndave]

i am with you, Edgar
i am no nuclear physicist - and i doubt many of the members are

but - the news info we are getting is utterly useless
in fact, i feel like i know less after reading it - lol

thing is - if there were a reason to panic - they would surely not tell us about it

[Bill Cravener]

Interesting interactive:  http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/16/science/plume-graphic.html?ref=science

[FORTRANS]

but - the news info we are getting is utterly useless
in fact, i feel like i know less after reading it - lol

Hi,

   NPR's Talk of the Nation, Science Friday is covering the
nuclear problems.  Last week's show is online.  This week's
will also cover it.  The daily Talk of the Nation also covered
it along with many other radio shows on NPR.  Most were
fairly generic, but some were rather technical in style.  Some
of the call in questions were, ahem, an interesting gauge of
U.S. opinion.

   They are discussing it on the news as I type this.
Describing the attempts to get water into the spent fuel
pools and the chances that the pools are dry or not.

http://www.sciencefriday.com/

Regards,

Steve N.

[dedndave]

they all have a different spin, Steve
but - you don't know who to believe

here is a related headline from that site....
"Japan Earthquake May Have Changed Earth's Axis"

supermarket gossip rags come to mind - lol

"Man Has a Baby!!!"
"Aliens Stole My Husband!!!"