Massive Earthquake In Japan Triggers Tsunamis

[Giant Communist Robot]

They should not be faceless. That's heroism and should be recognized as such.
I guess that very western-centric of me ?

There was a Russian at Chernobyl who volunteered to enter the building to perform a critical task. All understood it was a suicide mission. IIRC, he was only in there about 40 minutes--but when he came out he looked sunburned, and died within hours. Much of Europe was saved from worse exposure as a result.

[jamiebk]

Cement pumps are being shipped in. Sounds like the start of a permanent tomb for the reactors. Nothing more to do but scrap them and bury them forever.

[Shapley]

That would seem to be the best option. It's sad that, twenty-five years after Chernobyl, we haven't found a better solution...

[dai bread]

I'd like to see the Japanese win this one. Goodness knows, they've put in enough effort. Those "suicide" workers deserve victory.

[Shapley]

I agree, though I think it may be too late. At this point it's about minimizing the losses.

[Giant Communist Robot]

I read cesium has turned up in a fish caught not far from Tokyo. It's getting worse.

[dai bread]

I wonder how accurate these radiation findings are. Did anyone measure caesium in fish at Tokyo before the tsunami? How can anyone detect radiation from half a world away when people a lot closer, namely on the same island as the reactor, can go about their business as usual?

Are we being subjected to media hype and sensationalism, or a Japanese Government cover-up? Bearing in mind that a cover-up can be exposed by anyone with a Geiger counter, I suspect the former.

BTW, does anyone know what the effect of ionising radiation is on digital images? It's known to fog film.

[Giant Communist Robot]

I wonder how accurate these radiation findings are. Did anyone measure caesium in fish at Tokyo before the tsunami? How can anyone detect radiation from half a world away when people a lot closer, namely on the same island as the reactor, can go about their business as usual?

Are we being subjected to media hype and sensationalism, or a Japanese Government cover-up? Bearing in mind that a cover-up can be exposed by anyone with a Geiger counter, I suspect the former.

BTW, does anyone know what the effect of ionising radiation is on digital images? It's known to fog film.

Minute quantities are detected half the world away by the fact that they are unusual isotopes having a "signature" that could only come from the reactor. Since there was a previously established maximum level of allowable cesium in fish they may have tested them in the past, or occasionally. Or maybe not. Who knows?

[Shapley]

1988 Report on Caesium-137 Levels in Georgia River Otters

This is interesting, in that there apparently have been periodic tests run. CS-137 is rare, produced only in significant quantities through nuclear fission. It has a half-life of about 30 years, which would mean that Japan could expect significant levels to remain from the nuclear blasts at Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

[jamiebk]

If you want some real factual information about what is showing up in our water, air, and food, read this link: http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/UCBAirSampling

[Giant Communist Robot]

If you want some real factual information about what is showing up in our water, air, and food, read this link: http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/UCBAirSampling

Interesting link. Thanks.

[Giant Communist Robot]

In spite of everything--thousands of square miles destroyed, thousands of lives lost, homes, cars, businesses, farms, entire towns gone--if anyone can turn this kind of disaster into an opportunity it's the Japanese. Rather than permanently crippling the world's third largest economy, I think they'll recover faster and better than anyone else could.

Some good news finally. Crack in the pit repaired, radioactive water drained, reconnection of power so cooling can take place.

[Shapley]

Radiation Dose Chart

[piqaboo]

Fabulous chart. Very cool and visually well designed.

[Shapley]

Fabulous chart. Very cool and visually well designed.

I thought so, too.

[Shapley]

Back when I was in the Navy, everything was measured in Rads and REM's and Roentgens. Rads and Roentgens for radiation and REM's for determining biological damage due to radiation. (For gamma and X-ray radiation, 1 Roentgen = 1 Rad = 1 REM, if I remember correctly).

When the news reports started talking in terms of Sieverts, I was lost. I don't think we ever calculated anything in Sieverts back then. I found the chart helpful in sorting that out.

[Haggis@wk]

...or, in Japanese "Oshi-tia-mre-ally-scre-wed"

(I'm going to Hell, I really am.....)

[Giant Communist Robot]

I just spent a few days camping on the North Shore with the Girl Scouts. Their big project was to make thousands of origami cranes to send to Japan. After 9/11 Japanese children sent origami cranes to us. Just about every business here is sending money. Schools have had fund raisers for Japanese relief. The cranes are nice, I hope they make some feel better.

[Shapley]

I was going to send some money for relief, but wasn't sure what agencies to trust. I usually give through Catholic charities, but few of them are involved in the relief efforts there. The relief itself is being undertaken by the Japanese military, with some some NGO's assisting. A lot of charities use disasters such as this as fund-raising vehicles, and actually do very little relief work with the money they raise.

I contacted Mrs. Presenter, to see how they are doing. She says the store shelves in Tokyo are largely bare, or were the last time I spoke to her.

[Giant Communist Robot]

Now the Japanese have quietly revealed a meltdown did occur. Attention directed elsewhere.