If you don't trust the government, who else are you going to trust? They're the only ones with any information. Yes, they're probably being overly cautious and don't want to make any alarming statements without being 100% sure. That's just responsible behavior.

Quote:I have to add, just as I read the news my anger rises at the japanese government. "no need to worry its just nuclear reactors blowing up, this stuff happens all the time" BS

It wouldn't be much better if they were shouting: "OMG, this is so bad, everything is going to blow up!"

A lot of people will be running around and pointing fingers at people to blame for the fiasco at Plant 1 but I think it is important that people consider that when the plant was built it was quite safe. It is only in recent years that more safe methods came out. I saw a really good analogy in response to rhetoric from anti-nuke parties.

Saw it on Slashdot:
Imagine you live in Rome. You are a civil engineer, in charge of building the first bridge. You build it the best you can, based on observing trees that fall across small streams. It is very dangerous, but effective for a few years. Several other people copy your design and build their own bridges using tree trunks.

Meanwhile, someone else looks at your design and determines the bridge could be built much safer if you use an ads to flatten out the top, so that people can walk on the flat area, and some ropes along the sides at hand level let people keep their balance. You try it out and find it works very well. Meanwhile, people all over Rome are falling off the "Gen 1" bridges. People protest bridges to the Roman Senate and elect people who won't allow new bridges to be built, even with the safety features.

To make matters worse, the existing bridges are now rotting. Several bridges have fallen into the creeks and many are too fragile to let more than one person across at a time. The tree bark, which provided at least some grip for people using the bridges is now gone, and when it rains the bridges are incredibly slippery. The Roman Senate funds a study to look into building "Gen 3" bridges. The engineers come back with designs for stone bridges, using the latest in geometry (the arch). The engineering community thinks this bridge will last for years, be incredibly strong and safe. But because the public has such a bad memory of the existing bridges, they want nothing to do with them. Meanwhile they demand the Senate fund more ferryboats for river crossings.

i am pro-nuclear energy, but

i just find it sickening how people are using it to further their own agenda on nuclear technology, whether they support it or are against it. like yo, fix the problem first, then talk about it later.

furthermore, the media is spreading way too much fear because they don't understand nuclear technology.

kainzero Wrote:i am pro-nuclear energy, but

i just find it sickening how people are using it to further their own agenda on nuclear technology, whether they support it or are against it. like yo, fix the problem first, then talk about it later.

furthermore, the media is spreading way too much fear because they don't understand nuclear technology.

almost always, news tends to spread the worst case scenario/show the worst but none of the good.

I remember someone telling me that. There are 3 things related to stories.
1 is one side and the other is the other side. And the last is the truth.

Links for donating:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/11...=fb&src=sp 　← a compilation of various organizations helping Japan that you can donate to

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/jap...mi-relief/ ← one of the sites suggested in the above link, and one of the only ones that seem to track the project's progress. Looking at the progress every once in awhile is a nice, positive break from all the upsetting news we've been seeing, I think.

Edit:
I know it's probably too early to be even more positive, but here's an article that stuck out at me: http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Glob...earthquake

I couldn't help but feel the writer was looking on the bright side a little too much (while the death toll continues to rise and all), but it may be a good look into what the future may hold.

Nuriko Wrote:Links for donating:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/11...=fb&src=sp 　← a compilation of various organizations helping Japan that you can donate to

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/jap...mi-relief/ ← one of the sites suggested in the above link, and one of the only ones that seem to track the project's progress. Looking at the progress every once in awhile is a nice, positive break from all the upsetting news we've been seeing, I think.

Edit:
I know it's probably too early to be even more positive, but here's an article that stuck out at me: http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Glob...earthquake

I couldn't help but feel the writer was looking on the bright side a little too much (while the death toll continues to rise and all), but it may be a good look into what the future may hold.

i'd say it's better than being all negative(i.e. media). But then again, I can see what you mean, he does seem a bit too much on the bright side

Nuriko Wrote:I know it's probably too early to be even more positive, but here's an article that stuck out at me: http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Glob...earthquake

That author is referring to a so called broken window theory, which itself is quite a broken theory. and to that I would point that author over to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_window_fallacy

Japan had a huge debt before this eartquake and tsunami even happened. Now it will only make Japan's debt problem worse. Just last night I read the BOJ was pumping 185 billion dollars into the banks and stock markets. This is horrible, I really am getting concerned for the Japanese economy, and hope the BOJ doesn't hyperinflate its currency just so some rich bankers won't lose their money. Japan is not immune from the laws of economics.

Seamoby Wrote:The BBC just posted this link to a Japanese newbie earthquake vocabulary.

http://www.japannewbie.com/2011/03/13/ja...ocabulary/

nice link, will be very helpful

No looting, no rioting, no roaming bands of criminals seeking to exploit the situation. It speaks volumes about the culture and dignity of the Japanese people when compared to other nations whose people when faced with similar situations behaved quite differently.

dyslexicporn Wrote:No looting, no rioting, no roaming bands of criminals seeking to exploit the situation. It speaks volumes about the culture and dignity of the Japanese people when compared to other nations whose people when faced with similar situations behaved quite differently.

very true.

[ファブリス]

Then again Japan has, what, less than 1% foreigners? And it isn't exactly known for its lack of education or rate of unemployment.

This is true though.

I have several Japanese friends on facebook. Of course recently their statuses have been panicked and worrisome however one stood out at me.

"In convenience store during earthquake, many items fall to the ground. We pick back up and take to cashier. Except in Japan people might pick up and run out of store, I am proud of Japanese." (sic)

Somewhat nationalistic and a little stereotypical, but also has a hint of truth.

zachandhobbes Wrote:This is true though.

I have several Japanese friends on facebook. Of course recently their statuses have been panicked and worrisome however one stood out at me.

"In convenience store during earthquake, many items fall to the ground. We pick back up and take to cashier. Except in Japan people might pick up and run out of store, I am proud of Japanese." (sic)

Somewhat nationalistic and a little stereotypical, but also has a hint of truth.

I don't think that's nationalistic at all

Zon70 Wrote:

Nuriko Wrote:I know it's probably too early to be even more positive, but here's an article that stuck out at me: http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Glob...earthquake

That author is referring to a so called broken window theory, which itself is quite a broken theory. and to that I would point that author over to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_window_fallacy

I'm not sure I agree with him, but to be fair he wasn't just talking about the economic stimulus of reconstruction that is the broken window fallacy.

He was also talking about the opportunity to mend the relationship with China, and also about the possibility of Japan developing greener fuel production technologies. If Japan were, as a result of this disaster, to develop the green alternatives to nuclear fuel to the point where they become economically viable, then it could export this technology to the rest of the world and become massively rich in the process.

This is perhaps overly optimistic, but there is a grain of truth in there somewhere.

What's up with all these exploding buildings? Dude..

The exploding concrete is an expected result of using salt water, I believe.

Didn't the first building explode before they were using sea water for cooling though?

Removed--haven't read about the new explosion.

So is this last explosion the same as the previous 2? They seem to be more worried about it on the news..

caivano Wrote:They seem to be more worried about it on the news..

They are journalists and a nuclear power plant blew up three times.

What's with this talk?
reading this I get the impression that no one knows what is to be done and the Japanese are trying some random stuff...

I know. My question was 'So is this last explosion the same as the previous 2?'

jettyke Wrote:What's with this talk?
reading this I get the impression that no one knows what is to be done and the Japanese are trying some random stuff...

What do you mean?

What they're trying to do hasn't really changed. You put a lot of water in, and try to keep the level of water above the fuel rods. Seems to me that's all that's really been happening since Sunday. The first two explosions didn't mean anything, but I haven't read anything that talks in depth about the third yet.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-world-tv

It seems like this explosion is more serious. Radiation levels appear to have skyrocketed to over 8000 in the immediate area, and there is a possibility that the containment vessel has been damaged. (I haven't heard this number repeated though, they keep throwing out numbers that are much lower for different areas around the plant). If this is true, then contaminated water could leak into the environment. But they seem to just be going in circles on TV as far as news goes.

Yeah, I just read the same.

It said that's about 16 times the legal limit.

Edit: Just read that the Chief Cabint Secretary says that there's damage to what they call the suppression room (サプレッションルーム) in plant two. Apparently this is a section of the plant that is for turning steam back into water.