8.9 Magnitude quake hits offshore Japan

[FlameOn]

More fear mongering or actual problem with the containment shell? There seems to be so many conflicting reports coming out of that region is someone just passing rumors around? CNN seems to be the most panicky of the bunch tho. BBC seems so much more level headed.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

More fear mongering or actual problem with the containment shell? There seems to be so many conflicting reports coming out of that region is someone just passing rumors around? CNN seems to be the most panicky of the bunch tho. BBC seems so much more level headed.

Yeah not sure why CNN needs to panic, to make news? It's not affecting their audience at all.

NHK on the other hand has a direct interest and is downplaying the story, mostly to keep the Japanese viewing public calm and not going insane. I believe there's an actual problem and Japanese officials are quietly trying to solve it.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

More fear mongering or actual problem with the containment shell? There seems to be so many conflicting reports coming out of that region is someone just passing rumors around? CNN seems to be the most panicky of the bunch tho. BBC seems so much more level headed.

I don't know why people are watching CNN at all.

news? really? Elliot Spitzer is a journalist?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Elliot Spitzer is a journalist?

Piers Morgan's new show is actually pretty good, and I like Elliot Spitzer. Besides though two, yah... no idea.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I don't know why people are watching CNN at all.

I switch to it from time to time because the coverage is constant. I'll watch the 7:00 National on CBC and then at 8pm switch back to AC360.

I would have to call it "Breaking News Porn" I guess

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Piers Morgan's new show is actually pretty good, and I like Elliot Spitzer. Besides though two, yah... no idea.

Just because you share the same taste in escorts...

[HOZ]

An article on the situation
William Tucker

If a meltdown does occur in Japan, it will be a disaster for the Tokyo Electric Power Company but not for the general public. Whatever steam releases occur will have a negligible impact. Researchers have spent 30 years trying to find health effects from the steam releases at Three Mile Island and have come up with nothing. With all the death, devastation and disease now threatening tens of thousands in Japan, it is trivializing and almost obscene to spend so much time worrying about damage to a nuclear reactor.

[Buzzard]

Just got back from Mexico yesterday. We stay at a small town north of Puerto Vallarta on a bay. There was lots of red flags and chatter amongst locals and gringos alike waiting for some tsunami action. Everyone had pretty much written off anything happening by mid afternoon Friday, as it looked like whatever would come petered out. Just as everyone started to lose interest, the tide went out, like in a matter of 5 minutes, and it went waaaay out. I've always heard how if that happens at the beach you'd better get scrambling. Being dumb (like everyone else I might add), we stuck around. Just as fast as the tide went out it came back in about 15 minutes after it went out, and just as quick. This process repeated for about 24 hours. There was some pretty strong waves going sideways in the bay too. These were as weird as anything. One guy was taken out by them and had to be rescued by some Mexican marines stationed there who luckily saw or heard him. Some neat stuff to watch on a hot, lazy Mexican weekend.

[GirlySports]

My favorite picture so far



Makes me smile after seeing so much carnage over the last few days.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by HOZ

An article on the situation
William Tucker

I think this is such a myopic viewpoint.

As if steam release is the only thing to be worried about.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Piers Morgan's new show is actually pretty good,

Last week he asked Donald Rumsfeld what he thought about the Charlie Sheen situation.

Speaking of, that nut sure disappeared on Thursday night. Man that must have been one slow news week.

[pylon]

Here is a pretty balanced Q and A about the potential effects of a meltdown. I much prefer BBC's factual news delivery, than CNN's Michael Bay/Joel Schumaker style. CNN is just brutal.

Anyway, link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12732015

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Last week he asked Donald Rumsfeld what he thought about the Charlie Sheen situation.

Speaking of, that nut sure disappeared on Thursday night. Man that must have been one slow news week.

Actually there were, of course, plenty of news stories.

Nothing sexy though.

[transplant99]

This is just an opinion and nothng else.

What I am worried about is that the situation at the power plants is worse than anything being said. The reason I say this is nothing more than putting my self in the PM's seat/position. Things could be going dreadfully wrong and it sounds like it very well may be that way. I am not so stupid as to relay that elsewhere...because the last thing my country needs is mass panic.....there are a million things on the minds of folks that matter more.

I really wish I was wrong on this....hopefully I am.

Bless everyone over there.

[Jedi Ninja]

Government of Japan news conference on NHK World currently.

From the PM of Japan:

• Reactors 1 and 3, hydrogen explosions ocurred.
• Reactor 4 experienced fire.
• Radiation has spread from these reactors, with high radiation readings.
• High risk of further radiation leaks.
• Need now for everyone to evacuate 20KM from Number 1 plant.
• From 20-30KM radius, remain indoors.
• FJ2 being evacuated to 10KM radius.
• Attempting to inject water to cool reactors.
• PM was unable to answer questions about specific reactors.

Cabinet Minister:

• Objects have fallen into number 4 reactor causing fire, assuming radioactive substances being released.
• The reactor is no longer housed and radioactive substances are being released.
• Reactor 2 blast this morning, a hole was observed in the number 2 reactor, so we have been saying that very little possibility that this was a hydrogen explosion.
• A part of the suppression chamber seems to have caused the blast, and a small amount of radioactive substance has been released.
• As of 10:22, reactors 2 and 3, 400 milliservets, and 100 milliservets at reactor 1.
• These readings are higher than previous and can cause health problems.
• 750 staff have been evacuated, 50 remain.
• The situation is of very high concern.
• High probability that portion of container vessel damaged on Number 2 reactor.

[HotHotHeat]

Man this is tough to read about.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by transplant99

This is just an opinion and nothng else.

What I am worried about is that the situation at the power plants is worse than anything being said. The reason I say this is nothing more than putting my self in the PM's seat/position. Things could be going dreadfully wrong and it sounds like it very well may be that way. I am not so stupid as to relay that elsewhere...because the last thing my country needs is mass panic.....there are a million things on the minds of folks that matter more.

I really wish I was wrong on this....hopefully I am.

Bless everyone over there.

Yes I think you're correct. I've got NHK World on quite a bit and the Japanese government is being very careful not to spread panic across the country. Remember the country has a population of over 125 million.

The message in a nutshell has been: "There is a problem with the reactors, we're doing the best we can to solve the problem".

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Jedi Ninja

Government of Japan news conference on NHK World currently.

From the PM of Japan:

• Reactors 1 and 3, hydrogen explosions ocurred.
• Reactor 4 experienced fire.
• Radiation has spread from these reactors, with high radiation readings.
• High risk of further radiation leaks.
• Need now for everyone to evacuate 20KM from Number 1 plant.
• From 20-30KM radius, remain indoors.
• FJ2 being evacuated to 10KM radius.
• Attempting to inject water to cool reactors.
• PM was unable to answer questions about specific reactors.

Cabinet Minister:

• Objects have fallen into number 4 reactor causing fire, assuming radioactive substances being released.
• The reactor is no longer housed and radioactive substances are being released.
• Reactor 2 blast this morning, a hole was observed in the number 2 reactor, so we have been saying that very little possibility that this was a hydrogen explosion.
• A part of the suppression chamber seems to have caused the blast, and a small amount of radioactive substance has been released.
• As of 10:22, reactors 2 and 3, 400 milliservets, and 100 milliservets at reactor 1.
• These readings are higher than previous and can cause health problems.
• 750 staff have been evacuated, 50 remain.
• The situation is of very high concern.
• High probability that portion of container vessel damaged on Number 2 reactor.

Well there goes the neighborhood.

[HPLovecraft]

Addressing the nation, Prime Minister Naoto Kan says that "there is a high risk of futher radioactive material coming out".

Radiation is 400 times the annual legal limit near Fukushima's reactor 3, the Kyodo news agency reports.

Winds over the stricken nuclear plant are blowing slowly towards the Kanto region, which includes Tokyo, Reuters reports.

And Mr Kan also confirms earlier reports that a fire has broken out at Fukushima's reactor 4.

The premier also urges people within 19 miles (30km) of the Fukushima complex in the area "to remain indoors".

Sounds to me like this is going to be getting worse before it gets better.

[Jedi Ninja]

By way of comparison: The newly reported measurements are 400 millisieverts. At Chernobyl, 1000 millisieverts was the reported level after the news blackout was lifted, but the peak was estimated to be 3000 millisieverts.

Source