8.9 Quake hits near Northeastern Coast of Japan

[Obstructed_View]

Who has the best coverage right now? (either web or TV)

I'd been switching between Fox and CNN most of the night, checking NHK, but since Fox has gone live (they came on a half an hour early) they've been interviewing a nuclear expert and he's agreed to stay around.

If you have access to NHK, it's worth checking, because they'll probably have information if there's some additional event. As I've mentioned, I'm sort of expecting at least one other containment building to explode in the next few hours.

[Obstructed_View]

Japan's nuclear power operator has chequered past



http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/03/12/idINIndia-55523220110312

(Reuters) - The company at the centre of a nuclear reactor crisis following the biggest earthquake in Japan's recorded history has had a rocky past in an industry plagued by scandal.


The Japanese government said on Saturday that there had been radiation leakage at Tokyo Electric Power's (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi plant following an explosion there.

The blast came as TEPCO was working desperately to reduce pressures in the core of a reactor at the 40-year-old plant, which lies 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo.


In 2002, the president of the country's largest power utility was forced to resign along with four other senior executives, taking responsibility for suspected falsification of nuclear plant safety records.


The company was suspected of 29 cases involving falsified repair records at nuclear reactors. It had to stop operations at five reactors, including the two damaged in the latest tremor, for safety inspections.


A few years later it ran into trouble again over accusations of falsifying data.


In late 2006, the government ordered TEPCO to check past data after it reported that it had found falsification of coolant water temperatures at its Fukushima Daiichi plant in 1985 and 1988, and that the tweaked data was used in mandatory inspections at the plant, which were completed in October 2005.


And in 2007, TEPCO reported that it had found more past data falsifications, though this time it did not have to close any of its plants

Yeah, when they seemed reluctant to give out information, I looked them up. Not exactly encouraging. The media outlets keep talking about how good the Japanese are with nuclear reactors.

[symple19]

I'd been switching between Fox and CNN most of the night, checking NHK, but since Fox has gone live (they came on a half an hour early) they've been interviewing a nuclear expert and he's agreed to stay around.

If you have access to NHK, it's worth checking, because they'll probably have information if there's some additional event. As I've mentioned, I'm sort of expecting at least one other containment building to explode in the next few hours.

Thanks OV

[Chomag]

Supposedly, there is also another reactor at another plant that they are not being able to cool down. They are not talking about it much so I guess thats not as bad.

[symple19]

Been watching Fox myself, here's the link for the NHK live stream http://wwitv.com/tv_channels/6810.htm

[NASpurs]

Here's how a nuclear reactor works if anyone is interested:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/05/nuclear_fuel/html/reactor.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/05/nuclear_fuel/img/nuclear4_ind629.gif
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/05/nuclear_fuel/img/nuclear3_click_nav629.gif http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif

Reactor Nuclear reactors work on the principle that nuclear fission releases heat, which can be harnessed and used to heat water into steam to drive turbines.

A typical nuclear reactor uses enriched uranium in the form of fuel 'pellets', each roughly the size of a coin and about an inch long. The pellets are formed into long rods known as bundles, and housed inside a heavily insulated, pressurised chamber.

In many power stations, the bundles are submerged in water to keep them cool. Other types use carbon dioxide or liquid metal to cool the reactor core.

To function in a reactor - ie produce heat through a fissile reaction - the uranium core must be 'critical'. This means that the uranium must be in sufficiently enriched form to allow a self-sustaining chain reaction to occur.

To regulate this process, and allow the nuclear plant to function, control rods are inserted into the reactor chamber. The rods are made of substance, typically cadmium, which absorbs neutrons inside the reactor.

Fewer neutrons means fewer chain reactions are started, slowing down the fission process. There are more than 400 nuclear power stations across the globe, producing about 17% of the world's electricity. Nuclear reactors are also used to power submarines and naval vessels.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/05/nuclear_fuel/img/nuclear_inf2_300.gif

1. Reactor core
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
2. Coolant pump
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
3. Fuel rods
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
4. Steam generator
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
5. Steam pumped to turbine, which generates electricity
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
6. Containment building

[Obstructed_View]

Supposedly, there is also another reactor at another plant that they are not being able to cool down. They are not talking about it much so I guess thats not as bad.

They've declared emergencies at both Fukushima 1 and Fukushima 2, which are about 7 miles apart. They've had the same problem in reactor 2 of Fukushima 1 as they had in reactor 1. I've been telling my wife for about 24 hours that there's some unforseen design flaw that's keeping them from cooling the reactions. I hope I'm wrong, because if that's the case, then this is going to get really bad over the next few days.

Remember, they weren't talking much about this. Fox News was relaying reports from Japan's government that the explosion was in an unrelated building while simultaneously showing video of the reactor building exploding.

[NASpurs]

Yeah, when they seemed reluctant to give out information, I looked them up. Not exactly encouraging. The media outlets keep talking about how good the Japanese are with nuclear reactors.

There's a lot of bullshit going on in Japan right now. I don't trust anything the government is telling their people and the media but I guess they have a good reason to be tight-lipped. I guess there's no point in creating mass hysteria by compounding what just occurred with the earthquake and tsunami.

[Obstructed_View]

Japan has confirmed "some" fuel rods exposed and that cooling has failed at five of the six reactors onsite at Fukushima 1. They reported reactor 1 exposed a few hours before the containment building blew up.

[NASpurs]

Reuter updates:

BBC says Prime Minister Naoto Kan urges people to take "responsible actions", and listen to the media.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano says no large amount of radiation leakage is expected.

-----------

lol "listen to the media". I've never been into conspiracy theories but this just reeks of it.

[Obstructed_View]

There's a lot of bullshit going on in Japan right now. I don't trust anything the government is telling their people and the media but I guess they have a good reason to be tight-lipped. I guess there's no point in creating mass hysteria by compounding what just occurred with the earthquake and tsunami.

Yeah, it's spooky. Secretly increasing the evacuation zone, saying that nothing was wrong or that it was a seperate building, all the while telling people in the area to close their windows and doors and to put masks over their faces. I don't really know how an explosion big enough to blow a six foot thick concrete building apart is going to fail to damage the nuclear reactor inside, but I guess it's possible. Maybe there's another building inside that we can't see.

[symple19]

Following twitter is interesting right now. All kinds of conflicting stuff being posted (as usual, I suppose)

[NASpurs]

More updates:

-He also says that data shows amount of radiation levels decreased after the explosion, and that the amount of radiation is staying at a low level.

-Edano says no explosion at nuclear reactor container at Fukushima plant.

-Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano says no large amount of radiation leakage is expected.

-Edano says Japan will allow Fukushima plant owner Tepco to fill the reactor with sea water to cool it down, and that there was an explosion at the plant, but not at the reactor container.

[Obstructed_View]

Reuter updates:

BBC says Prime Minister Naoto Kan urges people to take "responsible actions", and listen to the media.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano says no large amount of radiation leakage is expected.

-----------

lol "listen to the media". I've never been into conspiracy theories but this just reeks of it.

Radiation inside the reactor was at 1000 times normal level 12 hours ago, and had put out a year's worth of radition in an hour at some point yesterday, and that was before the explosion. I wonder what they consider a "large" amount of radiation. :rolleyes

[NASpurs]

Radiation inside the reactor was at 1000 times normal level 12 hours ago, and had put out a year's worth of radition in an hour at some point yesterday, and that was before the explosion. I wonder what they consider a "large" amount of radiation. :rolleyes

TEPCO just spin doctoring like usual apparently.

[symple19]

rofl, watching the Edano news conference. he doesn't seem to know shit

[Obstructed_View]

Well, these are the same guys that refused international aid the last time they had a major disaster, probably out of politeness, and the rest of the world didn't help because they didn't understand how Japanese communicate. This time, they went ahead and asked for help quickly. I'm not completely sure why they'd be giving out misinformation, simply because if they said "yeah there's a radiation cloud the size of Korea headed toward Tokyo" there likely wouldn't be panic or anarchy in the streets. But if there were a cloud headed toward Tokyo, what could anyone do about it?

[Obstructed_View]

By the way, Japan officials have said in the last hour that the containment building is the metal structure beneath the part that blew up. I could have sworn we'd been told that the containment building was six feet of concrete. I wish someone who knew more about how the reactors were physically constructed would speak up on one of the news organizations.

[NASpurs]

Nothing says "there's no radiation leak" as when policemen wear respirators. Only thing they're missing is the hazmat suit.


http://images.scribblelive.com/2011/3/12/d9c17e58-c5d5-42fb-a058-5e683ef311ed_500.jpg

Police officers wearing respirators guide people to evacuate away from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant following an evacuation order for residents who live in within a 10 km (6.3 miles) radius from the plant after an explosion in Tomioka Town in Fukushima Prefecture March 12, 2011

[NASpurs]

Gotta be careful with those giant traffic lights.


http://images.scribblelive.com/2011/3/12/2c3df94c-c110-4896-a01c-f379dadeb74b_500.jpg

A man rides a bicycle through a debris-strewn street in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture in northeastern Japan March 12, 2011.

[NASpurs]

By the way, Japan officials have said in the last hour that the containment building is the metal structure beneath the part that blew up. I could have sworn we'd been told that the containment building was six feet of concrete. I wish someone who knew more about how the reactors were physically constructed would speak up on one of the news organizations.


"The nuclear reactor is surrounded by a steel reactor container, which is then surrounded by a concrete building," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said. "The concrete building collapsed. We found out that the reactor container inside didn't explode. We've confirmed that the reactor container was not damaged. The explosion didn't occur inside the reactor container. As such there was no large amount of radiation leakage outside."

[Obstructed_View]

Cool. I really hope they're correct, because the concrete building didn't collapse, it exploded like a bomb. Oddly, Karl Rove just said exactly what you just quoted.

I also heard a Japanese official say that a Chernobyl type situation isn't possible in Fukushima because it's a light water reactor. I did a little research, and both Chernobyl and Fukushima are variants of boiling water reactors, which are both light water reactors.

[symple19]

Wow, there are so many conflicting reports out there.

Fox just said that there are reports that people are being told to cover their face and keep their mouths closed if outside (in the vicinity)

Also saying that people are being turned around up to 70 miles away

The Japanese are well known for not being able to handle embarrassment well, and doing whatever they can to "save face". Let's hope those efforts don't ultimately cost lives

This is some fascinating stuff. (and very, very sad)

[symple19]

Some Japanese already slamming government secrecy on twitter

[symple19]

good info from RT http://rt.com/news/nuclear-plant-japan-tsunami/



The situation bears a striking resemblance to Chernobyl
However, although these two situations may seem similar, RT’s correspondent and expert on the Chernobyl disaster, Aleksey Yaroshevsky, believes that, in reality, they are quite different.
First of all, what is happening in Japan is an aftermath of a natural disaster, and not a man-made one, like Chernobyl, Yaroshevsky emphasized.
Besides, the Japanese reactor is one hundred times more powerful than the one in the fourth block of the Chernobyl power plant, which exploded in 1986. In fact, the two stations in the Fukushima region produce the world’s largest joint amount of energy.
The security systems at Japanese nuclear power plants have been designed in a way that should an incident occur, a certain dome will cover the station, preventing any leaks in the atmosphere.
Obviously, such system could not exist in the Soviet times, that’s why the whole European continent suffered from the Chernobyl disaster.
However, what happened on Friday in Japan is that the automated security systems went on after the earthquake at most of the nuclear stations except for Fukushima. At the moment it remains unknown whether the security system will work there in case of any leak.
Experts say that should any explosion or leak at the Fukushima nuclear plant occur, this may lead to a much worse contamination of the atmosphere than the one that was caused by the Chernobyl disaster.

[NASpurs]

A whole town of 9,500 people are missing. That's just incredible.

[Obstructed_View]

They also told them to stop drinking tap water six or seven hours ago.

I found an article that says that the potential for Chernobyl comes from the cooling pool for the reactors, which must be constantly circulated or it will boil all the water away and release the cesium in a cloud bigger than the one from the Chernobyl fire. I closed the window and can't find the damn link, but I'll post it up as soon as I do.

EDIT: Here's the link. It's written by a guy who's a wonk for an anti-nuclear site, so consider the source.

http://www.accuracy.org/release/threat-of-nuclear-disaster-in-japan/

[NASpurs]

Updates

-The NHK is reporting that a strong quake has hit Fukushima in Northern Japan.

-A Jiji report says three workers have suffered radiation exposure near Fukushima nuclear plant

-And in confirmation of what was being speculated earlier, Japanese authorities have told the IAEA they are making preparations to distribute iodine to people living near the nuclear power plants. Iodine can be used to help protect the body from radioactive exposure.

[symple19]

yeah, the quake was apparently a 6.0

[symple19]

bO_2CiDPkA0

[NASpurs]

Gizmodo has a collection of videos of the incident and they update their collection has the videos come in. There's a video with a siren going off which is kind of eerie.

http://gizmodo.com/#!5780964/the-japan-earthquake-seen-by-millions-of-digital-cameras-updating-live/gallery/1

[symple19]

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/asia/live-blog-japan-earthquake

more good info

[baseline bum]

Updates

-The NHK is reporting that a strong quake has hit Fukushima in Northern Japan.

-A Jiji report says three workers have suffered radiation exposure near Fukushima nuclear plant

-And in confirmation of what was being speculated earlier, Japanese authorities have told the IAEA they are making preparations to distribute iodine to people living near the nuclear power plants. Iodine can be used to help protect the body from radioactive exposure.

Is NHK reporting the thing with iodine? I hope it's nothing more than a precautionary measure after what happened in Chernobyl. The thyroid absorbs iodine, and thus the point of taking the pills is to saturate it with safe iodine to limit the absorption of the radioactive isotopes that may be in the air. The Chernobyl disaster sent thyroid cancer rates in children through the roof when there was no action and not even any warning for at least 3-4 days. The need for iodine pills would be a very very bad sign.

[Obstructed_View]

There was a doctor on Fox an hour or so ago who said that distributing iodine is a common strategy around nuclear power plants. I don't think it hurts people otherwise. If they're telling people not to drink the water, then it was probably a logical next step.

A 6.0 right on top of those folks can't be a good development. Hell, I don't know how the people in the control room survived that explosion.

[Obstructed_View]

A whole town of 9,500 people are missing. That's just incredible.

The Sumatra tsunami hit a lot of sparsely populated places that were hundreds of miles away. This one hit a number of densely populated areas within seconds, many of which still are inaccessible by rescue teams. If the death toll is less than 100,000 it'll be miraculous. Don't be surprised if it's more than Sumatra.

[NASpurs]

Some people are such idiots

91Wh0_yNJhc

[NASpurs]

The Sumatra tsunami hit a lot of sparsely populated places that were hundreds of miles away. This one hit a number of densely populated areas within seconds, many of which still are inaccessible by rescue teams. If the death toll is less than 100,000 it'll be miraculous. Don't be surprised if it's more than Sumatra.

I'm confused. I thought the tsunami hit the northern part of Japan which isn't as populated as the rest of Japan. I thought Japan was going to get away with maybe just a few hundred of deaths at the most. That's incredible if it reaches 100,000! :wow

[symple19]

Japan is very densely populated, even outside of Tokyo. Not sure about 100 g's, but certainly it will be 10 g's+. Will probably take a looong time to get an accurate number

[Obstructed_View]

I'm confused. I thought the tsunami hit the northern part of Japan which isn't as populated as the rest of Japan. I thought Japan was going to get away with maybe just a few hundred of deaths at the most. That's incredible if it reaches 100,000! :wow

No, you're right. Northern Japan isn't as densely populated as the rest of Japan, particularly a place like Tokyo, but you have to remember that Japan has nearly the same population as the US in an area the size of Montana, much of it along the coastlines. If it hits 20 or 30 towns up there with an average of several thousand dead per town, it could really get ugly fast. There are also currently a lot of people that are probably trapped, or injured, or cold, and there are a lot of fires burning.

Sumatra didn't feel like there was going to be that many casualties and it went from 75,000 to 200,000 alarmingly fast.

[NASpurs]

No, you're right. Northern Japan isn't as densely populated as the rest of Japan, particularly a place like Tokyo, but you have to remember that Japan has nearly the same population as the US in an area the size of Montana, much of it along the coastlines. If it hits 20 or 30 towns up there with an average of several thousand dead per town, it could really get ugly fast. There are also currently a lot of people that are probably trapped, or injured, or cold, and there are a lot of fires burning.

Sumatra didn't feel like there was going to be that many casualties and it went from 75,000 to 200,000 alarmingly fast.

I just find it incredible how a technological advanced country like Japan can have towns wiped out like that. I understand how Sumatra can but Japan? Wow. I don't know why I equate being technologically advanced makes you immune to disaster like the one you mentioned but I'm guessing it must help some.

[xeromass]

Stop panicking. Situation is worse than TMI, but far from Chernobyl level drama.

Building that blew up wasn't much more than a warehouse to keep the workers&equipment dry. Explosion was almost certainly either pressure release (steam) or ignition of hydrogen.

Reactor in question was built in 1970 (GE Mark I BWR) and is relatively small (440 MW of electrical power), so they simply didn't bother with pouring tons of concrete over it. Main containment for this type is under the now missing roof, hopefully (relatively) undamaged. While we're at it - there is no engineer in the world that would willingly design a square pressure vessel. Too much weak spots. They're usually either spherical or cylindrical.

Radioactivity monitoring data are online for both Fukushima installations, but the data for Daiichi site is not being updated since the earthquake (yup, unfortunate & a bit fishy)

Fukushima-Daiichi (http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tepco.co.jp%2Ffukushima1-np%2Fmonitoring%2Fmonita2.html&act=url)

Fukushima-Daini (http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tepco.co.jp%2Ffukushima2-np%2Fmonitoring%2Fmonita2.html)

There was a spike this morning, they either vented the pressure or had some rainfall. Either way, radiation levels were in range of a solid rainstorm.

And general site with info:

http://www.nuctrans.org/Nuc_Trans/locations/japan/japan.htm

Update:

From BBC news-stream:

Noriyuki Shikata, deputy cabinet secretary for public relations for the Japanese prime minister (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/TWITTER%20PAGE) tweets: "Blast was caused by accumulated hydrogen combined with oxygen in the space between container and outer structure. No damage to container."

Best possible scenario, there is high possibility that cooling piping is still OK.

[Chomag]

It's amazing how much the JP government and the media is downplaying it. I guess I understand though that they don't want a mass panic. I'm just having a hard time buying what they are saying.

Now some reports are saying that there was no radiation... unreal and stupid.

[NASpurs]

This is a link to a NHK stream for anyone who wants to watch some Japanese news

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-gtv2#utm_campaign=www.ustream.tv&utm_source=7478107&utm_medium=social

[NASpurs]

I think something major happened in that news stream and the station went into a late breaking/alert kind of deal. They played some chime/sound alert and the graphics were flashing. It was like watching a game show. The Japanese sure love graphics on their shows.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

No, you're right. Northern Japan isn't as densely populated as the rest of Japan, particularly a place like Tokyo, but you have to remember that Japan has nearly the same population as the US in an area the size of Montana, much of it along the coastlines. If it hits 20 or 30 towns up there with an average of several thousand dead per town, it could really get ugly fast. There are also currently a lot of people that are probably trapped, or injured, or cold, and there are a lot of fires burning.

Sumatra didn't feel like there was going to be that many casualties and it went from 75,000 to 200,000 alarmingly fast.

I'm sorry, did you just say Japan has roughly the same population as the US??

Since when is 125 million (give or take a few mil) nearly the same as 300 million??

[SpursNextRomanEmpire]

I was really hoping that when I woke up something bad hadn't happened at the nuclear station...

[xeromass]

NHK World english stream, but video quality sucks:

http://watchtvlivestreaming.com/tvlive/6810

edit:

Better stream:

http://jibtv.com/program/?page=0

[AmericanPsycho]

Nuclear power is still the way to go I say.

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/3/12/1299925313337/Kisenuma-devastation-011.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/3/12/1299925314529/Smoke-rises-from-houses-012.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/3/12/1299925303751/Vehicles-in-flood-waters-002.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/3/12/1299925308271/Container-cargo-006.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/3/12/1299925307133/Burned-out-cars-005.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/3/12/1299925315528/Soma-devastation-013.jpg

[Obstructed_View]

I'm sorry, did you just say Japan has roughly the same population as the US??

Since when is 125 million (give or take a few mil) nearly the same as 300 million??

It's not. The thing I looked up quickly said Japan's population was 300 million. It's still a shitload of people in a small space. Did you have a point or were you just going to be a dick because I made a mistake?

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

Sendai and surrounding area, February 26
http://images.spaceref.com/news/2011/Japan_tmo_2011057_721.jpg

Sendai and surrounding area, March 12
http://images.spaceref.com/news/2011/Japan_tmo_2011071_721.jpg

[Obstructed_View]

Stop panicking. Situation is worse than TMI, but far from Chernobyl level drama.

Building that blew up wasn't much more than a warehouse to keep the workers&equipment dry. Explosion was almost certainly either pressure release (steam) or ignition of hydrogen.

Reactor in question was built in 1970 (GE Mark I BWR) and is relatively small (440 MW of electrical power), so they simply didn't bother with pouring tons of concrete over it. Main containment for this type is under the now missing roof, hopefully (relatively) undamaged. While we're at it - there is no engineer in the world that would willingly design a square pressure vessel. Too much weak spots. They're usually either spherical or cylindrical.

Radioactivity monitoring data are online for both Fukushima installations, but the data for Daiichi site is not being updated since the earthquake (yup, unfortunate & a bit fishy)

Fukushima-Daiichi (http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tepco.co.jp%2Ffukushima1-np%2Fmonitoring%2Fmonita2.html&act=url)

Fukushima-Daini (http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tepco.co.jp%2Ffukushima2-np%2Fmonitoring%2Fmonita2.html)

There was a spike this morning, they either vented the pressure or had some rainfall. Either way, radiation levels were in range of a solid rainstorm.

And general site with info:

http://www.nuctrans.org/Nuc_Trans/locations/japan/japan.htm

Update:

From BBC news-stream:

Noriyuki Shikata, deputy cabinet secretary for public relations for the Japanese prime minister (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/TWITTER%20PAGE) tweets: "Blast was caused by accumulated hydrogen combined with oxygen in the space between container and outer structure. No damage to container."

Best possible scenario, there is high possibility that cooling piping is still OK.

I heard them say earlier that they're putting sea water into the cooling pools, which means the pumps still aren't circulating water, which means that they're just buying time trying to keep the temperature down. Seems that if they can't get the generators back online we're going to see this same sequence happen over and over with all the other reactors as the batteries die.

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

Sendai airport, yesterday:

p_6iDBoOvb0

[MaNuMaNiAc]

It's not. The thing I looked up quickly said Japan's population was 300 million. It's still a shitload of people in a small space. Did you have a point or were you just going to be a dick because I made a mistake?

Just thought I'd be a dick about it, its been a while and I was starting to feel withdrawal symptoms.

Carry on

[MannyIsGod]

Just thought I'd be a dick about it, its been a while and I was starting to feel withdrawal symptoms.

Carry on

Don't feel bad about being a dick to OV. He's been known to be a dick himself and if your'e going to dish it out you'd better be able to take it without turning into a whining bitch.

[MannyIsGod]

Stop panicking. Situation is worse than TMI, but far from Chernobyl level drama.

Building that blew up wasn't much more than a warehouse to keep the workers&equipment dry. Explosion was almost certainly either pressure release (steam) or ignition of hydrogen.

Reactor in question was built in 1970 (GE Mark I BWR) and is relatively small (440 MW of electrical power), so they simply didn't bother with pouring tons of concrete over it. Main containment for this type is under the now missing roof, hopefully (relatively) undamaged. While we're at it - there is no engineer in the world that would willingly design a square pressure vessel. Too much weak spots. They're usually either spherical or cylindrical.

Radioactivity monitoring data are online for both Fukushima installations, but the data for Daiichi site is not being updated since the earthquake (yup, unfortunate & a bit fishy)

Fukushima-Daiichi (http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tepco.co.jp%2Ffukushima1-np%2Fmonitoring%2Fmonita2.html&act=url)

Fukushima-Daini (http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tepco.co.jp%2Ffukushima2-np%2Fmonitoring%2Fmonita2.html)

There was a spike this morning, they either vented the pressure or had some rainfall. Either way, radiation levels were in range of a solid rainstorm.

And general site with info:

http://www.nuctrans.org/Nuc_Trans/locations/japan/japan.htm

Update:

From BBC news-stream:

Noriyuki Shikata, deputy cabinet secretary for public relations for the Japanese prime minister (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/TWITTER%20PAGE) tweets: "Blast was caused by accumulated hydrogen combined with oxygen in the space between container and outer structure. No damage to container."

Best possible scenario, there is high possibility that cooling piping is still OK.

Good post.

Thanks for the stream links, and while I haven't watched it at all today so I don't know what the coverage has been like Al Jazera English has been much better than any US Network. NHK English was as well when I was watching the other night.

US News networks just really fucking suck now. Its sad.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Don't feel bad about being a dick to OV. He's been known to be a dick himself and if your'e going to dish it out you'd better be able to take it without turning into a whining bitch.

I don't much feel bad about it. Its just that, admittedly, I was being a dick :lol

Its therapeutic really.

[CuckingFunt]

Breaking New Chris Brown has friends in Hawaii!!

http://i.imgur.com/Jeey6.jpg

Fucking KCRA. For ten years I lived with that shit station.

[MannyIsGod]

The Sumatra tsunami hit a lot of sparsely populated places that were hundreds of miles away. This one hit a number of densely populated areas within seconds, many of which still are inaccessible by rescue teams. If the death toll is less than 100,000 it'll be miraculous. Don't be surprised if it's more than Sumatra.

They're not going to lose 100,000 people.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Isn't it eerie that the USA TV news coverage has been almost entirely focused on the facebook/twitter/social network aspect of this story?

[IronMaxipad]

Sunday, March 13, 2011
Meltdown Caused Nuke Plant Explosion: Safety Body

TOKYO (Nikkei)--The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) said Saturday afternoon the explosion at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant could only have been caused by a meltdown of the reactor core.

The same day, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (9501), which runs the plant, began to flood the damaged reactor with seawater to cool it down, resorting to measures that could rust the reactor and force the utility to scrap it.

Cesium and iodine, by-products of nuclear fission, were detected around the plant, which would make the explosion the worst accident in the roughly 50-year history of Japanese nuclear power generation.

An explosion was heard near the plant's No. 1 reactor about 3:30 p.m. and plumes of white smoke went up 10 minutes later. The ceiling of the building housing the reactor collapsed, according to information obtained by Fukushima prefectural authorities.

At a news conference Saturday night, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano discounted the possibility of a significant leak of radioactive material from the accident. "The walls of the building containing the reactor were destroyed, meaning that the metal container encasing the reactor did not explode," Edano said.

The amount of radiation detected inside the plant after 4:00 p.m. slightly exceeded the dose people can safely receive in a year, according to information obtained by the Fukushima prefectural government.

The No. 1 reactor shut down automatically soon after a massive earthquake hit the area Friday, but its emergency core cooling system failed to cool the reactor's core sufficiently.

NISA is affiliated with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

(The Nikkei March 13 edition)

http://www.nisa.meti.go.jp/english/
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20110312D12JFF03.htm

[mingus]

I wouldn't be surprised if the death toll reached half a million by the end of it.

[IronMaxipad]

It won't

[mingus]

one city, just one city, of 77,000 people (i can't remember the name) is completely destroyed. the tsunami covered 1300 miles of the coast. i don't know the layout of the Japan, but i have a feeling that that is just one of many cities along the coast that is completely leveled.

[BlackSwordsMan]

How shitty is it if you're waiting for a package to come from japan right now

[IronMaxipad]

one city, just one city, of 77,000 people (i can't remember the name) is completely destroyed. the tsunami covered 1300 miles of the coast. i don't know the layout of the Japan, but i have a feeling that that is just one of many cities along the coast that is completely leveled.

Yeah but they had tsunami warnings ahead of time. And they haven't even reached 1000 confirmed deaths yet.. Yes it's still early but a death toll of half a million is highly unlikely.

[MannyIsGod]

Half a million? SMH.

Some of you really need a better concept of the numbers your spewing.

[mingus]

Half a million? SMH.

Some of you really need a better concept of the numbers your spewing.

spewing? lol, okay.

hey i never claimed i knew the numbers, or that the numbers i gave were accurate or close to accurate.

i'd like to know what you think the numbers are and how you're getting them, though, seeing as how you are the expert.

[mouse]

I still don't understand why Japan doesn't turn to Manny for weather predictions?

[The Reckoning]

what sucks is i doubt all those people will be covered for their losses

[The Reckoning]

does anybody know if its true that five reactors are now on watch for potential meltdowns, or is that CNN talking heads being retarded?

[Chomag]

CNN reporting breaking news that one of the reactors meltdown might be underway. They still seem very dodgy about everything but who knows. Hopefully it's nothing though, but either way we will probably know soon.

[The Reckoning]

Isn't it eerie that the USA TV news coverage has been almost entirely focused on the facebook/twitter/social network aspect of this story?


its funny because i posted this shit all over my facebook and noone cares. everyones talking about their spring break or how many BMs theyve taken today.

[Das Texan]

Half a million? SMH.

Some of you really need a better concept of the numbers your spewing.


well if there is a nuclear meltdown....

[mouse]

Anyone who is naive enough to believe what a nuclear safety officer tells them deserves what they get.

[mouse]

They also told them to stop drinking tap water six or seven hours ago.


here in San Antonio they wait to tell you to tune into the 10 o'clock news to find out you should not be drinking something 4 hours earlier. I think they call it a tease.

[Cry Havoc]

The part that bothers me most about this situation is that this is EXACTLY the same way the Soviet Union handled the press when Chernobyl exploded. It was several days after the fact that they admitted that there was a serious problem.

I know reactors are safer today, but they are also supposed to, you know, not meltdown like this one already has. They're said to be almost immune to this kind of catastrophe.

[Lonny]

this volcano thing isnt nearly as tragic as the fire at OLLU a few years back,.

[mouse]

The only reason we found out about Chernobyl many radiation detecting alarms went off in nearby countries and they investigated the source of this airborne radiation.

[baseline bum]

The part that bothers me most about this situation is that this is EXACTLY the same way the Soviet Union handled the press when Chernobyl exploded. It was several days after the fact that they admitted that there was a serious problem.


It's not even close to the same situation. If you watch the Soviet newscasts from that time they'd mention it in passing for like 10 seconds and pretend like it was nothing when they were in a far far worse situation.

[mouse]

In fact Mikhail Gorbachev who was in charge of USSR back then didn't find out from his own country what took place he found out about the accident from Sweden! talk about a man who could have used facebook.

[baseline bum]

The only reason we found out about Chernobyl many radiation detecting alarms went off in nearby countries and they investigated the source of this airborne radiation.

Pretty much

nNviZEM-J5o

[mouse]

The hospital destroyed records to make it look like on 50 people were sent there when in fact a document was found to show 5,000 patients admitted. Today many of the workers who were in charge of clean up and covering the facility are dead and the few survivors don't even get any medical treatment or compensation.

check out this film when you have time.

t4vMTdSAm1w

[baseline bum]

Seriously, all the USSR did in Belarus was come spray down houses with water. They never told the people of Belarus to stop eating their crops grown in the tainted land. They never gave iodine to the children, and as a result there was an incredible spike in thyroid cancer in children. They never said anything when there was a giant fair and parade right across the border just a couple of days after.

[mouse]

They sound like the Bush administration.

[mouse]

Right now people are drinking milk tainted with cancer causing growth hormones wondering why there kids can't sit still or behave properly not knowing the side effects to growth hormones are short tempers and sleep disorders so they try and treat their kids with more cancer causing medications by making them drink the medications with a glass of warm milk tainted with cancer causing growth hormones.

We have our own Chernobyl's at home.

[mouse]

Drinks on me!

3SXVpvgXo9Q

[lefty]

CNN showed a video sent by an " iReporter " (the fuck....)

The video showed an explosion and the guy who shot the vid had that comment: " OMG, it's beautiful ! "


Beautiful?


Are you freaking kidding me ?

[mouse]

You have to remember this was the first meltdown/explosion of a nuclear reactor, how was he to know it was fatal? Even the natives in Hawaii thought the Pearl Harbor attack was great entertainment to witness.

(I thought you made a comment about the video i posted) one of the employees at the Chernobyl disaster said the same thing "how beautiful" it looked.

[lefty]

You have to remember this was the first meltdown/explosion of a nuclear reactor, how was he to know it was fatal? Even the natives in Hawaii thought the Pearl Harbor attack was great entertainment to witness.

(I thought you made a comment about the video i posted) one of the employees at the Chernobyl disaster said the same thing "how beautiful" it looked.
I meant considering the tragedy surrounding the Japan earthquake, his comment was in bad taste

[mouse]

I meant considering the tragedy surrounding the Japan earthquake, his comment was in bad taste

yea that shit happens when you don't refresh your page before you post.
my bad!

hey check out the drama


http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_176745745682689#!/MITnews/posts/184798264897146

and here...

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001851864376#!/TheEconomist

[lefty]

yea that shit happens when you don't refresh your page before you post.
my bad!

hey check out the drama


http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_176745745682689#!/MITnews/posts/184798264897146 (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_176745745682689#%21/MITnews/posts/184798264897146)

and here...

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001851864376#!/TheEconomist (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001851864376#%21/TheEconomist)
Awww shit

Time for a pizza

[IronMaxipad]

CNN & MSNBC: We assume Nuclear meltdown has occurred in japan.

Also a 6th reactor is now losing its cooling functions

[The Reckoning]

CNN & MSNBC: We assume Nuclear meltdown has occurred in japan.

Also a 6th reactor is now losing its cooling functions



:depressed

no way man thats too surreal

link?

[IronMaxipad]

in the banner

http://m.cnn.com/

[IronMaxipad]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/77230.html

[IronMaxipad]

Japan revises mega quake's magnitude to 9.0 from 8.8 (http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/77256.html)

[MannyIsGod]

If the reactors have melted down I hope they are able to keep containment. As long as the containment facilities hold it won't be a big deal

[Viva Las Espuelas]

I won't believe anything until I see it on Al-Jazeera

[The Reckoning]

anyway they can initiate a "controlled meltdown" so to speak?

[MannyIsGod]

Yeah. You could not cool the reactor. But since its what you're trying to avoid I'm not sure why on earth you'd want to do it.

[The Reckoning]

eh i meant take any precautions incase a meltdown occured. like you said, try to contain it. or they just keep trying to cool it? because by the looks of it, meltdown is imminent. they have to do something about that like build a structure around it instead of handing iodine to the public...

[mouse]

Everyone is waiting on the next new iPad to show us it's new features on Oprah's favorite things when in fact we could be using that same technology on other things like predicting earthquakes and how to avoid radiation disasters. here's a thought. no more nuclear reactors on Islands that are know to have earthquakes. is this MIT material or just common sense?

[MannyIsGod]

eh i meant take any precautions incase a meltdown occured. like you said, try to contain it. or they just keep trying to cool it? because by the looks of it, meltdown is imminent. they have to do something about that like build a structure around it instead of handing iodine to the public...

Well you've already got a containment facility around it. You have to keep trying to cool it because the hotter it gets the more risk there is for an explosion or some kind of rupture of the containment.

[mouse]

Well you've already got a containment facility around it. You have to keep trying to cool it because the hotter it gets the more risk there is for an explosion or some kind of rupture of the containment.

http://mrbarlow.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/band-aid.jpg

[Wild Cobra]

The part that bothers me most about this situation is that this is EXACTLY the same way the Soviet Union handled the press when Chernobyl exploded. It was several days after the fact that they admitted that there was a serious problem.

I know reactors are safer today, but they are also supposed to, you know, not meltdown like this one already has. They're said to be almost immune to this kind of catastrophe.
Well, that is a 1980 reactor. Not as safe as modern ones. Now I do believe that they are honest on the threat assessment, yes, I could be wrong.

[Wild Cobra]

It's not even close to the same situation. If you watch the Soviet newscasts from that time they'd mention it in passing for like 10 seconds and pretend like it was nothing when they were in a far far worse situation.
That was also the old Soviet Union. When it was the USSR. Japan is far more culturally and morally advanced than the USSR was.

[Cry Havoc]

Everyone is waiting on the next new iPad to show us it's new features on Oprah's favorite things when in fact we could be using that same technology on other things like predicting earthquakes and how to avoid radiation disasters. here's a thought. no more nuclear reactors on Islands that are know to have earthquakes. is this MIT material or just common sense?

Alternatively, you could build reactors that have resistance to tsunamis AND earthquakes.

[Wild Cobra]

I won't believe anything until I see it on Al-Jazeera
Is that you Boutons?

[IronMaxipad]

China sends 15 man rescue team.....


TOKYO - A 15-member Chinese rescue team arrived in Tokyo Sunday for quake relief operations.

http://i.imgur.com/ZyhXD.jpg...

[The Reckoning]

you know sure as hell china is going to use this opportunity to be the savior of the far east.

[lefty]

China sends 15 man rescue team.....



http://i.imgur.com/ZyhXD.jpg...

That should be enough

[Buddy Holly]

That should be enough

Once they transform, it should be.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5k8oCN0qdL8/TEZiGxpPhqI/AAAAAAAABwM/E0cceihirtA/s1600/ultraman+bros.jpg

[LnGrrrR]

Nicely played.

[xeromass]

BBC live feed:

0349: CNN presenter Piers Morgan (http://twitter.com/piersmorgan) tweets: "Nuclear expert Bill Nye just said situation at Japan plants sounds 'way more serious' than authorities saying. Deeply worrying.

Honestly :lmao

[Gutter92]

Hard to believe its been over 6 years since the tsunami in india...jeez time flies so fast

[Chomag]

It's being reported that a 3rd reactor might be going into meltdown. Experts are saying that they cant get close enough to the reactor to tell if it's in meltdown yet they are saying everything is ok. lol

[The Reckoning]

BBC live feed:

0349: CNN presenter Piers Morgan (http://twitter.com/piersmorgan)tweets: "Nuclear expert Bill Nye just said situation at Japan plants sounds 'way more serious' than authorities saying. Deeply worrying.

Honestly :lmao


Bill Nye is my hero. he's a genius.

[leemajors]

Alternatively, you could build reactors that have resistance to tsunamis AND earthquakes.

I believe they only tested up to 7.9, unfortuntately.

[The Reckoning]

airlift Bill Nye in there - give him a ziplock bag, two paper clips, a super bouncy ball and two preteen assistants, and he'll fix the meltdown.

[The Reckoning]

who can explain to us how nuclear reactors work?? i know! call in the Science Guy!

af-41E5mndk

starts at 4:40

:lmao

[Buddy Holly]

What's with the guys pronunciation of turbine? Turban... really? lol

[it's me]

China sends 15 man rescue team.....



http://i.imgur.com/ZyhXD.jpg...

Is this a fucking joke?????? WTF......they should send them back.

[Slomo]

Is this a fucking joke?????? WTF......they should send them back.


Yes sure, let's mock people/countries/organization that are trying to help.

Even if they sent only one guy to Japan, they deserve props and thanks and not ridicule.

[BlackSwordsMan]

its really a 16 man infiltration team, just getting info on japan while they're down

[Cry Havoc]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/13/japan.quake.scene/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

I have a feeling the death toll is about to rise drastically. :(

[MannyIsGod]

Well, that is a 1980 reactor. Not as safe as modern ones. Now I do believe that they are honest on the threat assessment, yes, I could be wrong.

This reactor was built in 1970.

[MannyIsGod]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/13/japan.quake.scene/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

I have a feeling the death toll is about to rise drastically. :(

Once they start clearing things out it'll rise at a steady pace much like it did in New Orleans. There have to be a lot of dead bodies trapped under debris and in flooded out houses.

Tragic.

[Cry Havoc]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/13/japan.quake.scene/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

Before and after photos.

[lefty]

Once they transform, it should be.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5k8oCN0qdL8/TEZiGxpPhqI/AAAAAAAABwM/E0cceihirtA/s1600/ultraman+bros.jpg

:lmao

[it's me]

Yes sure, let's mock people/countries/organization that are trying to help.

Even if they sent only one guy to Japan, they deserve props and thanks and not ridicule.

"China Population - 2011 estimate 1,336,718,015"
and one of the world's biggest army and send 15 freaking people............. sorry it's indeed a fucking joke.

[Cry Havoc]

http://i.imgur.com/zaAK4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wEq3Z.jpg

Horrific. Very reminiscent of 2004 in Sumatra.

[Cry Havoc]

"China Population - 2011 estimate 1,336,718,015"
and one of the world's biggest army and send 15 freaking people............. sorry it's indeed a fucking joke.

You could send 500,000 people, but nuclear power is a completely different ballgame. You need trained specialist, not mass workers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42058349/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

We're now looking at tens of thousands dead.

[it's me]

You could send 500,000 people, but nuclear power is a completely different ballgame. You need trained specialist, not mass workers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42058349/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

We're now looking at tens of thousands dead.

Well the I just read

"TOKYO - A 15-member Chinese rescue team arrived in Tokyo Sunday for quake relief operations."

For a "rescue team" it's a joke..... for "experts about nuclear power team'"... you're absolutely right.

[IronMaxipad]

You could send 500,000 people, but nuclear power is a completely different ballgame. You need trained specialist, not mass workers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42058349/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

We're now looking at tens of thousands dead.

It's a search and rescue team

[Rapper]

Upgrade to 9.0. God bless

[IronMaxipad]

The US sent 2 nuclear experts to japan

[MannyIsGod]

Well the I just read

"TOKYO - A 15-member Chinese rescue team arrived in Tokyo Sunday for quake relief operations."

For a "rescue team" it's a joke..... for "experts about nuclear power team'"... you're absolutely right.

You should just stop.

[Wild Cobra]

This reactor was built in 1970.
Really?

Which site, maybe I looked up the wrong one.

1970 would probably make the possibilities worse....

[IronMaxipad]

Sixty-year-old survivor Hiromitsu Shinkawa is rescued nine miles off shore as he floats on his house's roof.

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Slideshows/_production/gss-110313-japanquake/gss-110313-9milesatsea-hmedc-9a.grid-12x3.jpg

[it's me]

You should just stop.

LOL why.

[balli]

hAE7GLE_cOc

Saw this over at Reddit. The 4:20 mark is just insane.

[Chomag]

Saw this over at Reddit. The 4:20 mark is just insane.

Ya, that was such a intense and sad shot becuase you see the cars and know there was no way they could get to safety in time. So sad and terrible to think about it...

[mouse]

So when is going to be time to just leave already and stop trying to rebuild for the next disaster?

[Chomag]

So when is going to be time to just leave already and stop trying to rebuild for the next disaster?

Where can that many people go?

[MannyIsGod]

http://bravenewclimate.com/2011/03/13/fukushima-simple-explanation/

Excellent explanation of what happend.

[IronMaxipad]

Volcano in southern Japan erupts
http://previous.presstv.ir/photo/20110313/miriam20110313173735013.jpg

The Shinmoedake volcano on Japan's Kyushu island, after lying dormant for a couple of weeks, resumes activity in a blast heard miles away. It was unclear if the eruption was linked to Friday's massive earthquake in the north.

Sunday's eruption, which was the biggest volcanic activity in Shinmoedake in 52 years, caused widespread destruction and panic. The blast could be heard for miles, and shattered windows four miles away, the BBC reported. Hundreds of people fled the area as the volcano spewed debris, including hot ash and rocks, more than 6,000 feet in the air, according to BBC reports.

[fotan2]

well, nuclear reactor is like the top secret to a country. China wouldnt mind sending a nuclear team to Japan if they were asked to.

[mouse]

Where can that many people go?

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/9/Images/Wide%20open%20Wilds%20landscape,%20photo%20by%20Ji m%20McCormac,%20Ohio%20Division%20of%20Wildlife.JP G

[Chomag]

Move all of Japan to a ranch?

[mouse]

The point is there is enough land . Then again if we still can't figure out a place for the Jews then never mind.


http://www.ericmann77.com/images/japan_us_map.png

[Lonny]

are there any jewish japs?

[mouse]

Keep in mind the whole Japan does not have people touching elbows with each other, so the size of the country is not the actual size of people mass, so basically you could fit a majority of them in Fargo North Dakota.

http://cache.virtualtourist.com/3000587-North_Dakota_Badlands-North_Dakota.jpg

[The Reckoning]

The US sent 2 nuclear experts to japan

i called this earlier in the thread. mad props to me :wakeup.

[greyforest]

are there any jewish japs?

No, but there are probably Jews in Japan

Judaism is less like a religion and more like a race

[Das Texan]

You people are fucking stupid first off.

Japan and China fucking hate each other. HATE.

Japan sent a group of people to China after their earthquake a few years ago. China is doing the same.

Just the fact both of these nations sent in rescue teams in light of their political situations is more of a good will measure than anything.

Fucking morons.

[Lonny]

what a fucking moron

[Pistons < Spurs]

stupid fucking people

[TE]

:lol

[IronMaxipad]

New Tsunami footage. This video is crazy

http://video.l3.fbcdn.net/cfs-l3-snc6/81489/34/1605260179420_2624.mp4?oh=ac31b4d8738221641ba49039 6dc19636&oe=4D7F9F00&l3s=20110313100648&l3e=20110315101648&lh=0a6cfa5eeaecd6dc12abf

[Cry Havoc]

5-zfCBCq-8I

[The Reckoning]

wow that boat crumpled like a coke can


fucking idiots

[IronMaxipad]

youtube of the link i posted.

cmCRGbi3w8Y

Longer version:
http://video.l3.fbcdn.net/cfs-l3-snc6/81489/34/1605260179420_2624.mp4?oh=ac31b4d8738221641ba49039 6dc19636&oe=4D7F9F00&l3s=20110313100648&l3e=20110315101648&lh=0a6cfa5eeaecd6dc12abf

[Heath Ledger]

Does this mean the price of sushi will be going up?

[monosylab1k]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110314/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_earthquake_118


SOMA, Japan – Soldiers and officials in northeastern Japan are warning residents that the area could be hit by another tsunami and are ordering residents to higher ground.

[TE]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110314/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_earthquake_118

Good god, these Japanese people can't get a fucking break?!?!


Damn man.

[TE]

Does this mean the price of sushi will be going up?

Yeah. I read in some article that it will.


Let me find it.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Does this mean the price of sushi will be going up?

yes and 8 feet to the reft.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Yeah. I read in some article that it will.


Let me find it.


:lol I hope you're kidding

[Chomag]

Dammit, another explosion at the nuke plant.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110314/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_earthquake_nuclear_crisis

[phxspurfan]

Not sure if this has already posted (and not going to read through 28 pages to find out, but these Google Earth overlay pics are pretty crazy:

Japan Earthquake: before and after
http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm

[Cry Havoc]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42066534/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

Radiation alert: U.S. ship contaminated 100 miles offshore

This, my friends, is a problem.

[CosmicCowboy]

Good thing this didn't happen in New Orleans. They would all still be sitting on their roofs waiting for someone else to do something.

[MannyIsGod]

Good thing this didn't happen in New Orleans. They would all still be sitting on their roofs waiting for someone else to do something.

Considering Tsunami waters recede and the waters in New Orleans didn't maybe the two aren't the same. And I'm pretty sure the Japanese are helping their own countrymen right now.

[hater]

Good thing this didn't happen in New Orleans. They would all still be sitting on their roofs waiting for someone else to do something.

true. Japan seems to have capable emergency agencies and goverment.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Considering Tsunami waters recede and the waters in New Orleans didn't maybe the two aren't the same. And I'm pretty sure the Japanese are helping their own countrymen right now.

Ah. They must not be shooting at the help.

[Cry Havoc]

Good thing this didn't happen in New Orleans. They would all still be sitting on their roofs waiting for someone else to do something.

Their president likely didn't promote a lame-duck with no crisis experience to the head of their national disaster agency, either.

[MannyIsGod]

Ah. They must not be shooting at the help.

Ah, you must still be buying into Urban Legends 6 years after the fact.

[MannyIsGod]

Ah. They must not be shooting at the help.

:lmao

It was now the fault of the people of New Orleans they didn't get help because they're all shooting down the people coming to help them.

[Cry Havoc]

Ah. They must not be shooting at the help.

:lmao

:lmao

:lmao

[CosmicCowboy]

Hmmm...no looters either...whats up with that?

[CuckingFunt]

Hmmm...no looters either...whats up with that?

Must be the lack of black people.

[Cry Havoc]

Must be the lack of people.

Ftfy.

[hater]

Ah. They must not be shooting at the help.

yes FEMA and Bush failed because they came under heavy fire

:rolleyes

[hater]

Hmmm...no looters either...whats up with that?

comparing one of the most organized countries in the world to New Orleans... whats up with that?

[CosmicCowboy]

comparing one of the most organized countries in the world to New Orleans... whats up with that?

Did I mention looting in New Orleans? There was looting after the earthquake in Chili too...:hat

[hater]

Good thing this didn't happen in New Orleans. They would all still be sitting on their roofs waiting for someone else to do something.


Hmmm...no looters either...whats up with that?

the bolded word condemns you my friend

[CosmicCowboy]

It's a valid question...why no looters?

[MannyIsGod]

Are you sure there's been no looters?

[Looter]

Hmmm...no looters either...whats up with that?

:flipoff I know what you are getting at you racist.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Who the fuck is gonna loot when there a 30 foot wave coming at you like a motherfucker? :lol

You want looters? the wave is your looter. It looted the crap out of EVERYTHING.

[Cry Havoc]

It's a valid question...why no looters?

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/jpq03111/s_j05_11114869.jpg

Yes. Valid question. I'll tell you what, CC, I'll let you loot around there. You can have anything you want. Loot to your heart's content.

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/jpq03111/s_j10_RTR2JQVV.jpg

You can even have the planes if you can drive them out of there.

[hater]

no no. I agree with Cosmic. IMO Japanese could loot but won't. But it's because they are the most organized society in the world, rather than "not black"

[CosmicCowboy]

Are you sure there's been no looters?

There have been no reports of looting.

And c'mon guys...I'm not the only one asking that question.

Y'all sure are a bunch of politically correct sensitive little bitches.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100079703/why-is-there-no-looting-in-japan/

[hater]

additionally Japanese are one of the most bipolar societies in the world. Do you really have the energy to loot when you are considering suicide?

[Looter]

There have been no reports of looting.

And c'mon guys...I'm not the only one asking that question.

Y'all sure are a bunch of politically correct sensitive little bitches.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100079703/why-is-there-no-looting-in-japan/

Pssst...we all know you aren't the only racist on the planet.

[Wild Cobra]

Hmmm...no looters either...whats up with that?
I've mentioned the word "culture" many times. they don't have the same level of "ghetto" culture like we do. They still have some honor as a people.

[Wild Cobra]

Must be the lack of black people.
Again, culture. Not color.

[Cry Havoc]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42066534/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

Uranium rods 'highly likely' melting at third nuclear plant, official says

Well, shit.

[CuckingFunt]

they don't have the same level of "ghetto" culture like we do.


Again, culture. Not color.

Clearly.

[Cry Havoc]

Clearly.

:lol

[CosmicCowboy]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42066534/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

Uranium rods 'highly likely' melting at third nuclear plant, official says

Well, shit.

Reactor #3 uses different fuel than the other two...it uses reprocessed nuclear warheads for fuel and burns a lot hotter than the other two...

[Cry Havoc]

That one uses different fuel than the other two...it uses reprocessed nuclear warheads for fuel and burns a lot hotter than the other two...

What are you trying to say?

[CosmicCowboy]

What part didn't you understand?

[Cry Havoc]

I'm just curious as to why you're pointing that out.

[CosmicCowboy]

Reactor #3 was loaded with MOX fuel rods which are almost 25% "hotter" than standard fuel rods...if they meltdown #3 has the best chance of burning through the containment vessel since it wasn't originally designed for that fuel...check it out...

[CosmicCowboy]

The classic full meltdown is when the fuel rods go molten. At 4000+ degrees the molten MOX rods can burn right through the steel and concrete of the containment vessel...then they hit the "dirt" under the containment vessel and continue to bore/burn straight down into the earth till they hit groundwater...then the subsequent steam explosion is like a huge "Old Faithful" geyser of radioactive crap that blows back out the top into the atmosphere...

[hater]

Where can I buy Family Pack Iodide pills? Couldn't find them at Costco.

[RandomGuy]

The classic full meltdown is when the fuel rods go molten. At 4000+ degrees the molten MOX rods can burn right through the steel and concrete of the containment vessel...then they hit the "dirt" under the containment vessel and continue to bore/burn straight down into the earth till they hit groundwater...then the subsequent steam explosion is like a huge "Old Faithful" geyser of radioactive crap that blows back out the top into the atmosphere...

http://ielstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/debbie_downer.jpg

Thanks man. I needed that. :spless:






NOT. Yikes!

[jay_shs]

<<<< 9.0

[mouse]

Funny how four days ago no one gave a rats ass about Japan's nuclear program.

[InRareForm]

shit

FLASH: Explosion heard at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi No.2 reactor: Jiji News Agency

[Chomag]

shit

FLASH: Explosion heard at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi No.2 reactor: Jiji News Agency

Yep, and they continue to downplay it.

[BlackSwordsMan]

BP with its oil and japan with its nuclear power
we're being attacked slowly

[mouse]

http://ielstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/debbie_downer.jpg



I have to rack the Debbie Downer reset!

[Chomag]

Reported that all the workers at the nuke plant are being evacuated.

[Pistons < Spurs]

CNN: A fire has erupted in a fourth reactor at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, top Japanese official says.

[Pistons < Spurs]

abcnews ABC News
Radiation levels around reactors now at levels which can pose threat to human health: Japan govt

[SpursNextRomanEmpire]

Man, this just keeps getting worse.

[johnsmith]

Clearly the end of the world

[Chomag]

Yep, Im watching that report right now. IT's gettign very hard for them to downplay this now.

[Wild Cobra]

Clearly the end of the world
Not yet. The rapture is 5/21/11. We still have almost 10 weeks. The world ends sometime after that.

[it's me]

17 Americans contaminated .... but not worries “They received very, very low levels of contamination,”................ WTF????? this shit is getting out of hand.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/14/world/asia/14military.html

[NASpurs]

We all knew this shit was serious when the Japanese government were downplaying it like four days ago. Now it's getting out of hand and the civilians are the ones who might suffer because of the government.

-Radiation levels in Saitama near Tokyo 40 times normal levels: Kyodo quoting local government

[Chomag]

We all know it was just a weather ballon nothing to worry about.

[Cry Havoc]

We all knew this shit was serious when the Japanese government were downplaying it like four days ago. Now it's getting out of hand and the civilians are the ones who might suffer because of the government.

-Radiation levels in Saitama near Tokyo 40 times normal levels: Kyodo quoting local government

In fairness, 40 times normal levels is really nothing to worry about.

[BlackSwordsMan]

always wanted super powers and or my hair falling out
win/win for us

[BlackSwordsMan]

kefka is like god damn I didn't even do this good

[Chomag]

(Edit - actual tweet)



http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/67244783/icon.andersoncooper_normal.png (http://twitter.com/#!/andersoncooper) @andersoncooper (http://twitter.com/#!/andersoncooper) Anderson Cooper


Due to safety concerns we are leaving this area an therefore not live for the second hour

[BlackSwordsMan]

the whole country?

[NASpurs]

In fairness, 40 times normal levels is really nothing to worry about.

I think the most important part of that is "near Tokyo". I looked at a map and that's pretty damn near Tokyo. I think I heard even 1,000 times isn't that entirely bad but the radiation seems keep getting closer to the millions of people close to Tokyo.

[BlackSwordsMan]

Terrible.

[Chomag]

I think it was more leaving the area he was in, but I dont have a twitter to check out how much truth is to that.

They didn't complete the second hour of their 2 hour live show though.

[BlackSwordsMan]

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/

stream for anybody interested

[NASpurs]

-Tokyo city govt: Radiation levels ticked up on Tuesday, numbers not problematic

-Tokyo city govt: Not considering telling residents to stay indoors

Kyodo news:

-NEWS ADVISORY: No-fly zone set for 30-km radius over Fukushima nuke plant: ministry

[redzero]

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/9789/1300168478931.jpg (http://img46.imageshack.us/i/1300168478931.jpg/)

Hang in there!

[TE]

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/9789/1300168478931.jpg (http://img46.imageshack.us/i/1300168478931.jpg/)

Hang in there!
what a strong cat.

[TE]

I think the most important part of that is "near Tokyo". I looked at a map and that's pretty damn near Tokyo. I think I heard even 1,000 times isn't that entirely bad but the radiation seems keep getting closer to the millions of people close to Tokyo.

This is what I fear. Tokyo is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. You have millions and millions of people inhabiting that area, if radiation is to reach that area, there is absolutely no way to conduct a large scale evacuation in time.

[nkdlunch]

tokyo about 200 miles from plant.

I would not believe 1 word from the authorities. Stay indoors? WTF, like that is gonna help much. Radiation is not going to wait at the door because it's not been invited.

At the very least ppl will develop cancers in large numbers.

[MannyIsGod]

You have more danger from developing cancer due to a sunny day than you do from 40 times normal radiation.

[nkdlunch]

I meant when this is all said and done. This is just the beginning. And why then goverment advicing ppl to stay indoors?

[carina_gino20]

Another earthquake. Japan just can't catch a break.

http://jibtv.com/program/fullscreen.aspx?page=0

[hater]

Nuclear expert: “50-50 chance of a catastrophic radiation” from Japan
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/japan/110314/japan-nuclear-meltdown-disaster

GlobalPost: Officials have said the possibility of a large-scale radiation release is small. Do you agree?
Arnold Gundersen: I think that the probability of a large scale release is about 50-50, and I don’t call that small.

GlobalPost: Why do you think that?
Gundersen: For several reasons. One, you’ve got three reactors involved. Two, you’re already picking up radiation on aircraft carriers a hundred miles away at sea, on helicopters 60 miles to the north, and in town. So clearly, as these plants become more and more difficult to control, it becomes quite likely that a containment now will have a gross failure. And a gross failure will release enormous amounts of radiation quickly.

GlobalPost: The New York Times is reporting that radioactive releases could go on for weeks or months. How concerned should we be about that? At what point does a reactor like this becomes less menacing?
Gundersen: The chain reaction has stopped. That happened in two seconds. But the radioactive isotopes are still decaying away. They’ll decay for at least a year. So you have to release the pressure from that containment pretty much every day. With releasing the pressure will come releasing radioactive isotopes as well.

.So yes, the Times is right that every plant — there are now three or four of them — will be opening up valves every day to make sure the pressure is down. And there will be releases from these plants for at least a year.

GlobalPost: How much of a health threat is that?
Gundersen: Within 90 days, the iodine health risks will disappear, because that will decay away. But the nasty isotopes — the cesium and strontium will remain for 30 years. And they’re volatile.

After Three Mile Island, strontium was detected 150 miles away from the reactor. That ends up in cow’s milk and doesn’t go away for 300 years. The releases from these plants will last for a year, and will contain elements that will remain in the environment for 300 years, even in the best case.

If we have a meltdown, it will be even worse than that.

GlobalPost: The ultimate risk in any nuclear accident is that the heat can grow so intense that the steel containment vessel is ruptured, releasing a large amount of radiation. You say there’s a 50-50 chance of this happening. What kind of health effects can we expect?
Gundersen: First, it’s important to know that this steel containment is about an inch thick. It’s not some massive battleship of steel. The reactor is already open, because the pressure relief valves have to stay open.

On top of that, these containments have already breached. We saw iodine and cesium in the environment before the first unit exploded. When you see that, that’s clearly an indication that the containment has breached.

Now, is it leaking 1 percent a day? Probably. Is it leaking 100 percent a day? No. I think for the neighboring towns out to 2 miles, they won’t have anybody back in them for five years. Out to 15 miles, I doubt you’re going to see anyone back for six months. And that’s in the best case, without a meltdown.

If we have a meltdown, I don’t think anyone will be back within 20 miles for 10 or 15 years.

GlobalPost: What would happen if they did return?
Gundersen: There would be higher incidence of cancer. The groundwater would be contaminated. With a meltdown, you’re worried about surface contamination of everything within miles of the plant, and groundwater contamination as well.

GlobalPost: How far would the ground water contamination spread?
Gundersen: Chernobyl had a meltdown, and that groundwater wedge is gradually working its way toward Kiev, which is a very large city [about 80 miles away]. That groundwater contamination lingers for 300 years. It’s not something that’s easy to mitigate.

GlobalPost: That’s a serious issue in a country like Japan with a large population and a small land area.

Gundersen: That’s right.

GlobalPost: You mentioned that the containment vessels have already been damaged. It appears that officials are reporting the opposite. How do you know you’re right?
Gundersen: We’re seeing iodine and cesium in the environment. That’s an indication that the containments are leaking. Exactly how much they’re leaking it’s hard to say.

I can’t understand how officials can say that the releases are low, when they don’t have any instruments that are working. Their batteries have failed, and when the batteries fail, all of the instruments stop working. So it’s hard to determine what the radiation levels are, and what the pressure levels are.

The Japanese and the nuclear industry are heavily, heavily financially invested in this. My experience is that, after Three Mile Island and after Chernobyl, everybody said there wasn’t a problem, until there was a problem. So I really don’t put much faith in official pronouncements the first week of an accident.

GlobalPost: So the people who have access to information have a self interest in making that information look as benign as possible?
Gundersen: Yes. On top of that, the officials don’t want to provoke a panic. So there’s a financial long term interest to try to minimize the impact. The flip side of that is that in the process you lose transparency. There is no transparency right now. We’re dealing with second hand information.

I understand from one source that the second unit cannot be vented, because the vent is jammed. I don’t know if that’s true or not. I have one source, and I like to have two. But this accident hasn’t played out yet. It could clearly get worse before it gets better.

GlobalPost: When you say the venting system is jammed, does that mean that pressure will keep building up until something catastrophic happens?
Gundersen: Yes.

GlobalPost: That sounds bad. There have been explosions at two of the buildings where the reactors are housed. You used to operate nuclear reactors. Would the control rooms be affected by these explosions? And how do they continue controlling the reactors under these circumstances?
Gundersen: Yes. The control rooms have become almost uninhabitable. The operators would have to be in Scott air packs, because the ventilation failed. Otherwise they would be breathing contaminated air. The control room is very close to these reactors. Probably 200 feet away. I doubt there’s much being done in the control rooms. They’re contaminated, and the air is unfit to breathe. It’s very difficult to get anything done if you’re wearing an air pack and a bubble suit.

GlobalPost: So how do they release the pressure? Are they sending people to the reactor to manually do these things?
Gundersen: They’ll send someone out to manually open a valve. And then that person will go back out to manually close a valve. In a high radiation field, there are only so many trips you can make before you’ve exceeded what they call emergency limits. So these people are picking up very large doses in very short periods of time. For their personal health, you can’t send them out again.

So they’re running through the available number of operators to do these high risk maneuvers.

GlobalPost: Is it highly skilled work?
Gundersen: Yes.

GlobalPost: Do these doses endanger their health, or are they below thresholds that would cause a problem?
The probability of these workers getting cancer is dramatically increasing, because the doses they receive in a day are higher than what they get in a year. For every 250 rem received, there will be a cancer. That’s pretty well defined. So if one person picks up 2.5 rem, for every hundred people, one of them will get a cancer. That’s just a statistical crapshoot.

GlobalPost: How safe is Tokyo at this point?
.The radiation is being diluted by the wind and spread out. Tokyo is a long way away. Germany is a long way from Chernobyl, and the ground in Germany is so contaminated that they are still prohibiting the hunting of wild boars, 25 years later.

But we don’t have a lot of accurate measures. There’s a U.S. aircraft carrier 100 miles away, and the workers on that aircraft carrier received in one hour the dose they would normally get in one month.

GlobalPost: Is there any risk that the radiation would reach American shores?
Oh it will. Chernobyl reached the U.S. The question is how much radiation? There’s not a lot of data to make that determination right now.

GlobalPost: Should people be concerned about food contamination?
Certainly in Japan they should.

I’ve gone out and bought potassium iodine pills, and I plan to take potassium iodine starting in about 10 days, just because I’m concerned about food contamination. That’s a personal choice right now. My experience says that it would be prudent to get potassium iodine pills and take them, to avoid any of the iodine that might come over. But there’s not a lot of data to support whether or not potassium iodine really helps.

GlobalPost: Is that something that you can buy in a health food store?
Yes, you can get these pills in health food stores and online, although I hear that they’re selling out.

[leemajors]

Cali Nuclear plant built to less rigid standards than those in Japan:

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-sanonofre14-m,0,1512796.story

[Agloco]

I meant when this is all said and done. This is just the beginning. And why then goverment advicing ppl to stay indoors?

Heavy isotopes of the kind seen in this sort of crisis tend to fall to ground quickly. There are two trains of thought here:

1) Inhaling the falling particles is much more hazardous than being irradiated from the outside in. Staying indoors reduces the radiation burden quite a bit in this regard.

2) Those isotopes will by and large fall on the ground outside, thereby increasing your distance from them on average. Dose/exposure fall off as the inverse of the square of the distance between you and the source (ie at 3m you get about 11.11% of the exposure you would get at 1m....neglecting any sort of shielding between you and the source). Clearly this makes a big difference.

Remember time, distance, and shielding are all helpful in this sort of situation.

[Wild Cobra]

Cali Nuclear plant built to less rigid standards than those in Japan:

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-sanonofre14-m,0,1512796.story
A 25' tsunami wall isn't enough.

[Wild Cobra]

1) Inhaling the falling particles is much more hazardous than being irradiated from the outside in. Staying indoors reduces the radiation burden quite a bit in this regard.

Yes, inhalation is the most serious way to be exposed to low levels of particulate radiation.

[Pistons < Spurs]

CNN: A fire has been found in the northeastern corner of Reactor 4 building at Fukushima Daiichi plant, a power official says.

[mouse]

You have more danger from developing cancer due to a sunny day than you do from 40 times normal radiation.

Tell that to the children of Chernobyl.


http://www.toptenz.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Chernobyl-disaster-victim.jpg

http://www.faqs.org/health/images/uchr_09_img0934.jpg


http://usactions.greenpeace.org/gpblog/media/104097/chernobyl.jpg


http://blogs.newamericamedia.org/images/80.jpg

http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/2I/chernobyl-child-lg.jpg

[BlackSwordsMan]

chernobyl radiation was much worse