Japan´s Tsunami

[Line666]

I think the most telling thing at the moment is that the French are declaring that all their nationals should get the hell out of Tokyo because they don't believe the Japanese line at the moment, worth noting if only because if the French are saying it then it's probably seriously considered given that the French are 75% nuclear powered and that they own nearly all the plants in the UK as well, being ardently pro-nuclear.

 

[~BURNY~]

I think the most telling thing at the moment is that the French are declaring that all their nationals should get the hell out of Tokyo because they don't believe the Japanese line at the moment, worth noting if only because if the French are saying it then it's probably seriously considered given that the French are 75% nuclear powered and that they own nearly all the plants in the UK as well, being ardently pro-nuclear.

It's our surrendering tradition.

No, seriously. This is a true disaster. It may not be a direct threat to your life If you're not linving in Japan but this is completely fucked up and there will always be people trying to downplay the consequences of it all.

 

[Mutant]

Looks like current radiation level in Tokyo is lower than in most cities in USA.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ガイガーカウンタ
http://www.radiationnetwork.com/
But when the wind direction changes... it may increase a few points.

 

[John_C]

a meltdown does not necessarily mean a apocalyptic disaster, slightly higher than normal radiation level does not constitute a serious threat to peoples health.

Yes, there are VERY significant risks here, but it's important not to be just "arrgghhh radiation, everyone's gonna die and get cancer and have mutant babies" and to realise that although a meltdown is a complete disaster for the reactor in question, it doesn't necessarily mean a Chernobyl style fallout

 

[TheDriller]

I don't think there is anyone in this thread at least who is seriously pushing the 'apocalypse' angle really.

Even if it turns out to have limited consequences,
The most galling part of it is the way the japanese authorities are spinning bullshit to save face.
They've pretty much completely redefined the meaning of "highly unlikely".

 

[LeSedna]

I think the most telling thing at the moment is that the French are declaring that all their nationals should get the hell out of Tokyo because they don't believe the Japanese line at the moment, worth noting if only because if the French are saying it then it's probably seriously considered given that the French are 75% nuclear powered and that they own nearly all the plants in the UK as well, being ardently pro-nuclear.

It's not even 75%, it's more like 85%. We're the most nuclear dependent country in the world. We're also, by this fact, one of the biggest specialist in nuclear energy (we have a shitload of powerplants everywhere) and they are supposed to be of good design. But of course we never know.

Here on TV they don't say "we recommend all french in japan to leave because we don't trust japan", they say it as a precaution. Also, it's a recommendation, it's not an official decision, there are not even measures officially adopted, just Air France planes that are more numerous than usual, but people stil have to pay their ticket. But every specialist on TV since yesterday say "now there's no reason not to say it : it's getting to a very bad situation and we fear now a big explosion".

Here the japan situation fed the ecologist campain who say "le'ts stop the nuclear right now". They are incredibly either stupid or hypocrit considering they are against gaz importation, we already have saturated our solutions of hydro-stations, are that any windmill field installed causes an incredible local political fight. Also, alternative energies are too expensive for us at the moment to consider as a serious alternative to nuclear. Removing the nuclear would mean importing energy. So we're stuck with nuclear. And it works great, we have no risk of such an earthquake as in japan. But it's more about an hypothetical D-Day.

90% of what is on TV here is "Japan/Nuclear". They are even considering to create a national referendum etc.

 

[jipchen]

Haha similar discussion in Germany, only we have very few nuclear plants already. But they will probably shut the old ones down very soon and the others sooner than planned (Germany plans to shut down every nuclear plant in the future).. We could be 100% on renewable energies by 2050, and at least 24-40% by 2020.
It's interesting because there are three political parties in germany that are against nuclear energy, and they decided to stop using nuclear energy by the next decade I believe, there was a treaty and everything seemed fine.
But after the elections, the other two parties formed the government and they (CDU and FDP) actually extended the runtime of the remaining nuclear plants by 14 years - and made a new treaty for it. Now, they suddenly act like they wanted to get away from nuclear energy as soon as possible from the beginning. Politicians...

 

[colonel kurtz]

"Why I am not worried about Japan’s nuclear reactors,"

he isn't worried because there's zero chance radioactive material is going to be blown into massachusetts!

 

[Notuern]

a meltdown does not necessarily mean a apocalyptic disaster, slightly higher than normal radiation level does not constitute a serious threat to peoples health.

Yes, there are VERY significant risks here, but it's important not to be just "arrgghhh radiation, everyone's gonna die and get cancer and have mutant babies" and to realise that although a meltdown is a complete disaster for the reactor in question, it doesn't necessarily mean a Chernobyl style fallout

A Chernobyl like fallout is impossible with a BWR-type reactor, its that simple.

 

[phatfil]

That article 'You Can Stop Worrying About A Radiation Disaster In Japan -- Here's Why'... is just wrong... can't believe anyone can write so much bullshit after it is already confirmed that radiation levels increased dramatically.

not even sure who or what to believe anymore. i thought it was an interesting read from someone who wasn't gov't backed. but there is so much mis-info, i don't know what to trust. even if we read everything and had the best bs filters, i don't think we would know the 100% truth about what's going on. seems like some want to suppress the fear and others want to stir it up.

 

[Notuern]

not even sure who or what to believe anymore. i thought it was an interesting read from someone who wasn't gov't backed. but there is so much mis-info, i don't know what to trust. even if we read everything and had the best bs filters, i don't think we would know the 100% truth about what's going on. seems like some want to suppress the fear and others want to stir it up.

My uncle works as the chief of chemistry at the Swedish nuclear power plant, so i know my fair share about this stuff.. you could easily say that Japan is pretty much fucked as far as radiation levels go, but you dont need to worry at all.

Most people think about the older nuclear disasters and think "OMGZ WE ARZ DOOMED", but the fact remains: Modern reactors(Especially BWR's.) wont explode in the same way as the older reactors.

If you live in east china or korea you might want to stop eating local foods though.

 

[drew_drummer]

www.nukepills.com

 

[AD Chaos]

The sad thing here is that the MASSIVE catasprophe that's about to unfold perhaps could have been prevented if people (i.e. owners of the plants, japanese gov & media, american and international authorities, and people in general -and that includes you-) wouldn't be so stubborn on downplaying things and ignoring the facts

I'm sure radiation needs a passport to affect anything other than the Japan islands

 

[drew_drummer]

The sad thing here is that the MASSIVE catasprophe that's about to unfold perhaps could have been prevented if people (i.e. owners of the plants, japanese gov & media, american and international authorities, and people in general -and that includes you-) wouldn't be so stubborn on downplaying things and ignoring the facts

I'm sure radiation needs a passport to affect anything other than the Japan islands

Well you show me some facts and not scare-mongering bullshit, and I'll listen to you.

 

[AD Chaos]

Well you show me some facts and not scare-mongering bullshit, and I'll listen to you.

A nuclear reactor core needs steady cooling if you don't want it to fuck up beyond any possible control.

They're trying to restore such cooling with a new power line, but alas, too late. At least for Japan, that is.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

Except that the reaction has stopped, it's just residual heat that's still there, so it's not like there's new heat being generated...

 

[Notuern]

I'm sure radiation needs a passport to affect anything other than the Japan islands

No, but for a large radius contamination the actual fuel has to be leaking out in the atmosphere, which it as far as i know cant from a BWR-reactor.
You still probably think about Chernobyl, where the graphite basically detonated the fuel as a bomb, whereas this is basically "just radioactive smog".

Im not saying that its not going to cause radiation to leak out, its just not that likely that it will affect the neighboring countries even nearly as much as hyped in the media.

The local radiation levels at Fukushima is at 1000 mSv/hr, whereas Chernobyl for instance was 300000 mSv/hr(No, thats not a typo.. it really was three hundred thousand.).

 

[Clockwork]

No, but for a large radius contamination the actual fuel has to be leaking out in the atmosphere, which it as far as i know cant from a BWR-reactor.
You still probably think about Chernobyl, where the graphite basically detonated the fuel as a bomb, whereas this is basically "just radioactive smog".

Im not saying that its not going to cause radiation to leak out, its just not that likely that it will affect the neighboring countries even nearly as much as hyped in the media.

The local radiation levels at Fukushima is at 1000 mSv/hr, whereas Chernobyl for instance was 300000 mSv/hr(No, thats not a typo.. it really was three hundred thousand.).

I feel like your posts are actually helping me get a better understanding of things, thank you sir!

 

[Brandon E.]

Pretty sure nobody here has a goddamn clue what they're talking about, even if they think they do. I am sure Japan have very good reasons to be approaching the situation in the way they have been. Either way it doesn't matter what any of you "think" "might" happen, whatever happens happens and hopefully it won't be too bad.

 

[P-E]

^ This.