3/10/11 Hawaii Tsunami Warning

[thzero]

While its no doubt a disaster, and one that peopple need to learn from and not follow in the stupidity of TEPCO and Japanese govt, this is a bit of extreme; it is just fear mongering. It is one thing to be concerned, rightly so, and understand what is going on and be truthful and forthright (an issue with the gov/TEPCO, and usually most governments anyways), but another to listen and pass on the yammerings of the over sensationalized media or reports from yokels no matter what country they are from.

This has turned out worse than Three Mile Island, but it is still not anywhere near Chernobyl.

But nonetheless, as always there are those individuals that one must be impressed with; the workers who are braving serious health risks to resolve this very serious problem. These men and women are on the same scale as the 9/11 responders and those of any major (or even minor) disaster.

Originally Posted by JERRY2KONE

Now this will show you just how desperate this situation truly is. Even they are realizing that if this is not brought under some level of control soo that the entire island of Japan will become unlivable.

[Jahay]

thanks for this update..

THIS IS TERRIBLE!

Im speechless!

[reno911]

[brainanator]

that is amazing reno...I have to share it!! :D :D LOL

[hemiblas]

I just read that the threat level was raised from 5 to 7. Does anyone have anymore news on this one? Anyone know if things are getting worst?

[hemiblas]

You are right though that people forget over time. Even if they dont forget the memories get lessened over time.

I was hoping that the lack of information being posted on the power plants meant that things were getting better, but it seems like everyone is really just trying to keep whats going on quiet.

[reno911]

Originally Posted by hemiblas

You are right though that people forget over time. Even if they dont forget the memories get lessened over time.

I was hoping that the lack of information being posted on the power plants meant that things were getting better, but it seems like everyone is really just trying to keep whats going on quiet.

Bingo, I love what our EPA is doing on the matter. Quite funny actually. Raising the levels that are considered safe. Saying that they had a buffer on the previous numbers.

All the while they state that you should not go outside as the sun causes cancer, and that those under 18 should not be allowed to sun bath in a cancer coffin.

Its okay because this radiation is good radiation, and besides the pacific ocean is huge it will dilute the radiated material. Duh!

[JERRY2KONE]

Found this report this morning floating around the web.

Are the Fukushima 50 doomed to death?

Japan's nuclear heroes are credited with protecting their nation from a catastrophic meltdown. But at what cost to themselves? An instant guide

About 50 workers stayed behind at the Fukushima plant, enduring horrendous conditions and potentially signing themselves up for certain death, to prevent a total nuclear meltdown. Photo: CorbisSEE ALL 37 PHOTOS

Employees at Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant have been hailed as heroes for subjecting themselves to dangerous levels of radiation while they desperately labor to prevent a massive meltdown. Now, details of the conditions and fears of the so-called Fukushima 50 — the small group that stayed behind when most of the plant's workers were evacuated after the March 11 tsunami — have begun to emerge. Here, a glimpse of the life-threatening ordeal of the Fukushima 50:

Are their lives in danger?
Yes. Distraught relatives say that many of the plant's workers assume they are undertaking a suicide mission. They have been exposed to extremely high doses of radiation, and several have been treated for radiation burns. Through tears, the mother of a 32-year-old worker told Fox News by phone that her son and his colleagues know they are probably sacrificing their lives, and could have only weeks or months to live. "They have accepted they will all probably die from radiation sickness in the short term or cancer in the long-term," she said. "They know it is impossible for them not to have been exposed to lethal doses of radiation."

Can they protect themselves?
The Fukushima 50 wear protective suits, and those working in highly radioactive areas, such as the fuel rod containment chambers, can only stay there for 15 minutes at a time. They sleep in conference rooms, hallways, and stairwells, where each worker gets one blanket, and a lead mat to shield them from radiation. "My son has been sleeping on a desk because he is afraid to lie on the floor," said the woman who spoke to Fox News. "But they say high radioactivity is everywhere and I think this will not save him."

How bad are conditions at Fukushima?
Horrendous. The Fukushima 50 aren't on their own anymore — there are now about 400 Tokyo Electric Power Co. employees inside the plant. They work in rotating 12-hour shifts. The high levels of contamination make it hard to get supplies to them, so food and water are scarce. They get two meals a day: Typically, vegetable juice and 30 crackers each for breakfast, and instant rice for dinner. "I just wanted people to understand that there are many people fighting under harsh circumstances in the nuclear plants," one worker wrote in an email. "That is all I want. Crying is useless. If we're in hell now all we can do is to crawl up towards heaven."

Is the pressure getting to them?
Yes. In a note thanking fellow TEPCO employees for their hard work, one Fukushima supervisor broke down. "My parents were washed away by the tsunami and I still don't know where they are," he wrote. "I'm engaged in extremely tough work under this kind of mental condition. ... I can't take this any more!" Another worker, named Emiko Ueno wrote in an email quoted in The New York Times: "My town is gone,. My parents are still missing. I still cannot get in the area because of the evacuation order. I still have to work in such a mental state. This is my limit."

[hemiblas]

Its pretty sad to hear that. I thought everything I had read so far said that they were protecting workers, and that they were limiting their exposure to radiation. I guess we really dont know whats going on over there.

[pinkpanda3310]

They must've got more people because they came to the understanding that the situation is beyond the ability of 50. Also I think the gov't would've pushed to have as many people as possible clean this up as quickly as possible not only for the obvious but also to save face on an international scale. If they had the infrastructure I'm sure they would be telling all the workers there families would be in for a big package so give it your all, but given that most lived and worked in the area's worst hit, it seems like a logistical mess (let alone emotional mess).

[JERRY2KONE]

And that is what I was reading from teh people who are involved. A lot of them have lost everything, and even lost whatever friends and family they did have to the Tsunami. So they already feel as if they have nothing left to live for so why not commit to something that has real meaning to it. Saving Japan. Those who do still have family still lost everything they owned so they are doing it to ensure that their families will at least have something when this is all over with. Sacrificing for ones family is a human tradition that dates back hundreds of years, and is done by just about every culture on the globe.

From what I have been able to read on the internet, and gather from their movements at this plant they are already making plans to bury this stuff with a few feet of concrete, and set a perimeter around this plant that will pretty much be in affect for at least the next 100-200 years. I believe any hopes of getting this under control towards the clean up stage are long gone. They have been working hard to seal up any ground leakage so that once it is sealed in concrete that will be it.

[reno911]

Dumb question, not a Physicist, can these type of things lead to a nuclear explosion?

Just came to mind. Anyone care to shed some light?

[JERRY2KONE]

Originally Posted by reno911

Dumb question, not a Physicist, can these type of things lead to a nuclear explosion?

Just came to mind. Anyone care to shed some light?

YES, but not likely. Under the wrong circumstances there could be an explosion just like the one at the Chernobyl Nuclear plant in 1986. I am not exatly sure what caused that one to blow up, but it showed just how bad things can get in these reactors if things do not go as planned. When that one blew it litterally threw radioactive material out in a circular arc up to a mile away. The clean up was incredibly dangerous and took weeks and months to gather up as much of the debris as possible and throw it back into the reactor building before covering it up with concrete slabs, and just leaving it to die in what the scientists claim will be 150 to 250 years.

The problem I see with the reactor issues in Japan is that if left un-cooled the nuclear material just keeps heating up and giving off higher and higher levels of radiation that will contaminate the surrounding area for many, many, many years even if it is burried and sealed in concrete. The one thing that is not known is how big of an affected area that will be if they burry it now. It will all depend on how strong the power of the remaining rods still is at this point. Just like a battery it looses its power over time as it is used. If not used it can generate great amounts of heat (radioactivity) for hundreds of years.

[BrianG]

Unfortunately, some radioactive materials have a half-life in the thousands of years. And that's just where it gets half as radioactive.

No matter what they do, they have to be able to control the nuclear reaction or the fuel will continue to heat more and more until it burns through pretty much anything that is containing it, and then it goes into the ground where it contaminates the water table.

With all the reactors around the world and the dangers they could possibly create in disasters such as this, it's too bad they couldn't put the reactors in space (far enough away from earth so any explosions won't throw debris back into the atmosphere) and "transmit" the power back to earth.

On that note, I wonder if it wouldn't be cheaper in the long run (especially taking into account cleanup costs after this type of disaster) to somehow focus sunlight over a large area into a relatively small area to provide the heat. We all know what a magnifying glass in the sun can do...

[reno911]

Originally Posted by BrianG

Unfortunately, some radioactive materials have a half-life in the thousands of years. And that's just where it gets half as radioactive.

No matter what they do, they have to be able to control the nuclear reaction or the fuel will continue to heat more and more until it burns through pretty much anything that is containing it, and then it goes into the ground where it contaminates the water table.

With all the reactors around the world and the dangers they could possibly create in disasters such as this, it's too bad they couldn't put the reactors in space (far enough away from earth so any explosions won't throw debris back into the atmosphere) and "transmit" the power back to earth.

On that note, I wonder if it wouldn't be cheaper in the long run (especially taking into account cleanup costs after this type of disaster) to somehow focus sunlight over a large area into a relatively small area to provide the heat. We all know what a magnifying glass in the sun can do...

I have heard of this being an idea to dispose of radioactive waste in the past, I have never scene it used or even made practical that I know of.

Interesting thought though since the suns energy can be used to destroy just about everything, just not there yet I guess because I have only seen this practical on very small scales.