America on radiation alert: Japan faces world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl as experts warn fallout may reach U.S.

[sianrose]

America on radiation alert: Japan faces world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl as experts warn fallout may reach U.S.

California 'monitoring situation closely' amid dramatic escalation of disaster

Japan's nuclear crisis now appears worse than the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in 1979 - but not yet as bad as Chernobyl in 1986

Japan PM tells people within 19 miles of plant to stay indoors as radiation reaches levels that could impact human heath

Radioactive wind could reach Tokyo within hours - and radiation levels are already rising in city

Nuclear Regulatory Commission admits it is 'quite possible' radiation could reach the U.S.

'Worst-case scenario' could see 30,000ft winds sending nuclear cloud across Pacific - possibly hitting by Tuesday night

Fears that America could be hit by the nuclear fallout from the Japan earthquake have dramatically increased as workers prepared to abandon a reactor crippled by the earthquake and tsunami last night in the face of what is set to become the world's second worst nuclear disaster - topped only by Chernobyl.

Damage at the number two reactor at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power complex is worse than thought, the Japanese government admitted tonight, sparking fears for human health both in Japan and the U.S.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has admitted it is 'quite possible' the fallout could reach America.

full article

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366341/Japan-tsumani-earthquake-America-nuclear-accident-radiation-alert.html

[Micah]

Wierd.... Because while we were at the hospital today to get labwork done for my wife, the news report said there is NOTHING to worry about. Japan doesn't have anything to worry about either.... It's getting to the point, where you don't know exactly which news to trust.

[rocket]

Wierd.... Because while we were at the hospital today to get labwork done for my wife, the news report said there is NOTHING to worry about. Japan doesn't have anything to worry about either.... It's getting to the point, where you don't know exactly which news to trust.

There are Two Big camps of professionals. One for Nuclear Power and One against. The camp For Nuclear Power says their is no big problem to worry about. The Russian plant that blew up was a bad design, without the same containment features, and the Japanese problem will be no worse than 3 mile Island. A few cases of cancer. We will have to wait and see on that one. The camp against Nuclear Power are against any collateral damage, or any radiation leakage under any circumstance. The For crowd says the radiation that might reach the USA will not be harmful. (That is until you or your children come down with cancer, whose to say for sure. The against crowd say) Each Camp of professionals have their own agenda, some where in-between lies the truth.

I can't say that I am against nuclear power because Jehovah created it and we get all of our natural light and heat from it. I am not sure that man can safely copy Jehovah's work at this time, even in miniature as it might be. Just my thoughts on the matter.

[sianrose]

There are Two Big camps of professionals. One for Nuclear Power and One against.

that's interesting Tilford...I am also confused...there is definitely a two way spilt... even from reputable sources...

professor so and so says...this... then... professor so and so says that...

[Simon17]

Worry in America is just plain ridiculous. Anyone who says that should be entirely discredited.

Should the thing simply explode and spew all its radioactive waste into the air, then you'd have a LOCAL problem for Japan and potentially isolated places within a 100 miles depending on the weather. So I'd say its a concern if you lived in northern Japan right now.

In chernobyl the only people who died where those directly at the plant exposed directly to crazy doses of radiation. It is true that 1000 people from the surroundings got leukemia from higher than average radiation doses but 998 were cured.

Radiation is scary stuff, and the fear of the 'unknown' puts people into panic overdrive. In the days since this radiation "scare" there have probably been 100s of people dying every day from smoking, automobile accidents, accidental gunfire, etc etc etc. Right now unless you're INSIDE the plant, you're probably 100% fine. If you're within 100 miles, I'd consider my options in case the worst happens, just as a precaution.

[sianrose]

Hi Simon

Whether it will reach USA ...or not...the story is certainly gathering legs....

A cloud of nuclear mistrust spreads around the world

"After decades of lies, nuclear reassurances now fall on deaf ears

It is unprecedented: four atomic reactors in dire trouble at once, three threatening meltdown from overheating, and a fourth hit by a fire in its storage pond for radioactive spent fuel.

All day yesterday, dire reports continued to circulate about the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, faced with disaster after Japan's tsunami knocked out its cooling systems. Some turned out to be false: for example, a rumour, disseminated by text message, that radiation from the plant had been spreading across Asia. Others were true: that radiation at about 20 times normal levels had been detected in Tokyo; that Chinese airlines had cancelled flights to the Japanese capital; that Austria had moved it embassy from Tokyo to Osaka; that a 24-hour general store in Tokyo's Roppongi district had sold out of radios, torches, candles and sleeping bags.

But perhaps the most alarming thing was that although Naoto Kan, Japan's Prime Minister, once again appealed for calm, there are many – in Japan and beyond – who are no longer prepared to be reassured"....

full article...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/a-cloud-of-nuclear-mistrust-spreads-around-the-world-2242988.html

'We're not afraid to die': Extraordinary courage of the Fukushima Fifty as they return to stricken power plant to fight nuclear disaster"

"Workers battling nuclear meltdown evacuated for hours today after radiation levels increased

French minister: 'Let's not beat about the bush, they've essentially lost control'

Radioactive steam spews into atmosphere from reactor number three

Experts warn that crisis is 'approaching point of no return' as officials run out of options

Officials commandeer police water cannon to spray complex

Attempts to dump water on reactors by helicopter fail

Two more previously stable reactors begin to heat up

The rich scramble to book private jets out the country as fleeing passengers pack Tokyo airport"...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366670/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-French-claim-scale-nuclear-disaster-hidden.html

[Brother_Bliss]

A guy on the news today shot the idea down, that we should have anything to fear that is.

If it is overcast and rainy, the radiation is going to drop down on them over there. If it does escape into the atmosphere, it should disapate and even those in California shouldn't worry too much.

There is some sort of pill that you can take as a preventative measure too.

(I have not read this thread entirely, so pardon me if I am repeating something already said)

[lovestruth]

i love chapter 11 of the bible teach book. it says in paragraph 7 "The Bible clearly states: “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) When you think about it, does that not make sense? This world reflects the personality of the invisible spirit creature who is “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:9) Satan is hateful, deceptive, and cruel. So the world, under his influence, is full of hatred, deceit, and cruelty. That is one reason why there is so much suffering."

rather than worrying about the truthfulness of the reports we are hearing, we need to keep focused on the work at hand, that is the preaching of God's Kingdom and the hope it offers mankind. "keeping busy in the work of the Lord" keeps us from getting caught up in the propaganda that satan is spreading to incite fear and terror. he is, after all, the god of this system.

[Astrid]

In chernobyl the only people who died where those directly at the plant exposed directly to crazy doses of radiation. It is true that 1000 people from the surroundings got leukemia from higher than average radiation doses but 998 were cured.

.

When Chernobyl happend I was a little girl and we were told not to play in sand boxes and such things. My mother was pregnant that time (my brother was born in June 86) and she was a bit concerned if it would affect the baby (which it doesn't).

I've read an article where it says that 1700 people died (or will die) in Austria from the consequenzes of Chernobyl. Austria was the most affected country in western Europe because of rains that happened at that time.

Distance Chernobyl - Vienna: 1.000 km

[sianrose]

don't worry Simon...there is always the resurrection...

[Áine]

In Chernobyl the only people who died where those directly at the plant exposed directly to crazy doses of radiation. It is true that 1000 people from the surroundings got leukemia from higher than average radiation doses but 998 were cured.

.

When Chernobyl happened I was a little girl and we were told not to play in sand boxes and such things. My mother was pregnant that time (my brother was born in June 86) and she was a bit concerned if it would affect the baby (which it doesn't).

I've read an article where it says that 1700 people died (or will die) in Austria from the consequences of Chernobyl. Austria was the most affected country in western Europe because of rains that happened at that time.

Distance Chernobyl - Vienna: 1.000 km

My daughter was born in 1985... and the fall out from Chernobyl definitely reached the UK, Scotland and Ireland... many farm animals that ate grass with radiation on it got sick....it certainly can travel, it just depends on the weather systems

[Simon17]

don't worry Simon...there is always the resurrection...

Great chart! They keep talking about radiation measurements in terms of those units and I have never heard of the units before and certainly didn't know what various doses meant. Last night in tokyo they said people would have experienced 4 MICROsv during the day. Which is still like a hundreth the dose at the bottom of the chart.

[Simon17]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/15/japan-nuclear-crisis-tsunami-live

That article says the radiation at the plant is 400 msV/hr. Two things about that. 1) i'm sure they're wearing some sort of protection to mitigate that somewhat but 2) thats per hour so if you spend 5 days in there straight, thats a lot of radiation (note the chart above give cumulative radiation dose!.

[Simon17]

My daughter was born in 1985... and the fall out from Chernobyl definitely reached the UK, Scotland and Ireland... many farm animals that ate grass with radiation on it got sick....it certainly can travel, it just depends on the weather systems

You're right it will travel. Its just by the time it got anywhere very far away (like hundreds of miles away) I seriously doubt there is any major long term or short term health risks (or at least not more than sitting in front of a computer monitor all day, a day at the beach, or talking on your cellphone while microwaving your dinner!!!)

[sianrose]

I thought the chart in the Guardian article was good....so I looked for a bigger one...but it is in Japanese...but the pictures are good...

[trottigy]

Cool showing plume's "possible" path and time

Plume path video

[tim2k]

What's not getting explained enough is that not all radiation is the same.

What's being said on the news is that since we're exposed to "background" radiation

every day that the radiation coming from Japan is nothing to worry about.

In nuclear power there are 4 main types of radiation: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Neutron.

Alpha and Beta can be shielded with Clothing. These can cause radiation skin burns.

Gamma is a little bit higher on the spectrum than an x-ray, so

only heavy heavy concrete and lead can shield it. It causes cell and DNA damage.

Neutron radiation has high kinetic energy and causes the most

damage to body tissue. It damages cells and DNA. Most of the time, a cell just dies or is disposed of by your

body. But SOMETIME the cell can mutate, and as everyone knows, cell mutation leads to cancer.

Keep in mind, one of the reactors that blew used a Uranium/Plutonium mix fuel rod. Plutonium is much

more hazardous than Uranium when exposed to the environment. Plutonium particle inhalation

can lead to radiation poisoning and cause death in animals and people.

On the other hand, background radiation is stuff like naturally occuring radon gas and cosmic radiation.

So the point is, while probably no one outside of Japan will get acute radiation sickness and die within days/weeks,

the fallout from this plant will cause an increase in cancer rates wherever it goes. It can and will probably cause birth

defects. In short, it's not good... nothing the panic about, but it's not good.