Friday, March 18, 2011


QUAKE UPDATES Day 7 +++


Another heavy snow here, another earthquake up there, where "suicide squads" are frantically trying to stop several meltdowns as quakes keep happening and it's extra cold for March, but at least Kasumi and family are out of their shaky waterless danger-zone apartment and safe down here, at least till the next step, whatever that may be... no telling when or if they might return up north...

I haven't seen them yet, they arrived in Kyoto late afternoon yesterday, exhausted (they took 5am bus from their town), hungry and with basically only the clothes on their backs and a few things - and from there went to Tatsuya's parents' big house across the lake, ate, bathed (the luxury!) and went to sleep. Miasa was sick but seems better, but now Kasumi is sick. I'll talk to them tonight, find out when they'll be fit to visit over here where the kids can pick some spinach, plant some radishes, stack some firewood, go wild...

I see that the US govt is urging Americans to leave Japan or not travel to Japan, has planes at the ready to assist where necessary; press is interviewing Americans here, most aren't leaving, it seems, though some may, I don't know anyone who is... I've long opposed nuclear power for many reasons, and if this involved plutonium, the use of which is insane, I'd be out of here last week, but as of now I have no plans to leave despite some uranium byproducts in the air. I'm assuming that they'll see the dumbth of their ways, clean it all up eventually under the gaze of a stern public eye and never do it again, but I'm not holding my breath, though I might wear a mask while I withhold judgment pro tem. It's just too beautiful here to let it be destroyed for any reason, let alone greed, and though long-term foreign residents can't vote in Shiga, we can oppose. This site has good insights and rich links on local nuclear activism.

Always amazing, how low ad hoc lowlifes can go; in this case, a potassium iodide ripoff! List price $5.99!...

+

"But what makes reactor 3 so special? In one acronymic word: MOX.

All of the fuel rods in all of the other reactors are made essentially of uranium with a zirconium cladding to seal in radioactive emissions. Reactor 4 uses something different. Its fuel rod are only 94% uranium, with 6% plutonium stirred in and then the same zirconium shell. This mixed oxide (hence the MOX moniker) formulation has one advantage [the public doesn't know what's actually in it]—and a number of disadvantages."

THOSE IDIOTS! 24,000 years!! Five times the length of our civilization!! Rethink.....

+
"Denis Flory, a top safety official at the agency, pointed out that all used nuclear fuel contains plutonium." [Oh, that's OK then...] It forms naturally within conventional uranium fuel as the uranium is bombarded by neutrons. ["Naturally..." that's a nice 'official' touch...]
And although plutonium is a long-lived emitter of radiation, it is also quite heavy, so it is not likely to move very far downwind from its source. [Comforting, to be sure. And just how far IS "not very far downwind," in officialese? Just keep running, folks, and don't breathe too much... only 23,999.999 years to go...]


17 comments:

karensella said...

Yay, they arrived safely! Thank you so much for sharing your news...your cogent thoughts and rich insights. I'm very grateful for your perspective--and relieved that the family I've grown to appreciate over the years (funny this blogging thing) from so very far away is safe and reunited. Wishing you all much love and light...

Callie Brady said...

Very glad to read that your family is safe and away from the immediate danger. Hope they will soon be over their sickness and visiting with you.

You mentioned plutonium and I remembered reading this article (Plutonium threat at Japan reactor, expert warns) at

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-20042852-76.html

I don't understand the difference between plutonium and uranium... they both seem scary to me. I wish Japan didn't have to deal with this horror, but I don't want the stuff drifting over here to California either.

I hope you are right and the powers that be will take active steps to see clean up their mess and see it doesn't happen again. It is so heartbreaking what Japan is suffering. So sad, it is too hard to comprehend it all.

Mary Lou said...

WHEW! Now you can sleep! You and Echo take a nice cup of tea and go to bed knowing your babies are safe!

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you family arrived safely, and thanks for the informative updates and links.

joared said...

Good to read that your dtr and family are away from the devastation. Am sure you look forward to seeing them soon.

Was reading about mox before coming here. Appreciate your concise explanation of all the technical information I was encountering. I wish I could feel more confident about the full truthfulness of "official" information from your country and ours.

Nancy said...

Hooray! That Kasumi and family are safe in the South is the best news I've heard all day!

ruikalla said...

So very happy to hear that Kasumi and family are safe. Holding positive thoughts that all the cold and hungry up north get relief NOW and that the nuclear mess can be brought under control soon for everyone's sake. I am awed and humbled by the bravery of the people.

Kalei's Best Friend said...

The news showed folks from Japan getting off of planes at LAX.. They interviewed some and they said they thought it best to leave since they were able to get out... U would not believe people here are buying those radiation detectors off the shelves from surplus stores here, in fact most places are backordered... They have said that if any radiation were to come to the states its quite miniscule.. they are checking people at LAX tho.. and yes, people are buying those plutonium pills like mad... As one news person said " ok, if u have a detector and find u are infected, then what?'.... walk into your local doctor and ask for a cure?

Tabor said...

It will be very interesting to see how this nuclear debate unfolds. Japan has little in the way of natural resources for their electricity and I am sure that they (silly companies) never thought it would get this bad. Perhaps the good that come out of this may be a bigger push to find safer fuels and more conservative use of what we now have.

jaykaym said...

I can't imagine your relief on Katsumi and family's arrival. The children will thrive under your watchful eye and Katsumi and her husband can consider their next steps.

Tickled Pink said...

I'm so thankful to hear your family is closer to you!! My husband and I have commented on how orderly and respectful the Japanese have been through this whole process, and how differently people are reacting here in the US when we really have no immediate danger. We keep praying for the Japanese people and your family in particular. Thank you for keeping us informed.

~ Sil in Corea said...

I'm awfully glad they made it out safely!

A friend gave me your link yesterday. We're sending supplies and teams to help.

Hugs from the west, ~ Sil

Chancy said...

I know you and Echo are breathing much smoother now knowing that your loved ones are safely away from the north.

I hope our world is learning a difficult lesson from the disasters in Japan.

Now we should all know that
"you can't lock the barn door after the cows are out"

Put your feet up and rest some now. Better days are ahead.

Chancy said...

Super moon tonight
don't raise the tides; shining bright
let all rest in peace.

Antares said...

My sympathies. I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through.

There is a lot of conflicting information, would it help at all if I provided some scientific facts?

annie said...

Happy day! I am so relieved. May you sleep well now...or at least better!

I too was amazed by Mr. Flory's comments. And if he thinks it's ok to say "they all do it," he should have met my mom...she would have set him straight on that one.

It is definitely not justification to say that all spent fuel contains plutonium.

Tracy's Pointe said...

Tears fill my eyes...so happy your children are safe now!! Yay!!