Japan earthquake

Gallows Bait

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Glad you made it home and family is okay, that's really good news. News on the nuclear reactor looks scary, but people seem to be confident it will be okay, just have to hope they're right.
 

Panda with issues

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Japan's Nuclear Situation - stop panicking please - The Something Awful Forums

I suspect that you'll be fine regarding the nuclear reactors Narly.

This thread is actually the most informative and well balanced collation of information I've found, and is far better than sensationalist news reporting.

I've checked it as best I can from my (admittedly limited) knowledge and it seems pretty much spot on. I did a bunch of work on nuclear waste disposal during my undergraduate degree before starting a Ph.D in a completely unrelated area. Part of the nuclear waste disposal module was focussed on the basics of how nuclear reactors work, how nuclear waste should be stored, and the occurence of the natural nuclear reactor at Oklo in the Gabon. I've worked for 3 months at a Uranium mine in Zambia, and have done a bunch of work on samples containing uranium, all of which is basically safer than flying regularly or getting an x-ray.

Hopefully the information in that thread can put your mind at rest at least a little.
 

Runi

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Well, I don't know much about the technicalities but that's not neccessary to see that this thread seems to be more than just a little bit biased. It seriously recommends to check the website of the company that runs the power plants for reliable information? Yes, there are sensationalist media out there, but it's not like you couldn't find any reliable ones!
If nothing could ever happen, no matter how bad things go, like this site explicitly suggests, then why is the Japanese government requesting technical help from all over the world?


I do hope that everything turns out well and that the Japanese people don't have to endure more than they already did. But such lobby-based appeasement is certainly not helpful at all. Just by the way: The Soviets did exactly the same thing in Chernobyl. Of course there was no danger for the population there. Well, some people had to leave their homes and half of them died in one year time after the incident, but hey, that was just a coincidence, just like all the thousands of new cases of cancer and all that stuff. Certainly it had nothing to do with the incident. Trust us. Your reliable government would never lie to you. Or would it?

To be clear: This is not a discussion about if there should be nuclear power plants. All I'm saying is, that the site you provided is obviously based on private, corporate or political interest and presents a view on the topic that leaves out all inconvenient facts.
If this is to be considered reliable, you might as well link to Greenpeace press releases. Because they do exactly the same thing, just the other way around.
 

Narly Bird

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Things are much worse regarding the nuclear situation here. There was a large explosion at the power plant and harmful radiation is leaking out. According to the French embassay, winds will blow the radiation to Tokyo in about 10 hours. Why the hell this is coming from the French embassy and not from the Japanese government I have no idea. Actually, I do know why – it is to prevent a panic here in Tokyo. I’m trying to convince my wife to go stay with her cousins in the West of Japan. She is pregnant so we are really worried about any radiation. Also my son is only 20 months old. Hopefully they can get to the airport and the plane can depart ok. We have been having rolling power outages around Tokyo and the train system is just a mess. Its forecast to rain this evening so I will leave the office early to get home. The government is warning the rain contains a lot of chemicals and pollutants that are harmful to humans.

You’d think with all that’s going on, people would be staying at home, but so far in Tokyo things are basically operating as normal. People are going to work and apart from the trains and power outages and food shortage, its mostly business as usual. But I guess if there is a nuclear meltdown that there will be panic here.

Probably things will be ok here as we are about 250km from the nuclear plant, but its still pretty freaky. Everyone is remarkably calm but im sure there will be panic if radiation starts reaching here.
 

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Sending your partner to stop with relatives seems a wise move. Best of luck Narly.
 

Narly Bird

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In most likelihood there will be no effect at all to people in Tokyo, but you still worry with young kids and soon to be born ones!

On the news they said that radioactivity levels in Tokyo were 24 times higher than normal. But that it is still much, much less than a harmful level to humans. Still, i prefer not to take chances.

So the wife and son are heading off with her parents out of Tokyo.

As you cant get water in the supermarkets i have stocked up on beer and cocktail drinks, as i heard they have some protective powers against radiation. Especially if drunk in large quantities. No wife, no son and a lot of alcohol... the next few days should be fun! :D
 

Panda with issues

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In most likelihood there will be no effect at all to people in Tokyo, but you still worry with young kids and soon to be born ones!

On the news they said that radioactivity levels in Tokyo were 24 times higher than normal. But that it is still much, much less than a harmful level to humans. Still, i prefer not to take chances.

So the wife and son are heading off with her parents out of Tokyo.

As you cant get water in the supermarkets i have stocked up on beer and cocktail drinks, as i heard they have some protective powers against radiation. Especially if drunk in large quantities. No wife, no son and a lot of alcohol... the next few days should be fun! :D

Hope everything is ok with you.

Definitely a good precaution to get the wife and sprogs to relocate.

The latest news appears to be much worse regarding the nuclear situation, though reliable numbers are still difficult to come by in the media.

@Runi: Well, why WOULDN'T you take any aid on offer? And yes, I've stuggled to find any reliable reporting that is not using inflammatory language such as 'nuclear disaster'. They are reporting numbers without any detail of where the numbers are being measured. Due to the relatively short half lives of many of the elements involved, it is likely that numbers will drop significantly over relatively short distances from the leak site.

Much of the danger is to do with time. When it was reported yesterday that the radiation had been contained, the radiation dose levels would have fallen. If leaking is occuring again (as is now being reported) then it is obviously a different situation. The only (limited) advice I can give, having worked on a uranium mine is that if possible, wear a filtration mask and wash hands and food before eating, since alpha particles cannot pass through skin, and are only dangerous when ingested and inhaled, and will provide the bulk of the radiation signature.

I would certainly argue that the dangers of carcinogens from the burning oil refineries are at least equally dangerous, and the mask and washing will aid against these as well. I'm sure this advice has already been provided in Japan though.

Anyway, this is a thread derailment. Narly: I hope you're ok, and that this all gets sorted out ASAP. I hope your wife and children are able to get a safe flight.
 
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Creamster

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Glad to hear your okay Narly. In my work we have flown many of the traders and data out of Tokyo into singapore as the rolling blackouts are expected to get worse. Been manic over here and Im in the UK! Hope the loss of power doesn't affect you playing any BB :cool:
 

Narly Bird

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I just read that the Australian Government is recommending all Australians to leave Tokyo. Its bad here, but it really isnt that bad.

Although having said that, there is a really strong wind blowing from the North (where the nuclear reactor is). So i hope it isnt blowing radiation with it. At least the wife and kid are already out of Tokyo in the West of Japan staying with family. This will allow me to concentrate on catching up with Bloodbowl practice as i havent had any matches for a while! Also drinking practice to protect me from the radiation! :D
 

Runi

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A lot of states recommend leaving the whole of Japan for their citizens, including Germany. And for these governments, such a recommendation makes sense. It's easier to be careful and later come back, when you don't have a home, job and family staying in Japan. So they rather issue a warning than take the blame later. Of course the Japanese government can't do the same thing. Where are people supposed to go? And what about all the things I mentioned above? There would need to be a specific danger, rather than just a possibility to do that.
That doesn't have to mean that the situation is really that dire. But nobody can blame them for making that warning. After all, these warning are usually issued at lower threat levels than what happens at the moment.


Anyway: I just read that experts made a new plan for securing the damaged power plants. Hope this works and that everything will be over soon.
Good look for all the people in Japan!
 

Narly Bird

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I just got a call from the Australian embassy saying they are evacuating all Australians from Tokyo and Northern area and they advise me to leave the country. Its good that they call me and tell me, but i plan to stick it out here. I heard the airport is overwhelmed with foreigners trying to leave and im not keen to shell out the money for a ticket. Also, my boss wont give me time off, so unless i quit my job i dont have much choice.

Instead i am working from home (when we have electricity) and have stocked up on food and supplies (predominantly beer and nuts). As an extra precaution, i consumed large amounts of alcohol last night, but am feeling the after effects today... either a hangover or radiation poisoning. Not sure which :p

Will be on Cyanide a fair bit in the next few days seeing as i wont be leaving the house much, so be sure to challenge me to a game or say hello if you see me there. :)
 

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hi Narly,

From Spain all the images and news in media are all saying that things are going a bit hard there for you, so best wishes and try to keep the good job and humour...

I have to say that something like that in Spain would have ended in a civil war, pillage, dead and so, Im really surprised how civilized japanese (and foreign people) are.

Best wishes, and hope to see you ingame :pow:
 
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