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14 Mar 2011 21:13

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World: Some quick math: How does Fukushima compare to Chernobyl?

  • » To explain: This number comparison is to emphasize the difference between an actual going-to-kill-us-all meltdown and what’s happening in Fukushima. While things could get worse from here, right now, the worst of what’s happening in Fukushima is 0.002739 percent as bad as the worst of the Chernobyl disaster. 400 rontgen is enough radiation to kill you. 10,000 micro-sievert equals 1 rontgen. Chernobyl was pushing out 30,000 rontgen per hour at its core – enough to kill someone in 48 seconds. This is an important point to make – while levels are higher than normal, this is extremely minor on the scale of a real disaster. Oh, and one more thing – Fukushima only hit its 8,217 micro-sievert peak for a very short period. Chernobyl’s level was sustained.
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14 Mar 2011 10:48

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World: Fukushima evacuees: Reactor trouble completely unexpected

  • It said we had to go to the town hall to evacuate because there was trouble at reactor No. 1. I left with just my purse and the clothes I was wearing.
  • Fukushima nuclear plant employee Yoshiko Watanabe • Describing what happened when she found out the plant was first having trouble on Saturday. Since then, she and others have been sleeping on the floor at a school in the city of Iwaki.  She and other residents of Narahama are among the 200,000 people who have been forced from their homes by the situation at Fukushima. The town had no plan for anything like this and was caught off-guard. That’s because the reactor was made to withstand a quake, but not a tsunami. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Mar 2011 11:53

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World: Laymen’s terms: Fukushima withstood the quake, not the tsunami

  • Reactors have been designed with such [earthquake] concerns in mind, but preliminary assessments of the Fukushima Daiichi accidents suggested that too little attention was paid to the threat of tsunami. It appeared that the reactors withstood the powerful earthquake, but the ocean waves damaged generators and backup systems, harming the ability to cool the reactors.
  • A piece from the New York Times • Explaining what appears to have happened, calmly and simply, with the current nuclear crisis. Overall, the effect is that Japan’s precautionary methods for nuclear plants were successful in what they were designed to do. The problem is, the design of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant didn’t anticipate something far different. Which is why the current situation has escalated. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Mar 2011 18:37

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U.S.: Fukushima: Dozens of people could’ve been exposed to radiation

  • 160 people are at risk of radiation according to the Japan Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
  • nine people have shown signs of radiation so far, based on early tests by multiple authorities source
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12 Mar 2011 15:22

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World: Fukushima update: Some people have tested positive for radiation

  • 50k number of people who officials evacuated to prevent further radiation exposure
  • 90 residents near the Fukushima reactor site tested randomly for radiation exposure
  • three of those people tested positive for very high levels – this could be bad, guys source
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12 Mar 2011 14:40

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World: ShortFormBlog Summary Sandwich: Japan Earthquake day two

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12 Mar 2011 08:34

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World: Fukushima blast: Sea water the coolant of choice for reactor

  • We’ve decided to fill the reactor container with sea water. Trade minister Kaieda has instructed us to do so. By doing this, we will use boric acid to prevent criticality.
  • Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano • Explaining what will happen next in the wake of the Fukushima blast in Japan. For what its worth, Edano says that, although there was an explosion, it didn’t affect the core reactor. “The nuclear reactor is surrounded by a steel reactor container, which is then surrounded by a concrete building,” he said. “The concrete building collapsed. We found out that the reactor container inside didn’t explode.” Sea water, eh? Interesting coolant choice. source
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12 Mar 2011 00:28

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World: Japan quake: Nuclear energy could fall out of favor again, maybe

  • then After a period where nuclear power gained popularity, Three Mile Island, green groups and the movie “The China Syndrome” helped hurt the reputation of the power source.
  • now With a higher focus on safety, the risk of danger is much lower and growth has returned – but trouble in Japan could once again turn popular favor against it. source
  • » Two sides, two arguments: Green groups AND nuclear advocates have their talking points here – groups in favor of nuclear energy say the precaution prevented a much worse situation with the Fukushima reactors. Green groups say any leak of radioactive gas proves the dangers are too high. Of course, if this happens, it kinda throws everything out the window.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Feb 2011 10:58

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World: Iran’s long-gestating Bushehr nuclear plant delayed AGAIN

  • dreamAn Iranian nuclear power plant, long in the works since before the Islamic Revolution and currently being tag-teamed with Russia, was supposed to finally get up early this year after numerous delays.
  • reality Russia is forcing Iran to unload a bunch of nuclear fuel assemblies to test for numerous safety concerns, according to a nuclear watchdog. Maybe it’ll open after that? 36 years is a long time. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2010 11:02

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Politics: Hillary Clinton: Iran’s gonna pull something, ’cause they always do

  • I think we’ll see something coming up in the next 24 to 48 hours. I don’t think anybody should be surprised if they try to divert attention once again from the unity within the Security Council … but we have the votes.
  • Secretary of State Hillary Clinton • Regarding the sanctions the United Nations Security Council is trying to push for against Iran. Clinton is currently headed to Brazil, where she’s trying to mend fences with the country, which opposes new sanctions on Iran. It’s her second trip to Latin America in three months. source
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