Japan rocked with 8.9 earthquake.

[sana]

My father is a radiologist and he had to travel to Japan as there is this society or some building which is called Sakura (I don't know all its name) but, anyway, my father had to go there for he had to do some seminars and stuff like that and these were the days when he had to go, Thank God my father didn't go there, the tsunami would have come in a few days from the time he would have reached there. Thank God, he is fine and stayed here, thank god!!!

[pomtzu]

It is quite clear that Japanese officials are lying about what is happening at the nuclear plant. We have seen the video of that explosion, and there is no plausibility to them saying that no or very little radiation has escaped.

That everyone within a 12-mile radius has been told to evacuate, and that ring keeps growing, is a very bad sign. We are afraid for all the people and animals - both pets and wild animals in the area.

Of course they're lying - the same as our own government would do in the same situation. They are reporting that the level of radiation around the plant is dropping too - so why do they keep increasing the area of evacuation???? That just doesn't equate.

A lot more videos on CNN and MSNBC that weren't available yesterday, have been playing today. It's so much worse than anything I could have imagined, or anything I saw yesterday. Also now reporting that 9500 people in one port town are missing, and that 4 trains that were traveling along the coast are gone. It just gets worse by the hour.

[Freedom]

Yesterday we watched tv most of the day - MSNBC and CNN.

Today, I just couldn't. I did turn it on for an hour, CNN. Wolf Blitzer had the Japanese ambassador on, live, sitting right next to him. I felt so badly for the poor man. His English wasn't great, he seemed no match for Blitzer, and Blitzer kept on about the nuclear plant situation. It was clear he was giving the "party line." He just couldn't cover it

Finally someone sent in a Tweet, and Blitzer asked the man - all his immediate family is fine, but extended family and many, many friends have not made contact w/ anyone.

And more photos, more filming, MORE after shocks, MORE tsunami sirens -- one went off while Blitzer was on, he cut to the on sight journalist for that.

The film of that huge whirlpool, and the small boat being drawn in -- and so many other videos and photos -- seem like special effects from some movie. I have to keep reminding myself, this is REAL!

I had to stop watching, it was just SO MUCH; imagine the people there; they can't take a break from the flattened surroundings.

[IRescue452]

Its all terrible. I went to Lakeland College and had a lot fo friends from Lakeland College Japan. I just spent some time putting in searches for people on google's people finder for the earthquakes in Japan. I hope I get some responses soon.

[wombat2u2004]

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/201...its_japan.html

[sasvermont]

From what I have heard, their next trick is to fill the reactor with sea water and boric acid, bringing the temperature down .... and killing the reactor completely. The very last resort is to fill it with concrete. I feel comfortable that the Japanese government has it under control. I don't think they want to panic the public. Since they knew all along that earthquakes were an issue, they prepared for it.... and have had all the plans in place, unlike some of the earlier meltdown failures. Of course, they had hoped that the diesel generators would have worked better - and the backup batteries worked better .... failed in both cases....now they are down to the last two resorts. The explosion wasn't a surprise to them from what I have heard in the reports... I predict that the concrete trucks are mixing up their loads right now. The seawater option creates a problem of where to expel the water...right back into the ocean? Radioactive water into the ocean? I hope not. Thus concrete sounds like the only option left.

Disclaimer: I could be totally wrong about this. Just gathered this information from what I have heard via the news reports. NPR mostly.

[Marigold2]

This will change the world. This is but the tip of the iceburg.

[blue]

This will change the world. This is but the tip of the iceburg.

Please explain how this will change the world.

[Marigold2]

Gas prices, stock market, relations between Japan and China or national debt to Japan.
How we as Americans begin to understand that yes this can happen to us as well in CA where they are saying in the next 30 we are expected to have a major earthquake such as this.
We are only seeing the beginning of what could happen. If there is a true melt down this will affect climate throughtout the world, the effects of the radiation, how the wind blows............
Japen could be almost wiped out if the radiation gets too high, the soil, plants, wildlife, air will be damaged the people will die, the island will be uninhabitable of worst comes to worst for many years. The people who live in Japan will have higher rates of cancer for many years to come and the next generation will be affected as well by. Their children will have a highter rate of birth defects.
Yes I belive this will change the world.

[blue]

Gas prices, stock market, relations between Japan and China or national debt to Japan.
How we as Americans begin to understand that yes this can happen to us as well in CA where they are saying in the next 30 we are expected to have a major earthquake such as this.
We are only seeing the beginning of what could happen. If there is a true melt down this will affect climate throughtout the world, the effects of the radiation, how the wind blows............
Japen could be almost wiped out if the radiation gets too high, the soil, plants, wildlife, air will be damaged the people will die, the island will be uninhabitable of worst comes to worst for many years. The people who live in Japan will have higher rates of cancer for many years to come and the next generation will be affected as well by. Their children will have a highter rate of birth defects.
Yes I belive this will change the world.

To my knowledge Japan doesnt have their own domestic oil reserves. They dont control the global stock market either. China may own a lot of our national dept but I have to admit I dont know how much Japan owns.

I live in Alaska, I am very aware this can happen here, Ive lived with earthquakes all my life. The Good Friday Earthquake of 64, second most powerful earthquake recorded, was bigger then this quake.

Japan has been through much worse, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. You do remember WW||?

Earthquakes like this are why Japan built small nuclear plants, to limit the radiation released in case of this type of catastrophe.

It is spelled Japan, not Japen.

[kitten645]

"Please explain how this will change the world.'

The death of thousands of people changes the world. Who can say what these people may have contributed to the world. The lose of any life changes the world. Even if it's just some peoples world.
My thoughts are with any victim of natural or manmade disaster. Hoping for some miracles.

[Kirsten]

Japan has been through much worse, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. You do remember WW||?

They say it's much worse! And if the reactor explodes, the radiation could be worse than Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[pomtzu]

It is spelled Japan, not Japen.

Oh for Heaven's sake - knock off the petty crap and stick with the issues at hand. You of course, have NEVER made a typing error. Grow up, will ya' please??? Oh - forgive me - "ya" isn't a proper and acceptable word.

So if you think that these events will not change the world, then you are certainly entitled to your own opinion. Just stick your head in the sand and let the world go by all around you, and you will never be aware of any of these changes, and you can continue to live in your blissful state (of mind).

[Marigold2]

Blue this is so horrible. The lose of life, the change in this part of the world. The years it will take to rebuild, to get over the emotional shock, scars of the people who have to witness the horror, the children who cry out for their dead parents.
The aftershocks could continue for months. Who and how can these poor people ever feel safe again?
Yes this will change the world in countless ways.
Do I remember WW11 yes I do? Better then you. My mom was in concentration camp and lost all her family. She had 10 brothers and sisters.
I understand how something like this effects a person for a lifetime, for generations these peoples mental state will be changed.
They will think differently, act differently and rethink what is important in life.
Something so profound changes people.
Just ask any man or women who served in battle and the horror they have seen how it changed them.
Now we have an entire country of shell shocked victims suffering.
The world has changed. No it will never be the same.
Just as WW11 changed the world this will as well.

[Marigold2]

Oh and I would like to add one more thing. When a country is at war people might not expect to be killed or have their city born up but they mentally go over it in their mind and make plans.
When it starts to happen they have some time to adjust hopefully.
But this happened without warning. This shock is so much greater and deeper in the human mind.
When we hear about crime, shooting and killing in a bad area we aren't that surprised but when it happens in a nice middle class area where kids ride their bikes till dusk and doors are left unlocked the shock factor is so much worst.
This is how it is for these poor souls now. Out of the blue (no pun intented) mother nature has struck and whom can one blame or get mad at?
And where was God? I wonder how many ask that question and get no reply.