Japan rocked with 8.9 earthquake.

[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.

[Bonny]

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.

Doesn't Japan get their oil from the Alaska Pipe Line? We did a tour in Valdez once & that is what they told us that the oil goes to Japan?

[sasvermont]

10:47 a.m. ET Thursday, 11:47 p.m. Thursday in Tokyo] Actress Sandra Bullock sent a $1 million donation to the Amerian Red Cross this week to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, the organization said Thursday. It is the largest celebrity donation to the Red Cross to be announced since the disaster struck last Friday, although the charity may have gotten large contributions that were kept confidential at the donors' request.

I have always liked Sandra but like her much more, now.

[pomtzu]

And the water drops from the helicopters were an effort in futility, and those efforts have been abandoned. Very little of the water ever made it's target, and most was dissipated by the wind - after it picked up all kinds of radiation and then rained down on the earth.

Wonder what they'll try next??? It seems that they are grasping at straws.

[Grace]

10:47 a.m. ET Thursday, 11:47 p.m. Thursday in Tokyo] Actress Sandra Bullock sent a $1 million donation to the Amerian Red Cross this week to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, the organization said Thursday. It is the largest celebrity donation to the Red Cross to be announced since the disaster struck last Friday, although the charity may have gotten large contributions that were kept confidential at the donors' request.

I have always liked Sandra but like her much more, now.

If I remember correctly, she did the same thing after Katrina and Haiti.

[wombat2u2004]

10:47 a.m. ET Thursday, 11:47 p.m. Thursday in Tokyo] Actress Sandra Bullock sent a $1 million donation to the Amerian Red Cross this week to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, the organization said Thursday. It is the largest celebrity donation to the Red Cross to be announced since the disaster struck last Friday, although the charity may have gotten large contributions that were kept confidential at the donors' request.

I have always liked Sandra but like her much more, now.

I wonder how much Charlie Sheen donated ....

[Cincy'sMom]

10:47 a.m. ET Thursday, 11:47 p.m. Thursday in Tokyo] Actress Sandra Bullock sent a $1 million donation to the Amerian Red Cross this week to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, the organization said Thursday. It is the largest celebrity donation to the Red Cross to be announced since the disaster struck last Friday, although the charity may have gotten large contributions that were kept confidential at the donors' request.

I have always liked Sandra but like her much more, now.

I heard on the radio yesterday that only $49 million had been donated to the Red Cross so far. Sounds like a lot to me, but I guess that is a lot lower then historically donated in the 6 days following a major event like this.


My friend has made it Tokyo. Hopefully she will be back in the US soon.