Japan rocked with 8.9 earthquake.

[wombat2u2004]

It would be nice if we could all have access to solar/wind energy systems. One would think our governments would want to make it soooooooooo cheap for us that we couldn't resist.

We get big subsidies here for installing solar units, and for a while they insulated homes for free.

[Karen]

We get big subsidies here for installing solar units, and for a while they insulated homes for free.

We do get some money back for solar installation, Wom. It's just that at our house, we do not get enough sun to make it remotely useful. I grow moss better than anything else, because of the position of the house, the hill behind, and the trees across the street, etc. etc.

Sas, the problem is that solar cells are still currently pretty expensive to make, but they are getting better, more efficient and less expensive as time goes on. I keep hoping they'll get to the point that they are more affordable. My church, for instance, has a huge slate roof that could probably power the whole building if we could get solar cell up there, but it would have to be the side not facing the street because of being in a "historic district."


Back to the original topics, the news coming from Japan is increasingly scary, especially if you listen to enough news sources to get a more complete picture. It is truly tragic for Japan, and I hope anyone anywhere near the plant evacuated when they were told to do so.

[Karen]

The situation in Japan with the nuclear plant seems to be spiraling out of control. There are "spent" rods sitting open to the sky, leaks from reactor #2 - we can see smoke pouring out a hole in the building, and the radiation is so high they have had to pull the workers away, they sent them back afterwards, but they are not able to do many things because of the radiation.

Most telling? American officials have told all Americans within 50 miles to evacuate, and said if this were happening here, they'd evacuate everyone to that point. Japanese officials have just evacuated to 12 miles away, but the US obviously feels that is not safe.

Sad, sad, sad and scary for the people and animals of Japan.

[Cincy'sMom]

This is an update my friend just posted on facebook. Please keep her and her teaching team in your thoughts and prayers (and everyone in Japan)

"my friends: i can't leave. trains aren't operating. highways are closed. we are planning to leave tomorrow morning by vans and taking back roads. i'm asking everyone to remain calm and pray. help me remain peaceful."

[RICHARD]

http://www.mercurynews.com/californi...nclick_check=1

The Los Angeles County Fire Department, on the move again.

[Grace]

http://www.mercurynews.com/californi...nclick_check=1

The Los Angeles County Fire Department, on the move again.

Richard, I saw something on the news about that earlier in the week. I think they were coordinating everything in your city, before shipping out.

[pomtzu]

And they are doing water drops by helicopter???? To me, that seems like fighting a forest fire with a garden hose. How the heck is that going to cover any exposed rods???

And those poor workers that have stayed behind to "try" to fight this monster. For them, it's pretty much a death sentence. I heard that the Japanese government was looking for older workers to volunteer to stay, since they probably would die from old age rather than the effects of the radiation, which can take many years to show up. It was reported that one man that stayed was only 6 months from retirement. And in interviews with their family members, they just accept it and move on. I can't imagine, but that's just how they live their lives - so much different than ours, for sure.

What makes me angry, is that the Japanese government downplayed the whole situation from day one, and felt that they could keep things under control. Yes - they are a proud people - but this was just reckless - simply lies to try to hide the truth from the world, and not look vulnerable, as they truly are. If they had brought in the "big guns" and fought fire with fire from the start, then they probably wouldn't have such a hideous, dangerous monster on their hands right now.

I pray for ALL of Japan, not just the stricken areas. Their way of life, and their faith in their leaders has been compromised. How can they believe anything that they are told now???

[Karen]

They cannot get close enough to cover the rods with water any other way, the radiation is too high. And even this seems to be a hit-or-miss situation. Remember, Pom, the information we have been getting is mostly from the company that runs the power plant, not the Japanese government. This is a company that has lied to the world in the past, sadly. They are also trying to use water cannons from ground level. I hope somehow they can get things under control without too much more damage and sacrifice.

[Kirsten]

And those poor workers that have stayed behind to "try" to fight this monster. For them, it's pretty much a death sentence. I heard that the Japanese government was looking for older workers to volunteer to stay, since they probably would die from old age rather than the effects of the radiation, which can take many years to show up. It was reported that one man that stayed was only 6 months from retirement. And in interviews with their family members, they just accept it and move on. I can't imagine, but that's just how they live their lives - so much different than ours, for sure.

The other day, I heard on tv that 1986 in Chernobyl, the Russians sent an entire army to stop the fire, and they all died. I saw a discussion on tv whether something like that would be possible in Germany, in case of a nuclear disaster. Our mentality is obviously different, more individual, and it would probably be hard to find someone who'd be willing to sacrifice his own life.