Japan rocked with 8.9 earthquake.

[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.

[ChrisH]

Japan earthquake/tsunami relief donations

Why Donors Should Wait Before Giving to Japan

Are charities taking advantage of the urge to help Japan?

On a personal note, so far, I have only given to animal charities, simply because I think creatures are often the last to be thought of in such horrible situations.

[pomtzu]

February 2nd 2011
In Pictures: Inside the Chernobyl nuclear power plant

Thanks for posting. I was surprised tho, to see that some work is going on inside the building. I thought no one could go anywhere the place.

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.

I heard it said that it is due to the Japanese economy being what it is, since they are a big player in the world market. Compare that to Haiti, and it certainly does make sense. None the less, they still need help, and the donations so far have been pretty meager.

[smokey the elder]

I'm not sure why this is. Maybe because they're seen as a First World country, and wealthy. The US didn't get a lot of foreign donations after Katrina, for example. I don't think there's the push to donate like there was with Haiti. Who knows?

I see now that they are planning to entomb the reactors after all.

[Kirsten]

February 2nd 2011
In Pictures: Inside the Chernobyl nuclear power plant

Wow, these pictures are truly haunting!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

One thing that concerns me is they say that the radioactive stuff heading for the US won't hurt us. But what about the animals and fish? They are way smaller than humans. Will it hurt them? And will it harm any plant life? We do need safe food after all.

[Kirsten]

One thing that concerns me is they say that the radioactive stuff heading for the US won't hurt us. But what about the animals and fish? They are way smaller than humans. Will it hurt them? And will it harm any plant life? We do need safe food after all.

I just read that there was a higher radiation in California today.

I'm sure we'll have to be careful as far as the food is concerned, especially fish. After all, most of the fallout hit the Pacific, didn't it? I remember that in 1986, after Chernobyl, we weren't allowed to drink milk, and lots of our harvests had to be destroyed. The mushrooms in the south of Germany are still slightly radiated, same goes for the wild pigs in that area. And it's 25 years ago!

I'm also very worried about the wildlife in the affected areas.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I just read that there was a higher radiation in California today.

I'm sure we'll have to be careful as far as the food is concerned, especially fish. After all, most of the fallout hit the Pacific, didn't it? I remember that in 1986, after Chernobyl, we weren't allowed to drink milk, and lots of our harvests had to be destroyed. The mushrooms in the south of Germany are still slightly radiated, same goes for the wild pigs in that area. And it's 25 years ago!

I'm also very worried about the wildlife in the affected areas.

I also worry about pets!!! My brother lives in Las Vegas so they are bound to get some of it. Whatever California gets, goes over the mountain to his place. He has 9 cats.

[Kirsten]

I also worry about pets!!! My brother lives in Las Vegas so they are bound to get some of it. Whatever California gets, goes over the mountain to his place. He has 9 cats.

On tv, they showed pictures of a shelter where refugees could bring their pets with them. But it's only one of many shelters that allows pets.

Found some articles related to that subject:

Choosing Between Your Pet or Shelter: a Reality for People in Japan

Japan's Animals Are in Peril


Hope your brother and his 9 cats will be safe!

[Karen]

The radiation hitting the lower States now is very, very slight, and nothing to really worry about. Germany is much closer to Chernobyl than the US is to the West Coast of the US. For example, Los Angeles is 5363 miles or 8629.07 Kilometers from Fukishima, but Frankfurt Germany to Kiev Ukraine is just 983 miles or 1581.65 Kilometers - so 3 times closer. What hit California was only trace amounts, and the mountains between LA and your brother in Los Angeles would likely take most of even that trace amount.

[CountryWolf07]

Mike was telling me that Japan has been hiding information within their nuclear power plants, is that true? I don't know what to think. And that also, Japan does not want our help, also. I keep thinking about the whole WWII thing - how Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, and how we bombed Japan twice.. can someone clear it up?

[Karen]

Mike was telling me that Japan has been hiding information within their nuclear power plants, is that true? I don't know what to think. And that also, Japan does not want our help, also.

The company in charge of the power plants has a history of hiding information from the public. They are continuing to do so. But yesterday the Japanese government said they would accept help from other countries for their nuclear situation.

I keep thinking about the whole WWII thing - how Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, and how we bombed Japan twice.. can someone clear it up?

The war with Japan was a complex matter. Yes, it began with their bombing Pearl Harbor, but they continued to bomb ship and targets throughout the war, including the famous Kamikazee pilots, who would run a suicide mission, and fly their planes into "enemy" (American and Allied) ships. There was plenty of bombing on both sides. The war essentially ended when we (America) dropped two atomic bombs on Japan - Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[CountryWolf07]

The company in charge of the power plants has a history of hiding information from the public. They are continuing to do so. But yesterday the Japanese government said they would accept help from other countries for their nuclear situation.



The war with Japan was a complex matter. Yes, it began with their bombing Pearl Harbor, but they continued to bomb ship and targets throughout the war, including the famous Kamikazee pilots, who would run a suicide mission, and fly their planes into "enemy" (American and Allied) ships. There was plenty of bombing on both sides. The war essentially ended when we (America) dropped two atomic bombs on Japan - Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Ah! Now I understand. Thanks for clearing that up, Karen!

[Grace]

A survivor has been found -

TOKYO (AP) — Military search teams pulled a young man from a crushed house Saturday, eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

The young man, found in the rubble in Kesennuma city, was too weak to talk and was immediately transferred to a nearby hospital, said a military official. The official, who declined to give his name because he was not authorized to speak to the media, had no other details.

Kyodo, the Japanese news agency, said the man was in his 20s.

The rescue is the latest and one of the few after the March 11 disaster, as the power of the tsunami, triggered by the magnitude-9 earthquake, likely pulled many people out to sea.

The National Police Agency raised the death toll Saturday, reporting that 7,197 people had died — exceeding the deaths from the 1995 Kobe earthquake. Another 10,905 were reported missing, the police agency said.

[RICHARD]

I am sorry to repeat this but....

I went thru a 6.8 EQ that lasted about 20-30 seconds

The Japanese people are getting AFTERSHOCKS in the 6.0 range everyday. The 9.0 quake was to have lasted 5 minutes.

Stand in the middle of a room and run back and forth for 5 minutes crashing into furniture.

I know the radioactivity is a major issue at the moment?

But there are thousands of people who are so shell shocked, the sound of a large truck rumbling by will make them instantly panic and have flashbacks about the original quake.

Please remember and pray for them also.