Posted on 03/14/2011 9:24:51 PM PDT by SteveH
Japans turbulent history of war and natural catastrophe has already given the world a terrifying vocabulary of death: tsunami, kamikaze, Hiroshima.
But the country now stands on the brink of unleashing its most chilling phrase yet: genpatsu-shinsai the combination of an earthquake and nuclear meltdown capable of destroying millions of lives and bringing a nation to its knees.
The phrase, derived from the Japanese words for nuclear power and quake disaster, is the creation of Katsuhiko Ishibashi, Japans leading seismologist and one of the Governments top advisers on nuclear-quake safety. He said that the world may never know how close it came to its first genpatsu-shinsai this week. Luck, as much an anything else, helped to avert it.
A 6.8 magnitude quake, which shook Niigata on Monday and left thousands of homes uninhabitable, was three times more powerful than the designers of the nearest nuclear power plant Kashiwazaki-Kariwa had prepared for, or even imagined.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Of the potential nuclear ‘disasters’ going on in Japan - each one is probable no worse (and will get no worse) than the 1979 Three Mile Island incident... And please remember - there were no deaths form TMI nor any large numbers of radiation sickness after...
But the Liberal / Left Wing media want to ramp it up to stab any aspect of Nuclear Energy in the Heart - nothing more - nothing less...
Plus the situation in Japan is totally colored by the horrible specter of a simultaneous earthquake and Tsunami ... without witch ... the story would be much different...
Everyone should read the blog on this crisis written by Josef Oehman at MIT
Explanations of nuclear reactors and the present crisis in layman’s terms and a clear-headed style
A quake there, he said, could smash the reactor and send a radioactive cloud over Tokyo within eight hours: We would be looking at 24 million victims and the end for Japan.
An eruption of Mt. Fuji could send an ash cloud over Tokyo within 8 hours. So let's shut down Mt. Fuji.
日本*ピング* (kono risuto ni hairitai ka detai wo shirasete kudasai : let me know if you want on or off this list)
I’ve read it - thus the basis for my comments
THANKS THANKS.
Sanity and horse sense are wise at this time.
MIT NSE Nuclear Information Hub (http://web.mit.edu/nse/)
Even Godzilla is tired of the media scaremongering.
"A toy robot!" "Aggghh!!!" "A toy robot?" "Eat lead, sucker!"
Kamikaze means divine wind.
Historically, it was the name given to the wind that destroyed an invasion fleet from China that saved Japan in their ancient history. It was from there it eventually was used during WWII for the suicide pilots.
It was a term of destruction for enemies.
Hat tip to Nichiren Daishonin, the Japanese monk who history says was leading the prayers to wipe out the Manchurians.
Some good news, for people and pets:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366155/Japan-earthquake-survivor-reunited-baby-daughter--tsunami-warning-sounds.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703363904576200571710073008.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLTopStories
I'm thinking genpatsu-shinsai would be a most excellent screen name. In a twisted Monty Pythonish sort of way.
So where is the hysteria over the tsunami walls that were not tall enough?
The local TV here (Seattle area) ran a "what if" story last night on a tsunami hitting Seattle. Lots of animation and breathless narration. Then a seismologist came on and said "in all of history, recorded or not, nothing like this has ever happened in Puget Sound and is very unlikely. To which the idiot talking head added "But you never know".
Just heard that iodine tablets are selling here as fast as the pharmacies can stock the shelves.
“Hiroshima”
Sod off, you pommy git.
“Just heard that iodine tablets are selling here as fast as the pharmacies can stock the shelves.”
Oy vey. And those people are allowed to vote.
Investigative reporting?
http://www.pnsn.org/HAZARDS/CASCADIA/cascadia_event.html
Has happened many times before and is due for another.
Bush’s fault. . .
That's a little out of our power. Let's go the easy route then and evacuate Tokyo. Now. Just in case...
C'mon, if we can control the earth's climate by limiting CO2 emissions, the UN can think of some way to tax us and stop volcanic eruptions. ;^)
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