Comments on: The Power of Nature…

By: Ley

Ley — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:12:26 +0000

I once had a meeting with the lawyer of the owner of the tallest building in this city. I asked him if the tower, touted to be the tallest hotel tower in the Philippines, can withstand an 8.0 magnitude earthquake. He simply said “I don’t think there’s a building here which can withstand an earthquake of that magnitude.” Yikes!

By: Elsie

Elsie — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:50:55 +0000

To have a little bit of understanding on how a nuclear reactor and cooling system works…
Click on various parts of the reactor to see details.
https://www.shaastrotsav.org/2010_/shaas_interactive/images/nuctour1.swf
I am not saying though that I support the BNPP.

By: Mimi

Mimi — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:10:11 +0000

Last Christmas I sent a box to a friend in Japan it took over 2 weeks and she got it after Christmas, so I can imagine with the chaos there it may take longer. Also, there have been reports that commercial mail in Japan is not really up to speed right now. A friend suggested to just send cash via the Japanese Embassy, so maybe that is the best option rather than a care package.

By: ami

ami — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 06:49:50 +0000

More good news:
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20110314-325371/Bill-seeking-BNPP-revival-shelved

By: j.

j. — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 06:07:41 +0000

Doddie,

If you could kindly forward the address, that would be wonderful. My family in Tokyo do not need the supplies, but I am ready, willing, and able to send out the care package. It is much more chaotic in the areas surrounding Sendai…

By: ami

ami — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 02:29:30 +0000

Found this article in the Inquirer which said that those who supported the Bataan Nuclear Plant are now backing out or having second thoughts.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20110314-325292/PH-nuclear-proponents-abandon-position

Yey!

By: Doddie Householder

Doddie Householder — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 23:07:41 +0000

For MM readers:

If you want to help in the Japan Earthquake/Tsunami Disaster, I have a Swedish friend who is married to a Japanese living in the Tochigi District. It is nearer to Sendai than Tokyo is. They have nothing to buy in the groceries, convenience stores and gasoline stations. If any good Samaritan would like to send a care package (it has to be express priority mail – the post office is still running and will deliver this first), please send the following:
Candles
AA batteries (for flashlights/radio)
noodle packs
crackers
Seaweed wrapper (Nori) – contains iodine to counteract any radiation exposure
Wet Ones/Wet Tissue
I have her addy and will send to those who ask for it. My friend Anna is a blogger and you can google her blog – Budget Trouble in Japan.
Here is a link to one of her blogs – https://www.tochigidailyphoto.com/2011/03/two-days-after-tohoku-earthquake.html?spref=tw
She has promised to share any supplies with her neighbors. I am sending an emergency box of the stuff she asked today. I do hope somebody would do the same. It will be quite some time until things normalizes in their wrecked neighborhood.

Doddie

By: Gerry

Gerry — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:33:41 +0000

I am a supporter of nuclear power since it really is much better than the other baseload alternatives available to us which are natural gas and coal. Those Japanese nukes were built in the ’70s and relied on electricity to pump water through the core to cool it down. The problem in this situation is that power supply from the grid vanished, so they had to rely on their generators, which were damaged by the tsunami. I guess they did not plan on this happening, thus the possibility of meltdown. The earthquake and tsunami did not directly cause the meltdown, it is the lack of power to run the pumps that cool the reactor that is the problem.

Newer plants rely on passive cooling systems, wherein no pumps are necessary to cool down the reactor in case of emergencies. The system simply does it on it’s own even without human intervention. Please do keep an open mind with regards to nuclear power despite what’s happening in Japan. Bill Gates has invested in a start-up called TerraPower that promises safer and more efficient nukes. I do not however support activating the BNPP.

By: j.

j. — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 10:20:51 +0000

Hi MM,

Just to let you know, Tokyo is relatively unscathed (if you could call it that!). My family and I are communicating through skype and facebook, as the only thing working with certainty is the internet and the archaic landlines. One thing that I heard American broadcasters kept on relaying with certainty and amazement, is how the well prepared the Japanese are. I am hoping that they are also prepared for the nuclear onslaught. The Japanese goverment often downplays the criticallity of disasters in Japan, but as a whole they are even more prepared than many European and Asian countries, and definitely much more intune with the needs of their population than the American government is (think Katrina response). If this ever happens in California, it will be Loma Prieta all over again! All I can do is pray and see if I can donate my time, money, and or whatever else to help…

By: Mimi

Mimi — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 07:29:16 +0000

Been glued to watching Japan news…the earthquake has been re-classified to 9.0! And studies say Japan has shifted 2.4 meters from before the quake and the earth’s axis has also shifted by 25 cm. Makes me have a better understanding about Pangea and today’s geography. Please, Lord, give Japan a break! Poor people, there are now 6 nuclear reactors on the danger list!