8.9 magnitude earthquake in Japan!

[Mr. Sir]

I'm wondering about that 2012 prediction right about now.

Is this the beginning???

hahaha, you're joking, right?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I sure hope so.

 

[Che]

I had to look up where you're at, Jay...I couldn't remember. You've been on my mind pretty constant since this started. I'll post the image. 'Prefecture' is a Japanese county, it sounds like.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Thanks, and close, Che, but Prefecture is somewhat larger, more like a state. Of course nowhere as large as a US state. The whole country is about the size of California, I believe. Prefecture is the largest formal delineation beneath country, basically, aside from the north and south islands, and the big part in the middle. There are 47 prefectures.

 

[SoonerFan]

My son-in-law is in the Navy reserves. They have been going to Japan for their 2-week training for years. He was scheduled to go April 2 through April 18th.

Yesterday, they advised him they are now leaving March 25th with an unknown return date.

Since he is the father of my grandson I have mixed feelings about this. Proud that he will be helping in Japan, but scared at the same time.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Dennis, as of this time, the US is going to lengths to protect the US service people currently here. No ships or flight paths close to the reactor location, no doubt looking at the situation very closely. There are some US rescue people working in the tsunami affected areas, but the radiation levels are not dangerous much beyond the reactors site at this point, at least so informed by different monitoring groups. His help is needed. Try not to worry, friend.

 

[NeTree]

Right about now, they'd pump raw sewerage into those reactors, if it would help.

 

[bill22]

My hat is off to the people working in the reactor putting their lives aside to try and keep it from melting down.

 

[NeTree]

Mine as well; they know they're dead already.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Ain't no amount of money could make me a coal miner or a nuclear power plant employee. NO WAY.

 

[Ryan]

I have a buddy that did some mining. The elevator broke and they had to climb a mile of ladder to get out.

As for the Japan reactors, are they doing just enough to prevent a meltdown or are we being fed propaghanda as to how perilous the situation actually is? I thought something like this would have come to a head already. I'm also wondering about these "volunteers" who are exposing themselves to the radioactive environment. Were they promised riches or just a bullet to do such acts of heroism? You can probably tell I don't have much faith in the goodness of mankind. I'm not trying to belittle anything that's going on in Japan, I'm just curious about a few things.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Oh, I'm sure we aren't being told the entire picture; that's about normal for any country. I'm also pretty sure the Herioc Fifty aren't being forced, but who knows.

 

[pantheraba]

There is a level of duty and honor instilled in the Japanese from birth that is likely driving the Fifty to such heroic, selfless actions.

 

[bill22]

True, especially if they come from ninja or samurai descent.

 

[simplypete]

What are you saying? Fred Flinstone was very selfless. They could be from Bedrock.

 

[Thor's Hammer]

True, especially if they come from ninja or samurai descent.

Of course. It's well known that ninja and samurai skills are genetically imbued.

 

[SoonerFan]

My daughter now informs me that her husband's deployment to Japan has been cancelled. She says they are evacuating the entire Atsugi Naval Base.

 

[sawinredneck]

That's not a good start, Dennis!
I'm amazed at how little they are reporting on this right now, seems there hasn't been a change in the news casts in the last 24hrs.

 

[SoonerFan]

I looked on Google Earth and found the Atsugi Naval Base. It's further away from the power plants than Tokyo. Looks plenty far away if everything is as they say it is.

 

[sawinredneck]

I don't think anything is as they say it is over there, but that's just me.

 

[gf beranek]

It's dire straights. Man, the absolute worse case scenario happened. The triple whammy. And it's not over yet.

 

[Burnham]

Media, academics, and talking heads all are having a seesaw battle about how bad it's likely to be here in western Oregon and the west coast US in general when (not if) we get a similar tectonic plate earthquake offshore. The general drift is we're not nearly as prepared as the Japanese, and look how badly it's gone there. I'm feeling pretty good about my personal situation if that happens in my time, but the urban/suburban millions will suffer, just like in Japan. My heart goes out to those folks.

 

[gf beranek]

You have one heck of a volcano in your back yard, B.

I'm thinking Rainer poses the biggest threat to the PNW. Could wipe out millions in a matter of hours.

 

[Burnham]

True enough, Jerry. The monster volcao eruption scenario is another whole tar baby to consider, and that could get nasty, too. I was here for the Mt. St. Helens blow...if Mt. Hood had a similar event on the side facing me, that could get very, very ugly.

 

[Burnham]

Google Earth tells me its just a smidgen over 25 air miles from my house to the top of Mt. Hood. The lateral blast area of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 reached 17 miles to the northwest from the peak. That puts things pretty much in my neighborhood should my local volcano decide to get angry in my direction.