Japan ...

[chromium]

Third reactor threatening to go into meltdown mode and a volcano erupts. If this was one of those doomsday films, you'd now leave the theater muttering to yourself what an unrealistic buch of crap you just saw.

No kidding - sorta like that that horrendous "2012" movie, except real.


"The Japan Meteorological Agency on Sunday revised its assessment of the quake's magnitude to 9.0 from 8.8, and said there was a 70% chance of a magnitude 7.0 aftershock occurring in the next three days. The U.S. Geological Survey's assessment put the earthquake's magnitude at 8.9.

The quake appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet and shifted the Earth on its axis, according to media reports citing USGS scientists." (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/japan-faces-new-outages-as-power-crisis-deepens-2011-03-13?pagenumber=1)

[Dave W]

I have a friend who lives in Tokyo and he told me the news reports are actually downplaying things. Where he is hasn't been affected as much but in the north it's even worse than how it's being reported.

I can believe it. And a death toll of 10,000 is unrealistically low. There are that many people missing and feared dead in the town of Minami Sanriku. The same article says that Kesennuma (pop. 74,000) is missing three-quarters of its residents. Another article says the town of Minamisoma (pop. 71.000) is also wiped out. Now there are reports that the coastal town of Rikuzentakata (pop. 24,000) is completely submerged.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

I can believe it. And a death toll of 10,000 is unrealistically low. There are that many people missing and feared dead in the town of Minami Sanriku. The same article says that Kesennuma (pop. 74,000) is missing three-quarters of its residents. Another article says the town of Minamisoma (pop. 71.000) is also wiped out. Now there are reports that the coastal town of Rikuzentakata (pop. 24,000) is completely submerged.

Yeah~ Here's Rikuzentakata:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScjHs9bClyc

Crikey!

[Highlander]

Just announced that a third reactor has blown at Fukushima

[Freuds_Cat]

No kidding!  The stories out of the damage from this event are just starting to emerge, and I don't think anyone realizes how it will total up yet.  This may turn out to be the widest-spread devastation recorded in any developed country (outside of warfare).

Sorry Al, like Mark said earlier people need to remember that the last big Tsunami took out 230,000 people across fourteen countries. While I have the utmost sympathy for those in Japan I cant help feeling a bit irked by the coverage and attitude of the media towards Japan as compared to their relative indifference to countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia. I have a great difficulty is seeing these countries as third world. No offence intended but we are talking 23 times the number of dead.

[Dave W]

I'm afraid the death toll will be many times 10,000. On top of what we had already heard, I read tonight that in the town of Otsuchi, people 12,000 people are missing out of a population of 15,000. There may be more stories like this. Two different places reported about 1000 bodies each washed up on shore this morning. How many more are lost at sea forever?

The 2004 tsunami got lots of coverage in the US. Not as much as this, but media coverage of anything is more intense today. On top of that, you have the whole nuclear issue.

[Highlander]

This is of interest...

Jackie heard a report that Japan has physically moved; she heard 7.5 feet yesterday... I heard nearly 9 feet today... BBC science page reports a minor axis change/time change...?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12732335

There now concerns on a fourth reactor...

[Freuds_Cat]

"The quake probably shifted Earth on its axis by about 6.5 inches (16.5cm) and caused the planet to rotate somewhat faster, shortening the length of the day by about 1.8 millionths of a second."


Man that sucks. My days are not long enough already. 

[Dave W]

Japan before and after

Move your cursor from right to left and it overlays the same picture with the after.

There's a view of Minamisanriku on the second page. I can see why over half the population is missing.

[uwe]

Those are some very sobering sights. 

[Pilgrim]

That is one of the most chilling sets of photos I have seen!

[Barklessdog]

The Story about the "Faceless 50" is truly an inspiring story- The 50 workers who went back to the plant knowing it will probably kill them.


http://orgtheory.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/the-faceless-50/

[rahock]

I have always had great respect for the courage and dignity for the people of Japan. There is a presiding sense of selfless duty that is deeply ingrained in their culture and that's the stuff that a hero is made of.
During Katrina half the news coverage was about the looting and robbing that was going on. Not to say that some of this isn't happening in Japan, but it seems that in general, their hearts and heads are to a far greater extent, in the right place.
Rick

[uwe]

The Story about the "Faceless 50" is truly an inspiring story- The 50 workers who went back to the plant knowing it will probably kill them.


http://orgtheory.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/the-faceless-50/

I hope they at least get a nice place in the Shinto Shrine. Not a sarcastic remark, I'm serious. It will mean something to them and their families. Some of that old Kamikaze spirit lives on.

[hieronymous]

I hope they at least get a nice place in the Shinto Shrine. Not a sarcastic remark, I'm serious. It will mean something to them and their families. Some of that old Kamikaze spirit lives on.

This got me thinking - the original "kamikaze" (god wind) was a typhoon that destroyed the invading Mongol fleet. In that case, a natural disaster benefited Japan. But this article relates the ambiguity of the gods and nature in Japanese spirituality:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/by-topic/jeffrey-richey-commentary-on-japan/8391/

I think that almost any religion has its good and bad sides, just like any nation or culture. I hope that in Japan's case the positive aspects like compassion and perseverance continue to hold...