8.9 Earthquake hits japan

[givemeabreak432]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80CH_Xkp ... ideo_title

O_O

[SneakyPie]

It's Godzilla rising from the ocean floor.

[Cho]

Gah!!!!!

[Laptop_mini]

I got an alert this morning when I woke up telling me theres a small risk of tsunami on my coast because of that hit.. (San Francisco, CA)

[Zinrius]

Unfortunate event.

You'd think after the 7th'hundred time this has happened to them that they'd have some sort of advanced force field mechanism around their borders.

[Cho]

As a reminder, from our rules

General
- Profanity and/or vulgarity will not be tolerated - keep the chat and forums clean.
- Discrimination of any kind is a serious offence. You will be warned or banned.
- Please keep controversial (including religion or politics) or tasteless discussions out of chat/forums/Vent.
- Low content posts are frowned upon e.g. 'LOL' or ':D', you may be warned for multiple infractions.

Don't do it... If your post was deleted, move on. Continued posting in the same vein will earn you nothing but a ban.

[Cho]

It's Godzilla rising from the ocean floor.

He is a rather plump fellow, now that I look at the pic closely. You'd think he'd be jollier.

[The_Fuzz22]

While I take no issue with discussion, I have to express my annoyance at the number of my friends already posting this in their Facebook status:

"An earthquake has hit Japan reaching 8.9 on the Richter scale, post this as your status to raise awareness for those suffering around the world at this time"

Don't get me wrong, showing support for our ailing brothers and sisters overseas is an admirable thing to do but I fail to see how popping it in your Facebook status is going to help anything.

• They can't see it.
• It took no effort.
• These hollow words will do nothing to help rebuild their homes, reinstate their failing infrastructure and put food in their mouths during the upcoming months.

What's really happened is someone wanted to be the first person to make a status about it and garner attention for being so caring. Pardon the cynicism but with the advent of social networking we're seeing more and more of this every day.

I would urge any and everyone to do everything you can to genuinely help somehow. It won't be long before aid organisations are set up and poised to begin distributing support where it is needed most, when that time comes send some money or clothes or anything that may help.

Then maybe update your status and gloat about it.

[MKindy]

seismic_waves.png

Speed of seismic waves vs. speed of tweets.

[Laptop_mini]

Thinking of what Cho said, and seeing the posts, I think this thread should be locked..

[Milo_Windby]

Or at least put a muzzle on The_Fuzz22... seems everything about anything offends him.

[SneakyPie]

I actually agree with the Fuzz 100%.

It was like those silly posts about stopping child abuse.

I see no reason for the thread to be locked.

[Zinrius]

I actually agree with the Fuzz 100%.

It was like those silly posts about stopping child abuse.

I see no reason for the thread to be locked.

Cho was refferring to a post which he deleted that involved the "believe" of certain individuals religiously.

So don't think Cho's being a meanie about the post itself, just the content that was posted before edit.

[SneakyPie]

I actually agree with the Fuzz 100%.

It was like those silly posts about stopping child abuse.

I see no reason for the thread to be locked.

Cho was refferring to a post which he deleted that involved the "believe" of certain individuals religiously.

So don't think Cho's being a meanie about the post itself, just the content that was posted before edit.

Well, while I do disagree with Fuzz about his religious points, it's just I know the rest of the forum would not be to handle a discussion like that maturely. But Fuzz did make excellent point regarding how just saying something isn't enough when a disaster of this magnitude occurs.

But now that the post in question is all hunky dory, this thread is fine.

[Zinrius]

I actually agree with the Fuzz 100%.

It was like those silly posts about stopping child abuse.

I see no reason for the thread to be locked.

Cho was refferring to a post which he deleted that involved the "believe" of certain individuals religiously.

So don't think Cho's being a meanie about the post itself, just the content that was posted before edit.

Well, while I do disagree with Fuzz about his religious points, it's just I know the rest of the forum would be to handle a discussion like that maturely. But Fuzz did make excellent point regarding how just saying something isn't enough when a disaster of this magnitude occurs.

But now that the post in question is all hunky dory, this thread is fine.

Oh of course, aside from the little hunky dory earlier, I agree with Fuzz 100%.

The thing that bothered me the most is that there wasn't enough news about it this morning like it din't matter enough. My family was in tears watching the disaster every time someone posted a fresh video of it on youtube. I was watching president Obama talking about it, it hurt me to hear him say, more or less, that "They had a bunch of money and it wouldn't be the first time they've been through such a disaster, so they'd rebuild stronger than ever"... So in other words, America's not going to send aid ? That's what I understood from his quote which in my opinion was quite cold.

The only thing I can do is donate if possible and pray, yes, pray in faith that they'll prosper, pray for their families who've lost so many loved ones and hope for the best. What else can I do ? I will not be angry at the world for what it does and doesn't do... I can only count my own blessings and move on with my family and friends. Does this bother me ? To a certain extend, yes; because there are less fortunate people out there.

Will I further think about this ? Of course not, I'd drive myself straight into depression and just hate myself for living.

So let us all hold hands and wish the Japanese well in this time of chaos! ( and send donations ! )

[The_Fuzz22]

Or at least put a muzzle on The_Fuzz22... seems everything about anything offends him.

Oh I dunno I'm pretty partial to caffeine and cheesy fries.

[superglitch]

Cho was refferring to a post which he deleted that involved the "believe" of certain individuals religiously.

So don't think Cho's being a meanie about the post itself, just the content that was posted before edit.

Well, while I do disagree with Fuzz about his religious points, it's just I know the rest of the forum would be to handle a discussion like that maturely. But Fuzz did make excellent point regarding how just saying something isn't enough when a disaster of this magnitude occurs.

But now that the post in question is all hunky dory, this thread is fine.

Oh of course, aside from the little hunky dory earlier, I agree with Fuzz 100%.

The thing that bothered me the most is that there wasn't enough news about it this morning like it din't matter enough. My family was in tears watching the disaster every time someone posted a fresh video of it on youtube. I was watching president Obama talking about it, it hurt me to hear him say, more or less, that "They had a bunch of money and it wouldn't be the first time they've been through such a disaster, so they'd rebuild stronger than ever"... So in other words, America's not going to send aid ? That's what I understood from his quote which in my opinion was quite cold.

Well he is sending almost every US Navy Ship in the Pacific to Japan, and practically all our search and rescue teams. Luckily the number of missing people went from 88,000 to 642, which is basically the missing trains. And trains are a big transport in Japan.

[Zinrius]

Well, while I do disagree with Fuzz about his religious points, it's just I know the rest of the forum would be to handle a discussion like that maturely. But Fuzz did make excellent point regarding how just saying something isn't enough when a disaster of this magnitude occurs.

But now that the post in question is all hunky dory, this thread is fine.

Oh of course, aside from the little hunky dory earlier, I agree with Fuzz 100%.

The thing that bothered me the most is that there wasn't enough news about it this morning like it din't matter enough. My family was in tears watching the disaster every time someone posted a fresh video of it on youtube. I was watching president Obama talking about it, it hurt me to hear him say, more or less, that "They had a bunch of money and it wouldn't be the first time they've been through such a disaster, so they'd rebuild stronger than ever"... So in other words, America's not going to send aid ? That's what I understood from his quote which in my opinion was quite cold.

Well he is sending almost every US Navy Ship in the Pacific to Japan, and practically all our search and rescue teams. Luckily the number of missing people went from 88,000 to 642, which is basically the missing trains. And trains are a big transport in Japan.

Yeah, I got re-informed about it. I woke up and went to work when I was posting that. I feel better now.

[MKindy]

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/03/this- ... unami-yet/

Watch the full 6.5 minutes.

[vallorn]

Please note that the threat of a nuclear disaster has been wildly overblown. If the worst happens and the fuel melts throught the containment it will only irradiate a 500m radius.

Compare this to Chernobyl where the idiots (somehow) managed to blow the top off of the reactor thereby scattering the fuel and byproducts in a giant cloud.

[Milo_Windby]

Please note that the threat of a nuclear disaster has been wildly overblown. If the worst happens and the fuel melts throught the containment it will only irradiate a 500m radius.

Compare this to Chernobyl where the idiots (somehow) managed to blow the top off of the reactor thereby scattering the fuel and byproducts in a giant cloud.

Yes... a 500 mile Radius is clearly not that large... or is it?



Something tells me that area that is irritated and is 500 miles in radius is nothing to sneeze at and really should be thought of as a horrible disaster...

[MKindy]

500m = 500 meters. Pi*2*500 square meters... very roughly 2 square miles--still relatively significant, to my mind, however.

[vallorn]

500m = 500 meters. Pi*2*500 square meters... very roughly 2 square miles--still relatively significant, to my mind, however.

yea but all thats been evacuated by now.

and Milo... i meant Meters...

a 500Mile radius would make Japan uninhabitable.

[SneakyPie]

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO)—the company that runs the Fukushima nuclear plants—says that 70% of the fuel rods have been damaged on the reactor 1 and 33% have been damaged on reactor 2. "The reactors' cores are believed to have partially melted"

(Source: http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/78387.html)

The radiation effects on the 50 workers, believed to be working in shifts, is still unknown. Radiation levels have swung up and down for days now, with the current levels in Fukushima City believed to be 100 times above normal, at around 20 micro-sieverts per hour.

(Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5782440/50-fukushi ... evels-soar)

As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 290,866 and the density of 389.68 persons per km². The total area is 746.43 km².

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima,_Fukushima)

The situation is bad. Four out the six reactors have exploded and have released quite a bit of radiation around the city and will only continue to do so until everything is contained which could day days or even a couple of weeks. Probably not over the entirety of the city but certainly more than just a 500 meter radius.

It won't be another Chernobyl, but it's much worse than some of you claim.

[MKindy]

It won't be another Chernobyl, but it's much worse than some of you claim.

It would especially help if I didn't do math while tired. I accidentally calculated circumference, not area, and forgot to convert kms to miles correctly, too. The conservative estimate of 500m given = pi*(500m)^2 ~ 0.785 square km or 0.303 square miles. I did want to correct myself there.

However, I'm interested to know where the 500m figure comes from. My Japanese isn't very good, but here's a table that shows what appears to be radiation measurements higher than background as far as 60km away from the power plant (Fukushima 1): http://www.mext.go.jp/component/a_menu/ ... 726_04.pdf

The middle column is the microSv measurements.

The "one chest x-ray every 2 hours" comment made by Gizmodo also appears to be correct; but 0.00048Sv per day (20 microSv/hour) is still far below the USA's National Institutes of Health's guideline of 0.25Sv in a single dose for producing any symptoms at all, and is in fact regarded as the acceptable maximum for a public space near a nuclear power plant: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/en ... od-bad.pdf

I'm more concerned about the Japanese document revealing places with 4 times that amount 30km away from Fukushima 1. I wish I could research it more, but I gotta get to class.

[SachielOne]

The situation is bad. Four out the six reactors have exploded and have released quite a bit of radiation around the city and will only continue to do so until everything is contained which could day days or even a couple of weeks. Probably not over the entirety of the city but certainly more than just a 500 meter radius.

It won't be another Chernobyl, but it's much worse than some of you claim.

Only the buildings around the reactors have exploded. The containment shells are still intact. In the event of a full meltdown, the containment shell keeps any released nuclear material from reaching the atmosphere.

[catzrule101]

They said somethin about a radiation cloud.... HI I YELLOWWWWWW

[aflycon]

They said somethin about a radiation cloud.... HI I YELLOWWWWWW

I hope that last bit isn't what I think it is..

[Lord_Mountbatten]

If folk are correct, the nuclear problem, though bad, will thankfully not be as bad as another certain nuclear disaster was...

[vallorn]

i realy dont understand why people use old fassioned Uranium reactors rather than the cheaper (and unmeltdownable) Thorium reactors.

the big difference is that Thorium doesnt pull off a chain reaction which means if you switch of the Neutron source it all turns off. Uranium just keeps going and going and if the coolant stops... well... molten Uranium.

also Thorium is a waste product from rare earth metal mining (theres masses of the stuff in slag heaps all over the world) and unlike Uranium where only a tiny fraction can be used for fission (the rest activly stops fission) over 90% of Thorium can be used.

and yet... only freaking China is putting plans in place to use it.