Fukushima "Emergency"

[chervilant]

Does anyone else find it distressing that Reuters is posting news about contaminated water escaping into the ocean at Fukushima?

5 votes, 4 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes, I have considered Fukushima a crisis since the beginning.
	5 (100%)
	No, the Japanese government is doing everything possible to contain the radiation.
	0 (0%)
	I don't care; we're all going to die anyway
	0 (0%)
	Would rather not respond...
	0 (0%)
	4 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[bananas]

1. Yes, I posted it in LBN.

Exclusive: Japan nuclear body says radioactive water at Fukushima an 'emergency'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014557315

[bananas]

2. Not just Reuters, also the BBC

http://enenews.com/bbc-flow-of-radioactive-water-into-pacific-could-accelerate-rapidly-now-that-barrier-is-breached-at-fukushima-plant-clear-that-tepco-in-deep-trouble

BBC: Flow of radioactive water into Pacific could ‘accelerate rapidly’ now that barrier is breached at Fukushima plant — Tepco clearly in ‘deep trouble’

Published: August 5th, 2013 at 5:14 pm ET
By ENENews
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4 comments

BBC News, August 5, 2013: A barrier built to contain the water has already been breached, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority warned. This means the amount of contaminated water seeping into the Pacific Ocean could accelerate rapidly, it said. ... It has been clear for months now that the operators of the Fukushima plant are in deep trouble, says the BBC’s Rupert Wingfield-Hayes.

Radio New Zealand, August 5, 2013: The Nuclear Regulatory Authority said on Monday that a barrier built to contain the water has already been breached. It said this means the amount of contaminated water seeping into the Pacific Ocean could accelerate rapidly.

See also: Reuters Exclusive: Barrier is breached at Fukushima says official -- 'Highly radioactive' water entering ocean -- Will flow 'extremely fast' if it reaches surface -- Tepco sorry for trouble

[JayhawkSD]

3. Choices offered are only the extremes.

The poll does not offer a choice that says this is a serious situation, but not a major crisis that will end life as we know it on this planet. The best response to Tepco's efforts to minimize the problem, which it is doing, is not to try to turn it into armageddon. It is somewhere in between.

The US is definitely blowing it. We also know more than we are letting on and we should be participating in the cleanup more than we are. We have resources and expertise that Japan lacks. If Japan is reluctant to let us we should be finding ways to force their hand.

But sowing panic and scaring the shit out of the rest of the world is not going to solve anything.

[phantom power]

4. 18,000 humans were killed by coal today. Each day. Over 6 million each year.

Each month, coal kills more victims than Chernobyl. The number of people predicted to die from Fukushima will be hard to distringuish from statistical background noise.

Remarkably, not a single country has declared a "coal emergency" or gone cold turkey on fossil fuels.

[GliderGuider]

5. ^ What he said! ^ nt

When it comes to existential risks, we're straining at gnats and swallowing camels again, folks.

[wtmusic]

7. +1

[XemaSab]

8. THIS RIGHT HERE

[wtmusic]

6. I find it distressing that Reuters is making a big deal out of it nt