Nuclear engineers on cable news are useless

[RandySF]

One engineer will go on CNN and say that everything in Japan will be just fine regarding the reactors. Then, the next one gets on and says the end of world is in sight. And yes, there are hucksters on the left just as there are on the right. I do not know what to believe at this point. What, or who, should I believe?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Well you may want to stream Japanese media

they have had a meltdown... partial, on both reactors.

http://jibtv.com/program/?page=0

They are also covering the rest

[RandySF]

2. But I saw a comment you made earlier

Even if there is a meltdown, disaster can be averted if the containment vessel holds. Correct? I'm not trying to poo-poo anyone, but a lot things are being said and I think very little fact-checking by the media.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Yes, and so far containment is still good

[old mark]

4. "News" here in the US is all about drama and creating excitement...

they are trying to get your attention so they can run all those commercials to a maximum audience...More money...that's all it is about.


mark

[joshcryer]

5. Exactly, it's not about being informational, it's reactionary.

[Festivito]

6. Problem is it is a chances are scenario.

If you're in the area, chances are you have had some radiation hit you.
Chances are that not much harm was done, now that you have left the area.
Chances are that you have residual contamination.
Chances are that it is on your clothes.
Chances are you breathed some and it is inside you.
Chances are it fell to the ground, got on your shoe and ended up on your skin or eye.
Chances are that some bad iodine will find its way to your thyroid.
Chances are it will not.
Chances are even if it did it may never affect you.
Chances are it might.

So, explain probability to TV Americans who can hardly handle algebra.

The stuff does like electrostatic charged stuff. Hopefully it will rise high enough and find the Van Allen belts, rather than find and stick to your plastic eyeglasses and the polyester in your clothes or furry sweaters, ....

Chances are it will fall into the ocean and the land in between and the results will be long lasting and not pretty.... for a long long time. There will be an increase in cancer cases. Birth defects. Animal abnormalities. Occasional food supply contamination -- if you look for it.

How far it will go depends on the wind and the rain as well as how much blew and how far it blew.

It's a mess.

A bunch of people will die. A bunch are dying right now, unsung heroes trying to save their families and save other people -- just because. And a bunch of worthless bankers will sit on piles of money to watch others control what will look like miniature mayhem and no one will talk about either heroes or the bankers.

[JCMach1]

7. Dude was a RW tool... if we are talking about the same guy

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x630030

He is also a global warming denier...

[girl gone mad]

8. I think what you are saying..

is that nuclear engineers are fallible.

[KharmaTrain]

9. The Fog Of The Lack Of Information...

We're in unchartered waters here. Do we know what's going on? I'd be curious if those on the scene did. The scale of this disaster is so big it can't be fit into soundbite and agendas. This is especially the case as there's little real information thus it opens up the doors to conjecture. Those thinking the worst will pooh-pooh anyone who doesn't justify their position. The ugly truth is there's precious little information from a disaster happening in an area that is without much communications. Is it bad? We don't know. It sure isn't good. Thus what I see and hear gets put in the speculation file. This isn't TMI, this isn't Chernobyl...this is Daiichi...it's own and new chapter in man's attempt to be the master of his/her universe.

One thing that will cause long lasting damage is all the salt water. Thousands of miles of prime Japanese farmland are now covered in the corrosive ocean water that is sure to have a major impact on agricultural recovery for that region for years to come.

The problem with this tragedy is it hit on the weekend...when news departments are all but shut down (the cheapening of our corporate media) and it's happening on the opposite side of the world from where we are. Thus in the void of no information, those who want to speculate can do so and easily dismiss anyone who doesn't see it the way they do. I prefer to wait and see what develops...not much else I can do. I'm hopefull for the best but expect the worst. No matter what...this is a disaster on a major scale that is pushing its people and technology to its limits. Speculation...be it from so-called "experts" on the teevee or on a message board is just filling time...very little real value.

If there's a meltdown, there's no way to hide it. And if it has happened, then we deal with it and the facts as they present themselves.

[upi402]

10. Same happened in 3 Mile Island

They sent out one to lie to the press. He was found out.

Then 2 argued whether the bubble would blow - and right as Carter was arriving!

History repeats. Good to keep that in mind as I search for truth.