Hoarding iodized salt, that takes the cake for bad information

[DainBramaged]

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/18/6294237-chinese-hoard-salt-out-of-radiation-fears-

[Duer 157099]

1. I thought it was because they worried for future stocks of salt being contaminated

Sort of like we are worried about our milk supply.

[DainBramaged]

2. How much salt could you eat to expect protection from radiation?

you couldn't eat enough.....

[Duer 157099]

3. No, wrong angle

They are worried that FUTURE supplies of salt will be contaminated with I-131 (I suppose) and therefore are hoarding CLEAN salt (with I-125) now.

I suppose.

[DainBramaged]

6. First paragraph from article

Despite the Chinese government’s effort to educate the population and reassure them they will not be exposed to radiation from the nuclear plant in northern Japan, many fearful Chinese have come to believe baseless rumors that the iodine in salt could save them from radiation sickness – so they are hoarding iodized salt.

[Duer 157099]

15. Yeah, I think the government is misunderstanding what's going on

Nobody could be stupid enough to think iodized salt is a good source of lg doses of iodine.

Could they? :shrug:

[Desertrose]

7. This is what happens when ya shit in your sandbox....

it gets all over EVERYTHING.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

11. Nah, they're hoarding soy sauce for the iodine, too.

They're in a full on panic and grabbing at anything they think may help them.

[old mark]

4. I like Latino food, so I am hoarding Adobo...nt

[Maru Kitteh]

5. We had an "expert" here babbling on about K+ "iodine" - not a typo either - repeatedly

and sycophants lining up and thanking her for the fantastic information and great advice.

[Curmudgeoness]

8. And this is in China, not even Japan.....

Per this story---“you’d have to take 5-13 pounds of salt to have enough iodine to resist the radiation.”

Yowie zowie. So you will not die in the distant future from thyroid cancer, you will die today!

[Maru Kitteh]

12. Effiicency is everything you know? We're a very competitive society! USA! USA!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

13. My guess is they're not too trusting of their government being honest with them

So, they're just thinking of their proximity to Japan and reacting.

[Curmudgeoness]

17. You have a good point. I don't trust my government either.

Remember when we were told by Ridge as Homeland Security guru to use duct tape to seal windows? And of course there is that duck and cover drill.

[Wait Wut]

9. So...they won't get cancer...

...but will die of massive strokes before they're 40.

Wow. I can't check links from work, can someone tell me who we should thank for this tidbit of bad ideas?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. They're scared. Justifiably so.

I agree it's bad information. Yet I can't help but feel for how frightened they must be considering their current situation.

[JuniperLea]

14. Not to mention how otherwise stoic they are...

My heart goes out to them.

[Bonhomme Richard]

16. LOL, the way I salt my food I should be good to go. n/t