China Syndrome in Japan?

No thanks, I don't do fries. Serving your own population isn't likely to be a huge revenue-generator for long. If the security paranoia gets any worse, tourism won't be good for much, either. Even the cruise ships won't be visiting Mexico for much longer - I think Cabo is about the only port of call left.

 

I was on a cruise ship that stopped in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas less than a month ago after all the hysteria about canceling cruise stops in Mazatlan. That is the standard round trip route out of San Diego and LA.

 

High radiation found 18 miles from nuke plant - World news - Asia-Pacific - msnbc.com

 

Valuable time might have been lost by TEPCO execs...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/asia/20time.html

 

Japan didn't perform required inspections at Nuke Plant...

Stricken Japan nuke plant skipped inspections - World news - Asia-Pacific - msnbc.com

Oooooops...

 

This line in the article got me

By delaying flooding with seawater, the corporation already made the decision to not sacrifice short term profits of a few for the safety of many.

 

In their defense, I've seen it posted that the solids in seawater could clog the pumps that are used to cool the reactor which might have hindered progress in getting them running (assuming they could get them running again at all). That and the saltwater is very corrosive to the containment chamber. Their unwillingness to relay information gives the impression that they have something to hide though (not saying that this is necessarily true, just how appearances are).

 

Sounds like used male bovine food.

 

So where has TEPCO CEO been? Has he made any public statement or appearance?


http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSL3E7EK0IR20110321?pageNumber=2&ca=rdt

 

Dangerous breach suspected at Japan nuke site - World news - Asia-Pacific - msnbc.com

 

Dangerous breach eyed at Japan nuke site - World news - Asia-Pacific - msnbc.com

 

Most acts of heroism are the result of an immediate self sacrificing response to a bad situation. We need a better word to describe those nuclear plant workers that have stayed in that mess for 2 weeks now.

 

Securing the Gulf Oil Well Blowout was best handled by BP under Coast Guard Supervision. It's irritating that the same organization that created the problem is the best organization to secure the well.

This situation is completely different. TEPCO is totally the wrong organization to process the destroyed reactors and contaminated site. A truly international, but Japanese led organization, needs to be created to handle this. I keep waiting for this to occur and I don't see the necessary steps taking place. Everyone suffers if the best expertise is not harnessed to start to decades long cleanup needed.

While the plant operators are to be honored for there efforts, they need to be replaced with nuclear disaster/cleanup/environmental teams specialized for this work. Again, Japanese led and managed, but using the equipment and teams available worldwide that can do better than what is being done now.

 

REFILE-SPECIAL REPORT-Japan engineers knew tsunami could overwhelm Fukushima plant

http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL3E7ET2D120110329

 

^ I heard that one of the men is named Homer Simpson.

 

'Suicide squads' paid huge sums amid fresh fears for nuclear site - Asia, World - The Independent

 

Thanks, this contains some detail that I've been wanting to find:

Fukushima plant's designed tsunami protection: 6 meters
March 11 tsunami at that location: 14 meters
Height of 1960 Chilean quake tsunami at that location: about 6 meters.

This mentions that the 2004 Sumatran quake and tsunami flooded a nuclear plant in southern India, triggering fears in Tokyo that Japan faced similar risk. I assume absence of news about a similar nuclear catastrophe in India means that it didn't degrade to this level.