Japan Earthquake News

[warhed]

Are you retarded? I said the thermal explosion was prevented in Chernobyl through the sacrifice of the lives of the cleanup team. Graphite did explode yes but if the melted core would have reached ground water the resulting thermal explosion was estimated to increase the immediate blast effect by 100 times.

There was no nuclear blast, at all.  A non nuclear blast spread contamination.  The reactor melted down and the "lava flow" is still within the reactor building to this day.  I actually worked for a man who got to peek through a hole and view it himself.
The responders had no control over the fuel, they were simply doing their best to contain the contamination.  Often times by pouring liquid lead directly onto piles of strewn about fuel.  The majority of the dead were those first responders, who through their sacrifice allowed others to come in behind to help the cleanup efforts.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Russia was only one of the very few involved in the forum in the investigation.  
The cancers thought to be attributed to the accident, show no higher rates of nearby populations not exposed to the radiation.
Nuclear power plants in normal operation do not expose anyone living nearby to increased radiation doses.  Even the workers are only slightly above background radiation levels.
The last independent study I read showed evidence that workers at nuclear power plants actually had lower cases of cancer, one study linked that chronic doses of radiation actually preventing cancers.

I understand that you hate nuclear power, I have been in many of situations in my life with people who think the way you do.  Japan receives 1\3 of their energy from nuclear power.  Other than coal, there is just no feasible replacement for that.  Unlike coal power, nuclear power releases no greenhouse gases, releases no harmful substances into the environment.  The mining of nuclear fuel is also a much smaller impact to the environment.  A typical fuel rod in a reactor lasts for 6 years.  Compare the deaths and injuries and accidents that have happened due to nuclear power, to Coal or Natural Gas power, and you will understand why nuclear power is the safest form of energy that can provide the supply for modern civilization's demand.

Unfortunately, this accident has proven that sometimes, Mother Nature just cannot be prevented from destruction.

If an asteroid struck a nuclear power plant, would you still blame the plant for causing damage?

I don't hate nuclear power I'm an advocate of it. But I do hate having f***ng fallout on me after some half monkeys f-up in an another country. I personally stood in the radioactive rain the next night when the Chernobyl was blown and the russkies lied about the accident despite international agreements.

I personally still have to live in an environment that is riddled with soviet cesium. And my kids. I personally lost a family member to cancer just recently - did the accident have anything to do with that I don't know - but I don't like the idea that my kids will have to get exposed for years to come.

I'm 100% sure that the effects of the Chernobyl accident have been effectively covered up on political reasons.

[warhed]

at least If an asteroid hits a gas or coal power, there would be no danger of radiation, so
the real question is, is this all worth the risk?

Actually, the asteroid impact itself would be quite a large source of radiation, but that's missing my point.

Is it worth the risk?  Yes, no civilians have ever been killed or injured from nuclear power.  Workers don't die or get cancer from radiation.  
The only viable alternative to nuclear power is Coal and Natural Gas.  I cannot imagine how many people die a year in Coal Mines alone, let alone the effects of the harmful material Coal plants put into the air.
Wind and water and solar power are great, but they just cannot match the demand the grid needs.

Nuclear power is a safe and clean power.  However, a 8.9 earthquake, asteroids, terrorists, and any other sort of natural or unnatural disaster cannot always be prevented.  When a nuclear power plant happens to be in their path, bad things happen.  But even then, it is still the safest most viable source of energy we have.

[moot]

You guys should start a new thread.  Then someone can argue the risks of classic sources of power. EG compare deaths from coal to deaths from nuclear.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

There was no nuclear blast, at all.  A non nuclear blast spread contamination.  The reactor melted down and the "lava flow" is still within the reactor building to this day.  I actually worked for a man who got to peek through a hole and view it himself.
The responders had no control over the fuel, they were simply doing their best to contain the contamination.  Often times by pouring liquid lead directly onto piles of strewn about fuel.  The majority of the dead were those first responders, who through their sacrifice allowed others to come in behind to help the cleanup efforts.

Again your reading comprehension seems to be very poor. At which point did I claim there was a nuclear blast?

IIRC the workers dug a tunnel under the core which was then filled with fast curing cement to prevent the danger of the core reaching ground waters. This operation along with the build up of the makeshift containment building exposed some 600 000 workers to varying levels of immediately non-fatal radiation.

Oh, and I wouldn't be bragging with 'getting to' have a peak on a melted core. It's like bragging your oppressive government forced you to play russian roulette with 5 slots filled and live to tell about it lol!

[warhed]

I don't hate nuclear power I'm an advocate of it. But I do hate having f***ng fallout on me after some half monkeys f-up in an another country. I personally stood in the radioactive rain the next night when the Chernobyl was blown and the russkies lied about the accident despite international agreements.

I personally still have to live in an environment that is riddled with soviet cesium. And my kids. I personally lost a family member to cancer just recently - did the accident have anything to do with that I don't know - but I don't like the idea that my kids will have to get exposed for years to come.

I'm 100% sure that the effects of the Chernobyl accident have been effectively covered up on political reasons.

The Chernobyl accident was 100% human error.  It was a dangerous design, operated by individuals who should not of been operating the reactor.  Three Mile Island was a good plant operated by under qualified people.  

After these accidents, at least in every country but Russia, nuclear power has been revolutionized from the ground up.  Between government and industry regulation, every effort for safe operation is taken.  Things have changed, you would not believe the amount of government and industry regulation nuke workers have to deal with.  I could not only lose my job, I could spend time in Prison in if I break procedures at a plant.

This was a huge devastating earthquake.  Thousands of people have died, there will be billions if not trillions of dollars of damage.  The effect of this will last for years, probably a hundred of years on a personal level.  

I just do not understand how nuclear power should be demonized because of it.

[Gh0stFT]

warhed you sound to have a good knowledge about nuclear power (i like to read it btw.)
but in all respect for me the risk is not worth, thats why i dont support nuclear power.
A demonstartion startet earlier at a german nuclear power plant, maybe this event will
show the danger, because there is no 100% guarantee.  Me & my family dont need that.

[warhed]

You guys should start a new thread.  Then someone can argue the risks of classic sources of power. EG compare deaths from coal to deaths from nuclear.

I'll take your advice and stop posting off topic.  My apologies, I get a little passionate about this stuff

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I just do not understand how nuclear power should be demonized because of it.

Nuclear power should not be demonized because of it but it's downright criminal to try to downplay the danger of the leak when one happens. So far the wind is taking the fallout to the sea - imagine the disaster if some larger city nearby will get pasted if the core blows up completely.

[moot]

I'd rather hear about updates on topic than have this debate keep people like Rolex out of the thread.  Can you guys start a separate thread?

I'll take your advice and stop posting off topic.  My apologies, I get a little passionate about this stuff

No apologies needed, I'd like to add my piece but not if e.g. Rolex stops giving news because of it.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

warhed you sound to have a good knowledge about nuclear power (i like to read it btw.)
but in all respect for me the risk is not worth, thats why i dont support nuclear power.
A demonstartion startet earlier at a german nuclear power plant, maybe this event will
show the danger, because there is no 100% guarantee.  Me & my family dont need that.

Nuclear power correctly done is not a bad thing. Did you know that the plants that burn coal every day to produce the electricity we use to type this, spread several tons of radioactive material to the atmosphere as we speak?

If coal burning stops and gets replaced with nuclear power, overall contamination (not only nuclear, mind you) will reduce even with this incident in Japan.

[warhed]

Latest news says the containment building did not fail.  

[Gh0stFT]

MrRipley i will buy you a ticket to Fukushima.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Latest news says the containment building did not fail.  

Yep I read that just now also. The reactor building collapsed but the containment didn't get breached luckily.

[Lepape2]

Well, at this point, until we get images of the damages to the plant(s), there is no way to tell whether we are hearing the truth or if the Gov. lies as much as the Russians did at Chernobyl and others victim of more accidents in the world that no one's never heard about. Nuclear fission plants will gradually be on the verge of extinction as soon as the nuclear fusion plants become online in the next 50 years. So be happy that in 100years, everyone(or every towns) will not have his own personal nuclear fission reactor at home...
But like Wareh said, the regulations are so strict that they are more strict than those from space programs. That comes at a very high price, education requirements and technology.
Talking about nuclear power nowadays is like trying to disprove that the Earth is flat to everyone 2000years ago(heck, even to some people today  ). No one knows a thing about it and that's why people are so divided on the subject.

Its either speculations and rumors or true facts rights now in Japan.

EDIT: I don't know cr*p either about this subject so you can disregard my post if you would like.