I am not quite sure what to make of this. It is not being reported apparently by governments as there is nothing they think they can do about it is the current speculation.

Japan is still dumping three hundred tons of very radioactive water in the ocean each and every day? From what seems indicated newborns in California are showing the signs now. Very high percentage of thyroid problems at birth currently.

I have no ideal really but hope this is not true. If true man should mothball every nuclear power plant on the planet as soon as possible. It is better to survive in a world going much slower than not survive at all.

Once the radiation genie is released into the environment man is unable to deal with these issues it appears. Some feel that if the whole issue was made public there might be some panic responses. At the same time you cannot believe all the reports you read either.

If it is as bad as one extensive report I just read. Our governments are being seriously negligent in not informing the population. It is though that some areas of north America may become uninhabital as early as 2017. This is either totally wrong or something else really is in a serious fashion if even remotely true or possible. I was also considering what effect news like this if authorized could do to an already fragile economy.

AFAIK, the thyroid report showed a 28% spike in thyroid issues (from a very small number) a few days/week after the initial explosions, rather than an ongoing situation.

I'm not for banning all fission power. What we should look at are "inherently safe" designs, and the decommissioning of older, less-safe plants built to late 50s/early 60s designs.

Where are you reading these reports?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The Fukushima plant was not an unsafe design. It was destroyed by the idiocy of placing it on a tsunami prone coast with it's backup generators below sea level. That's nothing to do with the nuclear engineering details themselves. It's a complete dearth of common sense.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

This page has a pretty rational take on the issue, including a look at a couple of the scary maps that are being emailed and plastered all over social media.

True facts about Ocean Radiation and the Fukushima Disaster | Deep Sea News

__________________
You're a daisy if you do.
__________________________________
84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

Thanks for starting the thread and bringing up the subject Barry. Also thanks for putting it forth in an objective way.

Thanks Elchivito for the link. The article seems to be legitimate and unbiased. Do you have any history or comfort level about that source?

One thing I thought interesting was that apparantly Dr. Martini, since it is her field, recognized one of the maps for what it was, ocean currents and waves. Most people would have no way of knowing that it was something pulled off the internet in an effort to start some crap.

Having been trained on Nuclear Warheads in the military and spending a few years as a Field Engineer for a Liquid Scintillation and Gamma Ray Counter developer/manufacturer in the earliest part of my career, I learned that some people seem to develop an unhealthy fear for dangerous things that cannot be seen. I expect that this mindset leads to the frenzy that is frustrating Dr. Martini.

Absolutely correct. The plant survived the quake and tsunami- it was the lack of BU power that killed them.

__________________
'83 300D, 126K miles.

The problem was rejection of decay heat from the reactors (assuming the vessels were not also cracked by the quake). Why the hell aren't the plants designed so that the reactor itself, running at low power or heated via decay heat, can run enough equipment to keep itself cooled?

The energy source was there and ironically unusable. Piss-poor design.

I do suspect much on that report it is far from accurate. Signs of radiation problems in some animals like polar bears occurring could make sense. Same with seals and fish bleeding from many orfices.

On the otherhand to suggest it is perhaps killing off large populations of wildlife in central North America tends to be a real stretch right now.

I would guess that ongoing monitoring should be done and serious scientists making realistic projections based on realities only would go a long way.

This may already be in place and it is possible that it is generally not for public consumption. No conspiracy here as there are currently too many variables to report anything with real certainty to the public.

I think what that report does indicate though is that there may be issues down the road yet. I know Japan is having a very hard time still at dealing with this.

Looks like decades to get the issue totally under control now is suspected. How much radiation has and will be released and it's probable impact on north America has not even been responsably made public knowledge yet if it is true though as well . It may even be almost inconsequential in the scheme of things.

Tiny amounts of Fukushima radiation found in California

Let the mass media panic mongering begin!

But the levels of radioactive elements off U.S. coastal waters shouldn't keep beach-goers from enjoying the surf. In technical terms, the amount of cesium-134 reported in the data is less than 2 Becquerels per cubic meter. That means it's more than 1,000 times lower than the acceptable limits in drinking water set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

You should probably REALLY fear any actual wild salmon from the pacific at this point however..

Probably not.

Fishermen test their own salmon for Fukushima radiation | All You Can Eat | Seattle Times

Bullfudge. You'll get more radiation from radon in your basement or flying in an airliner.

__________________
“Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig.” ― Robert A. Heinlein

Exactly. It was a lesson in hubris and how a yes-man society in the Japanese nuclear industry allowed such a stupid oversight to happen. Portable generators on the hillside above the plant could have avoided all of the nuclear mess.

__________________
“Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig.” ― Robert A. Heinlein

Now here's the kind of reasoned, science based opinions we Americans are famous for . . .