ScribbleLive

@elise I guess it is a testament to the poor state of engineering and science education. People don't even notice that that aren't getting a straight story because they don't even have the vocabulary to ask the right questions.

@joshua, you will never find plans for the exact reactors, they are a matter of national security and are never published.

@Grizzly I know we are a long way from seeing serious dispersal issues here in California, but even the perception of it can be devastating to an outdoor growing state. It was interesting to see that the German Bavarian election swung so hard to the green party a day after Merkel doubled the Chernobyl-set radiation cap on food. Perception is key here. That's why the information flow is being managed so tight to the vest.

@Matsouko We would have found out the truth long time ago...

The gates may have failed. Whole article allthingsnuclear.org

@Jill in Sweden : would have been a complete catastrophy for the neighbour, no ?

@Ralph Unger I mention that before and it would explain low water in the pools as well

@NHK if it was critical the whole time yes, but we are talking about critical-subcritical-critical-subcritical, they are managing to slow the process down, but I fear (and the molecular data backs this up) they can only slow it down so much. If the radiation get to high and they have to pull out, then we could have full critcallity and that will be very bad.

I have no problems with the work Tepco is doing, I can't believe they have managed this long, but the longer it goes in this stage the worse it is getting.

@Matsouko Definately

oops! heres the link. The 1957 WINDSCALE FIRE Lakestay UK "At 4.30pm yesterday it was discovered that some of the uranium cartidges in the centre of Pile 1 at Windscale, which was shut down at the time,for routine isolation of the uranium and for maintenance work, had become over-heated to the point of red heat. The combustion is being held. The staffs are now injecting water on it from above and the temperature has started to fall. Some oxidation of the uranium has occured.
"The greater part of this has been returned by filters in the Windscale chimneys. A small amount has been distributed over the works site and in some areas works personnel, as a precautionary measure, have been instructed to stay under cover." sound familiar? www.lakestay.co.uk

Since there is very little news, Las Vegas is currently sitting at 8cpm by my measure.

Oh the brand new posting at the top of all things nuclear is good. "How Much Does Japan Know About the Status of its Reactors?"

@marie rich : Thanks Marie. Not a lot been happening then (or that's been reported by TEPCO at least). Prompted one thought though... if they can't even get close enough to R2 for measuring the radiation, they've surely got a snowball in hell's chance of getting close enough to sort out the cause. Hard to believe the thing will automagically get better all by itself either (except after a few thousand years maybe).

@Natalie Are you in LV ? I saw the article that NV has identified particles from Fukushima but minute......compared to what ? I would think, that NV has a much higher SAFE Lvl than other states due to Nuclear testing as is ?

Expansion joints look like the weak spot for a 9.0 quake.

@Canadian Why? What are your concerns?

@veenOui @canadian CPM rates of 100 or more would cause some concern. (very little concern I might add)

re-post: Many pics of actual reactor parts. For your delectation :) www.facebook.com!/pages/nuke-roadie/186860624662864?sk=photos

@Canadian I wouldn't worry at all. 9cpm is really low. You'd have more of a worry of a sunburn. @VeenOui, I'm comparing it to normal cpm's that background radiation gives you. I never tried the Geiger out before this happened. (I was recently informed that we had one.) But yea, I would think so too. Just because of the testings near here.

Laughing... I made it to the second paragraph of that, Ralph.

Thank you for the reassurances, logic tells me you are all right, which is why we have discussed it (he has similar hesitations and he works @ a nuclear plant) and have come to the conclusion he should still go. It is the unknown that hangs over this that raises some emotional doubts I suppose.