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Ear to the Ground

Japan Raises Alert Level at N-Plant

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Posted on Mar 18, 2011
news.bbc.co.uk

An aerial view of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The continuing crisis at the devastated Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has led Japan to raise the alert level there to five on a seven-point scale of atomic hazard severity. —JCL

The BBC:

Japan has raised the alert level at its quake-damaged nuclear plant from four to five on a seven-point international scale of atomic incidents.

The crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi site, previously rated as a local problem, is now regarded as having “wider consequences”.

The UN says the battle to stabilise the plant is a race against time.

The crisis was prompted by last week’s huge quake and tsunami, which has left at least 17,000 people dead or missing.

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By Atlanta Roofing, March 20, 2011 at 8:27 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Any amount of ingested radiation is potentially
dangerous, even if the effect may not manifest for
years or decades. There is no safe dose. Taking
reasonable steps to limit exposure to radiation is
prudent for all people. Isotopes known to have been
distributed from the plant - iodine, strontium,
cesium, etc. - bioaccumulate in internal organ and
bones. People using Tokyo’s water supply should now
drink bottled water, if possible. It is unclear
whether the radiation detected on the spinach was
topical or internal. If it is surficial, then
washing/brushing might be able to remove some/most of
the radioactive particles. If the radiation was taken
up by the roots, then it cannot be removed. Public
authorities, TEPCO and media outlets are downplaying
the risks and incorrectly saying that the radiation
is harmless or safe. Risks may be low or minimal, but
not zero.

Report this

By Jim Yell, March 19, 2011 at 2:22 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Those of us who knew that the Atomic Energy Industry is full of liars and cheats were not surprised, and in fact suspected the ultimate outcome of this tragedy.

Still the purveyors of ultimate death by radiation continue to say we have no choice but to go nuclear. If you believe that than you are just plain stupid.

There is no safe nuclear power, there is no safe way to contain nuclear waste. It is a process like Russian Roulette you keep clicking it and eventually something very unpleasant will happen.

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PatrickHenry's avatar

By PatrickHenry, March 19, 2011 at 1:52 pm Link to this comment

Although this is an older news article it gives creedence that the stuxnet virus may have had something to do with the problems with safety features of these plants.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T101004003493.htm

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By Prasad, March 19, 2011 at 3:40 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

We must search alternative to produce power

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By hogorina, March 18, 2011 at 11:34 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

GLENN BECK’S TEA PARTY GOD

GLENN BECK USES DOUBLE SPEAK, ( LOCK JAWED ), AS TO WHAT MESSAGE HIS GOD MIGHT BE SENDING TO JAPAN, WHILE THIS NATION IS EXPERIENCI­NG IT’S PRESENT PREDICAMEN­T. ACTUALLY, THERE ARE MANY ORIENTAL AND WESTERN WORLD GODS, THAT HAVE HUNCKERED DOWN WITHIN THAT NATION SINCE WW11, UNDER THE LATE PRESIDENTI­AL POLITICAL GANGSTER, FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, PSEUDO DEMOCRACIE­S’ FROM THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE­. HAS LED THE FIELD OF CRIMINALIT­Y WITHIN ILLEGAL INVESTMENT­S. THIS SYNDICATED NETWORK HAS NESTED ON ITS FINANCIAL ROOST FOR MANY YEARS GLOBALLY, WITH SUCH POLITICAL INVESTMENT­S, ( GODS OF THEFT ), AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE BECOME POLITICALL­Y RETROACTIV­ATED, BEING SMOTHERED WITHIN, WHILE FALLING INTO THE CLUTCHES OF MOTHER NATURE’S WRATH. MONEY-HUNG­RY INVESTORS’ HAVE CREATED THE MASSIVE RADIATION KILLING FIELDS, IN ALLYING WITH A ROYALTY OF PROFESSION­ALS, OF WHOM SADDLE THE DEBT OF WELCOMED GAMMA RAYS, WITH RUN-AWAY GLOBALIZED MARKETING FINANCIAL RACKETEERS­. IS BECK SPEAKING OF ZIONISM’S GOD, ISRAEL’S GOD, JUDAH’S GOD, OR CATHOLOCIS­M’S GOD OR PROTESTANT­ISM’S GOD, OR MAYBE, THE GOD’S OF FOOLS THAT PREY UPON HELPLESS SOULS, THAT ARE SUFFERING WITHIN JAPAN. FOOLS RUSH IN WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD. GLENN BECK HAD BETTER ASK HIS OWN GOOD AND GREAT GOD WHAT JAPAN MUST DO, WITH OUT PULLING DOWN THE WRATH OF ANY GOD, THAT SUPPOSEDLY HAS NO BODY PARTS OR PASSIONS, A GOD THAT HEARS NOR KNOWS ANYTHING. JAPAN NEEDS MAN’S HELP INSTEAD OF POLITICAL PULPIT POUNDING! MONEY TALKS WHILE IMAGINARY GODS SLEEP!”

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By Leefeller, March 18, 2011 at 11:12 pm Link to this comment

Now learned it is 5 out of 7. This means they can use colors instead of numbers, so Republicans can figurer out what is going on? I had thought the highest number was 10, well once you get to 7 who gives a damn!

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