Fallout Vs. Fear

Yes there is radiation over there however, once it is released into the atmosphere where there's oxygen it will neutralize within seconds so it is harmless to people.

Here's a fairly balanced and really informative part of King 5's website: http://www.king5.com/news/quake/FAQ-about-nuclear-power-a...

My husband is a Nuclear Physicist & works at a nuclear power plant. His job is to calculate all radiation doses. If there was a crisis one of his jobs would be to give the calculations to the media & public. He has to get tested monthly too.

He says the U.S. does not have to worry at all. And Japan should only have deaths from the tsunami & earthquake. It doesn't seem that Japan was giving 'accurate' info for some reason to the U.S., but now we have Nuclear Physicist there and are able to get more accurate info.

My husband is getting emails constantly from his company & the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) and feels confident that the Japanese will be ok as far as radiation. A phone number to call to find out detailed accurate info is 866 292 0960. Hope this helps.

Raiation particles disperse as they travel. So if you are outside of the 50 mile radius, you should be fairly safe. That being said, I heard on ABC news last night that Chernoble, a much worse type of nuclear explosion that what might occur in Japan (the explosion but particles into the upper atmosphere), is about the same distance from the US as this nuclear site in Japan. So, knowing that the US really had no (well, very, very little) exposure to any fallout should help you feel less nervous.

Watch ABC World News tonight (with Diane Sawyer). IMO, they are doing a very good job of explaining the facts.

And let's keep prayers for those men and women who are risking their lives to help keep the nuclear site under control. So selfless!

My dad, who lives in Japan and is one of the most level-headed, rational, reasonable people I know, sent me this link earlier today (you might have to cut and paste it):

http://ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=News&id=566...

It's the UK government's Chief Scientific Officer talking to the UK Embassy in Tokyo about the nuclear situation. It's worth a read and will most likely calm your fears.

Oh, MY fears? Waking up to an email from Dad with "Nuclear Threat" in the subject line, following last week's "Earthquake" subject line. Please, dad, how about "Read this article on the Nuclear Threat" or "UK officials talk about the Nuclear Threat"? Just "Nuclear Threat"? My mind starts panicking! It's been a tough week...

Folks are afraid all over the world....
and concerned... and having strong cups of coffee. :)
Me included.

My State, is closer to Japan.
People here, bought out Iodide pills from a local store already.

The news, probably is not, conveying the real stats on it.

Something like this has not happened before... and the world is watching... to see how it pans out.
No one can predict the ramifications of it, right now.
Even the experts.

In Japan, even Tokyo is being evacuated.
A friend who is a Medical expert, told me that that entire nation, will get affected by radiation... and its impact, has years and years of effect. On the people, children, food chain, everything.
That, is mind boggling.
And to think, they had to endure Hiroshima... too.

.

You and me both!

A news channel from BC either Chek 6 or Global had a man on about 5 days ago who actually designed and built the control panels for the Japan Necular Faciity. (He lives in Victoria BC) He was fantastic to listen to. Really talked in a way that all could understand...if you can find that interview I reccommend it. Bottom line (and he said this 5 days ago) there is NO electricity to the facility. Without electricity the control panel does not work....if that does not work = trouble. He said that the Japanese were talking politics and not preperation.

Bottom line they need cold water to cool the rods down, without water = explosion. (Rods heat up to 5000' if left on their own) There are at least 4 now in a dire situation. (Possibly 5 but that info is sketchy)

So when it comes to you and I here on the West Coast...there are 2 different factors...both of those deal with wind. There are 2 different wind factors the High Up winds that carry across the world and the lower prevailing winds. Its the high up winds that will carry the necular fallout here to our shores. One necular boom would not be much of a concern....its the multiplying of these booms that there is a cause of concern.

Get yourself Potassium Iodine pills. They remove radiation from Thyroid glands (also good to know that these could be taken after long flights and xrays to decrease the radiation in your body) And like Tori said these pills do have side effects! Dr. advice is important. :)

Look up the Chernobyl blast....and multiply that x how many of these Japansese Reactors blow.

Its interesting that more than a few links I had been researching the past few days have been removed....I think its been done to prevent hysteria.

Its all a guessing game right now....only after these things blow and looking at Weather conditions will we know anything specific.

http://www.wimp.com/problemexplained/

You can check this site out http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/spring01/r...

Also one of my Much smarter than I am friends posted some comments that I think are very worthy of being digested...the people that want you to watch the news know FEAR sells...Currently news outlets are reporting the spent fuel rods are near "Meltdown" and dangerous radiological release. The danger is that if the rods get hot enough their steel casings will melt and the spent fuel will be exposed.

For some perspective on how distorted the media is reporting things. The last measured temperature of the hottest fuel pond: 183.2 degrees Fahrenheit

The melting point of Steel? 2500°F

**also it is important to note that The casings are zirconium, with a melting point of 3371 degrees F.

Maybe that makes you feel better?

Do you have any religious beliefs? I truly believe that our God knows and cares about the details of our lives. He doesn't prevent negative things from happening in our lives (I can testify to that) but if you seek Him with a heart/mind that's truly open He will answer you and give you the peace you seek.

We can see that as humans we only know so much - the media presents things in such a way that we want to read more, watch more TV, etc. They create this addiction for information that is rarely reassuring. Meanwhile we can drive to work today and suffer debilitating injury from a car accident, get a cancer diagnosis, or lose a loved one which will be far more "real" than the potential percieved danger. But if you still have a need to "do" smoething get the iodine to prevenet thyroid cancer - if you can find it.

Good luck mama - it will be fine.

If you look at Chernobyl, theirs was an actual explosion with greater radiation levels and the fallout was great. However, mileage wise, it did not travel as far as the distance form Japan to the US.

I know this is wikipedia, but the info is fairly accurate with credited sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster

So far, according to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the US has no need to worry about fallout:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/17/japan-nuclear-u...

You can read more about it here:
http://www.latimes.com/health/ct-met-japan-radiation-2011...

Really though, we, in the US and west coast have a greater risk of dying in a car accident today than from getting cancer from this. To put it more eloquently:

""We take risks every day that are hundreds of times greater than risks of radiation, like driving over the speed limit," Lieberman said. "But if we're driving, we feel in control. With radiation, there's an absence of control. We can't see it."

Edited to add:

This story is from a woman who was a child when the atomic bomb was dropped on her city and she compares the two incidents that she has been through then in Nagasaki and now in Tokyo, and how she stays prepared and focused:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42128739/ns/world_news-asiapa...

We do not face any risk from the Japanese nuclear disaster. We should however be in prayer for our brothers and sisters who are suffering the loss of family, friends and everything they ever worked for. You want to feel better, count your own blessings and IF you can send $10 bucks via the RED CROSS. If you can't, do something nice for someone you don't even know.

I believe what we as Christians are taught, worry about nothing, PRAY about everything. I know this is sometimes very difficult and I wish you and your family PEACE, PROVISION, HEALING and VICTORY over all your fears.

The best way to overcome life's struggles is to put God first, others second and self last.

Blessings......

Drink more coffee ;)

I'm sorry you're worried about this; we're in VA, but my fiance is very worried about this too. I think I worry on a minor scale compared to most people regarding this... the way I see it, as scary and awful as it is, what is meant to be, will be.

I can not control it, therefore I'm not wasting my precious time with my kids worrying about it. We'll continue to live as normal a life as possible, even in the event this does end up effecting us.

You know the (heartbreaking) scene in the movie Titanic when the mom curls up in bed with her two children, singing to them as the ship sinks? Kind of like that. IF it effects us at all.

Like I said, what is meant to be, will be.

I have become terrified of all kinds of things happening since the earthquake last week. It started with me waking up to check facebook, and reading that my best friend (who lives in Hawaii) was packing her bags and her daughters to head to higher ground in fear of the tsunami. I was TERRIFIED for her and her girls. They are okay, thank God, but it really got me thinking that anything can happen. I don't try to listen to the media much because the amount of exaggeration they do is all for ratings, but even then, it worries me so much.

All we can do is live our daily lives and not worry our children. I've been letting the house get messy and playing with the kids more, because it could all be gone in a nanosecond. A house is just our shelter. The kids are my world.

Take care and try not to worry, stress can do major damage to the heart and soul.

I think you should work on living your life and understanding that what comes will come. I know it is difficult to think that way but really, live your life and it something happens due to the current disaters or a future one know that you lived your life and enjoyed it. So in my house, we are living life and staying informed but not going overboard. I am just happy that my high school best friend, who was in Japan last I heard is back in the states. I think we all need to focus on supporting those who are there and those who are not there anylonger.

2 words media hype and our computers were all going to crash on the millenium and we wouldnt have no food water or money. so to be predpared you need to rush out and buy what???? food water, generators,silver suits, etc. and the world is going to be ending on x day after they guessed wrong how many hundreds of times. if this actually wasnt a media hype i would be floored. could it happen yes could you die in a car crash tomarrow yes. could a tornado wipe out a town in okla tomarrow yes the reality of it happening is slim. i lived in okla for 41 yrs in tornado alley and have only seen one tornado. but if the media was to hype it up and say town x is going to have an f5 tornado tomarrow everyone would rush to the store and buy water and food and etc. geez i hate how media hypes things up for making the american population panic. could colorado have a disasterous snow storm of phenominal porportions tomarrow yes but unikely. why worry till it happens

Hello,
I live in So Cal and just came across this article from the NY Times, which ultimately says that we shouldn't worry. At this point, I am going to take that advice. Much love and prayers for the people in Japan; I am just devastated for them.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/science/17plume.html?hp

Don't feel silly. This is such a tragic event and I don't think some of the news coverage is serving anyone well. Our basic instinct is flight or fight and in this case most of us can do neither. Maybe there are things you can do that will help give you a sense of control and in the long run get you prepared for any disaster. I'm in CA and from what state officials are saying is there isn't a threat now and they don't foresee one. They are also saying they are prepared if there is a threat. I have no idea what that means they will do. Anyway, my thought is it might help if you research what you will need to do if there is any kind of emergency so you can take action. A few things come to mind such as: Make sure your gas tank is filled, you are ready to leave or hunker down, so proper papers are in order (titles, birth certificates, etc.). Also make sure you have enough food and water in the house incase you can't leave the house for 3-7 days and we should research what we should do to make our homes more radiation proof (not sure there is anything but worth the research). Flylady.net posted steps to take to be prepared for emergencies. I'll see if I can find the link and update this post. I'll be working on that as I can today alternating with other commitments and offering up my thoughts and prayers to God and the powers that be for Japan and our world.

Flylady's list
http://www.flylady.net/pages/FLYingLessons_Prepared.asp

Note: Personally I can't take Iodide pills (double fold, allergies and thyroid problems) PLEASE get your doctors take on this before you take any medication or get some information first. I haven't looked into it yet but I haven't seen any dosage information but do know there are some significant side affects.

There is nothing to be afraid of. Our government will lie to us as they have every other time.
After 3 Mile Island when they were saying nothing had gone wrong we got a letter from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta advising us what might be wrong with the fetuses conceived during that time and in which areas of the eastern United States. Sure enough when we queried our pregnant mothers one had a micro encephalic fetus 7 months along. All you anti-abortionists out there get on your unreasonable high horses and find out we did do a late abortion so the mother would not have to carry to term this baby who would be born only to die in few days.
Your thyroid will be effected and your children. People born in the 1950's have the worst health due to all the atmospheric tests of atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs.
There will be cancers. That isn't different than the fact that our government licenses pesticides and herbacides on farm and woodlands that run off into the water.
They lie about Chernobyl. The Washington state government did not tell us that we should be careful about our water. What was the difference the Oregonians over the border were told what to eat and what not and how to take care of the water they drank.
SO quit being fearful and get active. The earth rotates and whatever is above the skies in Japan will be on the West Coast soon enough.
Organize against Nuclear power. Our Government lies because Industry lies. Businessmen are the dirtiest greediest low lives ever. Do not think that someone who has his own greedy interests will also give a hoot about the health of humanity.
Get educated and get active. You are young and it is your turn.
If any of you want to know how to organize write me a private message. I am an expert. Non violent protests only. Violence does not make significant change. Begin by calling the offices of your congresswoman/man and your Senators. Send e-mails and post on Facebook.
One last thing about Three Mile Island. When the "experts" could not get the bubble to go down the spiritual healers, psychics and shaman all over the world focused on it at 11 PM Sunday night and we put the nuclear bubble down.
Coming together as one mind you can get everything done.

I'm not overly concerned here in CA until our government says I should be. I went through this in the Chernobyl disaster, when I had plans to be an exchange student in Sweden and the radiation was drifting that way. I remember getting enough information from our government to know it was safe to go.

I trust our governor is staying on top of the situation and will say something if we do need to be concerned. Jerry Brown is a straight shooter so if he's not saying we should be worried, I'm good.

An expert from the UWash said yesterday that what little radiation was heading for Southern Cal was going to be the equivalent of what you get every day from sitting in front of yur laptop and talking on your cell phone. Yes, radiation is out there, but this teensy bit - for now - is not going to shorten our lives by any more time than what we're already doing to ourselves reading and responding to our beloved Mamapedia posts.

My heart is breaking for the Japanese people. I can't imagine enduring what they are living through right now.

Last I read in the newspaper, that rather large, expansive body of water (Pacific Ocean) means you don't have to worry...Instead, focus on the fact that people in Japan need help!

and what do you think of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQXDt4VdS0E it would be just awful if we have an earthquake and then send a tsunami to japan! truly devastating