All I know right now, is that if I could afford it, me and my family would be on a flight to the UK. I'd really rather we were anywhere but here. And that's not out of concern over these reactors (although it's possible the wind could go our way). It's the lack of food and drink that worries me more.

I wonder why. Is the north / east cost your main infrastructure for food supply?

hmm the game services are off too
http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/711025/japanese-earthquake-square-enix-konami-shut-down-servers-capcom-sega-sony-delay-games/

All nuclear powerplants need water for cooling. A river or sea is a huge water supply. So you have to build your power plant in close range to a water supply or build an aquaeduct to get water.

Have a nice day.

Just to drop in and say Fukushima 2 is under control.
Temeratures of the core dropped below 100˚ Celcsius this morning.

But Fukushima 4 which was offline before suffered a Hydrogene Explosion.
now People within 20km are advised to stay indoors to avoid contamination.
Since damaging levels of radiation directly AT the plants site have been detected.
But I honestly don´t know who, on their won free will, want´s to stay inside this radius. Or even within the newly 30km buffer zone.


and none of the remaining plants is going to melt down yet.

here some nice direct news stream from japan with english translation
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/earthquake-in-japan

Trust me, that is definitely the least of anyone's worries at this point.

New report if you haven't heard.
They are now pushing the safty mark from 20km to 30km now.

Snow is predidicted to fall in the northern area affected by the quake and tsunami.

Parts of Kanagawa have started there rolling blackouts. Just when I was lined up for gas!!!

Will report more later.

OMG Reactor #4 is on fire! http://www.smh.com.au/environment/stay-indoors-japan-pm-issues-warning-to-residents-after-blast-20110315-1buq7.html

Finally, our rolling power cut is over.

As far as fires, etc., at reactors, I'm not so hasty to believe that until I either see it on local news or the BBC.

And what really annoys me now is how the bank keeps pumping trillions of yen into the stock markets with no real effect. Really, if they are that concerned about the markets, cease trading. Put that money towards repairing infrastructure and rebuilding the areas destroyed (when it's safe to). But right now, pissing all that money away is just unbelievable.

Well, I'm not going to bother linking to any Japanese sources because they are all either stupid or dishonest but here's the latest BBC article:

BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12740843

Which is pretty much what can be said about the majority of the foreign news items being put out too.

Which is why it makes sense to filter information from multiple sources based on consistency and concrete evidence.

We can't trust the American media that much b/c they all too often allow corporations & poliTRICKS to dictate the news they braodcast, and we can't trust the Japanese media that much (in this situation) b/c they're getting a good deal of information from TEPCO, which has lied before about the dangers regarding mishaps at their plants.

But what we do know is a few facts:

-nuclear reactors have blown up/on fire.
-the Japanese officials (law enforcement, gov't) have told people that live near the reactors to GTF out (good on them), in order to maximize the citizen's health options as they don't know the severity of the ramifications if they stay (as while a Cherynobl situation is out of the question, long term risks of cancer developing are not).
-Doctors and nurses are treating people who live near the reactors w/iodine and stuff, to treat possible radiation exposure.

So while we can't trust the media 100%, we can deduce a few things w/critical thinking, to get through the 'spin doctoring.'

Well, good thing they finally put down Fukushima 2 correctly and that it shouldn't be a matter of concern anymore. The main concern remains Fukushima 1.

Of course there are radioactive leaks. Of course they are so dangerous no one not working in the nuclear industry should stay close. But do they request a total evacuation of Tokyo? I don't think so. The fire at reactor 4 is now over, so that's a good thing too.

Time only will tell, but I think we can already salute the courage of the engineers, technicians and self-defence forces members up there in the Fukushima power plant who are certainly working their asses off and risking their lives to try to put the monster under control...

Well, that "main concern" does involve 6 nuclear reactors, all of which have exploded, burned, or a failing coolant system.