More than a year after a tsunami swamped the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plants, the radiation peril continues -- reactor 4 is teetering on the edge of collapse, which would force the evacuation of one-third of Japan's population. The meltdown at Fukushima parallels the meltdown of the US economy.
On March 11, 2011, Japan experienced a 9.0 earthquake. The six nuclear plants at Fukushima -- about 136 miles north of Tokyo -- survived the quake but were swamped by a 45-foot wave that overwhelmed the 19-foot seawalls. Fukushima units 5 and 6 were in cold shutdown for maintenance and Unit 4 had been deactivated. Units 1,2, and 3 lost power and were unable to cool down properly; they experienced full meltdown. This was a catastrophe but there was a robust containment system that minimized the spread of contamination.
As part of the maintenance process, the 1535 fuel rods in Fukushima reactor 4 had been removed and placed in a pool of water outside the containment system. The aftermath of the tsunami severely damaged the building. This April, Senator Ron Wyden toured Fukushima and warned that another big earthquake could further damage unit 4, producing "an even greater release of radiation than the initial accident." (Since March 11, more than 1000 significant earthquakes have struck Japan.) In January at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan warned of the possibility of a nuclear disaster and said that a meltdown at unit 4 would force the evacuation of Tokyo and close half of Japan. (On April 15th, the European Union Times reported that the Japanese government had engaged with in discussions with China and Russia about the migration of 40 million Japanese because of the "extreme danger of life threatening radiation poisoning.")
The United States is not facing a nuclear crisis, but we are struggling with an economic crisis. The meltdown at Fukushima helps clarify our own meltdown.
The saga of Fukushima-Daiichi follows the famous arc of the failed project: unwarranted enthusiasm followed by unmitigated disaster and then random retribution (search for the guilty, punishment of the innocent, and promotion of the uninvolved).
After the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese were not enthusiastic about nuclear power. As chronicled by New Yorker writer Evan Osnos, the United States decided to convince Japan to build a nuclear power plant. After a twenty-year campaign, public attitude shifted and nuclear power was embraced as "the fire of hope in the twenty-first century." Japan powered up Fukushima unit 1 on October 10, 1970, and built 53 more reactors. An atomic cult assured citizens that nuclear power was safe. Enos observed, "The myth of total safety went beyond public relations and degraded the [nuclear] industry's technical competence."
After the Great Depression, Americans were not enthusiastic about going into debt or giving too much power to the financial sector. Beginning in 1980, President Reagan convinced Americans that we did not have to sacrifice in order to have a good life and we began to believe we could borrow our way to riches. Reagan also convinced Americans there was no need for financial regulations and one-by-one all the depression-era safeguards were eliminated. An economic cult, the Chicago School of Economics promoted deregulation by arguing that markets were inherently self-regulating and no matter how severe the setback, markets would quickly return to equilibrium.
In both cases, unwarranted enthusiasm led to unmitigated disaster. Fukushima-Daiichi was a level 7 nuclear event -- the most serious since 1986's Chernobyl meltdown and potentially the most serious in history.
The US economic disaster began in 2000, with a housing bubble where prices increased astronomically and millions of investors rushed into the market. In 2007, the bubble burst as prices plummeted and investors defaulted. On September 15, 2008, the Lehman Brothers investment bank filed for bankruptcy, causing a global financial panic. On September 18th, the Bush Administration presented an outline of a bank bailout plan to Congressional leaders, but the damage had been done: the US economy had experienced a meltdown.
In both cases, unmitigated disaster was followed by random retribution and little change. The Japanese government consistently understated the gravity of the situation -- it took them four months to admit that a meltdown had occurred in Fukushima reactors 1,2, and 3. Prime Minister Kan was replaced but his successor, Yoshihiko Noda, restarted nuclear plants and 36 continue to be used.
In December 2008, one month after the US presidential election, the Bush administration admitted that America had been in a recession since December of 2007. In February of 2009, Democrats passed an economic stimulus bill, but when the economy did not quickly rebound, Republicans began to blame Democrats for America's economic woes. The 2012 Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, claims that it is President Obama's fault that "America is not working." Meanwhile the financial institutions that caused the meltdown have grown more powerful.
Japan's nuclear tragedy and America's economic crisis follow the same tragic pattern: A naïve population was seduced by a cult and abandoned common sense. That resulted in a meltdown. In the aftermath, a confused electorate didn't understand what had happened, accepted bad advice, and little changed. Paving the way for another meltdown.
Discuss.
40KG of Pu is 200B fatal doses.
http://www.iacenter.org/folder04/noflyby7.htm
8 million people per year die of cancer, and 1-4% of those are from nuclear power industry.
400k deaths http://www.llrc.org/fukushima/subtopic/fukushimariskcalc.htm The UCS analysis, released earlier this week, also estimates there will be some 50,000 excess cancers due to the accident.
http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/the_nuclear_body_count/
358 million cancers from nuclear bomb production and testing.
9.7 million cancers from bomb and plant accidents.
6.6 million cancers from the "routine discharges" of nuclear power plants.
As many as 175 million of these cancers could be fatal.
Maybe your next piece can be about how Barry single-handedly saved the world from starvation with his GMO/Monsanto aligned CZAR who made certain every home in the US was feeding on Monsanto's deadly GMOs at every meal. Oh wait, I thought it was those mean spirited, bigoted, homophobic republicans that were trying to kill us all with big corporate farming? You know, like Big Oil rapes us blind, even while Barry and CZARs cut Big Oil off at their feet and make sure to keep pouring our cash into a nation that pays terrorists to slaughter us? I don't know, there seems to be some mass confusion or lies, about who's REALLY doing what to WHO?
Reagan convinced the dupes that the Republic, the BEAST our democracy was the enemy and the rich 1%, the plutocrats and the multinationals were our salvation.
It's is Reaganomics that has destroyed our economy: trickle down, deregulate and privatize.
Maybe Reagan was honorable, but not his cronies. Look up the October Surprise. He sold weapons to our enemies to get the hostages release delayed till right after he too office.
Conservatives overwhelmingly own the media. "CZAR"?!?! GMO is good? Fox bubble boy.
The founders of the USA were Locke liberals fighting against the Burke conservative 1% rich, their multinationals and the empire they had bought.
"When economic power became concentrated in a few hands, then political power flowed to those possessors and away from the citizens, ultimately resulting in an oligarchy or tyranny." John Adams
"As riches increase and accumulate in few hands . . . the tendency of things will be to depart from the republican standard." Alexander Hamilton
Thomas Jefferson, "I hope we shall crush ... in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country".
Bet you think that's commie talk, huh?
Ambassador Murata writes to UN Secretary General:
“It is no exaggeration to say that the
fate of Japan and
the whole world
depends on No. 4 reactor”
http://enenews.com/ambassador-murata-writes-secretary-general-exaggeration-fate-japan-world-depends-4-reactor-appeals-independent-assessment-team/comment-page-1#comment-230805
When the SFP at #4 reactor is breached and the resulting radioactive firestorm ensues, half of the Island of Honshu will have to be evacuated. That could be as many as 50 million people, or in the least case, about 35 million (Tokyo alone). Some predict this event will collapse the economy of Japan, and in turn, its status as a sovereign nation.
The resulting and ongoing radioactive releases (air and water) will contaminate the entire northern hemisphere. No country will be spared. Following the jet stream blowing west, the US and Canadian coasts will be the most hard hit/contaminated. The entire US will not be spared.
This will be the beginning of the end for millions of people, and a mass corruption of the *gene pool for man and all other living creatures and plants. This will be the end of nuclear power, too; but, it will be the end of many of us, coincidently.
If you think those who created this nuclear power electricity scheme will be able to contain Fukushima; think again. The same folks who got us into this mess, are the ones charged with fixing it…WTF? Remember the Deepwater Horizon and how the offender BP was left to be the fixer…insanity.
*Gene pool corruption…see this Chernobyl preview of our future… http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/chernobyl
Thanks
Faved, already fanned!
So why so little coverage, and why so little global ACTION?
Russia has a solution or two. One is to evacuate the people, The other was to entomb.
The Western Powers are all too deeply involved since they all have nuclear energy investments and involvement in the design, munufacture and promotion of nuclear energy and NPPs.These countries are heavikt nuclear in weaons, too, and would have to examine their own cupability and examine their own nuclear energy policies. Denial is easier politically.
Even the Japanese are worried about it and you say that!
Ha Ha Ha
Got a link that says that TEPCO has never been worried about it?
Is the author aware that radiation from Japan was found in the air, milk, water, etc. in the U.S. >>>
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2011/04/09/radiation-detected-in-drinking-water-in-13-more-us-cities-cesium-137-in-vermont-milk/
Or that plutonium was found all the way in Luthuania?
Or about the massive amounts of radiation released into the Pacific Ocean, radiation around Japan, in Japan's food, and even in the kelp off of the California coast?
Highly recommend spending some time reviewing:
www dot fairewinds dot com
www dot enenews dot com
See this link:
"Radionuclides from the Fukushima accident in the air over Lithuania: measurement and modelling approaches"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22206700
Sorry but true statement!
They "got drunk on Wall Street," said Bush after the crash. It looks like the economic bubble was created to conceal the loss of manufacturing jobs via "free trade" and to simulate "prosperity" while we were at war. Like Reagan, Bush promoted the idea that we can have perpetual war, make huge profits, and even refrain from doing jobs that Americans don't want to do.
The Republican Administration borrowed money from China and created the bubble to afford the wars.
The cause of the Fukushima events are totally different. Nuclear energy is used because there are too many people consuming too much energy without the resources or alternative sources, and the necessary technology and infrastructure do not exist at present. A nuclear myth was created.
The goal of the Nuclear Renassance is to prevent the development of alternative energy by "locking" us into expensive and dangerous nuclear energy. It's just another, "Drill. Baby, Drill!" slogan.
RE: hey "got drunk on Wall Street," said Bush
... Said one of THE ENABLING "Bar Owners" that profited from it...
vs.
RE: The cause of the Fukushima events are totally different.
The Nuclear Fascists* have been fighting to increase their market share,
... Because they are unable to complete on a level playing field,
... One without HUGE subisities, especially now that Fukushima,
... Has revealed their Trillion Dollar Eco-Disaster RISK to humanity!
*Nuclear Fascism http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nuclear+fascism
The one-percent had a punch bowl with 151 proof rum. Who got rich(er) and who didn'tt Cui bono? War is cass warfare at its best. Depressions are manufactured by banks and politicians. Are the working people to blame?
from article: "Units 1,2, and 3 lost power and were unable to cool down properly; they experienced full meltdown." [ Wait a minute. ]
from article: "This was a catastrophe but there was a robust containment system that minimized the spread of contamination." [ The containment system FAILED! We were told that could never happen. Please define 'robust'. The Spread of contamination has NOT been minimized. ]
The article makes no mention of Fallout in the USA. Nor how the EPA and others have completely failed us and will continue to do so under the ruse of "It's of no concern and it's only like an x-ray".
I believe that if Americans really knew the true cost of Fukushima, WE, the people, would demand CHANGE and that is something that some of those in Government and the entire Nuclear Industry want to avoid at all cost!
What will determine the total cost of their "Trillion Dollar" Eco-Disaster?
Please feel free to add your comments and or estimates to this list:
Decommissioning costs
Loss to all other radioactive decontamination caused by this Disaster.
Loss of revenues by Tepco
Loss to TEPCO's share holders caused by radioactivity
Loss of Japanese personal income caused by radioactivity
Loss to Japanese businesses caused by radioactivity
Loss of all Japanese health costs related to radioactivity
Loss due to unusable Japanese Land related to radioactivity
Loss due to Japanese housing caused by radioactivity
Loss of Japanese Property Values caused by radioactivity
Loss of fishing grounds caused by radioactivity
Loss of manufacturing caused by radioactivity
Loss to the value of the Yen caused by radioactivity
Loss to other Utilities caused by Fukushima's radioactivity
Loss to Japans credit rating caused by Fukushima's radioactivity
Loss to the Japanese peoples Lives because of radiation
....and lets not forget the
Loss to the Japanese Nuclear Industry World-Wide
If you include compesation pain and suffering, you are way, way over a trillion dollars of damages.
The right to have a jury decide your damages has always been part of Anglo-American jurisprudence and is enshrined in our own constitution. "The right to a jury trial shall not be abridged," until Price-Anderson came along.
The "Nuclear Renassance" will eventually create 5,000 reactors worldwide with at least one or more in full meltdown every four years. Get ready for DEATH BY MELTDOWN. It will be slow but certain. Atmospheric testing was just as supid but those seeking power cannot see the truth because their power-mad agenda blinds them to the truth. The ones who can obviously don't care.
... And considering that once a meltdown starts,
... It takes decades to try and deal with it!
Faved, already fanned!
Greed has taken over the USA and until Congress starts thinking more about the Country than the Big Donors that elected them we as a Country are doomed!
One Man One Vote has become One Dollar One Vote...
In the past year US reactors and or Nuclear complexes have been almost burned, flooded, and shaken by an over designed Quake and or who knows what else since the Operators are not talking!
The time has come to SAY NO TO THE Nuclear Fascists*...
America cannot afford a Trillion Dollar Eco-Disaster anywhere else on the Planet!
*Nuclear Fascism
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nuclear+fascism
There is no VALUE that can be placed on the catastrophic worldwide suffering caused by this unbelievable man-made debacle.
Thanks CaptD, your words ring true.
It will happen again AND again. There will be meltdowns.
Risk Assessment: Recorded 12/01/2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SruTxZJyMkA&list=PL69D1BB4DB0D8F834&index=24&feature=plpp_video
Yes, The Japanese People are in a World of Hurt and all the pro nuclear folks in the world cannot even begin to fathom what their future will be like!
What a Nuclear Waste!
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