Job Discussion Forums

[stumptowny]

Would like to get a feel for your preparations... readying the eject button.

November begins the rods extraction from the reactors... the fact that its never been attempted manually, in human history, and that the slightest error could be something like 1500 times hiroshima's damage... and the now weekly accidents with the water tanks.. the tokyo water supply coming partly from fukushima's underground aquafir... its not looking great.

not trying to be gloom, as I am happily living in tokyo and dont want to get uprooted either, but reality doesn't lie. I would have to drop an apartment full of stuff, and bail with two large suitcases, leaving my job..

but not wanting to die and to have options, I have saved my last 2 paychecks just in case.. so I can pack it and run..

I really feel for japanese and gaijans with families, as I am just a dood and suitcases, leaving a lot of material things behind but nothing huge like a house, car, and family..

my friends and I have been talking about november's approach, monitoring the mini distasters occurring almost weekly now. sharing articles on fb... one of my friend's is saving money too... just in case.

while the japanese people seem to be clueless about the weekly mishaps going on there and even about the larger rod extractions beginning Nov. they will just stay here and suffer I guess.. not much of a choice has been accepted or outlined for the japanese..

so... what are your plans? how have you prepped? What trigger events would get you to evacuate? how much confirmation do you require? how much time would you wait before bailing? (assuming the japanese are information hiding, unable to admit failure, and filled with cultural pride >>> aka they are inept like 2011)...

a side note: any good links, websites for current haps? not japanese news but more objective scientific and preferably foreign sources...

[rxk22]

You think it could be that serious? I am in the US now, so I can talk like this.

I thought they were going to freeze it in place?

[stumptowny]

[quote="rxk22"]You think it could be that serious? I am in the US now, so I can talk like this.

I thought they were going to freeze it in place?[/quote]

me too, on the freeze. but the latest press has been about rod removal in November.. anyone know definitively?

[pennywise]

I have no idea what the risks of this happening are, but if you're worried I suppose it doesn't hurt to have a grab bag with essentials in ready to go. Probably makes sense to have one anyway in case of quakes etc. But if something like that were to happen you wouldn't get far with suitcases I bet.

[PhoenixSpirit]

I personally think your worrying way too much about this. They were saying the same about this when it originally happened that it would be the end of Japan, and here we are two years later.

[stumptowny]

[quote="PhoenixSpirit"]I personally think your worrying way too much about this. They were saying the same about this when it originally happened that it would be the end of Japan, and here we are two years later.[/quote]

I was here in 2011.. and I am here now as are my other concerned friends. it gives you experience.

your location is russia? you must be on top of japan's current events from there. I'm teasing you... but in all seriousness, you haven't a clue and your comment doesn't surprise me either.. same attitude as 1986 cherynoble. not sufficiently evacuating people.. you guys don't seem to prepare well either. but if you are in japan, get prepared and redeem your fallen comrades! that means contributing in beneficial ways to threads like this..

in any case, you are not concerned because you haven't read up on the matter and you dont know what is happening. don't take my word for it. read the articles and programs from the nucleur engineers and scientists... if they are worried, you should be too.

the end of japan, perhaps economically... could be a massive redistribution of resources, people, and business infrastructure..

on monday abe was openly pleading for international help in the matter.. in solving the problem. this leads me to believe the freezing tactic has been deemed insufficient. TEPCO (tokyo electric power co. for those of you in russia) is, after all, a utility broker, not an engineering firm. they do not have the skill set to deal with this problem. like asking customer support at the at&t shop to repair your iphone..

this was reported on the 10/9 The Big Picture show with Thom hartmann which airs on RT news. great step to ask for help from abe. but a clear sign of seriousness in the matter as japanese are really proud of themselves and normally would not ask for help or admit failure.. its akin to psychological harakiri with a katana.. coming from abe, the economic maverick, it's significant.. abe is the current prime minister (fyi, for people in russia..)

[TokyoLiz]

A few recent news items that I rely on - http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2013/1005/Fukushima-101-5-questions-answered-about-Japan-s-crippled-nuclear-reactors

National Geographic Newswatch - http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/

RT is not a reliable source for information. Their reports tend towards sensationalism, and few reliable news sources reflect the same content in their reports regarding Fukushima.

[PhoenixSpirit]

[stumptowny]

[Solar Strength]

That's what I have experienced here, also.

You have people saying there is no threat. Then there are others saying that it is extremely serious and who have even left the country or want to leave. Others don't trust the Japanese government or the safety of the fish, milk and produce.

I have tried reading up on it now and then, but I have also kind of given up on it or any hope of successfully understanding the truth of the situation.

My intuition, however, tells me to be skeptical of what the Japanese government tells people.

[stumptowny]

[quote="Solar Strength"]
Abe looked into the TV cameras and said, "We are in complete control", when asked about it during an Olympics press conference I saw on CNN last month.[/quote]

my abe qoute is from monday, not a month ago. its more recent. this was reported on the Thom Hartmann "the big picture" show I referenced, which airs on RT news.. free podcast... I am repeating myself. catch on dood@!

a lot of hype around the olympic bid victory so I can see he'd say that a month ago. but now, reality...

I wonder why the freeze method did not go through? or perhaps they are doing it and also looking for other solutions as well? props to abe for reaching out. it is, after all the worlds problem as the effects would be felt well outside japan..

[stumptowny]

[quote="Solar Strength"]That's what I have experienced here, also.

You have people saying there is no threat. Then there are others saying that it is extremely serious and who have even left the country or want to leave. Others don't trust the Japanese government or the safety of the fish, milk and produce.

I have tried reading up on it now and then, but I have also kind of given up on it or any hope of successfully understanding the truth of the situation.

My intuition, however, tells me to be skeptical of what the Japanese government tells people.[/quote]

I am in the same boat and thanks for your thoughts. volleying between giving up on caring and paying attention. most gaijins in japan are too as this has dragged out so long now, that everyday life has diluted the importance of the situation. until the next news blip crosses our path or important date approaches, as the november rod extractions approach. japanese seem even less moved and at times seem to not even know of basic news that I know about.

regarding following your intuition/gut, what I know is this:

1. March 2011 news/information was very slow if existent. botched altogether.

2. ambulances here slow to a crawl and even stop, en route, to belt out courtesies over a loudspeaker while the emergency plays out.

3. at a packed lumine in tokyo, I came across a person passed out at the bottom of an escalator, laying on the ground, had wet herself, and was foaming at the mouth. no one was on the ground with her, checking her, but there were about 12-15 people all standing, watching, one woman was talking to the victim.. politely, standing over her. bystander apathy yes, but in the US people would be on it..

my point is, yes, follow your intuition. you are not going to get timely/accurate response from the japanese. taking care of emergency/ambiguous situations is not a japanese forte.. they are bogged down by politeness and structure.

we need outside sources and ones that report real time numbers.. that ios app is pretty handy

[rxk22]

[teenoso]

From outside Japan, what is striking is that , after all the cover-ups and c**k-ups , the Japanese government has left TEPCO in charge at Fukushima. It was clear when it happened, the company was completely unable to handle such a crisis. And yet it is still there trying to 'clean up'.

This is the most worrying aspect (IMO), going forward: nobody involved , from the government downwards, seems to fathom the depth of their own incompetence.

[Pitarou]