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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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Steelrails

Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Location: Earth, Solar System
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Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 6:14 am Post subject: |
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I actually had an idea what the students were talking about as a co-teacher mentioned the students were talking about the radiation from Japan. |
And in what context.
People talking about radiation from Japan. Haven't heard that one in the past month. How could anyone be thinking about that???
Obviously if someone is talking about radiation and Japan and it not being good it must be some sort of anti-Japanese propaganda.
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They "probably" would!!!! Great counterfactuals, captain logic strikes again. |
So you mean to say that NETs around are oblivious to radiation and Japan and it possibly affecting Korea? You mean Dave's doesn't have multiple threads about that going on?
Menino: Steelrails suggesting that NETs might put the words "Today's Weather"+"Japan" in a "be careful" context= bad logic.
But someone with limited Korean skills taking a single classroom and hearing the word "Japan" and assuming it is anti-Japanese racism= good logic.
Come on man.
I'll let the Koreans who are into Japanese music and comics, the ones who don't riot over a Korea-Japan soccer game (Oh yeah where are those? *Cough* Celtic-Rangers) and the ones who donated to the relief effort speak for themselves. Don't ignore their voices and actions. Yes, the Japan haters are out there and there are plenty. But there are many Koreans who want to move on and responded with charity to this whole situation. I live in a podunk area of Korea and was at a restaurant showing news the day of the Tsunami and the mood was anything but jubilant.
Check your own bigotry on this issue. By any standard of a country with historical animosity, Korea has responded quite well in this situation., like the Greeks did with the Turks in their earthquake. A desire by the silent majority to be decent people about the whole thing.
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Re-read what I wrote again despite your conviction that I had no idea. By the way, not all communication needs to be verbal to be understood. |
Think the over-the-top reaction might have to do with RADIATION and not necessarily Japan? Do you think the kids might have had the same body language if the radiation had been blowing in from Mongolia?
I'm may be going out on a limb here, but I'd guess that if you took a bunch of 12 year olds from around the world and threw out terms like "radiation" when it comes to a neighboring country, they might have the same reaction?
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I think you meant to write "throw" instead of "through." |
touche
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There are plenty of other posts on this board by those who chose not not to get scared by this. |
But they are aware. And if you didn't know English and watched some NETs talking about today's weather you might be drawn to the wrong conclusion as well.
"Japan" + "Today's Weather" + Negative Reaction does not = bigotry.
Heck, people flip out when you throw the words "Japan" + "Whales" together. Does that make them bigots? |
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Kimchifart
Joined: 15 Sep 2010
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Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:29 am Post subject: |
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Draz wrote: |
joyorbison wrote: |
Couldn't you see how the media is blowing this all out of proportion? They want worried people to buy the newspapers. Panic = sales.
IF IF IF IF the wind/rains come DIRECTLY from Fukushima. They won't, and if they do its not enough to be harmful.
Don't trust the government, also don't trust the media. Science is the most reliable thing we have in 2011. |
Looks like Dave's has its very own nuclearologist. I don't see any science in this post though. |
My friend's Dad is a nuclear physicist and he's gone over to Japan to help out in the other nuclear plants. He's not remotely worried. |
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joyorbison
Joined: 06 Dec 2009
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Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:28 am Post subject: |
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AHawk843 wrote: |
joyorbison wrote: |
AHawk843 wrote: |
As others have pointed out, it is in the media's best interest to avoid spurring a public panic in situations like this. Honestly, what do you'd expect they would say? 'Slightly harmful radioactive rain expected today. You can avoid potentially getting sick by either A) buying lots of seaweed or B) skipping work/school and staying indoors.' Because even that mildest of mild warnings has an enormous societal ripple.
Draw your own conclusions by compiling media and reports from multiple sources. Voice of America has had two great reporters on the ground (although one has now returned to Seoul) covering the reactor catastrophe ... the guy in Japan reported yesterday that the radiation levels at Fukushima were so high that a Geiger counter couldn't accurately read them. This is after they had to release 15.5 million tonnes of radioactive water from the reactor into the ocean this past weekend. Put two and two together. A lot of radiation is leaking out of this place.
Not at all saying today's rain is going to burn the skin off of your face, but don't be naive either. |
How is it in the media's interests to avoid a public panic? |
Maybe you could explain to me how it would, in any way, be within their interests? Please don't say 'to sell more papers' or 'boost their ratings.'
If you were a magnate in a large media conglomerate would you be itching to expose your publications to lawsuit, public ire, and governmental sanctions? |
I've lost interest in whole topic a little bit, but my point was that this is being turned into just yet another moral panic.
Many news agencies (e.g. Fox news) don't mind disagreeing with the government. Lawsuits only happen if the reporting is actually false, Korean Times did say the risk was minimal but spent a lot of time quoting worried parents. Public ire for twisting the facts a little and exaggeration? Not likely.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_panic |
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hagwonnewbie

Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Asia
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Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:36 am Post subject: |
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Drinking the "radioactive" rainwater everyday for a month would expose you to less radiation than you get in the chest x-ray required for an E-2.
Much to do about nothing |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn
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Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:05 am Post subject: |
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a student this evening told me that the east sea(a.k.a "the sea of japan") will be an ecological disaster area in the near future. your seaweed might help you a bit, and the heavy rain may not have that much of an effect, but denser organisms like cows, sheeps, chickens, pigs, fish, and the like will be glowing green soon, according to him. what about the fish that escape the east nets and begin spawning in the western sea...? he said he's no longer going to eat fish. i told him we might as well all kill ourselves now...hope he doesn't take me too seriously. |
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DaHu
Joined: 09 Feb 2011
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Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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denverdeath wrote: |
a student this evening told me that the east sea(a.k.a "the sea of japan") will be an ecological disaster area in the near future. your seaweed might help you a bit, and the heavy rain may not have that much of an effect, but denser organisms like cows, sheeps, chickens, pigs, fish, and the like will be glowing green soon, according to him. what about the fish that escape the east nets and begin spawning in the western sea...? he said he's no longer going to eat fish. i told him we might as well all kill ourselves now...hope he doesn't take me too seriously. |
Seaweed would soak up the radiation from the ocean and kill you. True story. |
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madowlspeaks
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Location: Somewhere in time and space
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Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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denverdeath wrote: |
a student this evening told me that the east sea(a.k.a "the sea of japan") will be an ecological disaster area in the near future. your seaweed might help you a bit, and the heavy rain may not have that much of an effect, but denser organisms like cows, sheeps, chickens, pigs, fish, and the like will be glowing green soon, according to him. what about the fish that escape the east nets and begin spawning in the western sea...? he said he's no longer going to eat fish. i told him we might as well all kill ourselves now...hope he doesn't take me too seriously. |
Yes this might be a bigger threat than the rain! Check this blog out about bio-accumulation
http://peterlachnewinsky.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/what-you-need-to-know-when-nukes-melt/
He states "Like all persistent chemicals, radioactive isotopes accumulate up food chains: quite small quantities in the soil or water will exponentially increase at each stage as they are taken up by plants and then by animals" |
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Los Angeloser
Joined: 26 Aug 2010 Location: Korea
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Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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Apparently, Korean weather reporters rely on Germany and its N.E. Asia weather forcasts to tell Koreans about Korean weather 3 days beforehand. Korean news ran with the Germany weather report, incited the netizens who forgot that weather reports are known to change every 24 hours. |
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Stan Rogers
Joined: 20 Aug 2010
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Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know who to believe anymore. But I do know radioactive materials are not good for you, and that the wind comes from all directions including East. |
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Oppa
Joined: 05 Apr 2011
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Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 4:38 am Post subject: |
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I went outside hoping to get bitten by a radioactive spider (actually any insect or animal would do) and get some superhero powers.
That was several days ago. No sign of any changes. No super powers.
Bummer. |
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