Major earthquake near Japan: Tsunami alert

**the4thpip** · 03-12-2011, 07:08 AM

60,000 people protest against nuclear power in Germany today. Conservative environmental minister Norbert Röttgen: "Now is not a good time to debate the safety of nuclear plants."

**marilyn manson** · 03-12-2011, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by the4thpip

60,000 people protest against nuclear power in Germany today. Conservative environmental minister Norbert Röttgen: "Now is not a good time to debate the safety of nuclear plants."

And there will be another protest when the government raise utility bill due to higher cost of petrol/coal/natural gas.

**Michael P** · 03-12-2011, 07:33 AM

Hey, if you want your faith in humanity demolished, do a search for "Pearl Harbor" on Facebook.

**Pro** · 03-12-2011, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by Michael P

Hey, if you want your faith in humanity demolished, do a search for "Pearl Harbor" on Facebook.

I can pretty much guess ... and that's enough.

**7thangel** · 03-12-2011, 09:04 AM

explosion at the plant

Japan: Tragic death toll from tsunami, explosion in a nuclear power plant

**the4thpip** · 03-12-2011, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by marilyn manson

And there will be another protest when the government raise utility bill due to higher cost of petrol/coal/natural gas.

Um... the government does not raise utility bills. I live in a capitalist society, don't you?

**Sabrina_Fried** · 03-12-2011, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by the4thpip

60,000 people protest against nuclear power in Germany today. Conservative environmental minister Norbert Röttgen: "Now is not a good time to debate the safety of nuclear plants."

You know, I'm still on the fence over the whole nuclear power issue, but I have to say this:

This whole terrible tragedy says volumes about robust construction of the nuclear facilities in Japan. The facilities in the earthquake zone endured one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded, a tsunami that was up to 30 m high in some places, dozens of aftershocks that could easily be called powerful earthquakes themselves, the failure of the primary AND secondary emergency energy generators for the coolant system, and then, only then, is one generator running into serious trouble.

Yes, the explosions and radiation leaks are going to be terrible. But the building endured well and above anything the architects could have expected. I only wish all nuclear plants were built that well.

As for the idiots claiming that this is payback for Pearl Harbour, the only thing I can say without violating this board's commenting guidelines is this: We're talking about the outcome of a geologic process that started shortly after the planet formed. On a scale of geologic time, human history, culture and politics are meaningless.

**Spike-X** · 03-12-2011, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by Michael P

Hey, if you want your faith in humanity demolished, do a search for "Pearl Harbor" on Facebook.

I'd really, really, really rather not.

**Hiromi** · 03-12-2011, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Spike-X

Japan’s Strict Building Codes Saved Lives

I spent 2 weeks in Japan 3 months ago for vacation, and the tour guide who took me around Tokyo made a point in talking about this, very very glad to see her proven right in this. Really really saddened by this whole thing.

**Ronald Bryan** · 03-12-2011, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by Spike-X

I'd really, really, really rather not.

What bothers me is the intelligent people who do want to read that stuff, for hours, just to get mad at it. Why?

**Sean Walsh** · 03-12-2011, 03:37 PM

There's been yet *antoher* aftershock - in the area of Sendai, Japan.

With the amount, and still-extreme strength, of aftershocks so far, this entire ordeal (which I think would've been well into rescue and recovery territory already in most other cases) is quite bewildering. O_o

**Iangould** · 03-12-2011, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Sabrina_Fried

You know, I'm still on the fence over the whole nuclear power issue, but I have to say this:

This whole terrible tragedy says volumes about robust construction of the nuclear facilities in Japan. The facilities in the earthquake zone endured one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded, a tsunami that was up to 30 m high in some places, dozens of aftershocks that could easily be called powerful earthquakes themselves, the failure of the primary AND secondary emergency energy generators for the coolant system, and then, only then, is one generator running into serious trouble.

Japan is probably the best prepared country in the world for an event like this.

If this had happened in virtually any other developed country the results would probably have been much worse.

If it had happened in, say, Indonesia, the scale of the disaster would be almost unfathomable.

Having said that, there's a lot of corruption in the Japanese construction industry and there have been questions for years about the safety standards at Japan's reactors.