This is per MSNBC.com I think it's valid info.

Try looking at MSNBC once in a while you might actually learn something.

Mainstraem media is still trying to figure out what is actually going on but a total of four out of six reactors are burning and leaking including the storage spent fuel rods that are still "hot" and things are not looking very good.

CNN: US tells Americans to get out of a 50 mile area from reactors.

Dire warning from top US nuclear watchdog. JAPAN RADIATION "EXTREMELY HIGH" Crisis is Deteriorating!


AIRPORTS crowded with people trying to leave the country.

Chernobyl Heart
Environment45 Comments On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear accident in history occurred when a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, releasing 90 times the radioactivity of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Sixteen years later, award-winning filmmaker Maryann De Leo took her camera to ground zero, following the devastating trail radiation leaves behind in hospitals, orphanages, mental asylums and evacuated villages. The Academy Award®-winning documentary short debuts immediately after the America Undercover special “Indian Point: Imagining the Unimaginable”.

Following Adi Roche, founder of Ireland’s Chernobyl Children’s Project, CHERNOBYL HEART opens in the exclusion zone, the most radioactive environment on earth. From there, Roche travels to Belarus, home to many of the children she seeks to aid. The film reveals those hardest hit by radiation, including thyroid cancer patients and children suffering from unfathomable congenital birth and heart defects.

Despite the fact that 99% of Belarus is contaminated with radioactive material, many people refuse to leave their homes behind. Asked why he would not move, the father of a radiation victim replies, “To leave the motherland where you were born and raised, where your soul is connected to the earth – I would not want to. To move to a new place is difficult, especially in terms of a job in Belarus and abroad.”

In Belarus, only 15-20% of babies are born healthy. Roche comforts children who are born with multiple holes in their heart, a condition known in Belarus as “Chernobyl heart.” A lucky few will have their heart problems fixed by Dr. William Novick, who heads the International Children’s Heart Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children with congenital or acquired heart disease in developing countries throughout the world. After saving the life of a young girl suffering from Chernobyl heart and being humbled by her parents’ gratitude, Dr. Novick affirms, “I appreciate this is a bit of a miracle for them…but we have a certain responsibility to these kids.”


http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/chernobyl-heart/

US officials have concluded that the Japanese warnings have been insufficient, and that, deliberately or not, they have understated the potential threat of what is taking place inside the nuclear facility, according to the New York Times. Gregory Jaczko, the chairman of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, earlier said he believed that all the water in the spent fuel pool at reactor 4 had boiled dry, leaving fuel rods stored there exposed. "We believe that radiation levels are extremely high, which could possibly impact the ability to take corrective measures," he told a Congressional committee.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

Andreas Persbo, director of the London-based Verification Research, Training and Information Centre, has told Bloomberg that although Japan is legally obliged to provide information to the IAEA and its member states, officials in Tokyo simply may not be able to do so. "In a crisis situation, the only ones that really know what is going on are at the site and they don't have time to pick up the telephone," he explained.
From another article same link:
Stuart Blackburn from Osaka writes: "Today, I and other Britons were contacted by the foreign office, and asked to refer to a report from the government's Chief Science Officer for advice. His conclusion was plain; even if the reactors meltdown, we would be in no danger. There is no reason to leave. For me, this was the clear, expert opinion I had been waiting for. I shall not leave Japan. I began to spread the word to friends. Until, that is, I read an article from the New York Times. The reactor blasts have exposed storage pools of spent fuel to the outside. With the cooling systems down, the water covering the fuel is boiling away, and engineers are unable to conduct repairs. Should the water evaporate away, the spent rods could ignite, sending huge volumes of radioisotopes into the air. 100 rapid deaths within 500 miles. Over 100,000 deaths over time. Of course, this is a worse-case scenario. But the once quenched debate is re-ignited. Should we stay? For now, we can only wait, and talk."http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

New film of the Tsunami

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12735023

"They are leaving us to die," says the mayor of Minamasoma inside the exclusion zone

The governor of the region at the centre of Japan's nuclear crisis has criticised official handling of the evacuation of the area around the stricken Fukushima Daiichi power plant.
Fukushima prefecture governor Yuhei Sato said: "Anxiety and anger felt by people have reached boiling point."

Engineers are racing to avert a nuclear catastrophe at Fukushima Daiichi, badly damaged by Friday's quake and tsunami.

The government has declared a 20km (12-mile) evacuation zone around it.

Another 140,000 people living between 20-30km of the facility were told on Tuesday not to leave their homes, while the US embassy has advised American citizens living within 80km of the plant to evacuate or seek shelter.

Mr Sato said centres already housing people who had been moved from their homes near the plant did not have enough hot meals and basic necessities such as fuel and medical supplies. "We're lacking everything," he said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12763273


Many airlines have suspended flights to Japan while at Tokyo's Haneda airport there are large crowds trying to get out of the capital. One man at the airport told BBC World Service: "My children are small and have their life ahead of them and I don't want them to be contaminated by the nuclear fallout."


Germany has advised citizens in Japan to consider leaving Tokyo joining a growing number of governments and businesses telling their people it may be safer elsewhere.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

There is an excellent article in the NYT today that summarizes the nuclear crisis in Japan and discusses US and others' reactions and plans.

U.S. Calls Radiation ‘Extremely High’ and Urges Deeper Caution in Japan

I just wanted to light a few virtual candles for those brave soles who are attempting to cool the reactor's....

They are no doubt risking their lives to save others, may they be safe in what they do....

L, yes we all need to say a prayer for them. They are the older men that have been asked to volunteer, because the chances of them dying of long term cancers are less, cause they will die sooner than a younger man. However no one is saying they might not live a month.

WOW this photo says a thousand words

Why don't they Pour a combination of Liquid Copper (Copper Sulphate) and Liquid Lead in on the RODS inside the core and then lead line the reactor core then concrete the core in!

Sounds great to me Lynn!! Any information would be gratefully accepted.

IAEA warned Japan over nuclear quake risk: WikiLeaks
Posted: 17 March 2011 0938 hrs


LONDON: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned Japan two years ago that a strong earthquake could pose a "serious problem" for its nuclear power stations, Britain's Daily Telegraph reported.

An IAEA expert expressed concern that the Japanese reactors were only designed to withstand magnitude 7.0 tremors, according to a December 2008 US diplomatic cable obtained by the WikiLeaks website, Telegraph reported.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/ ... 31/1/.html

IAEA Update on Japan EarthquakeStaff Report


Story Resources
IAEA Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC)International Seismic Safety Centre (ISSC)Response Assistance Network (RANET)Japan Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA)International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES).
Listen to this story..Japanese Earthquake Update (17 March 01:15 UTC)
Injuries or Contamination at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Based on a press release from the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary dated 16 March 2011, the IAEA can confirm the following information about human injuries or contamination at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Please note that this list provides a snapshot of the latest information made available to the IAEA by Japanese authorities. Given the fluid situation at the plant, this information is subject to change.

Injuries

2 TEPCO employees have minor injuries
2 subcontractor employees are injured, one person suffered broken legs and one person whose condition is unknown was transported to the hospital
2 people are missing
2 people were 'suddenly taken ill'
2 TEPCO employees were transported to hospital during the time of donning respiratory protection in the control centre
4 people (2 TEPCO employees, 2 subcontractor employees) sustained minor injuries due to the explosion at unit 1 on 11 March and were transported to the hospital
11 people (4 TEPCO employees, 3 subcontractor employees and 4 Japanese civil defense workers) were injured due to the explosion at unit 3 on 14 March
Radiological Contamination

17 people (9 TEPCO employees, 8 subcontractor employees) suffered from deposition of radioactive material to their faces, but were not taken to the hospital because of low levels of exposure
One worker suffered from significant exposure during 'vent work,' and was transported to an offsite center
2 policemen who were exposed to radiation were decontaminated
Firemen who were exposed to radiation are under investigation
The IAEA continues to seek information from Japanese authorities about all aspects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant


http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/tsu ... ate01.html

Nuke fuel in Japan is the super charge version having more risk
http://sherriequestioningall.blogspot.com/2011/03/japan-exploded-nuclear-plant-uses-mox.html

Plant also store tons of old fuel
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/detailed-look-spent-fuel-rod-containment-pools-fukushima

The explosions happened when the fuel rods began to melt and release gases that reacted with the surrounding steam, producing hydrogen.
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-nuclear-meltdown-video.html

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/16/134600825/plutonium-in-fuel-rods-cause-for-concern?ps=cprs

Weapons grade fuel in rods
http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/nuclear-fuel-test-failure-0140.html

Talk about solution
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4590823/time-for-the-chernobyl-solution-in-japan/?playlist_id=86857

Given the plutonium having already melted, I would say we need watch this very carefully.

Per MSNBC.com they are now dropping water from helicopters in to the holding tanks? they say they will have the power back on today for the pumps,

Fr33k - Liquid lead??? Melting temp = ambient (20degC)

Reactor core temp = 4000+degC

Not likely to mix nicely!! Vaporisation would be instant...

I hope that the pumps and valves are not damaged, along with the concrete pool which holds the nuke material is not cracked.

The last time the pumps were run was 3 days ago, and there has been a lot happening since then.

You know it is bad when POTUS has to say something.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2011/03/17/2011-03-17_japan_nuclear_crisis_president_obama_reassures_jittery_americans_that_radiation_.html

There has to be cracks otherwise, why doesn't the salt water stay inside the vessel?? I hope I am completely off base, but to pour water for 24 hours steady is not good. They are using pumper trucks today, unmanned, so at least they aren't getting more exposure, for now.

They have found milk and spinach that is containimated in Japan. Also they are checking passengers and planes for Radiation in Vancouver. They have also placed radiation momitors up and down the coast of BC. But the PTB are all saying we will be safe.
WHO said for now, Dr Sangay Gupta of CNN, avoided the question when asked yesterday if NA's were safe. That is good enough for me. Today his answers were different. I guess they got to him.

WHO: No short-term risk from contaminated food

snip

As he had done earlier, Edano stressed that he believes the levels of radiation in food -- while above the legal standards -- do not pose any immediate health risk, saying they were mostly dangerous only if consumed repeatedly over one's lifetime.

The decision to prohibit food produce sales is another potentially devastating blow to a part of northeast Japan hit by the earthquake, tsunami and other potential fall-out from the Fukushima plant.

Fukushima, northeast of Tokyo, has Japan's fourth-largest amount of farmland and ranks among its top producer of fruits, vegetables and rice. Ibaraki, south of Fukushima, supplies Tokyo with a significant amount of fruits and vegetables and is Japan's third-largest pork producer.

After the 1986 nuclear plant disaster in Chernobyl -- then a part of the Soviet Union -- tons of food had to be destroyed when radioactive debris fell on crops in large swaths of Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.

Hygiene expert Satoshi Takaya, who helped Japanese scientists prevent contaminated food from entering the country at that time, said the current situation is no Chernobyl -- but he said the current crisis is sure to affect Japanese farmers.

snip

Read more here: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/21/japan.nuclear.food/index.html?hpt=T2#

Smoke spews from two reactors at stricken Japanese nuclear plant

Tokyo (CNN) -- Smoke spewed Monday from two adjacent reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, a nuclear safety official said, setbacks that came despite fervent efforts to prevent the further release of radioactive materials at the stricken facility.

After 6 p.m., white smoke was seen emanating from the facility's No. 2 reactor, according to Hidehiko Nishiyama, an official with Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency. About two hours earlier, workers were evacuated from the area around the No. 3 reactor after gray smoke began to rise from the wreckage of its steel-and-concrete housing, which was blown apart by a hydrogen explosion last week.

The No. 3 reactor has been the top priority for authorities trying to contain damage to the plant and stave off a possible meltdown. Its fuel includes a small percentage of plutonium mixed with the uranium in its fuel rods, which experts say could cause more harm than regular uranium fuels in the event of a meltdown.

Nishiyama said there was no evident explosion, spike in radiation or injuries at the No. 3 reactor. The smoke was coming from the building's southeastern side, where the reactor's spent nuclear fuel pool is located, but the origin of the smoke at either reactor was unknown.

Read more here: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/21/japan.nuclear.reactors/index.html?hpt=T2#

Here is the compact Nuke Alert that UJ posted in case anyone is interested.



http://nukalert.com/

Well, gee, ya think?

Tests detect radiation above limits for infants in Tokyo water

Tokyo (CNN) -- A top Japanese official urged residents of the nation's capital not to hoard bottled water Wednesday after Tokyo's government found that radioactive material in tap water had exceeded the limit considered safe for infants.

"We have to consider Miyagi and Iwate and other disaster-hit areas," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said. "I'd like to again urge consumers not to purchase more bottled water than they need."

Earlier Wednesday, Tokyo government officials advised residents not to give tap water to infants or use it in formula after tests at a purification plant detected higher levels of radioactive iodine.

The city's water agency said the spike was likely caused by problems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, located 240 kilometers (150 miles) away.

Edano's words seemingly fell on deaf ears as Tokyo residents made a dash for bottled water.

Read more here: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/23/japan.nuclear.crisis/index.html?hpt=T2#