It's been 32 years since the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, and 25 years since the deadly mishap in Chernobyl made the public understand what a "nuclear meltdown" might actually mean.  This first video trailer will get you in touch with the inner dread that we all felt back then. While it may be fictional, the scenario it portrays is very real, and has always been a possibility, and this film very much shaped the minds and attitudes of millions who are still deeply suspicious of nuclear energy. (Note: this is a trailer is really not  the clip I wanted. I am still trying to find that one and will republish when I find it). The second trailer gives you a taste of the aftermath of Chernobyl. It's followed by a professor's explanation of a meltdown, as well as the issues of storing nuclear waste.(The problem the industry most hates to talk about.)

The nuclear energy industry, and their right wing partners, have always tried to minimize the risks of nuclear power generation to younger people, and they work hard to present any hazard as mere paranoia marketed by a liberal elite, which they portray as hostile to economic growth. But the dangers have always been very real, and strategically marginalized through skilled propaganda. The critics of the industry have been vilified, even mocked, simply for informing the public of the ugly truths which the industry has expended great effort trying to conceal.

It seems that the Japanese disaster may be even closer to this outcome than those moments were. If you have a god, pray to it. If you don't, just hope we dodge this bullet, too, as we have dodged so many over the years. Whether by nuclear calamity, or climate change negligence, corporate and conservative greed, enabled by a complete lack of meaningful oversight and accountability, may well be taking our planet on a steady march down a reckless road to planetary ruin.

 

 

 

Latest News On Japanese Nuclear Accident

Related

 

Background

 

Got links?  Please tweet them to @shoq. I will add them here.

News

Warnings, Alerts and Information

Disaster Relief

  • Give $10 automatically to the REDCROSS by texting to: 90999. Note: Regardless of what current message says, all proceeds do go to Red Cross. Details
     
  • Other Red Cross methods

Missing Persons

Inquiries concerning U.S. citizens living or traveling in Japan should be referred to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services at:

1-888-407-4747 or 202 647-5225.

For inquiries about relatives living in Japan who are not US citizens, encourage the members of your community to keep calling or to try contacting other family members who live in the region. Even though communication networks overloaded right now, the situation may change and access to mobile networks and the internet may improve.

The Google Person Finder site is available at: http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/?lang=en

Source: Red Cross

Video and Images

Related

   Backgrounders

   Political Implications

US President Ronald Reagan once flatly declared, “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” A quarter of a century has since passed, and a huge price has now fallen due in the form of a once-in-a-century crisis. It has compelled people to learn once again that government is indispensable for dealing with the unstable nature of capitalism
 

This page will be updated throughout the day. Please report any issues to twitter.com/@shoq

Evacuation Info

Hawaii

Evacuation Maps Online (Hawaii)

Searchable by address. Please for Hawaii residents ONLY #hitsunami

Warning & Disaster Info

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC)

Summary: 

Tsunami Warning For Hawaiian Islands (All Coasts) –– Expected Wave Arrival Time: 11:00-11:20 AM HST

Tsunami wave forecast: Hilo 11:05 am HST 6.9 – 8.2 ft; Honolulu 11:37am,1.6 – 2.3 ft; Kahului 11:26 a.m., 3.6 -10 ft (source: @BreakingNew)

 

Latest Warning Advisory (Click "Latest Tsunami Message" link in pink area near top of page.)

Wave Travel Time Projections

Chilean Earthquake Info

Missing Person Finder (Chili) 

Reliable News Sources

UStream Feed — Live Feed

Honolulu Advertiser (Well regarded, despite title)

Google News Feed

NPR Update Blog

Twitter Feeds

Hawaii or #Hawaii

@Breaking News

Blogs Following Events

Watergate Summer

Backgrounders

How Tsuamis Work

Tsunami (Wikipedia)

How Earthquakes Work