3 months ago
9.0
By now you all know the story. The video has to be seen to be believed. Sendai looks like a G--d---- nuclear bomb hit it -- unbelievable devastation. Our family and friends in Japan are all accounted for and safe, thank God, but as a survivor of a major earthquake myself (Northridge '94, 6.6) I can guarantee you they are scared. (Our Yuki is here in the USA, in Orlando, so she's safe.)
For continuous live steaming video, open NHK in a window and let it run. The shibō/fumei counter inset into the video image is bone-chilling, like Hell's scoreboard. As you monitor, keep an ear open for the phrase genshiryoko hatsuden-sho [原子力発電所, "nuclear power plant"]. They lost coolant pressure at the big plant near Sendai today. I'm a former nuclear power worker, and let me tell you that's a sphincter-clenchingly scary situation. For a reactor that big (1100 MW) to lose all coolant pressure to the core is a nightmare scenario. Fortunately it's an BWR (boiling water) type reactor, so even if the core runs dry it can't melt down Chernobyl-style; without water in the core to thermalize (slow down) the neutron flux from the rods, the reaction stops (steam being more or less neutron-transparent, stopping criticality in the core).
Unfortunately, if coolant flow stops, whatever is left in the reactor core is going to flash to hot steam at high pressure (about 500°F @ 1100 PSI) and it's gotta go somewhere. I guarantee you that they will vent the core to secondary containment (the reactor building and control areas, basically) to save the core and pipes from rupturing, and that building isn't airtight; some radioactive steam will get out (if it hasn't already). Result: the control room and everybody and everything in it are going to end up being contaminated.
And they are going to have to dump the steam in the containment building sooner or later Radioactive steam on top of the Hiroshima-level destruction... not pretty.
Give money to relief organizations if you can. Otherwise, please pray for the folks in Japan who are hurting tonight. There's really nothing else to do.
For continuous live steaming video, open NHK in a window and let it run. The shibō/fumei counter inset into the video image is bone-chilling, like Hell's scoreboard. As you monitor, keep an ear open for the phrase genshiryoko hatsuden-sho [原子力発電所, "nuclear power plant"]. They lost coolant pressure at the big plant near Sendai today. I'm a former nuclear power worker, and let me tell you that's a sphincter-clenchingly scary situation. For a reactor that big (1100 MW) to lose all coolant pressure to the core is a nightmare scenario. Fortunately it's an BWR (boiling water) type reactor, so even if the core runs dry it can't melt down Chernobyl-style; without water in the core to thermalize (slow down) the neutron flux from the rods, the reaction stops (steam being more or less neutron-transparent, stopping criticality in the core).
Unfortunately, if coolant flow stops, whatever is left in the reactor core is going to flash to hot steam at high pressure (about 500°F @ 1100 PSI) and it's gotta go somewhere. I guarantee you that they will vent the core to secondary containment (the reactor building and control areas, basically) to save the core and pipes from rupturing, and that building isn't airtight; some radioactive steam will get out (if it hasn't already). Result: the control room and everybody and everything in it are going to end up being contaminated.
And they are going to have to dump the steam in the containment building sooner or later Radioactive steam on top of the Hiroshima-level destruction... not pretty.
Give money to relief organizations if you can. Otherwise, please pray for the folks in Japan who are hurting tonight. There's really nothing else to do.
Not coming to Anime Network this fall
"Little Gaza and the Seven Sparrows of Sorrow" I wonder if they'll get Kasim's Grendaizer, too . . .
My Cup of Tea
I am a tea novice, but this is a Japanese style and brand that I like*, and I recently found this very same 90-count package for $4.99 at Cub Foods -- whoo hoo!
*The mild flavor of Genmai pairs well with a wide variety of cuisine. Of course, it also makes me think of sushi and a certain Korean buffet . . .
"Brewery Death"
Interesting article at Slate.
I've never been to Germany, but by the time I get there I wonder how many of the original regional breweries will be left . . .
Spam of the Month! Noiseless in the Oblivion
Our comment policy here at Psychommu Gaijin has always been to encourage comments. And as we've used and abused pen names to print anything and everything without fear we extend that freedom to anybody who sent us angry screeds and hate mail. If you wanted to remain anonymous you could. We've let anybody comment anonymously to the PG blog, something you can't do on Facebook. Instead of encouraging debate, we mostly get spam. So, every couple of days I clean out the spam filters, and today I found this gem:
"Good astounding," indeed.
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"Good astounding," indeed.
Get yer fresh, hot Remakes!
Robocop and Blade Runner.Yo, Hollywood! Buy a clue -- the ideas emanating from your immediate zipcode suck, and there's talent coming up in the world with fresh takes on alien/monster/robot invasion flicks, along with some of the best (and low-budget at that) execution.
Bankroll a few of these and you might be able to get your profitability back. Until then, there's a reason why BluRay and DVD sales are tanking.
Sheesh.
2011 Movie Previews... yawn
Not that I'm looking forward to anything, but...
Real Steel. Hollywood rips off ideas from Anime yet again! Sunrise and the author of Prawres Sanshiro should sue~!
Thoughts on some other upcoming flickers:
blacktino
Sensitive types like my S.O. might find it a little racy for PG-13, but it otherwise looks like a somewhat endearing film with hip, Indie cache.
Certified Copy
A foreign film (but in the English language) with chick flick written all-over it. This year's "Bread and Tulips".
Monsters
Released last year, good luck finding this in your local Stadium-style theater. Looks smarter-than-average for a low-budget SF/monster invasion flick, of which there have been a lot of bigger-budget stinkers lately (Skyline, Battle: L.A., and the upcoming "Super 8" from the overly-praised crew of Bad Robot studio.)
Prom
A.k.a. "Disney's Prom". This one looks funny and rather harmless, but we know what Disney's like these days, so it'll probably suck big-time.
Real Steel. Hollywood rips off ideas from Anime yet again! Sunrise and the author of Prawres Sanshiro should sue~!
Thoughts on some other upcoming flickers:
blacktino
Sensitive types like my S.O. might find it a little racy for PG-13, but it otherwise looks like a somewhat endearing film with hip, Indie cache.
Certified Copy
A foreign film (but in the English language) with chick flick written all-over it. This year's "Bread and Tulips".
Monsters
Released last year, good luck finding this in your local Stadium-style theater. Looks smarter-than-average for a low-budget SF/monster invasion flick, of which there have been a lot of bigger-budget stinkers lately (Skyline, Battle: L.A., and the upcoming "Super 8" from the overly-praised crew of Bad Robot studio.)
Prom
A.k.a. "Disney's Prom". This one looks funny and rather harmless, but we know what Disney's like these days, so it'll probably suck big-time.
