Don't buy a limited date flight ticket to Tokyo ....

The Japanese version of Larry, Moe, n' Curly better start getting a bit more creative. I detect the presence of a group of people with the creativity of pudding.

Heard an expert last night rail the Japanese government handling of the catastrophe allowing a private company and a crew of 50 to do the job? Where is the International Atomic Energy Agency?

In a lead-lined bunker? On a more serious note, I don't think anyone could be more heroic than those folks trying to contain this meltdown. Basically they are giving up their lives for the good of all as in all likelyhood the amount of radiation they are facing will kill them eventually.

I don't understand the guys complaint. That "private company" is the electric company, who has the trained nuclear experts familiar with the facilities, 50 of whom are threatening their lives now to stay on the job and protect the rest of the country. Private companies - electric companies - run reactors in the US, too. They also asked for help and advice from experts in other countries right away, too.

So you would have been OK with BP handling the gulf? The Atomic commission has exposed itself for what it is. Worthless. Defund them yesterday.

:zz: Nothing like an abrupt segue to entirely different grossly generalized political bumper stickers ....

listen it does not matter who does what ,those units are phucked.im sure they sub- contracted out the willing mice at a nice price.in the us an most other countrys you have a allowable exposure time /rads..when you reach it you can not work in the plant..the only agency worth a damn is the nrc.us sets the rules and loves to shut down big buck power companys at the drop of a hat.they are the 800lb gorilla..those 'heros' are pawns .not highly skilled people..trust me .dog and pony show for the media.

I actually somewhat agree....while I do not question the bravery and self-sacrifice of those workers, I have to question a government that would allow them to give their lives in what appears to be a hopeless situation.

The people that actually run reactors are quite a bit more than a trained monkey equivalent, and at this point the 50 left are volunteers (actually there are more, they rotate in and out)

Do you guys realize what happens if they walk out? And allow things to continue to degenerate? That's not really an option.

The latest reports of increasing radiation, especially from reactor #4 indicate they may be giving their lives for a lost cause, my concern is the government allowing human sacrifice in the name of painting an unrealistic picture.

I don't think the choice you think exists, does. Which sacrifice should be chosen: 50 people, or millions?

There is no choice involved about abandoning preventing continued meltdown in the 4th reactor, or in preventing that initiation in the other three. They simply can't do that. They have to attempt to prevent a runaway reaction at all costs, as long as there is continuing prevention possible. There are 4 reactors involved. Three reactors have not had core exposure or meltdown, they think the fourth (spent fuel rod) reactor had some core exposure with meltdown. They can't abandon trying to prevent that, to leave all four to initiate meltdown.

Consider firemen and policemen (and military) who put themselves into life-threatening situations. It's the same thing. People that work such jobs know what the risks are.

On a technical aspect, they are rotating people in and out of the various reactors, they pulled back for a couple hours today, totally, due to temporary increased radiation release, and now they are back in.

^^^^ The usual suspects....insane, all of them.

Firemen, police, our military are often put in harm's way...they are all heroic and have my upmost respect, as do the folks in Japan but the moral issue of allowing people to sacrifice their lives to perpetuate a myth is my issue. Recent reports indication that the radiation from reactor #4 has reached the fatal level, moving folks in and out will not solve this if true. The Japanese have shown in the past that they will give their lives for their country, there is no moral justification for the government taking advantage of this for political reasons if the recent reports are correct. At this point, it is a concern, not a fact but nevertheless an element of this ongoing situation that must be examined!

They would then have the credentials to run as a Wisconsin Democratic State Senator ?

I don't think they are worried more about political reasons, than that they are still trying to prevent 4 nuclear reactors from melting down.

I haven't seen anything about "fatal levels" (by which I assume you mean definitively lethal) in reactor 4, only that there was a rise with withdrawal of personnel today, now they are back.

Here's a pretty good update from this afternoon:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,7701045.story

CNN reports that situation is continuing to worsen and fatal levels of radiation are coming from reactor #4, at this point it is impossible to assess so I think great care should be extended before exposing workers, perhaps you can read the minds of Japanese officials but I cannot....I'm making no accusations as fact merely expressing concern.

Well played:)