Japan Quake/Tsunami

[Rurouni_Fencer]

So far, everything I've seen come out of this horrendous tragedy is tons of Japanese people stepping up and helping each other. Between watching people parkour buildings to help trapped kids and elderly citizens, to dogs watching over injured companions.

As a former reactor operator (not nuclear,) the story behind those staying behind to do what they can at the nuclear plant was the most touching to me. Any reactor environment, nuclear or not, is no joke! I worked with polyvinyl-chloride monomer in dangerously concentrated capacities, and the fear of ignition is present for an entire 8-hour+ workday! The constant fear of a volatile explosion is not a fun way to spend your "day at the office".. These operators over in Japan not only know just what the potential danger to their lives could be - they realize the fate of surrounding communities as well! Yet they stay in hopes of deterring a horrible catastrophe to tons of people around them..

It's nice to see the samurai spirit hasn't left this world - to serve somebody other than yourself! The rest of the world could definitely learn something here..

[Hobie-wan]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1GyXQhfmE

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1GyXQhfmE

That man has officially earned my sympathy.

[Inazuma]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1GyXQhfmE

Oh man. It doesn't look good. I hope the radiation doesn't end up killing a ton of people.

[vash23n]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1GyXQhfmE

Man this is really upsetting, that picture of the official breaking down into tears. All I hear lately is how upset people are with the Japanese government for not handling the situation better - mainly from US media and other media outside of Japan. It's driving me nuts, making me so angry. Somehow, I would not be surprised if a similar crisis happened within the US and our own government tried to cover it up. It's so easy to be on the outside and be critical. The largest earthquake in Japanese recorded history and everyone is wondering why Japanese nuclear reactors were not MORE earthquake proof. A tsunami that was bigger and stronger than anyone could have predicted and we wonder why the tsunami walls were not higher. Taken together, I hear so many people criticizing Japan for even having nuclear reactors - how dare they considering how prone they are to 9.0 earthquakes and 20 ft high tsunamis.

Have they been tightlipped, sure they probably have, but I wouldn't expect any other government to act differently. Not to mention, the facts that have been provided have painted a pretty bad picture that I have been able to piece together on my own without 100% honesty (or whatever you want to call it) from Japanese officials.

Have they reacted perfectly? No, but it's not like they just had a nuclear reactor incident. A massive earthquake, a devastating tsunami, and this. Could any other country react any better? Have these employees who seem to be volunteering to do whatever they can even found out if their own families survived the earthquake/tsunami? Have they gotten the chance to go home and comfort their own families yet? They have made incredible sacrifices and have acted better than I would expect the citizens of most countries to act. On the outside, it is so easy to worry, instead, about a plume of radiation from across the world killing people in Southern California. It is easy to lay blame and be demanding of people whose lives have been destroyed. Who cares if helicopter crews get fatal doses of radiation by flying over the facility dumping water into the reactors? It's there fault this all happened anyway, they should sacrifice their lives. Maybe just have workers start jumping into the reactors, that might surround the core enough with bodies that would absorb all the radiation and save people in California.

I also read that US aid is lacking and slow so far, which upsets me. Not that we can afford to give a lot of money to whoever needs it, but with how concerned about how this disaster in Japan is going to directly affect our own people, maybe we could help a little more.

[Rurouni_Fencer]

I also read that US aid is lacking and slow so far, which upsets me. Not that we can afford to give a lot of money to whoever needs it, but with how concerned about how this disaster in Japan is going to directly affect our own people, maybe we could help a little more.

We (US) are a little too busy now that we've shifted our attention back to Libya. Obama says he's sending troops to combat the Libyan violence going on. Seems, as it has always been throughout the stage of history, that America would rather take arms and win a fight and look tough and "heroic" in the eyes of the world, rather than appear humble, generous, and assist another nation in turmoil. Makes me sick!

[Breetai]

All I hear lately is how upset people are with the Japanese government for not handling the situation better - mainly from US media and other media outside of Japan. It's driving me nuts, making me so angry. Somehow, I would not be surprised if a similar crisis happened within the US and our own government tried to cover it up.

Maybe the US media needs to be reminded on the stellar job the US government did with New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit, or about how they used the "weapons of mass destruction" line on its citizens to gain approval to invade Iraq when there were no weapons of mass destruction.

Japan is doing extremely well in comparison.

[Ack]

A couple of things:

1. President Obama and much of the administration have generally been against going into Libya. The loudest voice in the administration on the subject has been Sec. of State Hillary Clinton. Based on the news I've been reading, it sounds more like we're helping an operation primarily led by the British, French, and various Middle Eastern nations.

2. As far as I can tell, the loudest voice for aiding Japan has also been Sec. of State Hillary Clinton. At least, she's the one person in the administration I've seen actively talking about the issue beyond a few quotes from President Obama and a news article about the president calling Japan PM Naoto Kan...and that article was primarily about the nuclear reactor.

Now onto the two things that were mentioned but I don't really see as related:

3. The situation in New Orleans was heavily botched by the local and state government in Louisiana, who waited too late for federal help. Regardless of one's views on the politics of that situation, it was ultimately a different situation.

4. I've heard Iraq was intentionally feeding rumors about having weapons of mass destruction prior to the invasion. If you think about it it makes sense considering their relationship with Iran, but again, it's a different situation.

Honestly, I support both removing the current Libyan government AND aiding Japan. While I'm not a big fan of the Clintons, and I have disagreements with how foreign policy has been handled in this nation for a while, I currently hold a favorable opinion of how Sec. of State Clinton's been handling these situations. But then again from everything I've heard, she's also on the outs with the administration and isn't really listened to anyway, at least based on what NPR has been saying.

[Hobie-wan]

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/17/ho ... actor.html

[vash23n]

While I'm not a big fan of the Clintons, and I have disagreements with how foreign policy has been handled in this nation for a while, I currently hold a favorable opinion of how Sec. of State Clinton's been handling these situations.

I like the Clintons. I think Bill was a great president and it seems everyone else is starting to realize that too. One article I read (maybe in NY Times, which is charging a digital subscription fee now to read more than Top News on my iPhone, which blows) claimed that many more liberal republicans were even admitting he will go down as one of the better presidents in history. His presidency (the later part) was overshadowed by crap in his personal life that I don't care about due to a sensation-humping media, but if you take his 2 terms and look at them in hindsight (whether a republican or democrat) I think you can admit that he was either a great president or (if you are a republican and find saying that as hard as the Fonz finds admitting he was wrong) at least above average as presidents go, not having done anything to hurt the country and maybe even doing some good while in office.

Hillary has always been a bit more of a hardass than Bill, which was necessary in that relationship. I admire the both of them for not letting the whole affair thing get between them and their jobs. Looking at the effects of scandal on government officials, how it ends their careers, the soap opera antics that follow from both husband and wife... the Clinton's kind of reacted, dealt, and moved on. They kept focused on their jobs and bounced back. I think she is fantastic in her post as she rarely sugarcoats things to her own party or anyone. I think this can create some friction within the party, but I also think she is respected by people outside of the country - in the US it is all "you make me look bad and I will destroy you even if everything you are saying is right and could make this country a better place," but other leaders seem to respect her ability to get the job done and be honest. I have not heard as much from Obama as I would have liked concerning Japan. I like the guy, I think he inherited a shitty mess when he became president, and I still feel like if anyone was going to pick up the pieces of our country they were going to have to make unpopular moves and be willing to take the heat. Obama certainly has and I still have a bit of faith that, if he gets elected to a 2nd term, we will start to see some payoff.

Anyhoo, his response so far in Japan has not been as proactive as I would have liked. I just keep hearing White House representatives reporting on his activities. Clinton has really shone during this time with both the Middle East situations and the Japan disaster. This is why I voted for her in the primaries, because I thought she would not just try and placate the masses and fall in line once elected, but would go out and be tough, stand up to the old guard, and make changes whether it made people happy or not. Putting the country first and opinion 2nd. We will probably end up with a Republican next election as I think people are not happy that Obama - a new type of president and a Democrat - did not bring immediate change. So a return to the back and forth, each president overturning what the last did, nothing getting better.

Political rant over...