Daily Mail (UK): Nuclear plant chief weeps as Japanese finally admit that...

[Poll_Blind]

Nuclear plant chief weeps as Japanese finally admit that radiation leak is serious enough to kill people

From Daily Mail:

:redbox: Officials admit they may have to bury reactors under concrete - as happened at Chernobyl
:redbox: Government says it was overwhelmed by the scale of twin disasters
:redbox: Japanese upgrade accident from level four to five - the same as Three Mile Island
:redbox: We will rebuild from scratch says Japanese prime minister
:redbox: Particles spewed from wrecked Fukushima power station arrive in California
:redbox: Military trucks tackle reactors with tons of water for second day

The boss of the company behind the devastated Japanese nuclear reactor today broke down in tears as his country finally acknowledged that some of its citizens will die from the radiation spewing from the over-heating reactors and fuel rods.

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency admitted that the disaster was a level 5, which is classified as a crisis causing 'several radiation deaths' by the UN International Atomic Energy.

Officials said the rating was raised after they realised the full extent of the radiation leaking from the plant. They also said that 3 per cent of the fuel in three of the reactors at the Fukushima plant had been severely damaged, suggesting those reactor cores have partially melted down.

A senior Japanese minister also admitted that the country was overwhelmed by the scale of the tsunami and nuclear crisis - and should have admitted earlier how serious the radiation leaks were.
--SNIP--

Much more at the link!

To be clear, the man pictured above is the Managing Director of TEPCO
Click HERE to see he and the other heads & their names.

PB

[flamingdem]

1. That ship of nuke "experts" is sinking

and it will be seen as a crime against humanity.

[DCKit]

51. Unfortunately, they haven't yet abandoned their posts here on DU. nt

[RegieRocker]

107. Isn't that the truth!

[Snoutport]

2. chilling...

[jpak]

3. A high level official expresses public shame

This is not good - they know more than they are letting on...

[Poll_Blind]

12. You nailed it- especially given exactly who this guy is: Managing director of TEPCO

For instance if this was a government official like PM Kan or cabinet member Edano, it would be coming from an entirely different place in my opinion. I'd also read that Kan had busted into a TEPCO meeting and demanded to know what the hell was going on, possibly taking charge from them for foot-dragging. That's unconfirmed but you can find reports of it on the web. I don't know if it happened earlier or more recently in the crisis.

Anyway, Kan is seemingly doing everything he can to be up front with people and I think TEPCO knows if Kan doesn't have their back, that whole fucking board of directors are going to wind up outside of Fukushima with shovels, sandbagging it themselves. Kan said yesterday that "We will rebuild Japan again." and the implication along with the Emperor's expression of "Deep worry" and "Hope that this will not get worse" are sort of oblique indicators that there is some very fucking bad mojo going around, and if they're lucky they escape with just "National Calamity" instead of "Biblical Apocalypse".

PB

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. Nailed it

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=681355&mesg_id=681676

[truth2power]

45. You know what's really sad about that? Our high level officials/CEO's

would never cry or feel shame. They just rip us off and laugh about it.

I feel for that guy. At least the Japanese have some sense of honor.

* * *

I guess others have already expressed similar thoughts. But it bears repeating.

[truebrit71]

58. Ain't that the truth...what did the BP chairman say before going sailing"it's been very hard on me"

..Yeah Tony, I'll bet it was tough...

[City Lights]

76. Tony Baloney wanted his life back.

"We're sorry for the massive disruption it's caused to their lives," Hayward said."There's no one who wants this thing over more than I do, I'd like my life back."

:nopity:

[Rex]

122. edit

Tony Balony! :rofl:

[sabrina 1]

70. I was just thinking the same thing.

Here, they would act defiantly to any kind of questioning, and Congress would most likely look the other way after they had a 'hearing' and used some strong language of admonishment after which it would all be forgotten.

I feel that guy also, he lives in a society that still cares about people and he obviously has a conscience.

[bvar22]

110. More than just "look the other way",

some will join in the crime.

Paulson with Co-Conspirators

[sabrina 1]

118. A shameful moment for Democrats.

It was so blatant, the demands, the sense of entitlement, the total abandonment of the people in order to help them cover their crimes. And the forced revote after Congress, rightly, refused in reaction to the demands of the public, and under threat, caved to the demands of King Henry "Mr. Risk" Paulson.

What got me the most was in his three page edict to Congress he demanded that there be no oversight of how his buddies spent OUR money.

Has a crime ever been covered up so blatantly?

Thank you for the correction. I was thinking of the oil guys being called in every once in a while to answer questions about price guaging and how they tolerate their inferiors in Congress putting on a show, then go home and drink cocktails no doubt happy with the investments they've made in our electoral system over the years. But we'll never see tears for the people from any of them.

[OneGrassRoot]

82. Exactly. n/t

[Missy Vixen]

86. My husband previously worked for a Japanese-owned company

I feel for that guy, too. The Japanese people we met believed in honor as well.

Ultimately, we are all human. I hope someone makes this clear to him.

[sendero]

119. Yes..

... you are correct. I do feel sorry for some of these guys, they probably did all they reasonably could to no avail.

[TNLib]

125. They'd rip us off laugh about it and flee the scene of the crime

I feel bad for this person. I don't think he ever had aspirations to destroy his country or kill his country men. He just wanted to be a success in life, like many people.

[Generic Other]

4. The scariest news to be posted thus far

I am typing through my tears.

[Poll_Blind]

Hey there...

...I'm out here too and we're all in this together. Don't let it freak you out too badly. It's worth getting freaked about but try to keep a little piece of yourself far away from all this. If I don't, I find it hard for myself to function properly. Maybe you deal with things better than I do- just passing that on.

:hug:

PB

[Generic Other]

77. The tears suggest he is suicidal to me

He knows what his company has done to his people. The conflicting level of guilt too much to bear. I feel for him. His workers who sacrifice themselves will be praised as heroes. But not him. He bears much of the shame. You can see it in his body language, even that of those around him.

[Bonhomme Richard]

5. Do you think we would ever see an American CEO crying over

the loss of life?

[Mumble]

19. CEO's who get paid 10 million dollars a year...

..don't ever cry, or think about anyone elses feelings. Money does that to you.

[mod mom]

90. Their despicable greed will be the downfall of this country!

[marions ghost]

22. Never!

Deny, deny, deny.

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. Not part of the culture

[Dappleganger]

81. They only do that if their salary is cut.

[Lucinda]

6. Thank you for the article.

There was a blip last night (never saw it documented though) that said TEPCO wanted to lock it all down days ago and that the government was pushing to keep fighting it. I'd like to find out more about that.

[Poll_Blind]

20. Yeah, I'd heard that as well. I'd also heard that the US offered to help immediately as long as...

...they Japanese NEVER put the reactor back in service and dismantled it after the accident. Japanese or TEPCO or both balked and that added to a delayed ability to deal with this.

Can you believe that? As my late grandmother would say, "Doesn't that just take the cake?"

PB

[Statistical]

23. BS.

1) US wouldn't put conditions on one of our strongest allies when any help to help not just Japan but the world including the US.

2) Japan pumped seawater into the plants. At that point they would never be used again. It would be far cheaper to build a new plant than try to repair a 40 year old ancient design that has suffered overheating, seawater corrosion, excessive pressure, and explosions.

[Poll_Blind]

57. From the AFP, 19 hours ago:Japan rejected early US help on nuclear disaster: report

From AFP

TOKYO — Japan turned down a US offer to provide technical support for cooling fuel rods at nuclear reactors hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami, a newspaper reported on Friday.

The United States made the offer immediately after the disaster caused damage to Fukushima No.1 nuclear plant, the Yomiuri Shimbun said, quoting a senior official of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.

According to the unnamed senior official, US support was based on dismantling the troubled reactors run by Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) some 250 kilometres (155 miles) northeast of Tokyo, the mass-circulation daily said.

The government and TEPCO, both having first thought the cooling system could be restored by themselves, rejected the offer as they believed "it was too early to take," Yomiuri said.

--SNIP--

More at the link.

PB

[Statistical]

67. Do you get all your news from truthers?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Free_Press

They have lots of news reports on shocking hidden proof on how Obama wasn't born in HI.

[Poll_Blind]

69. Every time you respond, it's just another kick.

So...thanks, I guess.

Be well.

PB

[suffragette]

109. See #102 and #108

[girl gone mad]

100. I'm guessing he at least knows that uranium is radioactive...

more than I can say about some ersatz experts around here.

[suffragette]

102. Except this is from Agence France Press

Same article, go there, click on AFP symbol, Agence France Presse page:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/japan-rejected-early-us-help-nuclear-disaster-report-20110317-151551-030.html

http://www.afp.com/afpcom/en/

[suffragette]

108. Also, odd that you would assume google hosted article to be from obscure

American Free Press - never heard of it before today than from well-known Agence France Presse (AFP) since statistically it is more likely to be from the widely syndicated source and in fact, is from there.

Statistically,

[Forkboy]

137. Yeah, your motives are pure on this issue.

[Cetacea]

7. Not "newsy" enough for our media. Thanks

They are too busy today explaining why this isn't Chernobyl.



Tragic and Sad.

[flamingdem]

40. Not when Donald Trump is declaring

he is rich enough to fund his own promotional/presidential campaign.

[distantearlywarning]

8. Looking at this picture makes me feel terrible.

I feel so badly for this man, who has likely done everything in his power to fix this problem but feels that he has failed himself and his country. And I feel so badly for the people of Japan. This is an awful, awful situation. :cry:

[Wait Wut]

25. I agree.

We'd never see this reaction from a US CEO. I don't remember seeing anyone from BP break down in tears, either.

[Angry Dragon]

36. tony just wanted his life back

he had some sailing to do

[democrat_patriot]

9. Ann Coulter said radiation was good for you. Why is he crying?

The people must be dying from something else. Ann told me so.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

24. May the succubus from hell suffer eternally for all the ill-will she spews. n/t

[donheld]

140. Then why doesn't she volunteer to go help in the power plant?

[originalpckelly]

10. And there you have it.

The SOBs have finally come clean about how serious it is. They have downplayed the whole damn thing the whole time. How many people could have been evacuated from cities in the area, if they had been more honest right after they lost grid and diesel generator power?

[flamingdem]

11. Agree. Games were played by this company and the government as well

The worst being rejecting the international help that was offered.

[originalpckelly]

15. All probably because they were avoiding liability...

or even the most generous analysis would be that they simply had a lack of imagination, and they *not* could foresee that this would happen.

[flamingdem]

34. Tepco was warned about earthquakes and the spent fuel ponds

they look utterly responsible for having done nothing to prevent this outcome.

And remember a company culture flows from the top.

He should have cried before this.

[Poll_Blind]

14. About 140,000 people, by my count, OriginalPCKelly. About 140,000.

:cry:

PB

[originalpckelly]

17. And what happens if the winds blow the wrong way and Tokyo is made a nuclear ghost town?

Can you even imagine how awful that will be?

[jpak]

27. The forecast for Sat-Sun has the plume blowing south toward Tokyo and then west inland

and the Navy just issued a 100 mile flight restriction around the plant

Sunday will be the crisis day

[originalpckelly]

31. FUCK!

:cry:

[jpak]

46. This is the plume model forecast for 131-iodine (alone) - look at the 100 mSv/hr exposure areas...

The animation is here...

http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/

[Le Taz Hot]

50. Jesus Christ . . .

I've seen some pretty horrendous things in my almost 56 years but nothing compares to this. Words fail.

[TNLib]

132. This is the worst thing I've seen in my life too.

nt

[truebrit71]

60. Shit....

...

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. Tokyo will be hot,

there wil be higher rates of cancer, you know the story. But that far away, ONCE they close this off, they can literally wash it off with soap and water.

Now people should dispose of a slew of household goods and clothes, but they can literally wash it away with soap and water.

And yes the increase in cancers will be down right frightening.

[neverforget]

66. And that's just for this weekend. It's going to be like this until they get

lids on top of those reactors and pools. Unfortunately, that's not going to be anytime soon.

[nadinbrzezinski]

75. I know but once that is achieved they can gross decon the city

for the most part.

The cancer epidemic will be something to behold though. I can clean the cement with soap and water, I cannot clean the interior of a body that way.

There are chemicals that chelate heavy metals, but they are not that effective in humans. They work spectacularly well with parrots though (Parrot got poisoned with zinc)... but not that well with humans. They help though. Also they will quickly run out of the damn things.

On the bright side, they do have a national health care system... so that will ease some of the pain.

[Gaedel]

AFLAC

AFLAC has sold a whole bunch of cancer insurance policies in Japan over the years.

Their stock is getting hammered on Wall Street right now.

[Poll_Blind]

41. If that happens, the term "Atlantis" will fall into disuse to describe an advanced culture wiped...

...out in the blink of an eye.

PB

[marions ghost]

26. yep

Katrina, Deepwater Horizon, etc.

No surprise.

[Rex]

13. Poor guy, was he one of the brave 200(50)?

That must suck to be so frustrated and tired that all you can do is weep. :(

[Poll_Blind]

18. No, he's one of the top 3 in TEPCO (PIC)

He's the one on the far left. Middle is Masataka Shimizu, president of Tepco. Right is Executive Vice President Takashi Fujimoto.

PB

[Rex]

43. Ah...shit if he is that a big'a wig and is sobbing like a baby

then what does that mean for the people of Japan? I'm trying not to let anxiety get to me over all this, but it just builds up more and more with each passing event.

[nadinbrzezinski]

47. In japanese culture that means we are fucked

the doctor just told the patient, you got cancer. Like Mexico... there are many similarities, you do not tell the patient that until it is much over.

I wonder if he will use a rope, a bullet or a Daisho? That is coming after this is over and under control.

[Rex]

52. I seriously hope they have grown out of that practice.

This is NOT WWII, the enemy here is something we are all collectively fighting together. They didn't cause the earthquake, I hope you are completely wrong on this one.

[nadinbrzezinski]

59. It is not the quake, it is the rest of it

and it is highly discouraged, but when watching Japan for insert corporate scandal here, you look for death announcements later.

In this case, they will expect it...

It is a matter of honor. Speaking of similarities. When I graduated from EMS school I did not get a nice diploma, I got a nice piece of cord, with a noose. I wore that thing on my uniform. Guess what that thing was supposed to be used for? (IT was symbolic mostly since the rope material was ahem... weak as can be)...

[Generic Other]

83. a question of honour now

For the CEO of TEPCO to cry indicates he faces a question of honour now. He knows what his company has done to Japan. The conflicting level of guilt is too much to bear. No Japanese could. It is in our soul. I feel for him. His workers who sacrifice themselves will be praised as heroes. But not him. He bears much of the shame. You can see it in his body language, even that of those around him.

He knows he should put on a protective suit and investigate the damage personally. If he does not, he is seen as weak and cowardly. The only way to redeem himself from criticism. Poor man.

[nadinbrzezinski]

91. I know, and I understand it

Honor is a strange thing no longer present in the US, except in the armed forces, where it is still preached and practiced.

Why this is so alien.

I was reminded the other day how close in some ways Mexico and Japan are... especially as far as that concept of honor is concerned. No there is no hara kiri in Mexico... but military and EMS are issued command cords, which are nooses on a small rope... I kept readying and was amazed at that. I never realized that until know. I got my command cord tucked away too... funny thing. I value it MORE than any other piece of the uniform, well except the railroad tracks.

And not telling people about their medical condition.. until it is too late... again, you would never want to distress the patient. The idea that a patient has a right to know... is not existent.

SO is the US Military for dress uniforms in some units.

[Rex]

127. What about #1 and #2, why did we see a photo op of the #3 man?

They just ran the money and logistics? He was operations?

I can see in your post you are Japanese, are you home or abroad? If home...I know you have heard this a thousand times by now, but stay safe!

[Rex]

124. Hmmm...I have no idea.

You've intrigued me, what are you talking about? What 'rope'?

[flamingdem]

84. Nadine is correct. Recently there have even been instances of hari-kari in Japan

Why Do Japanese Commit Hara-Kiri?
Bruce Gottlieb Posted Thursday, March 25, 1999, at 4:06 PM ET

http://www.slate.com/id/1002434/

A frustrated Bridgestone tire executive committed hara-kiri this week in his boss' Tokyo office. Newspapers tell us that suicide by hara-kiri is rare, but not unheard of, in modern Japan. Why do Japanese commit hara-kiri?


Hara-kiri is a ritualized form of suicide with roots in 12th century Japanese samurai warrior culture. Rather than be captured, a defeated swordsman would stab himself in the left belly, draw the blade to the right, then pull upwards. Encyclopedia Britannica adds that "it was considered exemplary form to stab again below the chest and press downward across the first cut, and then to pierce one's throat." Obviously, bleeding to death from a gut wound or suffocating from a throat wound is a slow and miserable way to die. As practiced by defeated samurai, it was meant as atonement. It also demonstrated enormous psychological courage, which was a way of winning back some measure of honor even in defeat.

[northernlights]

114. they didn't cause the earthquake

but they also didn't adequately prepare for it. The company has a track record off safety violations. And they have been dishonest about the severity off the damage from day 1, misleading people who could have been better protected.

Now the winds are forecast to direct the radioactive plume over Tokyo this weekend. That is 40+million people who's lives are at risk.

[Rex]

129. I can't even begin to wrap my brain around that concept.

All I can say is SHIT SHIT SHIT.

[FedUpWithIt All]

61. You do see this man weeping, right? You are able to read the dismay in this thread over this man's

emotional response, correct? Perhaps the following is a tad insensitive right now?

I wonder if he will use a rope, a bullet or a Daisho? That is coming after this is over and under control.

Excited anticipation about the suffering and death of a human being, not a somewhat anonymous group of them, but an individual who is shown emotionally breaking down in grief is really tough to take, even from you.

[get the red out]

65. agree

We can surely have some sensitivity to a fellow human being in a terrible situation.

[nadinbrzezinski]

72. Sensitivity is not separated from the cultural context.

I feel for the man, but I also understand why this is not good for HIS fellow country men and women. This is like the ever so popular dog whistle in politics... most don't get it... but those who do. And to the people of Japan PUBLIC contrition has a social and cultural meaning.

[Rex]

79. That is why I like you so much nadin.

You don't use flowery words or try and make people 'feel better', just the hard reality of the facts. I don't keep up with that side of the culture and just assumed (stupidly) that they grew out of committing harikari for things they have no control over. The fact that it is the #3 man tells me volumes now. Thanks. Still, I chose to believe this man will stay around and help clean up whatever he can and to do whatever he can and not commit suicide. I just won't believe in hopelessness, not for the Japanese.

[FedUpWithIt All]

85. "I wonder if he will use a rope, a bullet or a Daisho? "

Gratuitous. Period.

[Rex]

123. I know, it was a little too much.

We don't need to be thinking about those kind of things right now.

[lapislzi]

92. I think the poster was being quite serious

And not a bit "excited." Historically that is exactly what one would expect from a high-status Japanese person who has harmed others on his watch. He believes that he has brought dishonor on his family and his company.

[nadinbrzezinski]

96. Yes I was quite serious

more in the context, I would not be shocked if the Emperor himself has sent a few lacquered boxes with Daishos. In older times the Emperor sent a messenger with his blades... and when presented, the Samurai receiving them was expected to do the honorable thing in 24 hours...

The cultural context here is not one that is familiar to most people in the US.

[Name removed]

99. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[white_wolf]

120. Just wondering Nadin

are you Japanese? You seem to know an awful lot about their culture is the only reason I'm asking. I myself have always been fascianted with Japanese culture in general and the Samurai specifically.

[nadinbrzezinski]

126. Studied the culture for years

my direct contact were a few students at universty.

What became striking was reading a Paper from the UNAM comparing the Mexican Culture and the Japanese culture and how close they are in a few aspects, such a family, not telling patients about deadly disases, and yes... a little on the honor code.

No Mexico does not do hara kiri, but the day I graduated from EMS, I did not get a nice diploma, I got what is called a command cord. It is essentially a nice little noose. Yep, you are supposed to use it if you fail in your duties. Srangely I still have that and my railroad tracs... (Rank devices)



no, not exactly like mine but...

[Rex]

133. Isn't that like wearing a peace symbol on your army helmet?

As you go off to slaughter whoever it is that day that got picked to become extinct? I've seen that and instantly dismissed it as a noose, for said reasons above. Now I know better.

[nadinbrzezinski]

134. I passed a well worn one to one of my cadets

the top cadet, and I used another as an emergency tourniquet!

[Name removed]

101. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Rex]

131. I'd pay a million expert pundits for just one American CEO/politician with those

kind of standards.

[nadinbrzezinski]

136. From an athro point of view this code might as well

exist on the moon.

The US simply has not have it... except in some areas of the Armed Forces... see the USMC. But in the civilian world, beyond family ths does not radiate.

[Missy Vixen]

88. That's exactly what Eric and I were talking about last night

>That is coming after this is over and under control.<

Oh, God.

:cry:

[Tatiana]

16. You can see the pain and sorrow in this man's face.

Heartbreaking. I wonder if any American executives would feel the same.

[flamingdem]

37. That's because he is guilty of ignoring warnings about earthquakes and spent fuel

This was revealed by Wikileaks.

[dixiegrrrrl]

56. Also guilty of falsifyng data about the plants:

Fukushima nuclear plant owner falsified inspection records

THE Japanese owner of the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant falsified safety data and "dishonestly" tried to cover up problems there.

Tokyo Electric Power Co injected air into the containment vessel of Fukushima reactor No 1 to artificially “lower the leak rate”. When caught, the company expressed its “sincere apologies for conducting dishonest practices”.

The misconduct came to light in 2002 after whistleblowers working for General Electric, which designed the reactor, complained to the Japanese government. Another GE employee later confessed that he had falsified records of inspections of reactor No1 in 1989 - at the request of TEPCO officials. He also admitted to falsifying other inspection reports, also on request of the client. After that incident TEPCO was forced to shut down 17 reactors, albeit temporarily.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x679746

[blindpig]

78. And why was he doing the things?

Profits.

He was practicing 'due diligence'. He might commit seppuku, but the investors won't.

[daleo]

21. Informative article

Especially the pictures (before/after) of the spent fuel storage area.

[ChicagoRonin]

28. Don't be surprised by suicides by TEPCO executives

I'm not saying that to be insensitive or funny. I took a course in Japanese kinship and traditional social structures at a university in Japan. There's was one of those ongoing political scandals going on and my professor actually said it would be interesting to see who might kill themselves that time around.

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Correct, and given the Emperor went on the TV the other day

I wonder if for the first time in a long time Daishos for everyone!

[TNLib]

135. I really hope note at this point

They still need to clean this mess up. If execs start killing themselves it's just going to add to the confusion. I feel like there might actually be progress being made since they have come clean and more information is coming out and they have accepted help. They don't need to be throwing in the towel till the reactors are fully under control or entombed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. This will soon go to six

you do not have Japanese express shame and contrition unless things are really bad.

This is the equivalent of the patient being told, you have Cancer, and x - months to live.

[Poll_Blind]

38. I agree. I was just talking to my girlfriend this morning and explaining about the foot-dragging...

...in regards to classifying the severity of this disaster. By attempting to downplay the severity to cover their own ass, though, many innocent people and even other governments were deceived into believing that the situation was not as dire as it is.

Many more people are in much graver danger because of this than there should be. Specifically, I'm thinking of the "20-30 club", those poor souls who are some of the first, and maybe worst victims of this- who reside between 20 and 30km away from Fukushima and were told not to leave but to get directly indoors and, as you had pointed out a day or two ago, been given instructions for gross decontamination.

And we both know A) what that means and B) how well that's going to work for them if they really are contaminated.

:cry:

PB

[nadinbrzezinski]

42. I wonder though if the ostrich brigade will get it here

it is that DAMN SERIOUS

[Poll_Blind]

49. Honestly, if they haven't gotten it by now I don't think it's worth bothering. At all.

People can be in such a state of shock and denial that they intentionally go off into la-la land. In a situation such as this, I don't think it's worth the energy to get them back. I don't think they can be reeled in over the internet because, frankly, it takes real interaction to snap people out of a daze like this, if it works at all. I think over the next week or so people will start slowly coming out of it on their own, especially once they really understand this shit is not going away any time soon.

PB

[meow mix]

53. if only we had listened to those "hysterical stupid hippies"

is chewing at the back of thier mind, working its way loose

[nadinbrzezinski]

55. Well me, going over to get tetra milk for sis

she is listening to officialdom and does not have the live experience to realize that it is not a lie... but a need to keep people calm.

Gone over quite a bit of quid... but hey, I got milk for now five months.

[Lyric]

63. That's not entirely accurate.

Oh, not the part about is being really bad...I have no doubt that it is. But your statement about Japanese people is not really true. Their culture is incredibly polite--almost painfully so--and they express "contrition" constantly. In English, I can tell you that today, it's very warm outside. If I wanted to say the same thing in Japan, the equivalent expression would translate to something like, "It is very warm today, if you think so." Note the qualifier; Japanese people consider it impolite to make a bold statement without leaving room for polite disagreement, even if the statement is obviously true. Culturally, they are far, far more modest and polite than we are.

A friend of mine went on a field trip to Japan with her Japanese FLIT (Foreign Literature in Translation) class, and told me a story about how she and two friends went into a medium-sized clothing store. When they first walked in, they couldn't see anyone--no cashiers, no floor workers, nobody. A few minutes later, the workers realized that they had customers in the store and were so embarrassed at not being RIGHT there to help them the moment they came in the door that they literally fell all over themselves apologizing for it. She said that the store workers kept apologizing profusely the entire time that the three students were in the store. They acted like they'd committed an unforgivable offense, even though the American students didn't think they'd done anything wrong at all.

There is no lack of modest displays of shame and contrition in Japanese culture. For even small offenses against politeness, expressions of self-deprecation and polite apologizing are an everyday part of life. It's inherent to their language and culture. However, I do think that for a very IMPORTANT man or woman to show THAT level of public shame is remarkable...and also a very alarming sign of things to come. Some people here have been saying all along that this situation was far worse than the authorities were letting on; it's apparent now that those people were correct.

[nadinbrzezinski]

73. Here is what you said at the end

However, I do think that for a very IMPORTANT man or woman to show THAT level of public shame is remarkable...and also a very alarming sign of things to come.

I fully agree and that is the point, isn't it?

[marions ghost]

35. Powerful image

Would seem to indicate that all is lost. Get on with burying reactors and burying people.

:cry:

[northernlights]

115. they can't bury them until they cool them down

and that is the catch-22. If they bury them prematurely, they'll just blow radioactive cement and sand into the air. They have to cool them down first, which they can't for all the reasons they haven't been able to up until now.

[marions ghost]

117. like how much cooler?

only water will do it?

[mb7588a]

44. They're a proud people...

...and rarely does that jive with being a corporate exec.

[flamingdem]

48. Falsified safety reports, fatal accidents, underestimated earthquak risk -sfgate.com on TEPCO

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/03/16/bloomberg1376-LI7CHJ07SXKX01-27JLEJH6UQPBTE0NLL2I2HSRRJ.DTL&tsp=1

It's the owner who is responsible, not clear who that is exactly.

March 18 (Bloomberg) -- The unfolding disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant follows decades of falsified safety reports, fatal accidents and underestimated earthquake risk in Japan's atomic power industry.

The destruction caused by last week's 9.0 earthquake and tsunami comes less than four years after a 6.8 quake shut the world's biggest atomic plant, also run by Tokyo Electric Power Co. In 2002 and 2007, revelations the utility had faked repair records forced the resignation of the company's chairman and president, and a three-week shutdown of all 17 of its reactors.

With almost no oil or gas reserves of its own, nuclear power has been a national priority for Japan since the end of World War II, a conflict the country fought partly to secure oil supplies. Japan has 54 operating nuclear reactors -- more than any other country except the U.S. and France -- to power its industries, pitting economic demands against safety concerns in the world's most earthquake-prone country. MORE AT LINK


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/03/16/bloomberg1376-LI7CHJ07SXKX01-27JLEJH6UQPBTE0NLL2I2HSRRJ.DTL#ixzz1GweUh0zC

[Dappleganger]

87. Agreed, the plant chief and workers will be made to be the "fall guys"

A few days ago I read an article similar to what you posted with a history of TEPCO coverups/issues from the top-down that were in an Australian online paper but can't seem to locate it again. What struck me most was the similarities between them and the BP corporation's handling of the Gulf "accident."

[LibertyLover]

54. I said to my husband last night that I suspect we will see a wave

of seppuku among disgraced officials in Japan over the next weeks and months.

[Arugula Latte]

62. Who would have thought that undermining safety at a nuke plant would have bad consequences?

No one could have foreseen anything like that.


:sarcasm:

[ecstatic]

64. Sad if true, but the Daily Mail is not a reliable source at all

and should not be looked to for the latest developments. Here is another article from the daily mail, that says Obama and Bill Clinton called Tiger Woods to comfort him after he was busted for cheating:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1254429/President-Barack-Obama-calls-shamed-Tiger-Woods-offer-encouragement-rebuilding-life.html

[Poll_Blind]

68. I agree the Daily Mail is not a great source but then again, what do you question in the article?

I don't think the photoshopped him crying...

:shrug:

PB

[daleo]

80. The photo of the spent storage area was revealing

That said a lot to me, regardless of the source.

[spin]

71. I disagree with the International Atomic Energy Agency rating the incident at 5 ...

It should be rated as a 6. The French are correct.

This incident is worse than Three Mile Island by far as it has released FAR more radiation and the reactor containment building at three mile island was not damaged.

[RegieRocker]

111. If it is the same as the mile island then why didn't it's execs cry and

evacuate thousands of people in the same size radius? More b.s.

[Thunderstruck]

112. PR

[The Backlash Cometh]

74. So, I repeat what I pointed out yesterday? Who is going to bell the cat?

[Aerows]

103. That's the big question...

...everyone knows it must be belled, which mice are going to volunteer?

[Hannah Bell]

89. um, the daily mail is a tabloid.

"the Daily Mail article mixes milli Sievert and micro Sievert thereby indicating 1000 times higher radiation than it is. Perhaps they should express all radiation either in micro or milli Sievert not mixing them. Journalist does not seem to understand the difference."

http://live.reuters.com/Event/Japan_earthquake2


Under Dacre, the Mail has a reputation for a conservative editorial stance on topics such as immigration, working women and teenage sex. This has led Julie Burchill to nickname it "The Daily Hate".<11> Science writer Ben Goldacre of The Guardian has described the paper as "the home of the scare story",<12> and it has been accused by Johann Hari of The Independent of causing the deaths of children, because of "faith-based thinking" in its reporting of the MMR vaccine controversy.<13> Nick Davies, writing in New Statesman, accuses the paper of routine inaccuracy in reporting issues related to immigration, quoting a former reporter as saying: "you knew that the headline had been written before the story came in and your job was to make the facts fit".<14>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daily_Mail


radiation monitoring in the us today: no change from average readings a week ago.

current ongoing:

http://www.radiationnetwork.com/

a week ago: cached by DU-er

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=653115&mesg_id=653115

[Aerows]

94. Zero Hedge...

...is reporting the same thing, and their track record is pretty good. This is a mess, and there is no other way to put it.

[Hannah Bell]

97. zero hedge is an economic blog. with a bias toward a certain position.

but i'm sure they have representatives on the spot in fukushima just for you guys.

this is some bits of information from a press conference reported by other media, but spun.

and on edit, i see the zero hedge material comes from the daily mail article.

[Aerows]

105. It is an economic blog...

...but they tend to have a decent track record of reporting. I'm not saying to take it as gospel, but they tend to have some fairly intelligent people there.

It's as good as any news we have, since it is pretty clear we are being lied to by the corporate press. They tend to lie about everything else, so I'm not sure why we could expect better in this particular situation!

[Hannah Bell]

121. their source is the daily mail article.

[JVS]

113. So we have a tabloid in one corner, and a paper whose header has a link to its manifesto in another.

[Aerows]

116. I've been a member there for a while...

...and they tend to be right more than they are wrong. I understand the kneejerk reaction to say that it is bad reporting simply because Dailymail has a less than reputable track record, but ZH tends to be a bit better at picking up stories. They have posted things from the National Inquirer before, and they turned out to be true, so I'm not sure how the Daily Mail could be any less credible.

[Safetykitten]

95. ...and spectacular at Photoshop!

[Aerows]

93. Not much left to say.

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/tepco-director-weeps-after-disclosing-truth-about-fukushima-disaster#comments

Zero Hedge has had good coverage of the disaster. This is not a good development, obviously.

[PA Democrat]

98. Tepco issues apology:

The power company, Tepco, has issued a statement today containing the following: "We would like to make our deep apologies for concern and nuisance about the incident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and the leakage of radioactive substances to the people living in the surrounding area of the power station".

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

[Hannah Bell]

104. full text:

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11031806-e.html

We would like to express our great regret at the loss of people by the
Tohoku-Chihou-Taiheiyo-Oki Earthquake occurred on March 11, and our deep
sympathy to the people and their families suffering damage.

Besides, we would like to make our deep apologies for concern and nuisance
about the incident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and the
leakage of radioactive substances to the people living in the surrounding
area of the power station, the people of Fukushima Prefecture, and the
people of society.

Currently TEPCO has jointly established the Joint Headquarters for
Response for the Tohoku-Chihou-Taiheiyo-Oki Earthquake (Head: Prime
Minister Naoto Kan) and endeavored to prevent further damages and secure
the safety of our facilities as early as possible. In order to strengthen
our response, we will appoint Vice President Norio Tuzumi and Manageing
Director Akio Komori to station at Fukushima City and J Village
respectively from March 22, 2011.

Vice President Tuzumi will direct to collect voices from the people of
living in the surrounding area of the power station and the people of
Fukushima Prefecture regarding the incident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station, etc. Managing Director Komori will direct to prevent
further damages and secure the safety of Fukushima Daiichi and Daini
Nuclear Power Stations as early as possible.

[Aerows]

106. So they are sending their own officials to be in the area?

That's what we should do when we have a disaster like Katrina or the BP oil spill. Having endured both of them, I believe that if we had the actual people responsible living there, on the ground, we would have had a much better result.

It's easy to say it isn't that bad when you aren't the one enduring it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

130. Oh wow,. TEPCO will not survive

at least I don't think so

[jillan]

128. That's sad. Here's some guy who just went to work everyday probably not realizing how lethal

this would turn out.

If he was an asshole, he wouldn't be showing remorse.

[femrap]

138. At least the Japanese CEOs

still have shame and remorse....not ours. Ours love to inflict pain and destruction.

[WhiteTara]

139. don't the repubs want to cut the budgets of

the regulatory agencies? That way no one will know how bad it is until some man cries and says their greed (shortcuts and cheap materials) was going to kill people. Except here, they probably won't cry.