kinuta

Full article here. Part of the problem for me is getting a handle on some of the terms being thrown around. And part of that is due to the sketchy reporting, frankly. What exactly is a partial meltdown? For that matter, what do people mean when they say "meltdown?" From what I can decipher, the situations at these nuclear plants mainly concern failing cooling systems rather than runaway reactors melting down. The reactors themselves are shut down, I think, and the problem is cooling off the damaged innards without releasing too much radiation. The WashPost has a fairly clear article on it all here. That's right. The fission reaction was trip stopped automatically at the first shock. The diesel pump and the secondary back up system for pumping the reactor cooling water both failed causing a build up of steam pressure that increased beyond the safety limits of the ceramic containment shielding. The No1 reactor has been cooled using sea water, rendering in an expensive heap of scrap. The situation at reactor2 looks very similar. My understanding is that No.1 was scheduled to be decommissioned anyway on March 26, so not a huge loss there. There is lots of iffy information flying around on Fukushima at the moment - while not without its flaws (like not mentioning that the No.3 reactor contains plutonium as well as uranium), I thought this was one of the most thorough explanations: https://morgsatlarge.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/why-i-am-not-worried-about-japans-nuclear-reactors/ Not a big loss? Surely you jest? We're facing wartime scale disruptions,massive panic buying, rolling power cuts and more than half, at best, of all trains and subways cancelled!!

Full article here. Part of the problem for me is getting a handle on some of the terms being thrown around. And part of that is due to the sketchy reporting, frankly. What exactly is a partial meltdown? For that matter, what do people mean when they say "meltdown?" From what I can decipher, the situations at these nuclear plants mainly concern failing cooling systems rather than runaway reactors melting down. The reactors themselves are shut down, I think, and the problem is cooling off the damaged innards without releasing too much radiation. The WashPost has a fairly clear article on it all here. That's right. The fission reaction was trip stopped automatically at the first shock. The diesel pump and the secondary back up system for pumping the reactor cooling water both failed causing a build up of steam pressure that increased beyond the safety limits of the ceramic containment shielding. The No1 reactor has been cooled using sea water, rendering in an expensive heap of scrap. The situation at reactor2 looks very similar.

Tokyo seems to have got off fairly lightly. Apart from some minor damage things are more or less back to normal. Before we all have had chance to breathe a collective sigh of relief we have been hit with the news of a meltdown in progress at the #1 nuclear reactor in Fukushima.Tv footage shows a plume of smoke rising from the reactor building. As if that weren't dreadful enough we are getting alarming reports of overheating from several other reactors. This is all apart from the tsunami devasation along the north east coast. Just been watching some footage of a passenger train, cars buckled and bent laying among a few cars and trucks in the middle of a field somewhere. God knows what happened to the passengers. Rescue work has started, been watching footage of a hospital evacuation. The patients are being winched up to helicopters one by one. The hospital buildings are half submerged and the surrounding land is under deep water. There are also a lot of fires burning out of control. This is going to be a real test of the countries metal. The tv channels are still all in emergency mode with no normal programmes to relieve the stress. Just in - Apparently there has just been an explosion at the #1 plant with some staff injured.

We spent a troubled night with aftershocks coming every thirty minutes or so. I finally dropped off but Hisako was too wound up to sleep at all.She packed a bag with food, water, passports etc that sat by the front door all night. A lot of the Tokyo trains and subways are running again but the phone system is still haywire. The damage in Iwate and Fukushima is quite horrendous. A good friend's son works up in Sendai which has been badly hit and we've been unable to make contact. Every tv channel is running non stop coverage and minute by minute updates. Thankfully there hasn't been an aftershock for the last hour, I hope they've finished.

Thankfully the aftershocks seem to have stopped. Here in Tokyo the two biggest problems are that all the trains and subways are stopped and land lines and mobile phones are down. It's about 2C outside and an immense number of people are stranded. I lost an antique clock, smashed to bits, and a king size plant pot shattered into two.

Brown pants. Both Hisako and I were well and truly shook up by the biggest quake I've ever experienced. All the plants fell over, stuff fell off shelves and we made mad grabs for the tv and pc screens. There've been two large aftershocks. Well freaked.

Kenneth Horne Captain Hornblower Derek & Clive

I lived in Pembridge Villas and then Chepstow Crescent in '67 &'68. It was a fantastic place to live if squalid, years before the Yuppification. Sorry for the detour from the main topic.

Connie Booth Major Gowen Prunella Scales

So are we, Hisako is the world's biggest Bones fan.

Bored To Death S1 " I've always been intrigued by Stockholm Syndrome, it reminds me of my childhood". Woody would approve.

Hoss Cartwright Buck Jones Old Nag

Last night House - back on the meds blues. Chicago Code

Leather Face Cloth Ears Sugar Foot

Nipper Pip Joe Gargery

Chester Burnett Johnny Burnette The Famous Flames

Really? I fell asleep with boredom during the first episode (but maybe that's me..) I stuck with it to the end but felt it was too long and as it progressed the padding out of the episodes with red herrings became more and more apparent. I think it is being overrated by the likes of The Guardian. Ten episodes could have told the story in a more effective and more focused way. Can't hold a candle to Breaking Bad !

Marchlands ITV Mediocre. The few reviews I read applauded this but I was seriously underwhelmed. The manic cutting between the three time fields nearly drove me bonkers and the storyline was poorly developed. At least the delectable Shelley Conn provided some welcome eye candy. On a brighter note I'm now up to date on Breaking Bad which was excellent. :tup

Helen Merrill Complete EmArcy Eric Dolphy Complete Prestige Recordings Duke Ellington Centennial Complete RCA Victor The Beatles latest remasters The Stones just about everything. They seem to get a lot of play.

Yes, isn't it though? I resisted it for a while, then gave in and became a rabid fan. It's taken over my viewing to the exclusion of films. Finished S2 and ready to roll S3. Addicted big time.

Better late than never department, Breaking Bad, the first season. Wow, what a show. I liked the hydrofluoric acid in the bath tale, incredible.

The most boring Oscars ever. I got most right with the director award my main mistake. Fincher was robbed by the pedestrian, by the numbers direction of The King's Speech.

The Promise 3 This week's- Fringe House The Mentalist The Defenders. Daft but I like Jim Belushi.

Dirk Diggler Amber Waves Rollergirl

Ruby Baby Diamond Lil Pearly Queen