of course i can't work
So I’m gonna bitch, whine, piss, and moan about those reactors that are stressing me out so much.
I just can’t believe they were dumb enough to have the cooling system feed off the local power grid.
And that they were dumb enough to put the secondary cooling system in the hands of diesel generators, placed in the basement. On top of that, these generators apparently need electricity to fully function. Isn’t the point of a generator to produce electricity when the power’s out?
Let this whole mess be a lesson to the world: you need many layers of protection against the failure of the cooling system. (wry by: one of the teachers is, as I type, sleeping with his head on his desk.) each of your systems needs to be functional BY ITSLEF!
Now, they have dumped a bunch of ocean water onto the reactors, as if it’s all gonna get where it needs to be. They were talking about using a fire hose to spray water into the buildings, as if that would get the water where it needs to be. They want to feed power lines from a different power company into the site to run the cooling systems. But they “can’t” do that until the radiation goes down. Oy.
Oh, and these exploding facilities are 40 years old. I learned on Wikipedia that they were supposed to be shut down this year, in February or march. Some inspections were done, and approval was granted to keep them running. I bet the people who stamped their approval feel like really, REALLY big idiots.
One thing I don’t understand:
The spent fuel rods are still producing heat. So, obviously, there’s still some radioactivity. What makes it so we can’t keep using that fuel? If they still produce heat, that heat can produce steam, which turns turbines, which is how electricity is made in a great variety of power production plants. Why not reprocess the old fuel rods so that they make the next radioactive element until they’ve gone through everything. Eventually, the fuel will no longer be reactive. And don’t read this like I don’t know what I’m talking about. i did learn about these things on my path to earning a bachelor of science.
I know that America doesn’t do this because some politicians think they know everything. They made it illegal to use radioactive byproducts. America is an extremely wasteful country.
So, I’m thinking about leaving while this radioactive crap is going on. I know some science nerds who are telling me I’m gonna be fine. I’m far enough away, and these reactors are of a different, far safer design than those used at Chernobyl. I know an officer from Vietnam who’s been telling me to get out since the reactors first had problems. (had I listened to him, I wouldn’t be not flying home due to exorbitant plane ticket costs on the order of $5000.) I’ve got family telling me to hoof it.
The US government has advised all nationals to get at least 80 km away from those reactors. I’m about 170 km.
I’ve half packed a suitcase. Got the stuff I don’t use every day in there. Kinda silly to pack clothes and then unpack them to go to work.
I haven’t done much cleaning. I’ve mostly cleaned my kitchen. Instead of broken ceramics everywhere, there’s broken ceramics in a box, but I still wear my shoes inside. Better safe than cut.
I got help moving my bookshelf. It’s now standing on its side in front of the window. I’ve shaken it on purpose to see that it won’t fall again. Not that It’s gonna make a big mess if it does. Everything already fell off. And that everything is still sitting on the floor. Huge mess. It looked much neater with the bookcase sitting on top of it all. Even better was before it all fell.
But, there’s a little miracle in the most surprising places. I had this little vase sitting on one of the top shelves. I pulled it out from being partially tucked under books and found it completely unharmed. I’m thinking of selling it on ebay. It survived a 9.0 earthquake. This little thing took a 5 foot fall without breaking. It got pounded with books, and still didn’t break. Whatever proceeds I get from selling it will be donated to relief funds.
Ohhh…
I just remembered: there are other pieces I still haven’t checked on. In the ceramics studio…
I made some pink vases I don’t really approve of, using a method I’m not used to. My thought: at least I started with the pink clay, so the pink vases might not have survived. Better to lose pink vases than blue, green, or black vases. Oh, and how did my little mouse bowls fare? I had just glued their little ears back on…
Well, if you, my devoted readers, have advice of whether I should go or stay, feel free to let me know in whatever means you wish. You may email me if you have the addy. You may comment by clicking on the “poke me” button at the bottom right of this post.
Either way, please pray with me that those reactors are quickly brought under control.
Ya know, I have to say it. I wanted to go somewhere for spring break. I just never made the plans. Alas, I could already have a plane ticket to india or something.
I just can’t believe they were dumb enough to have the cooling system feed off the local power grid.
And that they were dumb enough to put the secondary cooling system in the hands of diesel generators, placed in the basement. On top of that, these generators apparently need electricity to fully function. Isn’t the point of a generator to produce electricity when the power’s out?
Let this whole mess be a lesson to the world: you need many layers of protection against the failure of the cooling system. (wry by: one of the teachers is, as I type, sleeping with his head on his desk.) each of your systems needs to be functional BY ITSLEF!
Now, they have dumped a bunch of ocean water onto the reactors, as if it’s all gonna get where it needs to be. They were talking about using a fire hose to spray water into the buildings, as if that would get the water where it needs to be. They want to feed power lines from a different power company into the site to run the cooling systems. But they “can’t” do that until the radiation goes down. Oy.
Oh, and these exploding facilities are 40 years old. I learned on Wikipedia that they were supposed to be shut down this year, in February or march. Some inspections were done, and approval was granted to keep them running. I bet the people who stamped their approval feel like really, REALLY big idiots.
One thing I don’t understand:
The spent fuel rods are still producing heat. So, obviously, there’s still some radioactivity. What makes it so we can’t keep using that fuel? If they still produce heat, that heat can produce steam, which turns turbines, which is how electricity is made in a great variety of power production plants. Why not reprocess the old fuel rods so that they make the next radioactive element until they’ve gone through everything. Eventually, the fuel will no longer be reactive. And don’t read this like I don’t know what I’m talking about. i did learn about these things on my path to earning a bachelor of science.
I know that America doesn’t do this because some politicians think they know everything. They made it illegal to use radioactive byproducts. America is an extremely wasteful country.
So, I’m thinking about leaving while this radioactive crap is going on. I know some science nerds who are telling me I’m gonna be fine. I’m far enough away, and these reactors are of a different, far safer design than those used at Chernobyl. I know an officer from Vietnam who’s been telling me to get out since the reactors first had problems. (had I listened to him, I wouldn’t be not flying home due to exorbitant plane ticket costs on the order of $5000.) I’ve got family telling me to hoof it.
The US government has advised all nationals to get at least 80 km away from those reactors. I’m about 170 km.
I’ve half packed a suitcase. Got the stuff I don’t use every day in there. Kinda silly to pack clothes and then unpack them to go to work.
I haven’t done much cleaning. I’ve mostly cleaned my kitchen. Instead of broken ceramics everywhere, there’s broken ceramics in a box, but I still wear my shoes inside. Better safe than cut.
I got help moving my bookshelf. It’s now standing on its side in front of the window. I’ve shaken it on purpose to see that it won’t fall again. Not that It’s gonna make a big mess if it does. Everything already fell off. And that everything is still sitting on the floor. Huge mess. It looked much neater with the bookcase sitting on top of it all. Even better was before it all fell.
But, there’s a little miracle in the most surprising places. I had this little vase sitting on one of the top shelves. I pulled it out from being partially tucked under books and found it completely unharmed. I’m thinking of selling it on ebay. It survived a 9.0 earthquake. This little thing took a 5 foot fall without breaking. It got pounded with books, and still didn’t break. Whatever proceeds I get from selling it will be donated to relief funds.
Ohhh…
I just remembered: there are other pieces I still haven’t checked on. In the ceramics studio…
I made some pink vases I don’t really approve of, using a method I’m not used to. My thought: at least I started with the pink clay, so the pink vases might not have survived. Better to lose pink vases than blue, green, or black vases. Oh, and how did my little mouse bowls fare? I had just glued their little ears back on…
Well, if you, my devoted readers, have advice of whether I should go or stay, feel free to let me know in whatever means you wish. You may email me if you have the addy. You may comment by clicking on the “poke me” button at the bottom right of this post.
Either way, please pray with me that those reactors are quickly brought under control.
Ya know, I have to say it. I wanted to go somewhere for spring break. I just never made the plans. Alas, I could already have a plane ticket to india or something.