Fukushima Railroad Station in the Middle of April, 2011
(Photos taken by EEE Reporter; click to enlarge.)Nuclear Accidents, No Jokes
The first practical nuclear power plant started to be constructed in Obninsk, the Soviet Union, on January 1, 1951.
For around 10 years, Obninsk remained the only nuclear power reactor in the Soviet Union; the power plant remained active until April 29, 2002 when it was finally shut down.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obninsk_Nuclear_Power_Plant
It was crazy from the beginning to apply nuclear fission to electricity generation. It should not have been put into practice. Accordingly, the USSR collapsed after the Chernobyl accident.
It can be truly labelled as work of mad scientists as we look back at it from today.
SECTION I: Death Rates due to Radiation Exposure
Cigarettes might kill you in a possibility of less than 10%, but 20 milli-sievert exposure (per year) to radiation would kill you at around 0.1%.
If you are a Japanese in your 40's, your chance to die committing a suicide is far larger than being killed by 100 milli-sievert exposure (per year) to radiation.
This seems to be the logic the Japanese Government has adopted since the outbreak of the Fukushima nuclear accident.
Yet, various parties concerned measure and check radiation levels at more than 300 locations over Japan to report to an Internet site called "Japan Geigermap : At-a-glance" where measured values less than 0.1 micro-sieverts are the norm around Tokyo and less than 1 micro-sieverts in Fukushima Prefecture (except Fukushima City, Koriyama City, and a 30-km northwest zone from Fukushima Daiichi) .
[Distance: 220km between Tokyo and Fukushima Daiichi](Click to enlarge.)
http://japan.failedrobot.com/
However, before March 11, 2011 this kind of activities was regraded as an unnecessary fuss.
Indeed, arrogance of the nuclear community in Japan has been hit hard. Parties involved in the government, the utility industry, the support industry, and the academy and the Media have all lost face, while still behaving shamelessly around trillion yen budget talks.
It can be well said that what have happened twice could happen the third time: Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Fukushima.
SECTION II: Nuclear Terror
As I wrote a week ago, if Osama bin Laden had been allowed to continue his war on the U.S., the chance would be very high for AlQaeda to have access to nuclear material.
Nuclear terrorism
...
After several incidents in Pakistan in which terrorists attacked three of its military nuclear facilities it became clear that there emerged a serious danger that they would gain access to the country’s nuclear arsenal, according to a journal published by the US Military Academy at West Point.[22] In January 2010 it was revealed that the US army was training a specialised unit "to seal off and snatch back" Pakistani nuclear weapons in the event that militants would obtain a nuclear device or materials that could make one. Pakistan supposedly possesses about 80 nuclear warheads. US officials refused to speak on the record about the American safety plans.[23]
A study by Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University titled 'Securing the Bomb 2010', found that Pakistan's stockpile "faces a greater threat from Islamic extremists seeking nuclear weapons than any other nuclear stockpile on earth".[24]
According to Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, a former investigator with the CIA and the US Department of Energy, there is "a greater possibility of a nuclear meltdown in Pakistan than anywhere else in the world. The region has more violent extremists than any other, the country is unstable, and its arsenal of nuclear weapons is expanding."[25]
Nuclear weapons expert David Albright author of 'Peddling Peril' has also expressed concerns that Pakistan's stockpile may not be secure despite assurances by both Pakistan and U.S. government. He stated Pakistan "has had many leaks from its program of classified information and sensitive nuclear equipment, and so you have to worry that it could be acquired in Pakistan," [26]
A 2010 study by the Congressional Research Service titled 'Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation and Security Issues' noted that even though Pakistan had taken several steps to enhance Nuclear security in recent years 'Instability in Pakistan has called the extent and durability of these reforms into question.'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_terrorism
However, individuals and organizations engaged in terror business will not use nuclear weaponry. If they wield nuclear material, they know they would be hated by 1000 times more people than they are now. Accordingly, world citizens would start to destroy and eradicate them in 1000 times more efforts. Such terrorists would be labeled as enemies of mankind.
What is worse, they would lose environment and framework of the world, civilization, and market where they can enjoy rich life with money earned through terror business. Nuclear terror warfare would surely destroy cozy and comfortable living space they have been in.
Yet, a mad guy can emerge in any sector of the world.
SECTION III: Whatever Shocking Is Possible
Or should I say whatever laughable can be possible?
In late 1980's, people would have laughed at a joke that Saddam Hussein was going to annex Kuwait by force.
In early 1990's. people would have laughed at a joke that a cult would launch a sarin gas attack in Tokyo subway networks injuring 6000 commuters.
In late 1990's, people would have laughed at a joke that a son of a Saudi billionaire family would launch terror attacks on Pentagon and the World Trade Center to succeed in demolishing the two towers.
In early 2000's, people would have laughed at a joke that an M9.1 earthquake at Sumatra would claim 200,000 lives with an accompanying tsunami around the Indian Ocean.
In the middle of 2000's, people would have laughed at a joke that an African American would replace Mr. George W. Bush as U.S. president soon since Lehman Brothers would soon disappear.
Then, a Haiti earthquake and subsequent disasters took 300,000 lives of Haitians in 2010.
Then, an M9.0 earthquake occurred on northeast Honshu of Japan, taking 26,000 lives and damaging four nuclear reactors.
And, Osama bin Laden was taken on by the first African American President of the U.S. who has apprehended graveness of nuclear terror that might be initiated from the disaster-plagued country of Pakistan.
So, it is better to take protective measures around every nuclear facilities on the earth, including those in North Korea and Israel.
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The U.S. Navy runs 10 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and 72 nuclear-powered submarines in addition to one nuclear-powered research ship.
Indeed, what allows the U.S. to enjoy the status of super power is the nuclear power generation machine, which is accordingly so ominous.
It is time to back away from the glory supported by nuclear power generation, since we can find more peaceful technology for power generation.
Otherwise, something more devastating could happen than Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Fukushima, especially, in the War on Terror or through the terror business.
Luk 5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
Luk 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
Luk 5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.