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Here We Go Again: IAEA Says Fuel Rods Exposed In Units 4, 5 And 6, Total Of 4 Units Have Core Damage, Situation "Very Serious"

Tyler Durden's picture




 

IAEA SAYS CORE DAMAGE AT UNITS 1-3 CONFIRMED, SITUATION "VERY SERIOUS"
IAEA SAYS FUEL RODS EXPOSED IN UNITS 4, 5 AND 6
IAEA SAYS HIGHER RADIATION LEVELS FROM DAMAGED JAPAN REACTORS
IAEA SAYS TOTAL OF 4 JAPAN UNITS HAVE CORE DAMAGE

 

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Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:09 | 1061043 MachoMan
MachoMan's picture

If the government controls the media and this morsel was allowed out, then...

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:20 | 1061160 davepowers
davepowers's picture

agreed, he just happens to allow others to hear him screaming profanities (yesterday's news) at TEPCO and then its quickly reported.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:10 | 1061049 Chris Jusset
Chris Jusset's picture

Dr. Porkchop said:

"This means that as the country prepares to melt down, communication between the people who should be providing solutions have melted down as well."

It's a meltdown within a meltdown! 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:12 | 1061084 Miss Expectations
Miss Expectations's picture

Hell.  Hell is what is going on.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:38 | 1061309 VisualCSharp
VisualCSharp's picture

I get the feeling the Japanese as a people may care about saving face and honor before solving tough challenges. Hasn't this been historically true? In any case, this is not the time to be bureaucratic, pleasant or thoughtful. This is the time to solve problems.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:01 | 1060984 jesse livermoore
jesse livermoore's picture

have they announced Obama's bracket picks yet?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:30 | 1061240 Deepskyy
Deepskyy's picture

About 10 minutes ago... you just missed it.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 14:34 | 1062121 earnyermoney
earnyermoney's picture

LOL, surreal.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:02 | 1060988 Lord Welligton
Lord Welligton's picture

Calling trav7777

Calling IQ 145

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:04 | 1061021 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

You mean MIA and AWOL?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:27 | 1061223 Lord Welligton
Lord Welligton's picture

:)

I notice there is nobody denying the gravity of the situation now.

Are these people just stupid (as in programmed to be positive) or do they have an agenda.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:36 | 1061314 kridkrid
kridkrid's picture

Are these people just stupid (as in programmed to be positive) or do they have an agenda.

Yes.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:43 | 1061711 TeamAmerica
TeamAmerica's picture

Depends on what you mean by "the gravity of the situation".   I never saw anyone on ZH denying that reactor meltdowns were a very bad thing.   The topic of most heated dispute has been whether people here in the USA should be gulping potassium iodide and evacuating California, which remain dumb things to be talking about.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:44 | 1061372 Spalding_Smailes
Spalding_Smailes's picture

Trav7777 is watching Smurfs reruns ....

He has Brainy,Papa, & Lazy set up on the end table waiting for Smurfette with freshly baked cookies ....

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:30 | 1061246 IQ 145
IQ 145's picture

 All I can do is repeat the statement that it doesn't matter what happens inside the steel can inside the concrete egg; it won't become a public health problem. nothing is going to melt thru the bottom of the steel container; this is purely science fiction. I apologized once for not being aware of the crazy storage of nuclear fuel in a concrete room on the third floor of the building; which is actually, merely a part of the fabric of the building. I will apologize again; I didn't do my home work; no excuse.  Public health problems may result from not keeping these rooms full of water; which is evidently going to be very difficult; the fuel elements will burn when they dry out; a big pile of burning stuff will get really hot and the resulting smoke which will go up quite vigorously, will be extrememly toxic. The problem is not with "the reactor"; it may come from the "stored fuel"; I'm sorry to say.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:02 | 1060992 Atomizer
Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:09 | 1061050 gdogus erectus
gdogus erectus's picture

145 not 45

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:01 | 1060997 Ben Probanke
Ben Probanke's picture

Tepco: considering other steps to cool reactors besides use of water.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:16 | 1061111 Jim in MN
Jim in MN's picture

Fans?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:29 | 1061232 Lord Welligton
Lord Welligton's picture

:) :) :)

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:28 | 1061237 Mesquite
Mesquite's picture

Where is Wiley Coyote when we need him..?

 

Oh that's right...Ben's using him..

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:04 | 1061510 Haywood Jablowme
Haywood Jablowme's picture

Not just any fan, the infamous "hand fan" of nihon variance.  Kudlow maybe all smiles now that mfg of these folding hand fans will be required in great numbers thus aiding in the recovery of the rising sun's economy.

Zakkennayo bizunichu!

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:17 | 1061136 Bicycle Repairman
Bicycle Repairman's picture

Considering?  They've had 40 years to mull this over.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:28 | 1061230 Dr. Porkchop
Dr. Porkchop's picture

Panic ensued, they ran to the GE emergency manuals, cracked them open and saw:

 

General Electric Emergency Shutdown and Disaster Contingency Procedures:

****

Coming, Spring 1978

 

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:28 | 1061220 serotonindumptruck
serotonindumptruck's picture

I'd love to hear the minutes from that meeting. They're likely at the point where they're accepting and considering all possible engineering solutions. What's next? Dropping large compressed gas cylinders full of liquid nitrogen on to the site?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:29 | 1061247 Dr. No
Dr. No's picture

Not quite sure what they are discussing.  Not many readily available materials with a greater heat capacity than water.  Water works pretty good for cooling things down.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:02 | 1061001 -Michelle-
-Michelle-'s picture

I am very grateful to not be stationed in Japan right now.

http://www.cnic.navy.mil/yokosuka/

At approximately 0700 local (Japan) time, 15 March 2011, sensitive instrumentation on USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) pier-side in Yokosuka, detected low levels of radioactivity from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant. While there is no danger to the public, Commander, Naval Forces Japan is recommending limited precautionary measures for personnel on Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Naval Air Facility Atsugi, including: A. Limiting outdoor activities. B. Securing external ventilation systems as much as practical. These measures are strictly precautionary in nature. We do not expect that any United States Federal radiation exposure limits will be exceeded even if no precautionary measures are taken. We are continuing to analyze the situation and will update you as we learn more.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:09 | 1061064 -Michelle-
-Michelle-'s picture

Drudge flash: PENTAGON: US FORCES NOT ALLOWED WITHIN 50 MILES OF CRIPPLED NUKE...

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:20 | 1061150 Bicycle Repairman
Bicycle Repairman's picture

Tokyo is 100 miles away, I believe.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:22 | 1061184 Dr. No
Dr. No's picture

50 years ago, Pentagon ordered US troops within bomb test zones!  make up their minds.  Sheez.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:41 | 1061340 VisualCSharp
VisualCSharp's picture

It seems they have made up their minds, no?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:03 | 1061002 Seasmoke
Seasmoke's picture

as Obama likes to say, we have serious problems at all FORE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:46 | 1061391 Husk-Erzulie
Husk-Erzulie's picture

Now, that's funny...

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:03 | 1061005 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

In other words: not Chernobyl. Chernobyl cubed. Off the charts. 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:04 | 1061006 Cdad
Cdad's picture

IAEA SAYS FUEL RODS EXPOSED IN UNITS 4, 5 AND 6

Tyler, this cannot be true.  E. Burnett at the Ministry of Truth [CNBC] explained the good news about reactors 5 and 6 just this morning...that those were just fine.

And everyone knows that if only four of six reactors meltdown, that is bullish for retail stocks.  Now, if all six went down, you might get some nervousness in markets.

A rising Vix signals tremendous opportunities. 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:09 | 1061067 NotApplicable
NotApplicable's picture

Watching this all, I've been amazed at how many times I get the latest news here, then go to google news for more detail, only to find the "newest" stories are actually older ones, filtering through different sources, many times with just a new headline, or an added update paragraph. It turns into an echo chamber, making it difficult to find the latest reports.

So to me, its really no surprise that reports are given credit as current, as the headline time is. Of course, Burnett is always searching for the green shoots, so I don't doubt she's not grasping for anything she can find.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:28 | 1061222 Going Loco
Going Loco's picture

Me too. I don't even Google news any longer. Mostly I come here.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:51 | 1061413 Temporis
Temporis's picture

I come here for news as well... Mainstream media sucks. Tyler is typically ahead of everyone else by hours if not days.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:05 | 1061013 AldoHux_IV
AldoHux_IV's picture

There is some serious shit going on right now, but instead on the LSM you see douchebags who are only good at sucking at the fed's teet-- forget they should have anything valuable to say, but this kind of bullshit cover up of the news is the proof positive that our country is fucked and run by the biggest idiotic and greedy fucks that have graced this planet in a long time-- they're more concerned about the ongoing ponzi then they are about anything pertinent to reality.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:07 | 1061029 Franken_Stein
Franken_Stein's picture

Nate Dogg dead !

 

In other news:

In China a rice bowl dropped from the table and is in serious condition now!

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:12 | 1061083 Out9922
Out9922's picture

Is the plastic rice OK???

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:15 | 1061104 Franken_Stein
Franken_Stein's picture

 

Yes, due to its consistence it hit the ground, then bounced right back onto the table.

 

Rice 1 : 0 Bowl

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:07 | 1061032 Mark4124
Mark4124's picture

I guess the IAEA finally has to stop downplaying the situation as they were a few days ago.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:07 | 1061039 TruthInSunshine
TruthInSunshine's picture

What we are witnessing here, as conveyed by thinly veiled mockeries of governments and their lackey media...

...is that on a long enough time line, the survival rate for all ponzi schemes and bullshit spewn drops to zero.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:11 | 1061082 Cdad
Cdad's picture

So what you are saying, brother Truth, is that today is a great opportunity to buy the Ponzi scheme dip...right?

When people need to throw their clothing away due to gamma rays, won't that really spur retail clothing outlets?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:15 | 1061117 TruthInSunshine
TruthInSunshine's picture

This is great for retail, and Larry Kudlow is praying that they save as much valuable equipment from those reactor sites as possible.

Also, where's Nero?

Anyone seen Nero?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:36 | 1061289 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

Think of all the scrap steel, soon to be recycled into your next Toyota. 

Good news: a toyota is 90% plastic

Bad news:  radiation melts plastic

Wash, Rinse, Repeat...,Buy the Dip

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:36 | 1061296 Cdad
Cdad's picture

Whew...brother Truth...the Japanese government just declared that the nuke situation is not out of control.  Man, what a relief.

I'm thinking about buying shares in Apple.  I like to buy shares when they are collapsing into a zone of zero support....especially after every single hedge fund on Earth has already gone long the stock.

And when P. Najarian at the Ministry of Truth [CNBC[ says "the sky is the limit" on Vix...now that it is breaking out despite how brother ZeroPower told me that trade was over...I know that what P. Najarian is saying is that opportunity has no limits.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:40 | 1061346 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

It is, indeed, a unique opportunity.  While you're at it, would you like to bid on some tulip bulbs?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:11 | 1061547 Bastiat
Bastiat's picture

I just mis-read that as "bullshit spawn dogs" -- and thought: poetry!

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:09 | 1061060 HungrySeagull
HungrySeagull's picture

Whoopee. It's been bad for days.

Nuke the place and it will really get bad for a few hours and all over tomorrow.

Or it will nuke us all.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:10 | 1061535 Bastiat
Bastiat's picture

Yeah the solution to radiation is more radiation!  Brilliant.  Do you work for the Fed?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:11 | 1061070 buffettwanab
buffettwanab's picture

Barry thoughts today

Is this freakin Radioactive thing going to affect any of the

golf courses in the area? Where the hell is my new

putter! HMMM lead head covers NICE! Titanium balls,, Lead is

cores are better where the hell have you been.Pebble Beach is on

the west coast I better move some aircraft carriers over their.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:11 | 1061081 AN0NYM0US
AN0NYM0US's picture

the unspun or spun as the case may be of the  IAEA statement from 14:55 GMT on which the above is based

 

Japanese Earthquake Update (16 March 14:55 UTC) (currently it is 16:13 gmt)

Japanese authorities have reported concerns about the condition of the spent nuclear fuel pool at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 and Unit 4. Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa announced Wednesday that Special Defence Forces helicopters planned to drop water onto Unit 3, and officials are also preparing to spray water into Unit 4 from ground positions, and possibly later into Unit 3. Some debris on the ground from the 14 March explosion at Unit 3 may need to be removed before the spraying can begin.

 

http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/tsunamiupdate01.html

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:31 | 1061268 Going Loco
Going Loco's picture

Some debris on the ground from the 14 March explosion at Unit 3 may need to be removed before the spraying can begin.
Need to go in and pick up all those pesky broken rods and little pellet thingies. With a red sash tied round your neck.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:39 | 1061332 IQ 145
IQ 145's picture

 Spray, and Pray?  sorry, I couldn't resist. Zero Hedge is really functioning as a major news outlet; the conrast with the traditional outlets is remarkable.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:58 | 1061833 sunkeye
sunkeye's picture

it's a drinking game now

iodine and everclear shots w/ every update

im calling them 'meltdowns' but better nominees requested and accepted

peace - and conciousness - out

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 16:18 | 1062824 andybev01
andybev01's picture

+100-proof.

 

also, found this: http://www.drinksmixer.com/drinkuv14609.html

 

Cheers!

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:16 | 1061090 Paul S.
Paul S.'s picture

"We were slightly negative in the stock market, but it wasn't the end of the world. And then an energy expert or official in the EU says, 'Hey, the situation in Japan is out of control,'" Jeffrey Friedman, senior market strategist at Lind-Waldock, a division of MF Global. "I thought it was a bad way to go."

 

Yeah, The EU is such a buzzkill. Shit man, we're on margin here watch what you say.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:14 | 1061096 TuesdayBen
TuesdayBen's picture

The remaining Fuku nuke plant workers are the new kamikazis.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:55 | 1061457 Saxxon
Saxxon's picture

They are even better men than that because radiation is a slow death.  True courage and their situation makes me ashamed to get stressed out by the small stuff during the day.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:13 | 1061097 tortola trader
tortola trader's picture

Wait a minute....I just closed on a penthouse condo in beautiful downtown Tokyo....what should I do???  Betcha you can gets a good deal with "no yen down!"

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:21 | 1061175 TwoShortPlanks
TwoShortPlanks's picture

Yeah, comes with Neon Lights without need to power...buy it!

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:13 | 1061102 Jim in MN
Jim in MN's picture

Couple other developments per MSM:

--Evac shelters now full, turning people away

--US forces ordered to observe wider exclusion zone from reactors

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:18 | 1061135 prophet
prophet's picture

Based on the vulnerabilities the US needs to take their 43 down, inspect them, and retrofit them, just as is done with airplanes after incidents.  I would suggest immediate action.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:25 | 1061612 RichardP
RichardP's picture

There is nothing wrong with the Japanese plant that a little electricity could not have cured.  Even with the stupid design of keeping the spent fuel rods close by the reactor, these would not be a problem either if there was electricity enough to keep pumping water over them.

Other than that - the weakest link, the one that proves fatal, is rarely visible until stressed.  Sort of like why doctors do stress-tests on their patients.  Some potentially fatal heart problems are not visible when the unstressed heart is examined.  They only become visible under stress.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 16:07 | 1062755 prophet
prophet's picture

Bull.  Highly engineered systems tend to have very well known weaknesses.  The risk analysis (aka cost/benefit) drives the final build.  My first retrofit suggestion would be to move the generators into hardened configurations.  As it stands they sit in the open as do the overhead primary power lines.  Imagine a power loss while the reactor was in full swing.

As noted earlier by others newer designs do not require power for cooling functions.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:17 | 1061138 Quantum Nucleonics
Quantum Nucleonics's picture

Meanwhile, Qaddafi forces marching on the rebel stronghold, who have been begging for help.  President Obama says, "F*ck off!  I've gotta finish my NCAA brackets."

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:30 | 1061637 RichardP
RichardP's picture

Is the U.S. the only country that could have come to the aid of the rebels?  Why should we feel guilty that France or Greece or Turkey have not rushed in with their weapons to help oust Qaddafi?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 14:28 | 1062070 Quantum Nucleonics
Quantum Nucleonics's picture

which weapons would those be?  France?  Who's only aircraft carrier had one of its propellers fall off on her maiden voyage.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 14:30 | 1062082 Quantum Nucleonics
Quantum Nucleonics's picture

which weapons would those be?  France?  Who's only aircraft carrier had one of its propellers fall off on her maiden voyage.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:19 | 1061140 Franken_Stein
Franken_Stein's picture

Currently it's snowing in north-eastern Japan.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:48 | 1061403 IQ 145
IQ 145's picture

 Oh wonderful; that'll be a big help. Pure white snow is a nuisance; snow is very good at concentrating fall out; "grey snow" or snow with little black flecks, we don't want to hear about this. Snow will bring down everything between the "snowing layer cloud" and the ground right in one place and then stick it to everything; so it can have "maximum effect." Not snowing would be much better.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 16:21 | 1062867 andybev01
andybev01's picture

'Nuclear winter'...?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:19 | 1061143 sudzee
sudzee's picture

Good news:

Fedex offering 8 hour tsunami delivery of packages from Japan to US. Pickup of packages may be made in Los Vegas. No insurance offered for broken items.

Bad news:

We're all fucked.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:20 | 1061145 Bugman82
Bugman82's picture

In the midst of chaos and hard times it is ok to have some laughs at the expense of one of the biggest trolls in zerohedge history.  Read his last few days of comments, I think you'll see the fact that perma-bulls are exponentially more insane than those "perma-bears" they chide.

http://www.marketwatch.com/community/hwagner/comments/story

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 16:25 | 1062888 andybev01
andybev01's picture

"Link please? Or you just made that up?"

Is this Harry, Hairy or Hamy? I suppose it doesn't matter, it's all funny.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:20 | 1061156 Michael66
Michael66's picture

If the China Syndrome occurs the best I can determine is that the cores will resurface in Kansas.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:22 | 1061170 Fix It Again Timmy
Fix It Again Timmy's picture

Can't the US military send in huge military tents with heaters?  I mean, jesus christ, how FK'ing intelligent to you have to be to airlift tents to people who have no shelter?  Oh, I forgot, we're too busy fighting AL KayDA - are leaders are not worth a sack of shit, cmon OBummer, F protocol, air drop tents to people needing shelter - you're a community organizer right, then ORGANIZE, shithead.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:35 | 1061286 LFMayor
LFMayor's picture

Why would that be the US military's job?  Don't the Japs have a military?  One that might be a little closer to the fucking problem area?  Don't they have tents?  Ones that might be a litte closer to the problem area?

You work in logistics, yes?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:32 | 1061651 RichardP
RichardP's picture

Or China?  They are close by.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:21 | 1061171 ArgentDawn
ArgentDawn's picture

Where is Obama?!?! Shouldn't he be on TV every night or so?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:30 | 1061241 TuesdayBen
TuesdayBen's picture

O doesn't do real problems, he tackles those of the imaginary, strawman-esque variety.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 16:27 | 1062910 andybev01
andybev01's picture

He's like a car alarm.

You get so used to blocking it out that you don't really notice it until it stops.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:21 | 1061178 tahoebumsmith
tahoebumsmith's picture

What many parts of Japan will look like soon....

http://www.aztecresearch.net/Images/chernobyl3.jpg

Tokyo is going to feel a devastating impact from this, people need to start coming out of the twilight zone and facing reality. Markets will be forced to close...Nikkei and S&P are going to capitulate. There isn't a ponzinomic scheme or enough fiat that will stop this disaster from playing out.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:21 | 1061179 bugs_
bugs_'s picture

really most sincerly serious

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:22 | 1061186 davepowers
davepowers's picture

good, head of IAEA (from Japan) says he will 'head home tomorrow' for damage assessment.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:45 | 1061386 VisualCSharp
VisualCSharp's picture

I hope there's a tomorrow for him to return to... at least as far as his home country is concerned.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:24 | 1061190 Franken_Stein
Franken_Stein's picture

 

Change you can believe in.

The audacity of hope !

 

Oh wait.

You can't eat hope.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:24 | 1061200 Critical Path
Critical Path's picture

Where is Math Man when you need him? 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:26 | 1061217 WTFisThat
WTFisThat's picture

In the near future your car dashboard will have: speedometer, tachometer and Geiger counter as a standard equipment.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:26 | 1061219 Franken_Stein
Franken_Stein's picture

 

The Moscow Circus has decided to interrupt its Japan tour following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that flattened the country's northeast coast, its deputy director has .

The RIA Novosti news agency quoted Alexander Ogurtsov, deputy director for international relations at the Moscow-based Nikulin Circus, as saying:

After consulting with our Japanese partners we have decided to interrupt our tour ... which was to last until March 21.

 

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:37 | 1061306 -Michelle-
Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:52 | 1061771 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

Now that's scary.  In FL they don't shut down for hurricanes or Christmas.  Run, mouse, run.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:29 | 1061234 TwoShortPlanks
TwoShortPlanks's picture

China Syndrome...more like Argentina Syndrome

http://www.freemaptools.com/tunnel-to-other-side-of-the-earth.htm

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:31 | 1061267 Jim in MN
Jim in MN's picture

Thanks, been too busy to check on that myself.

'If Japan digs a hole to the other side of the Earth...' and I really did play 'dig a hole to China' in the backyard as a kid.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:31 | 1061248 HellFish
HellFish's picture

This would be the same IAEA that hired mohammed el'baradei to inspect Iran?  I'll take it with a grain of salt.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:31 | 1061251 CD
CD's picture

Well, here's a robot (that could perhaps have been though of sooner):

U.S. military will operate a Global Hawk unmanned high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft over a stricken nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture, possibly on Thursday

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/78680.html

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:36 | 1061281 Franken_Stein
Franken_Stein's picture

After 5 days.

Better late than never.

 

Someone in the pentagon must have had an epiphany.

It's like when that little light bulb blows above Beavis's head whenever he has a "bright" idea.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:35 | 1061298 LFMayor
LFMayor's picture

heh heh.  Todd is cool.  Fire's cool too, man.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:32 | 1061264 davepowers
davepowers's picture

A 'Dr Danon' being interviewed on the Reuters blog says that the fuel rods had been removed and placed in the pool before the crisis hit. This was reported re #4 yesterday, but Danon, fwiw, says that was the case for 5 and 6 as well.

To the extent this is true, then there can't be a meltdown from inside the reactors because the recently used and still hotter fuel is already outside containment for all three.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:33 | 1061277 Jim in MN
Jim in MN's picture

So either gremlins are heating 5 and 6 to the boiling point as we speak, or Dr. Danon is operating on old news, not that there's anything wrong with that, cept that it's wrong.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:15 | 1061569 davepowers
davepowers's picture

So the fuel rods for 5 and 6 are still inside the reactor?

What about #4? I read multiple sources yesterday that those had been removed and placed in the pool, which seemed to dovetail with the fact that the #4 pool is the source of so many problems.

thanks in advance for a response. You seem to be more knowledgeable about this than many.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:54 | 1061446 TerraHertz
TerraHertz's picture

Last I heard (Wed), 5 & 6 have only one functioning backup diesel generator between them. #5's diesel was cactus since the 11th due to tsunami.

How long can one overloaded diesel generator hold up for?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:43 | 1061688 RichardP
RichardP's picture

Edit: davepowers beat my response below.  I'll leave it here anyway.

To repeat davepowers:  the fuel rods (for #s 4, 5, and 6) had been removed and placed in the pool before the crisis hit.

If true, that means there are no fuel rods inside the reactors.  If these rods are in the cooling pool/room, and if the water in the pool cannot be kept cool, the rods will heat up to the point that they begin to burn/oxidize.  The pieces of this oxidization that get spewed into the atmosphere will be highly radioactive.  That would be physics at work, not gremlins.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:56 | 1061779 Jim in MN
Jim in MN's picture

I have never met more fervent believers in gremlins than physicists.

 

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 14:01 | 1061851 RichardP
RichardP's picture

Fine.  Let it be the gremlins that threw the rods around (maybe playing light sabers with them).  It was the physics that made them burn/oxidize.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:59 | 1061836 Jim in MN
Jim in MN's picture

The reactors are stable and the pools ought to be OK if they keep a handle on it.  If the site gets abandoned...well its just more rods, eh?

 

BTW the spent rods are stacked in boron impregnated racks, which is good.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:37 | 1061288 gaoptimize
gaoptimize's picture

Never mind.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:34 | 1061290 paddy0761
paddy0761's picture

Where the phuk is Bruce Willis????

 

We know he's not having a haircut.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:46 | 1061398 VisualCSharp
VisualCSharp's picture

Scalp massage? :)

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:36 | 1061291 slackrabbit
slackrabbit's picture

I hate to say this, but its seems the time for half measures is now or will soon be gone.

It seems to me,  the only way they can get water in there will be for someone to go in - knowing they are dead if they do. Now is the time for leaders to to put up or get removed . To volunteer and ask for other volunteers. If you're not prepared to go in yourself, you shouldn't be in the job....yes that include myself.

I just can't see how they can solve this without real heroes. This is truly heart-breaking.

Only after the fact we will we know the name of these true heroes.

I hope it never ever comes to this, but now is not the time for jokes or smartass remarks...it insults them and diminishes us.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:43 | 1061376 Jim in MN
Jim in MN's picture

Entombment is the only way.  Not even on the radar.  Unless that's what TEPCO means by 'methods other than water'.

We are witnessing a real chance of contaminating the Kanto Plain, an event from which there may be no recovery (things will be changed forever).

Entombment planning, at least...?   Pretty please?  Just say 'entombment' on CNN or BBC????

Ack.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:01 | 1061498 Cdad
Cdad's picture

Jim,

Talking about entombment would cause people discomfort.  They might leave the area.  It would hurt retail sales. 

As for the Ministry of Truth [CNBC], E. Burnett sounded the all clear this morning on 2 of the 6 reactors.  You must not have been paying attention to her because you were spreading fear.

You must not love Big Brother, Jim.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:18 | 1061587 davepowers
davepowers's picture

Talking about entombment might actually lessen discomfort, if only because it would represent (even in theory) some 'fix' on the horizon. Right now, there is a shortage of 'fix' talk.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:36 | 1061293 ZackAttack
ZackAttack's picture

So is this actually telling us anything we didn't already know? We *know* the cores are junk and can never be used again.

I am not hearing any statement that there was a breach of the inner containment structures.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:50 | 1061754 RichardP
RichardP's picture

Info in earlier posts suggest that there might be a breach of the inner containment structure on one reactor.  But the biggest issue, in terms of radiation, are the unprotected cooling pools on all reactors.  The expectation is that the fuel rods in these pools are oxidizing/burning and spewing radiation into the atmosphere.  Some think that, if this were happening, joe citizen would tell the world about increased radiation levels.  Perhaps they would.  But perhaps the government clamp-down on releasing info is keeping joe citizen's knowleldge of increased radiation from being distributed.

At any rate, the inability to keep the cooling pools cool is considered the bigger problem at the moment.  Conventional wisdom says any rods inside the reactors are cool enough that they won't melt through the floor - even if the rods themselves melt.  That radiation will stay contained.  The radiation from the cooling pools cannot be contained.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:38 | 1061295 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

What is the play here? Should I buy uranium, or coal? The important question is how best for me to profit from this tragedy. Is BTFD still on? Bondz bitchez? The only thing that matters is how to best exploit this tragedy.

 

IODINE AND GEIGER COUNTERS BITCHEZ!!

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:38 | 1061327 Cdad
Cdad's picture

I'd buy Apple.  Contrary to popular belief, you can eat an Ipad...if you have to because you are sealed into a room with duct tape.

I like it when shares are collapsing and there is no support for the stock...and no one left to go long.

That, or Tiffany's.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:46 | 1061380 Critical Path
Critical Path's picture

Time to go long lead... easily melted into rifle shells.  Can also be used in the construction of a fallout shelter or personal sheilding (vest or other) from gamma radiation.

 

Also, use as teeth filings and food flavoring (although the later may cause you to go insane).

 

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:56 | 1061814 serotonindumptruck
serotonindumptruck's picture

I might have enough ammo stockpiled to build some functional lead shielding.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:52 | 1061323 TruthInSunshine
TruthInSunshine's picture

Nuclear Crisis: Rising Radiation Levels Halt Work at Fukushima Plant

Dr. Michio Kaku, a credible scientist:

"We have cracks now, cracks in the containment vessels...and if those cracks grow or if there's an explosion, we're talking a full blown Chernobyl, something beyond Chernobyl," Kaku said.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:01 | 1061495 AN0NYM0US
AN0NYM0US's picture

Kaku has credibility  and some interesting perspectives on reality:

 

Michio Kaku: These parallel universes are in your living room. This means that in your living room, there are dinosaurs. You can't hear them, you can't see the dinosaurs that are rampaging throughout your living room, but they're there.

http://www.tv.com/the-universe/parallel-universes/episode/1236985/trivia...

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:52 | 1061775 RichardP
RichardP's picture

So - is he correct about the cracks or not?  The dinosaurs don't matter here.  Either there are cracks or there are not.  Does he have reason to know the answer?

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:41 | 1061342 Jim in MN
Jim in MN's picture

Following up on a briefing for UK Japan embassy staff at which the UK Chief Scientific Officer stated that there is no danger outside the exclusion zone because no radioactive material would reach higher than 500 meters due to an explosion...

A little research shows that for a fire, specifically an oil refinery fire studied in LA many years ago, the smoke was at 6,000 feet (1828 meters) after one mile and 11,000 feet (3353 meters) after, er, 30 miles (48 km). Oh and hey that's well on its way to the stratosphere too...just sayin.

So if you see this site engulfed in an ugly smokey fire, that is when it is officially PAST GTFO time. 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:41 | 1061344 Mesquite
Mesquite's picture

Wasn't the GE man added to Mr. Obama's circle of advisers, lately...

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:23 | 1061604 davepowers
davepowers's picture

yes indeed. Jeff Imelt his own self.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:46 | 1061389 Jim in MN
Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:46 | 1061392 redpill
Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:51 | 1061430 AlaricBalth
AlaricBalth's picture

From the Atomic Power Review:

Status of nuclear power plants in Fukushima as of 19:00 March 16 (Estimated by JAIF)

http://www.jaif.or.jp/english/news_images/pdf/ENGNEWS01_1300273535P.pdf

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 12:59 | 1061482 HedgeFundLIVE
HedgeFundLIVE's picture

 

Markets Will Crack: Why It Is Not Too Late to Short-

 

http://www.hedgefundlive.com/blog/markets-will-crack-why-it-is-not-too-late-to-short

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:11 | 1061538 Meatier Shower
Meatier Shower's picture

When pictures seem alive with movements free
When boats like fishes swim beneath the sea,
When men like birds shall scour the sky
Then half the world, deep drenched in blood shall die.

For those who live the century through
In fear and trembling this shall do.
Flee to the mountains and the dens
To bog and forest and wild fens.

For storms will rage and oceans roar
When Gabriel stands on sea and shore
And as he blows his wondrous horn
Old worlds die and new be born.

A fiery dragon will cross the sky
Six times before this earth shall die
Mankind will tremble and frightened be
for the sixth heralds in this prophecy.

For seven days and seven nights
Man will watch this awesome sight.
The tides will rise beyond their ken
To bite away the shores and then
The mountains will begin to roar
And earthquakes split the plain to shore.

And flooding waters, rushing in
Will flood the lands with such a din
That mankind cowers in muddy fen
And snarls about his fellow men.

Mother Shipton: 1488-1561

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:16 | 1061578 strenue
strenue's picture

OK - spot the mistake:

'Fox News has confirmed that a small number of U.S. service members have been exposed to radiation Tuesday and are being treated with potassium iodide pills.'

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/15/navy-detects-radiation-200-miles-japan-nuclear-plant/

Talk about shutting the door after the horse has bolted. The pill will fix everything. Right. Not that pill.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:18 | 1061583 augmister
augmister's picture

Now just think how Uncle Sugar & Co are going to deal with a disaster here?  Bend over and kiss your a--  bye bye!!   You're on your own, just like those poor bastards in Japan.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:19 | 1061588 Daphneisfedup
Daphneisfedup's picture

Why don't these plants have robots to try to handle some of these emergency tasks?  It's not exactly a secret that when a nuke plant has problems, that it's dangerous for humans to be there.  In a country the size of Japan, they could build 10 or so that could be moved to wherever they are needed in the whole country. 

Also, does getting junked a lot lead to a person's account getting reviewed/revoked?  I sure hope that happened to IQ 145.  He was settling in to the pattern of using ridicule and faux outrage in lieu of real arguments.  Not to mention that what he was saying was not just wrong, but wrong in such a way as to endanger lives.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:31 | 1061644 Ident 7777 economy
Ident 7777 economy's picture

Why don't these plants have robots to try to handle some of these emergency tasks? It's not exactly a secret that when a nuke plant has problems, that it's dangerous for humans to be there.

- - - - - - - - -

Good Question; was posed yesterday, day before - no takers ... seems like a no-brainer and the Japanese seem to excel/are at the leading edge of robotics!

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:40 | 1061692 SilverRhino
SilverRhino's picture

>> Why don't these plants have robots to try to handle some of these emergency tasks?

Electronics + ionizing radiation = burned out electronics before too long.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:47 | 1061744 Ident 7777 economy
Ident 7777 economy's picture

Ans: Rad Hardening

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

"... method of designing and testing electronic components and systems to make them resistant to damage or malfunctions caused by ionizing radiation (particle radiation and high-energy electromagnetic radiation)"

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 13:57 | 1061804 earnyermoney
earnyermoney's picture

I wish TD would remove the junk button.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 14:02 | 1061869 Jim in MN
Jim in MN's picture

Yes; it should be replaced with a small raised middle finger toggle.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 20:38 | 1064251 TerraHertz
TerraHertz's picture

All the Japanese robotics geeks were initially too busy making robot girlfriends. And now they are too distracted by the robot girlfriends.

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 14:05 | 1061881 GoldbugVariation
GoldbugVariation's picture

A bit of mythbusting please.

The "fuel rods" are made of a kind of powder of uranium oxide and various other substances, encased in a metal rod.  The metal casing is for easy handling.

When the metal casing on the fuel rod melts (or burns ... it's a metal called zirconium which burns in air without needing ignition, goodness knows why anyone thought that was a good idea) then a kind of hot sludge of molten metal and powder will drip down to the bottom of the primary containment vessel.  It is thought (but there has never been much practical testing of this kind of thing) that the nuclear reaction will slow down at that point, not speed up, because the metal/powder sludge spreads all the uranium out quite a bit - especially it will all get slowed down if the control rods melt at the same time as the fuel rods melt.  This makes a mess, it makes radioactive smoke if the containment vessel is breached and it's exposed to air, and it is uncontrollable - a complete disaster scenario.  But the key point here is there will (probably) not be a pool of hot melted uranium metal sitting burning through the concrete base of the reaction chamber until it reaches the water table or the core of the earth - that might happen in a disaster movie but (probably) not in reality.  The uranium is not in metal form, for one thing.

 

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 14:06 | 1061899 gall batter
gall batter's picture

According to wikileaks, Japan warned in 2008 that nuclear plants incapable of withstanding powerful quakes:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8384059/Japan-earthq...

Thu, 03/17/2011 - 05:14 | 1065703 i-dog
i-dog's picture

Oh, great ... Wikileaks jumps in to discredit a recalcitrant government on TPTB hitlist [again] to stir up more peasant animosity. This is starting to get boring.

So, is Wikileaks [ie. the CIA] suggesting that the Japanese government should have moved 55 nuclear power plants to a less earthquake prone part of Japan [seriously?!] in the 2 years since they received "a cable" from an incompetent nuclear watchdog? Has the USA moved all their reactors from fault lines since then? Or should they have just redesigned and rebuilt them all on the spot inside the said 2 years?

FFS...............

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 14:46 | 1062198 Jah I
Jah I's picture

Does anyone know what happens when the tens of millions of pounds of radioactive material melts through the casings and down into the earth, into the fault line? Can't be good...

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 15:15 | 1062396 mt paul
mt paul's picture

Elvis has left 

the containment building ...

Thu, 07/21/2011 - 07:09 | 1476375 cindycheng
cindycheng's picture

I want to express my admiration of your writing skill and ability to make readers read from the beginning to the end. I would like to read newer posts and to share my thoughts with you.
Machine Minoterie

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