America should not be afraid of nuclear power

As if the biggest earthquake in the history of the country and a massive tsunami that ensued was not bad enough, Japan is still frantically trying to stop a nuclear meltdown at one of their nuclear power plant that was damaged due to the earthquake. It would be like pouring salt on a a really bad wound if that power plant implodes and harmful radiation spreads like it did when Chernobyl had it's down similar disaster many moons ago. 

But engineers knew the risk of nuclear power plants. Hence there were safety measures put in, and fail safes also. But then again, they probably did not think at that time an earthquake as massive as the one that just hit would ever happen. See the nuclear power plant they have over there was relatively old, and supposedly the newer the power plant, the more safe it is since safety technology has been improving consistently over time (as well they should have). 

I just hope engineers over in Japan can avert the crisis, as I think even something even at a quarter of the scale of Chernobyl was to happen, we here in the US can kiss nuclear energy goodbye. 

Sure nuclear meltdowns are terrible tragedies, and radiation can do some damage to a human body. But name me a significant energy source that is 100 percent clean and environmentally friendly? As with anything there are risk attached to it. I don't see how some people in the political arena can even argue against nuclear power, and using the case of Japan as evidence. The German people are even tell their government to shut down their perfectly fine plants. And where do you suppose the country should get its energy, oil?

Lest we forget, oil is responsible for some or the worse man made disasters ever. Last time I check, the BP oil spill happened just this past year, and of course the poster boy for environmental disasters - the Exxon Valdez. So politicians if you are going to harp on about the safety of alternatives other than nuclear, I really don't think you have a case (clean coal is an absolute oxymoron - you hear that CHINA?). And I thought we are trying to lower our dependence on foreign oil? You know, be self sustaining in terms of our energy needs? Might not happen with the automobile, but I am pretty sure powering the grid (TRON reference) should be left to our own. 

Nuclear is the next frontier of clean power, and it is time US joins the rest of the world (not you Saudi Arabia, you should worry about an uprising first) and embrace nuclear full steam. If all the safety technology is implemented, it should be plenty safe. I just don't understand how the government can be so apprehensive about it. Every kind of energy solution has its potential problems (plane flies over field of solar panels, gets incinerated by the reflection, but of course this is conjecture). Oil can spill, miners can get stuck in mines, and etc. I mean according to the game Sim City, short of leverage the powers of nuclear fusion, current nuclear power plants are some of the safest, least polluting, and most power generating type of plant on the planet. There is no reason the US should not be using it fully.

Disasters happens. What can you do but try to prevent the heck out of it. But mother nature is unpredictable, and hence you should not be scared by it. Did people of New Orleans move its city north just because of the Hurricane and the fact their city STILL lies beneath sea level? Since when did US drop its balls and not willing to live with the risk when the benefit FAR and FAR outweighs it (hello off shore drilling). Unless there is some treasure trove of oil that rivals the combined might of the OPEC countries, US is going have to start looking at adding more nuclear power plants. Lest we have to invade another sovereign country, accuse them of harboring weapons of mass destruction, and the plunder their oil (which is not true, for pretty much the war in iraq was a just massive display of nothing - and so many died, its a shame). 

Its is energy - the whole world runs on it. With the rise of China and other fast developing countries, it is appearing more crowded in this zero sum game. Stop using Japan's nuclear nightmare as an excuse to deter the US from using nuclear power. Besides, relatively speaking the US is not that densely populated hence the energy department should have no problem finding a suitable site far away from civilization to build nuclear power plants.

Nuclear power is the answer to the US's energy problem. No oil need to be spill, no miners will die a horrible death, and of course fail safe the hell out of the plant. What is happening in Japan is horrible yes, but no one could have predicted such natural catastrophe. Engineer says new nuclear power plants are built to withstand such earthquakes, so I don't think it should be a deterrent at all. I mean, I am not going back to rubbing two sticks together. 

Pray for 日本

You know it is kind of expected when one builds a civilization right on the ring of fire. It is what happens when you mix plate fault line and volcanoes - earthquakes are not an if, it a when. Does not diminish the human tragedy every time it happens. Last week Japan experienced yet another earthquake, one of the many in its long and infamous history. I was kind of taken back when I was ready to call it a night, checking CNN, and saw the news. 8.9 on the Richter scale? That is absolutely insane. And remember the it scales up exponentially, so it is hard to fathom that the earthquake that just rocked Japan was some 100 times bigger than the one that rocked Haiti last year. 

I should say Japan is lucky that it is one of the most developed nation in the world (though like the US, absolutely mired in debt) and thus have the infrastructure and building codes to sustain earthquakes. Not to mention they already know what they are dealing with, and the long line of history (like the Kobe earthquake). And for the most part the buildings built to code withstood the quake, and that alone saved countless lives right there. Imagine the absolute destruction had an earthquake of this size stuck a third world country instead - I think we would be talking about the death of a country. 

There are numerous benefits to starting a civilization surrounded by water - in fact I would wander to say proximity to water is almost prerequisite for any civilization to start. Unfortunately this fact did not help Japan much when the earthquake struck because when earthquake happens in the ocean, tsunami happens. We have all witness the video and they are not at all appealing to watch. It is a sad really - Japan built buildings up to code for earthquakes like this, and yet who could have thought mere hours later a giant wall of water will come tumbling into town.

For sure it is a tragedy, for sure a person dying due to natural disaster is one too many. But we have to look at the positive in that it could have been much much worse. Be thankful that the country is developed and prepared, and that the earthquake happened 230 miles outside of the capital city (though if you are not a fan of tsunamis, perhaps not). Preparation for impending disasters that you know will someday happen is paramount in going through them with the least amount of damage as possible.

Of course it is nice to see the outpouring of donations and support in such trying times. Developed country or otherwise, people are suffering and they need all the help and generosity they can get. This is humanity, and it is nice to see it alive and well, albeit the circumstances.

What I am shamed to see is people saying Japan had it coming and they deserve it (!?). For attacking America at Pearl Harbor and enslaving pretty much all of Asia. A big what the fuck to that because all that stuff was over 70 years, and many generations ago. I cannot fathom how someone would have the mind and thought process to say Japan deserved the earthquake. The people that are suffering right now (or DEAD) probably have little to no ties to the Imperial Japan and the atrocities of World War II. And to think I live in the same country as some of these people is absolutely disgusting. I know we like to romanticize World War II (hell, Band of Brothers is my favorite mini series), but damnit people need to stop correlating it to the present. By and large the war crimes of Japan is settled and done with back then. With the criminal courts, and oh yeah those two atomic bombs.

Natural disaster is not something you would wish upon even your worst enemy, because the colateral damage is just not worth the price. 

Anyways, we who live in this wonderful city of San Francisco should be mindful that we ourselves live right on a fault line, and also have a history of earthquakes. And of course, the next big one is a just a matter of when. And just like Japan, we are surrounded by water and very much susceptible to the powers of a tsunami. Hate to say it, but what happened to Japan last week can easily and will probably happen to us sometime in the future. Again, preparation is key.

So I hope San Francisco building codes are such that it is seismically sound, and that the powers at be had learned from the 1991 quake and made adjustments accordingly. Though the tsunami is still a conundrum. Do you see a natural barrier before Ocean beach? I did not think so. San Francisco is known for its hills, but hills have sort of a habit of sprouting up inland (damn the laws of land formation), so won't do much good to block off a large body of fast moving water (though I do physically live in a valley.. hmm). I am not saying start building dams and levies, but those that live close to the western waters better have a good evacuation plan.

Ever since we are in grade school we have been taught to be prepared for an earthquake, have a kit ready, and know what and where you are suppose to do and go. But who honestly follows though? I certainly am not prepared (was kind banking on the fact that my building is only 10 years old). Are you ready to loose all the irreplaceable things due to an earthquake? Do you even have insurance? But what am I saying, this is America - we don't do shit until shit hits the fan. Preparation is for other parts of the planet. 

Then let Japan be a warning to San Franciscans that preparing is not a choice, but a necessity. All the humanitarian aid in the world will not replace the lost memories, documents, and help you fight insurance companies for reimbursement. Keep important things safe, backup the hell out of anything and everything that can be backed up (all hail the digital age), and keep a emergency kit ready. DO IT NOW. I repeat, SF lies on a fault, has a history of earthquakes, and is surrounded by water.

Or I can just move, but why? I love this place.