I know what you mean. It is so overwhelming, I don't even know what to Pray for, for them. Help with food, water ect. certainly, but with the radiation threat, it seems like it is an impossible situation. My heart does go out to these gentle people.

Not a day goes by that I don't cry about this devastation when I'm watching the news and seeing it from afar. I just can't fathom what they are going through; it's like a movie, but reality. No country deserves this much hell with all that has happen. God Bless every human over there and beyond.

I feel so bad. The final death toll is going to be at least 10,000. And those that escaped the earthquake and tsunami now have to deal with the radiation. We just don't know how to control atomic energy.

Mine too and the truth is that the people of Haiti are still living in horrible conditions......It's just horrible to think of the misery of all these people......A few days ago they were healthy and happy and living well (so to speak) and now their lives are just devastated.

I think about them all the time. Cannot believe all the devastation inflicted on them..Tsunamis, earthquake, nuclear plant failures, and cold snowy weather. I wish I could do more.

i am heart broken about all the bad luck they have had too. it was mentioned last night that the reactor w/ the exposed spent rods which is the one leaking the most radiation obviously, had just had their rods removed from the active portion to the pool last week! so they are more active than most usually in the spent pool :-( on top of all that the plant owners are not being forth coming about info and did not get assistence quick enough. the problem is not that we don't know how to control this we absolutely do, they (the power co) delayed asking for help and allowed this poor design on the diesel generators to presist even thou they have a large threat of earthquakes. i LOVE to know exactly WHY someone didn't think 'why are these generators at ground level when this is coastal' LOL?! if those generators had not flooded they would not be in this boat... ~ liz

oh liz they had back up for the generators..batteries but they wern't strong enough and ran out...heard they're trying to get electric service thru to restart the cooling process...those 50 workers are the bravest people in the world today...

what irks me is the repubs push for more nuke power with this in our faces...granted what are the chances of a tsunami hitting our nuke center here in mi? however, since we're surrounded by fields and fields of corn (yup, not all cars) can you imagine what it would do to our food chain? not to mention the supply of the great lakes erie and lake heron...

Tetsuro, my good friend in Japan called me last night. We talked for about an hour on all the devastation and loss and why it happened.

He said that many of the people of Sendai and surrounding areas hardest hit by the Tsunami simply didn't believe a Tsunami could reach heights of 10 meters (35 feet). Past Tsunamis only reached about 1 meter so no one was ready or truly expecting a problem.

It didn't help that they had very little time before the Tsunami hit (I've read 11 minutes) so even if they did act fast, it may not have been fast enough. Many choose to "ride out" the Tsunami in their cars, where they were ultimately found dead from drowning or blunt trauma.

Tetsuro lives in Tokyo, about 200 miles south of Sendai and 100 miles south of the ill-fated reactors. He tells me that all of the stores in Tokyo are empty of batteries, flashlights, food and other survival gear. Meanwhile, reactor employees risk their lives trying to cool the reactors and figure out a solution. He also mentioned that the reactors were made in the US by GE and that it is the fault of the earthquake related massive Tsunami that knocked out the reactors and nothing else.

Jodi-

I watch those reports and the tears just well up in my eyes. I cannot imagine being faced with that much devastation and loss. This morning the news reported that the Japanese do not look upon those workers as heroes or as showing great bravery. They are simply doing the job that they are to do, that it is their duty. To me they are heroes.

Looking at this morning newspaper, it pulled at my heart. A squatting woman looking at her dead mother, still slightly buried in ruble and sand. It said her daughter was missing too. The cold and hunger may become a burden but the pain of losing so many families must feel unbearable.

I've had nightmares about what's going on over there, yet I have my tv on CNN whenever there isn't anything on I want to watch. I have to see what those poor people are going through. Nobody deserves what they're going through.

I was driving home from work yesterday feeling sorry for myself because I want more from life: vacation, brand new vehicle, $$ in the bank. I then realized how selfish I was being considering what tens of thousands are going through in Japan after losing their homes, jobs and families.

What amazes me is how the Japanese culture is dealing with such devastation. There has been little looting, people are patient and wait in line for food and gas. They seem to help each other more readily.

I know that what the media publishes may be slanted, and that not everyone of any culture can be measured by the majority (or minority). But it is interesting to see that the Japanese handle themselves with such honor.

There was an NPR article on the religious beliefs in Japan that lead them to deal/cope with such hardship.

Here is a link that might be useful: Slate: Why so little looting in Japan?

I can not imagine what it would be like if that situation ever happened here. My thoughts and prayers to them and hoping they get the reactors under control for the sake of every living thing around them.
I am also impressed with the fact of how little looting is going on and can't help but compare it to Katrina and the way our own people acted when faced with disaster. They truly seem to be an honorable society.

Sunnyinwisc...I agree with you. The Japanesse are an honorable society. When they showed the looting on tv with Katrina I just thought of how disgusting it was. I know some people are hurting...but come on...to steal so blatently is sickening.

SamKaren
your resident DJ

My DDIL's family lives in Japan but close to Tokyo....so far they are doing well but my heart breaks for the people who have lost everything.
Last year at this time, my DDIL spent a month near Tokyo visiting her family......it was so good for her and Jake and Mio to be with family.
I am really glad they didn't go again this year.

I agree with everyone here, it's a tragic disaster and not finished yet. My heart aches for the proud and diligent Japanese people, trying to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. I pray that they get the nuclear reactor under control and no one is exposed to dangerous fallout.

This brings up a situation for Californians--CA has two nuclear power plants, both built on the Pacific shoreline. Our state is riddled with faults, not all have been identified. One facility is in San Diego area and the other in San Luis Obispo. Local people fought the SLO facility when it was built, but they lost.

I live 15 miles or so from Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power plant and I took care of the people who built in long ago...drunks, druggies, liars and thieves.......and it is up for re-licensing soon.
I live down wind and there are several faults close to the facility.....and they are discovering new ones.
I try to live each day to the fullest.

It is all so very tragic and heart wrenching - does remind you how powerless we are as humans against some of what mother nature doles out.

I too have been very struck by the way the Japanese people have responded to this adversity in comparison to the American victims of Katrina based on the story the media presented on both. Something I saw on TV showed a petite, older couple in their 70's back at their home cleaning the floor on their hands and knees with a rag. My vision of Katrina was of people walking around complaining about their plight and the fact the government hadn't come to their rescue. I also saw images of the sleeping area in a shelter for homeless Japanese that was completely tidy and orderly. Katrina - shelter looked like a garbage dump. Certainly some very significant differences in culture if what the media depicts is accurate.

I visited Japan a while back. Before I left I was reading about how little crime they have and how you wouldn't get your purse stolen even if you left it unattended. Well, I didn't mean to but I did leave my purse sitting by a chair in the hotel lobby and walked away. A while later I panicked of course that I didn't have my purse. I knew right where I'd left it - went back - still sitting there untouched.

I loved Japan and the people I met there - so sad that the Japanese people are suffering now.

I live 30 miles north of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) and I'm on FEMA's SONGS decontamination team in the event there is a leak or meltdown. One of several decontamination centers is at the Univ. of Calif. Irvine, in the city I live and work. Every few years we have dry runs and then a dress rehearsals with FEMA in attendance for review and grading.

During the recent conversation with my friend in Japan, we talked about SONGS. He is familiar with the station since he attended college in Southern CA. He explained to me that should SONGS survive a large earthquake, it will be safe from tsunami damage for a number of reasons. A) the shape of the shoreline near SONGS dilutes the power of a tsunami. B) there is a 35 ft wall in front of SONGS. C) SONGS is not a sea level.

SONGS location was built on a site that has not had seismic activity for 120,000 years and it's built to withstand a 7.0 quake. But of course we now know that a much stronger shake is very possible.

Not giving my opinion on nuclear power, just some background about the one closest to me.

I'm so happy that people recognize how wonderful the Japanese people and culture are. I've been in love with it all since I was a small girl.

Jodi-

I was born in Japan, adopted as an infant and brought to the US. I cannot imagine trying to overcome such devastation and loss plus face the possibility of a nuclear meltdown. I too am in complete awe of the way they are handling themselves and their core values. There is much that we can all learn.

I live in PA and so I remember the frightening experience with Three Mile Island. I just have to wonder if we are not paying attention to messages and warnings that are being sent to us.

I agree with SamKaren!

Sad, sad situation in Japan! My prayers are with you!