Japan

[JcMack]

I'm not gonna comment too much initially as I don't want to wear out my typing finger and have the post locked/deleted.

This looks really bad for these people. A lot of the country has been reduced to the stone age. If it happened here looters would be descending from 49 states. The nuclear thing is gonna destroy any interim relief resulting from non fossil fuel alternate power we might have employed. Any thoughts?

Jim

 

[Bullseye 2620]

It ain't gonna help, that's for sure. I'm more worried about the additional slow-down of the economy that's going to result though. . .those effects will be felt much sooner than the absence of any additional nuclear power plants in this country.


Bullseye

 

[HAWKEYE10]

Jim I am retired from Nissan Manufacturing here in Tn. I know several people that have been to Japan and they say you can go to sleep on a side walk with a hundred dollar bill on your chest and it will be there in the mourning. Sounds like nice people. Don

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

When our carrier docked there in the sixties, it was not unusual to hear an announcement on the ********, AKA public address system, that a bar owner had returned to the quarterdeck a ring or wristwatch or some other piece of jewelry that a drunken sailor had left in the bar.

Very civilized people. Of course, they owed us, after the way MacArthur treated them.

 

[cass]

I also noticed no looting. They are a very proud, honest, hard working people. They will rebuild very quickly. In a few years, you'll have a hard time telling anything was amiss. Meanwhile, in a few years the people of the 9th Ward will still be complaining that the government hasn't cleaned up their trash.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

I saw some of the USS George Washington crew in the news today, they will be giving out water food and stuff. They must be busy because I can't get the son to write me back except that he was OK but busy.

 

[JcMack]

Very civilized people. Of course, they owed us, after the way MacArthur treated them.

Understood. Considering previous experience with nuclear energy, these people must be terrified. Yet I see a very stoic population that's lined up to take what ever comes. I saw Christiane Amanpour interview a poor little woman with a 2 year old baby today. As the woman shivers with baby in arms Chris sticks a mike in her face and asks: how are you? You know, my dislike for that broad has turned to real hatred.

 

[stantheman86]

My heart goes out to the people affected by this catastrophe.

From what I hear from people who have been to Japan, they pretty much have a Utopian society over there. Sure, citizens don't have guns, but also.......the population is 99% Japanese. You don't have illegal aliens and drugged up low lifes running around killing people either. Japan takes great measures to keep "outsiders" well, out.

+1 on the no looting comment, I said the same thing today, you don't have people running around burning things and stealing. Everything looks very controlled given the circumstances.

One lady said she didn't want to bring too big of a bucket to the water supply point, so as not to look greedy.......THAT would never be the case in the US, you would be fistfighting Tamika and Jose to get to the water, people would be killing each other for food and water. The people who haven't earned or worked for anything are always the first ones with their hands out when something bad happens in the US. Doesn't seem the case in Japan.

 

[7tenz]

Most Americans would and will react in pretty much the same way when the Northwest coast gets hit with an equivalent quake and tidal wave. We just have a lot more low lifes that make everybody look bad.

I moved to CA and yet my concern is Seattle and Memphis. They get hit with even more severe quakes on a regular basis over geologic time.

 

[CW Spook]

I lived in Japan from 1970-72. As terrible as the tragedy is, I know the Japanese will recover; they are a resilient people. As others have noted they have a very structured society and have dealt with far worse than this. I'll also second the comments about it being a very safe, well-mannered country...not much theft and even less violence, except in their movies.

 

[Oscar Zulu]

But we all know what is coming next..........Godzilla! My prayers go out to those people.
OZ

 

[Beaver]

My first thoughts exactly paralled Spooks', the earthquake, nuclear mess happened to the only culture on earth with the approp. cahonies to handle it. They are learned, disciplined, huge work ethic and now motivated. They will get through this nightmare.

 

[Bullseye 2620]

World Earthquake Pattern -- Animated Video

Check this out. There may be a question about the underlying science (does this pattern really vary all that much from usual activity?), but nonetheless, this is impressive. The folks in Japan (and elsewhere) may not have seen the end of this string of disasters. The striking thing is, the author made this video last Wednesday, two days before the 8.9 tremblor that devastated northeastern Japan, and contains data for the previous week (March 2 - 9).

YouTube - 7.2 quake in Japan, analysis of current situation globally - March 9, 2011


Bullseye

 

[MotoShot10R]

I thought this is worth a look...before and after. Yikes!

ABC News - Japan Earthquake: before and after

I truly wish them the best but it seems pretty bad at this point.

 

[Faulkner]

. . . The people who haven't earned or worked for anything are always the first ones with their hands out when something bad happens in the US. . .

The only time in my life I have ever been embarrassed to be an American is when I watched the news coverage in New Orleans following Katrina.

Interestingly, I don't recall seeing the handout mentality in Mississippi and Alabama with Katrina.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Doesn't sound very encouraging on Fox news right now. Worst case nuke scenario may be playing out... whew... prayers for all.

 

[GyMac]

I've seen the reaction of the Japanese people following this catastrophe and it makes me want to do whatever I can to help. I saw the reaction of the people in New Orleans after Katrina and I was not so moved.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

The Japanese are a very homogeneous people ethnically-and ethically.
No looting, no panic. They will come back.

 

[george minze]

The Japanese people are a charming, and industrious people by nature. When stationed at MCAF Iwakuni I was amazed by their work ethic. this was only 10 years after the end of WW2 and they were rebuilding like bees. Sometimes with hand tools only. You had to respect them. How long is it taking us to rebuild the Trade Center?? Let us help them all we can. They are one of a few really good friends America has left ..

 

[Gun Smoke]

My prayers go out to the Japanese people and for their future....The reactor accident looks to be heading from bad towards catastrophic....Japans Nikkei stock market will go into the tank and take Wall Street with it as the two are so closely tied and Wall Street wasn't doing that great before and I don't think Presbo has a clue what to do except talk alot...I urge everyone on this forum to read a book called "One Second After" written by William R Forstchen...It is fiction but way too real and describes life in America after a nuclear EMP event which sends America from modern 2011 lifestyle back to how life was in 1850 or so and how our so called civilization reacts to the new old life...It ain't pretty and is painful to read at times but after reading it you will be forever changed and your idea of being prepared will never be the same

 

[redlevel]

My prayers are with those people. I will contribute some money, and I'm sure my little church will contribute to relief efforts. It is about to be a catastrophe of Biblical proportions I'm afraid.

All that said, let's not get carried away. There is plenty to admire about the Japanese people, but there are a lot of less-than-admirable traits about them, too. Historically, they have been one of the most brutal, racist countries. For a couple of generations after WWII, the other Asian people over there hated them. Ever hear of the Rape of Nanking? How about the Bataan Death March? How about ceremonial beheadings? Ever read what GHW Bush said his reasons for paddling away from Chi Chi Jima were? Had to do with beheading and cannibalism, I think.

Utopian society? Not hardly. Their attitudes toward women, and especially toward child pornography won't stand under Western scrutiny. Their workers are expected to work many hours "off the clock" every week if they expect to keep their job. Illegal in the country, but still common, or so I understand.

I admire them for their tenacity, and their willingness to "fall in line" so to speak, will stand them in good stead through all this.

Can you imagine what the reactions of WWII vets who served in the Pacific would have been if this had happened 40 years ago? I am old enough to remember, and to have known some of those vets, and I know their reaction would have been somewhat cynical, to say the least.

I'm sorry if this turns the tone of this thread, but I believe we need to keep these things in perspective.

 

[bk43]

There is plenty to admire about the Japanese people, but there are a lot of less-than-admirable traits about them, too.

That has nothing to do with Japanese. There is goodness and evil in all humanity, regardless of race. That's the way it is and will be until the end of time. Your little church didn't cover this?

I admire the way the Japanese are handling this...they are to be admired. I'll let God handle the sins of past generations which I am confident He is well able to do.

Bob

 

[DeathGrip]

Redlevel,I here you and get what your saying.I try to believe that their war crimes are in their past.People all over were pretty brutal in those times.Some still are.
Nothing like getting your arse handed to you to make a believer out of you.
There are many others countries still in need of this lesson.

I feel bad for the people there and will send many prayers for their recovery.

 

[stanmerrell]

Pray and Donate

It's about all we can do I s'pose. I hope such a tragedy never comes here. We won't be nearly as capable of dealing with it.

 

[cowboy117]

The people that are manning the reactors are heros IMHO.They are risking their lives for their countrymen.

 

[Sebago Son]

Onomea....

We have a Forum Member there now, Arlo Brown, handle Onomea.

Arlo's been with this forum since it was in black and white...

Arlo lives outside of Tokyo, but spends a good deal of his time in Hawaii.

I was concerned for him and his family and reached out on Saturday Morning... he responded:

Drew:

We're all good -- thanks for asking. Tokyo was largely spared. Only effect here, really, was public transportation was knocked out for 18 hours or so. Friday night, with, i seemed, the rest of Tokyo, I hoofed it home from the office. Took me about two and a half hours to get home. We're still getting aftershocks now, Sunday morning.

That was one helluva big one.

Regards,

Arlo

So prayers for those now suffering and remember it's an awfully small world....

 

[feralmerril]

I agree the japanese people have conducted themselves admirably in not looting etc. Were that to happen anywhere here, people from all over the country would be there looting and complaining.
Japan will spring back. Gotta solve this nuclear thing first!

 

[venomballistics]

I agree the japanese people have conducted themselves admirably in not looting etc. Were that to happen anywhere here, people from all over the country would be there looting and complaining.
Japan will spring back. Gotta solve this nuclear thing first!

then again .. whats left to loot?
I fear the nuclear issue is worse than stated by a wide margin ... so what little might be left will soon have a tell tale glow to show where ya got it.
was just watching the local news where they interviewed a few Japanese foreign exchange students ... its quite sobering when they say "home is gone"