Core Overload?
POSTED BY: SignyM
UPDATED: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 00:42
VIEWED: 9710
PAGE 2 of 5
Despite recognizing that was just a snark, here's some updates for those ACTUALLY interested:Quote:
Residents downwind of a wildfire that is threatening the nation's premier nuclear-weapons laboratory are worried about the potential of a radioactive smoke plume if the flames reach thousands of barrels of waste stored in above-ground tents.
"If it gets to this contamination, it's over — not just for Los Alamos, but for Santa Fe and all of us in between," said Mai Ting, a resident who lives in the valley below the desert mesas that are home to the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Chris Valvarde, a resident of the Santa Clara Pueblo about 10 miles north of Los Alamos, questioned officials at a briefing Tuesday evening, asking whether they had evacuation plans for his community. Los Alamos, a town of 11,000, already sits empty after its residents were evacuated ahead of the blaze, which started Sunday.
"I know it's the worse scenario to think of," Valverde said. "But when the radiation leaks, are we prepared to get 2,000 people out?"
Lab Director Charles McMillan said the barrels contain transuranic waste — gloves, toolboxes, tools — and other items that may have been contaminated through contact with radioactive materials. Top lab officials declined to say how many barrels were on site or how they are stored. An anti-nuclear group has estimated there could be up to 30,000 gallon-drums.
Los Alamos County Fire Chief Doug Tucker, whose department is responsible for protecting the lab, said the barrels are stacked about three high inside of tents on lab property.
The wildfire, which has swelled to nearly 95 square miles, has already sparked a spot fire at the lab. The fire Monday was quickly contained, and lab officials said no contamination was released.
Top lab officials and fire managers said they're confident the flames won't reach key buildings or areas where radioactive waste is stored above-ground. Areas around those buildings have been cleared of vegetation and are surrounded by gravel or asphalt, they said. As a last resort, foam could be sprayed on the barrels to ensure they aren't damaged by fire, they added.
The site's manager for the National Nuclear Security Administration said he evaluated the precautions and felt comfortable. The agency oversees the lab for the Department of Energy.
"I have 170 people who validate their measures," Kevin Smith said. "They're in steel drums, on a concrete floor."
Flames were just across the road from the southern edge of the famed lab, where scientists developed the first atomic bomb during World War II. The facility cut natural gas to some areas as a precaution. The lab will be closed through at least Thursday.
The streets of Los Alamos were empty Tuesday, with the exception of emergency vehicles and National Guard Humvees. Homeowners who had left were prepared: propane bottles were placed at the front of driveways and cars were left in the middle of parking lots, away from anything flammable.
The wildfire has destroyed 30 structures south and west of Los Alamos, for many stirring memories of a blaze in May 2000 that destroyed hundreds of homes and buildings in town.
Favorable winds have helped firefighters, who were busy trying to keep the fire from moving off Pajarito Mountain to the west of Los Alamos and into two narrow canyons that descend into the town and the lab.
"Everything is just so dry and ready to burn," Tucker said. "We need some rain. Snow would be nice." He added that even containment lines had dangerous smoldering stumps and burning roots that could easily ignite fires.
Lab spokesman Kevin Roark said environmental specialists were monitoring air quality, but the main concern was smoke. Lab personnel and the state environment department were monitoring the air for radioactivity and particulates. The state was also working to get addi
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Are we all dead yet?
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so, and will follow it by suppressing opposition, subverting all education to seize early the minds of the young, and by killing, locking up, or driving underground all heretics - RAH
...and he that has no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. Luke 22:36
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You brought this back from nearly ten days ago...why, exactly? To say THAT? 
Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off 
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With everything else seeming to go wrong on this front recently, some pessimism is to be expected.
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Are we all dead yet?
Geee... I wonder how the "Fukushima 50" are doing? Must be doing great, 'cause we don't hear about them any more. Right?
There is as much information to be gathered from lack of news as there is from news. When my hubby said the EPA was putting out bogus numbers, I said they'd never do that... but that I would worry if they suddenly stopped testing. Which they did.
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Mission Statement of Corps of Engineers: Refuse to release floodwater gates until maximum damage is ensured.
AKA the New False Flag by the NWO.
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Wow! Shortest post ever by PN. And he didn't try to blame it on the jews either. You're slipping PN.
And yes, Niki. After all the whining and moaning and "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!111!!!" bullshit that has been spewed, I brought it back. You doomsayers and bitchmoaners got to vent your spleens. I figured someone should make sure you got the leftovers.
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so, and will follow it by suppressing opposition, subverting all education to seize early the minds of the young, and by killing, locking up, or driving underground all heretics - RAH
...and he that has no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. Luke 22:36
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Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
Are we all dead yet?
Geee... I wonder how the "Fukushima 50" are doing? Must be doing great, 'cause we don't hear about them any more. Right?
There is as much information to be gathered from lack of news as there is from news. When my hubby said the EPA was putting out bogus numbers, I said they'd never do that... but that I would worry if they suddenly stopped testing. Which they did.
Well, remember that our own nuclear industry apologist HW here assured us nothing was wrong at Fukushima.
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There was an interesting line in a movie which went... "when they tell you not to panic, then it's time to panic". Not that panic is ever a good thing, but REACTING APPROPRIATELY is.
BTW HW... I tried looking up the Fuku-50, I really did. I don't think they're dead, but I doubt they're entirely healthy either. Whatever they are, they are entirely out of sight. It would take going to Japan and doing an investigation to find them.
The problem with radioactive contamination, especially internally, is that it can take years to kill you. So, no- I don't expect to see ppl incinerated in a flash of light and blown away by a hot wind. It ain't gonna work that way. Kids will get sick, people will get thyroid cancer, miscarriages and stillbirths and mutations will occur, then later some will get lung cancer or leukemia. Not everyone, of course. Only more than usual, but dead just the same.
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Kwicko, the only thing I ever said about Fukushima was that based on what was being reported, things were not as bad as the doomsayers were guessing they were.
Hooray, the "We're all gonna die!!!111!!!" crowd got your 1 in 1000 correct.
But you get all pissy when I point out the other 999 you get wrong.
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so, and will follow it by suppressing opposition, subverting all education to seize early the minds of the young, and by killing, locking up, or driving underground all heretics - RAH
...and he that has no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. Luke 22:36
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