What can we do to stop the reactors? The world will be terribly affected if we don't

Q: "Why, Why, why has not anything been done to put an end to this disaster?"
A: If they had a way to end it, they would have. A friend of mine, a former nuclear electronics technician on subs in the Navy, and I had an interesting discussion about this two weeks ago. It went like this:

Me: "Riddle me this... How do you stop a runaway chain reaction?"
Him: "You don't. God does... If he wants to."

Q: "The Japanese have not been giving the information, yes, we know because they found chlorine 39, there is a chain reaction going on.
Is the truth that noone in the entire world, no nation knows HOW to stop this?"
A: It looks that way, yes.

Q: "If it can't be stopped how much can the planet take and how much, will we be able to take?"
A: No one knows. The Pacific DID get subjected to several nuclear "test" detonations, and it survived (and so did people). Hiroshima was / is a port city. Naturally, Nagasaki and additional nuclear detonations in the former Soviet Union dumped some nasty stuff all over, too. How THIS compares, in terms of radioactive elements being released... I don't know. It would be interesting to find out what the potential energy / radiological load of that reactor is, versus all the weaponry EVER unleashed in / on the Pacific. Hopefully, somewhere, smart and informed people are figuring that out, RIGHT the Hell NOW.

Q: "What can we do as whole, all California people to help end this? What is needed? Pressure on the politicians?"
A: I think the time has come for this, yes. I am planning to publicly demonstrate (for the first time in my life), perhaps as early as this weekend, in Dallas. Don't know where yet, or if ANYONE is going to come with. Probably no one will... I appear to be all alone in my concern. I am hoping to attract the attention of the local news media. (I CANNOT believe I am saying this! The world is off its axis.)

Q: "What is it what they need?"
A: Money, equipment, and men. Probably in that order. And a LOT of it. If Obama was ever looking for another reason to pass a "stimulus" bill, boy howdy, THIS IS IT, folks.

Q: "Why were the Russians able to stop Chernobyl after 10 days?"
A: Several reasons, if I know what I'm talking about (and I very well may not). One, the thing flat-out EXPLODED, probably using up much of its potential energy in a single, shattering blast. Radioactive debris rained down all over, but at that point, didn't really have the ability to remain critical, not the way THIS might. So it could be easily located, contained, and, eventually, buried. This crap's buried under half-demolished building(s) that is ITSELF not only physically dangerous, but radioactive; perhaps submerged under water that can't be drained, at least not yet, and is itself deadly with radioactivity; some of it may have fused with the Containment Vessel, or the floor, or may be on its way THROUGH the floor; and, increasingly, it looks like at least some of it has escaped into the open sea, and will probably continue to.

Plus: Don't underestimate the benefits of living in a dictatorship. Democracy is inefficient; you can't just order people to certain death for the benefit of the collective. Tyrannies get things done. They're not pleasant to live in; but they do have their abilities.

Q: "How long do the Japanese are going to continue to destroy our lives?"
A: Well, look, let's not forget: They're destroying THEMSELVES, first and foremost, and hardly intentionally. Even if they manage to keep the Pacific Ocean from becoming a radioactive cesspool -- and I no longer think they can, frankly -- they are DONE as a world power. They were, until very recently, the second-largest economy in the world. They'll drop pretty good this year, and within no time at all, they'll be no bigger than Sweden -- and possibly much, much less. Modern Japan has ALWAYS been a net importer -- they have people and a great work ethic, but few other naturally occurring resources. Without access to significant tracts of their already-limited agricultural land, they'll be even less able to feed themselves. They've always subsisted by fishing; good luck with that (on the east coast, anyway, to start). They are going to have a massive refugee population, first internally and then, if this goes as bad as it can, the whole darned country. They will be out of money... SOON. (Who will loan them the dough? You can't back a line of credit with land you can't live on, buildings you can't occupy, or products you can no longer manufacture. And as for Japan's tourism industry... Uh, yeah.)

But it gets even more basic than that: NO ONE IS GOING TO DO BUSINESS WITH JAPAN, ON ANY LEVEL, EVER AGAIN. It's not just a matter of letting irradiated ships and goods into your ports and stores; there are going to be A LOT of VERY PISSED-OFF PEOPLE. The effects of this crisis do not and will not end with Japan; it has neighbors, for example: US. South Korea and China are already fuming. And just wait 'till North Korea wakes up to the likely outcomes here.

Q: "What right do they have?"
A: To (at a minimum) degrade the health, quality of life and lifespan of the entire planet? Why, none. But that's irrelevant. They have the ABILITY. (So does anyone with nuclear reactors, btw.)

Q: "Why is the US not doing anything to help end this?"
A: This is a political answer, but here goes: Because Obama's grappling with (equally irresponsible, blind, deaf and dumb) Republicans over the budget, because he's got an election to win (hope he enjoys being the last President of the United States of America, and the first leader of the land of americium), and because NO ONE GIVES A DARN.

Those are my answers, and my opinions, and until I'm proven wrong, I'm sticking to 'em.

Rick Cromack.
Allen, Texas
www.facebook.com/lonestarplano
RichardFCromackJr@gmail.com
972-746-8575