Author Topic: Chernobyl  (Read 9510 times)

Offline Chanterais

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Chernobyl
« on: April 26, 2006, 06:45:26 pm »
You know, Chernobyl, like, sucked.

I just read the most heartbreaking story in the Daily Telegraph about a woman whose husband worked in the plant.  They were both woken up by the explosion, and he knew immediately what must have happened.  He pulled on his clothes, and ran out of the house, telling his wife to leave and get as far away as she possibly could.  She did.  Her husband, who knew the risks, went down to the plant, and managed to save the other reactors from blowing. 

The woman managed to find him again in a hospital outside of Moscow, and she said he just melted away.  Literally, he was so radiated that he fell apart.  A month after he died, her baby was born.  It suffered from horrible birth defects, and died a few days later.

Poor woman.  It's just so awful.

What is additionally disconcerting is that, because I was living in the U.K. when it happened, I've been bombarded with radioactivity blown over fron the Ukraine.  Anyone who lived in Europe was.  Freaky.

Sorry to be so depressing.  Just had to get it out of my system.  I'm up by myself at my aunt's cottage on Lake Huron, studying (or not) for my exams.  The water is so blue, and the sun is shining, making the lake sparkle, and the birds are chirping away.  It's hard to believe that anything so horrible could happen.  I think I'll go outside and relish the evening.  Life is short.

dmmb_Mandy

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Re: Chernobyl
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2006, 06:56:56 pm »
Wow... I don't even know what to say...

Offline David

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Re: Chernobyl
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2006, 08:28:44 pm »
Yeah, I saw a similar show like that on TV a few years ago.   They mentioned how the local fire department knew that they had to go in and try to put the fires out and that it would be a one way trip to the plant.    Now those are real heroes.  Very touching indeed.

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Chernobyl
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2006, 08:45:31 pm »
Where do people find the bravery?  To fight a radioactive fire, to toss cement on the smoldering remains, to film the entire event knowing it's a one way trip?!?!?!?   :o :o :o

I'm sorry to say that I probably would not be able to find such selflessness inside me.

I salute those brave souls who gave up everything to try to protect the rest of us.

vkm91941

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Re: Chernobyl
« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2006, 11:48:04 pm »
“I need a hero...
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night. He's gotta be tough and he's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be larger than life”


The lyrics are paraphrased and not my own, but the sentiment is mine.

What is a hero? According to the dictionary there's the hero of mythology - a sort of divine character favored by the gods. Then there is the person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose who are often found risking their lives like soldiers. There are also heroes in a particular field, noted for their achievements whether in medicine, academia or sport. There are all sorts of heroes. ::)

But what about the ordinary person….Not the Superman or Spiderman variety, but real heroes. People who have made contributions that stand out.  Like those countless, nameless and selfless individuals who made those one way trips into hell to save the rest of us.  :'(

There is, however, one more definition of hero in the dictionary. A hero is the principal character in a novel or poem.

If that is the case, we are all the heroes of our stories. In a day, where heroes are often on the movie screens and classical heroes are quite fleeting inspiring only temporarily, it may be a good idea to look around - at a casual encounter, an innocent exchange, at the world immediately around us or even in the mirror - to find the fuel for the heroes of today. :)

Offline isabelle

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Re: Chernobyl
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2006, 10:19:38 am »
yep, I remember that day 20 years ago very well. But being in France, we were totally fooled by our government (as is often the case), who told us that the Chernobyl radioactive cloud had NOT gone beyond the French border on the Estern front! Well, our customs officers are so clever, you know...
So whereas other Europeans were being told the truth and taking the measures they could (in children's playground, with milk production, vegetables), we were told there was NO worry.
Apparently, it is the East and south of France that were hit worst (as we now know!). The mother of my best friend is dying of leukemia, like many in the south, and they think this abnormally high number of such cases is due to Chernobyl.

I am ashamed to say I do not think I would've been a hero either. But none of us knows, we might have done the same.
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Offline nic

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Re: Chernobyl
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2006, 10:42:40 am »
Hi

This thread caught my eye.  I work in the nuclear reactor and radiation field & there is a lot of mis-information about what happened as I'm sure you're all aware. Even in respected publicatons reporting the 20th anniversary, it is stated that there was a meltdown at Chernobyl - this is not the case.   I haven't noticed any clangers in the posts above although I do have to adjust my filters as in "lay person" language things are expressed differently. If anyone has any concerns about this area, please mail me and I try to give you an answer that is not tainted by media expectations.

I am a member of an emergency response team and am expected to attend incidents that could endanger my life.  Like all emergency responders (fire, police, etc) we are informed of the risk.  That was a problem in Chernobyl - not all responders were informed to the appropriate level.  How could they when they needed 1000s of people? But that is what the military is for when such large scale events occur and that's why the industry today stages major scale exercises, even international exercises. 

I am visiting Chernobyl in a couple of weeks time and hope to find out even more. In short, I would say don't worry about anything radiation related - you are far more likely to have a road traffic accident everytime you travel on a road.

Hope that wasn't too preachy,
nic.

 



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Offline isabelle

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Re: Chernobyl
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2006, 10:58:15 am »
Hi nic,
No, not too preachy, but don't you agree there are enough causes for large scale accidents without adding some more?
And sorry, but I cannot sit and think "nothing to worry about with nuclear radiations". I do not mean to be offensive, but Chernobyl WAS a major disaster of a kind we do not need.
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Offline nic

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Re: Chernobyl
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2006, 11:13:26 am »
Yes we do not need such accidents but we do need large amounts of reliable power. In terms of an industry, nuclear power generation has a very good safety record and nowhere the number of fatalities associated with coal and gas.  Today nuclear power stations have to operate under a safety case that says they have a less than 1 in 1000000 chance of there being an accident that causes an off-site hazard.  No other industry is regulated to this degree. What about all the excess deaths caused by respiratory problems from carbon-emitting industries? They might not be associated with one singular event but they are there. If we continue to consume such large amounts of power we have to use something.  I would prefer to install a geothermal power system, mini wind turbine and solar panels on my house to offset the power I use but this is not going to happen to all residences overnight. 

nic

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Offline isabelle

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Re: Chernobyl
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2006, 11:58:19 am »
.  I would prefer to install a geothermal power system, mini wind turbine and solar panels on my house to offset the power I use but this is not going to happen to all residences overnight. 

nic



That's right nic, I agree with you here. But I for one would be ready to lower my energy consumption if it could mean avoiding/reducing hazards and pollution.
And how do you get rid of the nuclear waste?! That is a tricky one to date, one we seem to keep for future generations.
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