duck and cover

The Cold War with bleak spectors of destruction and mutual mistrust was a very frightening backdrop for anyone, especially for those growing up and inheriting a standoff little understood or explained. Brave and dignified, no riots, looting or panic--though it would be OK to say one was afraid--the Japanese do not need to contend the added pressures of outside speculation. Help and prayers are there and are not to be begrudged with coaching and criticism.
There have been accidents and close calls all along, possibly from which nothing was learnt, but it was never broadcast in such a way that they are open to everyone's speculation and interpretation. I was reminded of the dreary, anachronistic film with Gregory Peck and Frank Sinatra "On the Beach," that is by far the most poignant and depressing apocalyptic movie made. Another contender for its futility is Nicholas Cage in "Knowing." On the Beach is set in a world whose atmosphere is poisoned by the nuclear fallout of World War III and the only habitatable zone is left is in Austrailia. The line, "Let this not all be in vain," is absolutely crushing and haunting. The reality for countless people is horrid enough without imagined and stagey eschatolgy, and it can be worked through, together, with a better outlook on the future.

ee-i-ee-i-o

 It is difficult to gauge what response is in line with the deteriorating nuclear situation, and how that sentiment ought to be translated to atomic energy globally. No one can say how bad it is and what, hypothetically, could happen. 

Cloudmaker II, from my office window--not among the  reactors

built before 1980 in Germany and scheduled to be taken off-line

Can energy demands be met without nuclear power and without added pollution and cost? Auditing and taking a critical look at the industry as well as fears are necessary and constructive reactions, but crisis can sometimes lead to hyperbolic thought-experiments. Jane Fonda played the heroine in the film “The China Syndrome,” which debuted amazingly less than two weeks before the disaster at the Three Mile Island power plant in Pennsylvania. The China Syndrome refers to the extreme, catastrophic case, when the pool of melted radioactive fuel burns through the containment shield and into the Earth below.

Not very reassuringly, scientists say it is impossible for a melt-down to be so hot and sustained to bore through the Earth (a hole all the way to China) or reach the Earth’s core, but soil and ground water could be harshly contaminated. I suppose the detractors for CERN’s super-collider citing its potential for creating microscopic black-holes—also not very reassuringly deemed unlikely, would have garnered more support today. There is a lot of speculation and panic and it is very hard to know what sources to trust: industry lobbyists and iodine-peddlers should probably be suspect, as well as power companies. Even though there is not a great presence on site, groups like the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should be reliable and scientific sources. German shorthand for all these super-national bodies usually includes “organization” in the abbreviated name, hence United Nations Organization as UNO or IAEA-O.

elective-affinities or great caesar's ghost

Every moment is rich with buried news, especially at times like these when there are so other championed causes demanding attention: rebellions and reform in the Middle East and North Africa, unprecedented and frightening devastation in Japan, dirty political and corporate laundry. All this chaos is not in competition and lessons and opportunity to help abound, but resources are rarified in these on-going tumults. Events do not often have well-defined conclusions, neatly categorized and relegated to special studies and advocates, and never without ripples, ancient and disperse but still with potency. Triangulating among all the headlines and raw bursts of information can help one get bearings and better guess how these incidents interact and bear on one another on higher, resounding levels. It is maybe just as much those less nightmarish events that form a moment, non-doctrinaire. Many things are just nightmares and insurmountable traumas, and there is no discounting urgency for those things that cannot be undone, and channeling the incidental and supporting might prevent similar events, no matter how baroque with influences, from occurring again.

GAU und super-GAU

It is no doubt a critical and evolving situation in Japan and the situation can quickly slip into something far, far worse.

There is a large dose of sensationalism in the news, some merited and some bald panic, which is providing a strange pressure and counter-balance to the misery and worry. Germany, having lived with reality of the fallout from Chernobyl and dependent on nuclear power, should be prepared for dialogue and adjustments where necessary. If the disasters in Japan can inspire safer custody of the global array of atomic mills, and their by-products, or make nuclear power a true bridge-technology to more viable passive energy-sources, that is a measured and positive response. GAU, Größter Anzunehmender Unfall, is an abbreviation for the worst case scenario, and a Super-GAU is what's beyond the ability to contain. It is scary and Japan should know it is not facing this tragedy alone.

The terror being broadcast, however unintentional, has a certain tone, as if such behaviour is unbecoming of civilized nation. It is collective shock and disbelief that such catastrophes can befall the mighty and the ongoing dissonance with the relative calm and order and perseverance of the brave Japanese people. With help and the right approach, these enormous tribulations will be overcome and rebuilt with solider foundations. Economically, Japan will thrive as well--within the same global framework and on the forefront. Distaste, however, will probably develop for the more negative, unconstructive side of finance: focused on recovery, Japan will not want--or need, to buy and hold US debt, supporting America's profligate habits and policies. A productive market, backed by real industry, will be another positive legacy.