Thanks for asking, Butch.
The reactor site first i guess, simply because it get more news coverage these days, barely more than nothing. Cleanup continues, but basically because they have never had to do it before, they need to make up the program as they go along, and some things they aren't able to figure out, like what to do with all the radioactive contamination, for instance in the massive areas where topsoil is being scrapped off, so they put it in makeshift warehouses where conditions are far less than ideal. Out of sight somewhat out of mind, but with reactivity, what you don't see can kill you too. There have been deaths of people right there at the sight that chose to accept the risks and do their duty in trying to get things under control when the accident occurred and thereafter, courageous, but to a large extent it was quite futile because things did blow. You hear different predictions about when they expect to complete the cleanup of the site, sometimes twenty or thirty years or longer is estimated. Guys working there apparently are making good bread, short shifts and constant monitoring. Unless some problem arises like a leak somewhere in piping, or there is some special program, you don't hear that much about it. It is still very newsworthy, but the ongoing situation reflects badly on the current government, basically the same blokes are again back in power as when the reactors melted down. Some different faces and names, but the same party of useless schlubs. There was a big thick report that came out some months back, telling why it happened and who was responsible. It didn't pull any pinches, even the general public was given a share of the blame for being so complacent about the electrical power situation, not demanding a higher order of accountability leading up to the catastrophe. The biggest blame by far goes to the power station owner, Tokyo electric, and also to the government authority that was supposed to oversee the operation. Both groups were in each other's pockets, cushy high paying jobs where people would be going back and forth in employment at both outfits. Can you dig it, regulatory people going to work for the power company at some point, and vice versa, a swinging door of job opportunities. Let's do lunch? A fine thing when public safety is the ultimate concern.:roll: This timely report is going to be good I thought, let's watch the politicians squirm now in front of a pissed of populace! That big fat report was on the news for ONE DAY, then it was like it never happened. It should have been the headlines for weeks if not months. Nobody was ever held accountable for the lack of safety measures and attempt to coverup the severity of the situation, that I could see. A few blokes were allowed to retire at full pension with stomach problems. Unfortunately, the mainstream press is nothing but yes people to the big shots in government, it's a real problem, and one reason that little gets accomplished in managing the country. You do hear that they are raising the electricity rates to pay for the humongous expense resulting from this. The ghost towns are just sitting out there in the sun and rain. They let people go back for short periods to collect possessions, but I don't think more than a couple hours in some of the more distant places is allowed. In the shadow of the reactor is a no man's land, the roads are blocked off. The displaced peoples have scattered throughout the country. You sometimes hear the moaning to want to go back to the only life that they ever knew, especially the farmers and fishermen, most will probably be dead before that becomes a possibility. The country moves on around them, while many can only sit and wonder. Children with their resiliency seem to have been able to make the transitions to a new life. What is going on in the surrounding ocean waters isn't much being talked about. The fear factor is still pretty high when it comes to eating fish from that part of the coast.
The tsunami lands are still much desolation row. Some sole tree blossoms in the midst of the otherwise wasteland, and they want to make a national monument out of it....a sign of hope. There has been some rebuilding in certain areas, but the vast majority of property has yet to be surveyed and the infrastructure of sewers, water, and electricity, is non existent. Lots of people would be wanting to go back and somehow rebuild, but is it safe? Nobody can say, another big shaker and it could be a repeat performance. It isn't entire futility, some people have clawed their way back and shiny factories can be seen, along with other rising developments. I hear that carpenters are needed. People still have the same needs, where there is settlement, shops serving them too are coming back. Some people have remarkable undying spirits, but the areas of positivity are still only here and there within the locations where the waves swept through. Like in most natural disaster I guess, it is the elderly that suffer the most. Many are lost it seems. The temporary housing that was provided is full up. I haven't heard of anyone going homeless, some provisions have been made, or thanks to your own efforts, but government support has been fairly minimal. The country is broke and getting broker, the new plan is to borrow huge sums to stimulate the economy vis public works projects. I fear that these are the same projects where politicians get their pockets stuffed as well, the grand scheme of things. It's a hard working country and Japanese people can still make great efforts when under duress, it may take many years, but the country I expect will right itself at some point. Currently, still much feeling the effects of the one two punch from such a monumental disaster.
My own situation, far enough from the disasters that you don't see the immediate effects, things pretty much appear pretty normal. I might meet someone from time to time that relocated here from the north, they being happy to now live in an area not so prone to large quakes and the ocean far enough away. Little in the way of typhoons directly hitting either, once in awhile a cyclone warning is about all, and a warning never seems to lead to the real thing. Since the quake, the country has become warning prone. I'm waiting for them to warn about people always giving warnings. Business is still slow however, woodwork and tree work, things trickle in from previous customers, but I can't remember the last time I had a new person to work for. I've checked, the phone isn't out of order! We live as cheap as possible, my wife cut off the beer ration about ten days ago, until this current job in the shop brings in funds. Still, hanging in there in a good fashion, I think.
