Partygirl reporting from Tokyo Japan

Originally posted by Human0815
When you want to create the, imo. useless, Test with the Coffefilter you need first
to check the Background Radiation in at least 3-4 Spots, this will be "the Noise",
but don't spend your Time for this useless Bs.!

The coffee filter test if carried out according to instructions will give a rough idea of how many radioactive particles will be absorbed through the drinking water. This has nothing to do with the background radiation. The test should go on every day, using the same filter. Just because the drinking water is OK today doesn't mean that it will be OK tonight or at any other time. If you don't monitor it, how will you know what you are drinking?

reply to post by ipsedixit


Aircooled posted yesterday a Video which explain it very well
and is showing the complications of testing Food and Water:



I trust the "Baba-Net", Babas are the Grandmothers and they are very accurate
in spreading News, Rumors and Information,
much quicker than the Internet

Our Geiger are only very rough Instruments,
but this should us not detain from digging!

I do the same but with Surfaces only:

reply to post by Human0815


Thank you for that, it was very useful!

Like so much of the knowledge on this board.

reply to post by Human0815

The first video posted is interesting, but I would have more confidence in the information presented if the video maker had suggested rotating the apple in front of the counter.

What the OP does, is, of course, a personal decision. The advantage of the coffee filter idea is that, it measures an accumulation of radioactive particles in a filter, and the body, in a radioactive environment, acts like a filter.

Measuring all the possible sources of radiation in the environment, after a disaster like Fukushima had, is not a simple process. I'm sure the OP will be doing as much as she can to get up to speed on the dangers of radiation exposure and how to monitor it.

Hi again, ATS. I'm in an Internet Cafe in the middle of Tokyo now. Its still pretty early in the morning and the city is uncharacteristically quiet and empty, probably because this is a national holiday and everyone's still sleeping. I still have jetlag and haven't adjusted yet, tho. And I don't have any work today because its a holiday. So I came here to do some writing.

But I realized I wanted to write more personal things this time, about being in Japan as a subjective experience for me. So maybe this isn't the best thread for it. I am in an introspective mood today, ATS, and a little lonely, and what I have to say is not necessarily of interest to those seeking more objective info about Japan. But if anyone wants to read my rambling thoughts of the moment, you can join me over on the offtopic board for today. If not, don't feel the obligation, I won't be offended and I'm not trying to be an attention-seeker. Well, no more than usual, lol. Which I always get accused of on this board a lot. Maybe its a fair accusation.

And for those seeking more objective info don't worry I haven't abandoned this thread and I'll still be checking it every day. But not today. I feel a little bad there arent more interesting things to say about Japan right now, but you know what? No news is good news for Japan! For the people of Japan. Let's always put them first in our hearts and prayers. I hope the news stays boring so they can get on with their lives!

I also want to thank the posters in the last few pages who have given me tips about radiation measuring, you have been a big help!! Better than anyone else in real life! For reals!

And I want to say something to Ofhumandescent: I didn't respond to you because you scared me a lot. But I read your words and I will think deeply and carefully about them. I always like your posts when I see them and I look up to you and admire you as an ATS member if that doesn't sound too corny. I respect you and your opinions. But its too close and too scary to respond to right now. That's my problem, not yours. Sorry I cant be stronger right now.

OK, see you guys in this thread again tomorrow or the next day, whenever I get a chance. Love, PG.

reply to post by Partygirl


Might be a good idea to learn a bit about the artist, Taro Okamoto, before disrespecting his work. Might not be the prettiest piece of art, but supposedly "depicts the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and shows the affected peoples’s will and spirit of survival".

Jus Sayin

Hope you enjoy your time in Japan. Tokyo is great, but gets tiring after a while, and it's waaay to busy. Have a safe trip to Fukushima, good luck!

Tokyo is a lot closer than Vermont..........and Forbes is a reliable source.

No reply necessary, this is not to argue with you but to inform you.

Source: www.forbes.com...

Radiation from Japan has been detected in drinking water in 13 more American cities, and cesium-137 has been found in American milk—in Montpelier, Vermont—for the first time since the Japan nuclear disaster began, according to data released by the Environmental Protection Agency late Friday.

Milk samples from Phoenix and Los Angeles contained iodine-131 at levels roughly equal to the maximum contaminant level permitted by EPA in drinking water, the data shows. The Phoenix sample contained 3.2 picoCuries per liter of iodine-131. The Los Angeles sample contained 2.9. The EPA maximum contaminant level is 3.0, but this is a conservative standard designed to minimize exposure over a lifetime, so EPA does not consider these levels to pose a health threat. The FDA, not the EPA, regulates milk.

[UPDATE: The FDA's Derived Intervention Level for iodine-131 in milk is much higher: 4700 picoCuries per liter. Read why.]

The cesium-137 found in milk in Vermont is the first cesium detected in milk since the Fukushima-Daichi nuclear accident occurred last month. The sample contained 1.9 picoCuries per liter of cesium-137, which falls under the same 3.0 standard.

Radioactive isotopes accumulate in milk after they spread through the atmosphere, fall to earth in rain or dust, and settle on vegetation, where they are ingested by grazing cattle. Iodine-131 is known to accumulate in the thyroid gland, where it can cause cancer and other thyroid diseases. Cesium-137 accumulates in the body’s soft tissues, where it increases risk of cancer, according to EPA.

Airborne contamination continues to cross the western states, the new data shows, and Boise has seen the highest concentrations of radioactive isotopes in rain so far.

Safe journey and good luck.

Description of video below:

Maj. Gen. Albert N. Stubblebine (US Army ret) Personal Fukushima Estimate of Situation
www.GeneralBert.com

Nothing to add as I am not a nuclear nor weapons expert.

This guy sounds like he knows what he is talking about.

Am wishing you well and hope you remain safe.

To be fore warned is to be fore armed.

reply to post by ofhumandescent


Thanks. I appreciate all info, no matter how it makes me feel.

I've been just working and haven't had time for ATS or much else recently, but all goes well, more or less. Life seems largely normal, its easy to forget the whole thing if you want (which I don't want to). I don't have too much info to add about the situation, which is part of the reason I haven't posted much lately. But I'm keeping an eye out. Jeff rense (www.rense.com) seems to have a good colllection of info on Japan, among other things. The big trouble these days is the potential for collapse of reactor 4, which most people reading this will know. Food seems to be an issue but its difficult to measure for radiation, as I learned above in this thread thanks to several kind ATS posters. Well, that's all for now, I'll let you guys know if anything comes up!