Actually there are several "worst-case scenarios" ... I'll try to describe one or two.

1. Just covering the plant with water doesn't stop the heating ... in order to truly stop the damage it must be covered with water under pressure ( or with a neutron poison like borax), with some type of flow. If the water is not under pressure the boiling point is much lower, therefor the thermalization of the neutrons will result in local boiling, thus melting of the fuel rods
2. Worst cases ... well, all depends on the configuration of the system.
... you mentioned one, which is the total melting of the fuel rods into a single mass (or mass large enough) to melt through the containment vessel, melting into the ground, hitting the ground water where pressure builds up due to steam resulting in throwing out of the fuel (e.g., like a dirty bomb) ... even in this case the local area (within a few 100 miles) would become unlivable (until cleanup). To give you a reference point, the Chernobyl plant completely blew ... because of poor design it had no primary containment for the core. Even in this case it is only the local area (within 50-100 miles) that is effected. Another reference point ... this scenario happened at 3-Mile Island .. the fuel was uncovered, it melted to the bottom of the vessel, however, did not break the primary containment and NO radiation was released, unlike what you heard in the press, no one was ever found to be sick from the accident.
... another worse case, is were there are cracks/breaks in the primary containment vessel, the core melts, does not melt through the primary containment, but releases radioactive gas ... this could go on for a very long time until it's covered ... this could release gasses high into the atmosphere reaching larger cities within 100's of not 1000+ miles.

In none of these cases would enough radioactive material reach the US that would cause any medical issues to the population. There is simply no way to carry heavy particles that far in the atmosphere. When you consider all the nuclear weapons tested, and used (e.g., in Japan) they produced much radioactive particulate into the atmosphere and no-one outside of Japan was in any danger

Another reference point ... when the US dropped the bombs on Japan it was later found that the chance of lung disease increased 40x of the survivors ... if you smoke cigs your increasing your chances by 400x ... the chemicals released by coal plants are by far my dangerous than what you would find around these nuke plants ... not making light of the situation just showing what history has shown. Even though the radiation levels are increasing around the effected plants they will go down allowing them to get in and cover them. The true fear would be if a primary vessel blows, and as far as I know this has not happened

Hope this sheds some light on your question.

From all that I read, and just rechecked the Reactors are Boiling, Light Water Reactors .... The Russians use to use Liquid Sodium, well, as did we at one time. A very volatile method ... There is a huge cement ball, about 17 stories high in up state NY that housed the first US Sodium built Reactor (I trained next door to it) ... they realized the benefits did not out-weight the dangers. The Russians, not caring about human life, didn't!

I know graphite was used in the past, and are planned for the future .. the plants in Japan were built around 40 years ago. So I doubt the used graphite.

Some of your text is missing so I may not reply to your initial meaning.

The primary reason why it will not be an issue here (in US) is not only just distance, but the dispersement of distance, as particles travel through the air they are dispersed in all directions due to a variety of forces and reasons (gravity, friction, turbulence, moisture, and so on). Consider the fact that air, like water is a fluid ... if you were to throw a handful of dirt into a swimming pool it would quickly disperse and become unnoticeable.

Locally in Japan they, depending on the particulate released could have issues up to 100's of miles ... time and distance will disperse the radioactive particles reducing any exposure by the people and hopefully be a non-issue. I know it sounds frightening to hear "exposure to radiation", but believe I doubt anyone outside the immediate area of the plants will have any medical issues. If you like, i can go into point-sources, exposure limits, etc, etc ... however, basically it would take a huge amount of air particulate to cause medical problems. The people I'd worry about are those exposed to the material near the plants.

I'm not sure what your asking about the cows in the UK, as far as I know they were killed due to "Mad Cow" disease.

Japan Nuclear Issues

I've been asked to make a few comments on the Japanese Nuclear Plant Issue. I guess I should let everyone know before making these comments that I was a Nuclear Engineer in the US Navy for 12 years, am degreed in the subject, and I've taught Nuclear Physics (or related material) for more than 15 years.

From what I've seen presented by the news media, both in print and on TV, I would say most has little truth. I watched Bill O'Reilly on Fox tonight and found his coverage ... well, bordering on criminal-neglegence.

A few facts:
1. The Nuclear Industry has been, and is, the safest energy-producing industry in human history.
2. There is NO WAY that a Nuclear Power plant will "melt" into such a configuration as to produce a nuclear explosion. Well, let's just say you have better odds of the Earth spontaneously exploding.
3. If one of the Nuclear plants in Japan were to be dropped into ocean it would NOT endanger anyone in the USA
4. If someone were to drop a bomb on one of the plants, it would NOT endanger anyone in the USA. They tried this scare with Chernobyl and NO ONE was ever hurt even with the so-called radioactive clouds.
5. The Chernobyl accident killed no one outside the local area. Realizing that it was a level 7 accident, other than those killed in the initial blast, 1000 people came down with a decease, and of those 98% were cured. Yes it was a tragedy, one primarily a result of the Russians using poor designs and operational procedures.

If anyone likes I will gladly explain some of the science and engineering behind a Nuke Plant, or my statements. What I'm trying to do here is make people realize that yes this is a tragedy, but a local one. That the fear-mongers in the news media have not a clue of what they say, and are only doing so for ratings. Others have a political agenda.

If you truly are concerned about Radiation ... tell those who live in brick or rock home to buy a Radon Gas meter. Radon gas releases alpha-radiation, which is more destructive to the human body than any other type of radiation.

Well, when your a Socialist, Want-to-Be Dictator, the last thing you want is people getting the TRUTH about your propaganda!

The restrictions have become a common practice for the Obama White House. When Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu came to the White House a couple of weeks ago, reporters were kept away. Soon after that, Obama signed an executive order on abortion, again without any coverage.

Over the weekend, Obama broke with years of protocol and slipped off to a soccer game without the "protective" pool that is always in the vicinity of the president in case the unthinkable occurs. Obama joked about it later to Pakistan's prime minister, saying reporters "were very upset."

In "bilateral" meetings with foreign leaders, presidents usually take questions, or at least trade statements. But at most of Obama's, there were only written "readouts." Canada: "The president and the prime minister noted the enduring strength of our bilateral partnership." India: "The two leaders vowed to continue to strengthen the robust relationship between the people of their countries." Pakistan: "President Obama began by noting that he is very fond of Pakistan."

Finally, away from other leaders, Obama took reporters' questions for 20 minutes. They were tough and skeptical questions that punctured the banal readouts: pointing out that the nonproliferation agreements weren't binding, noting China's equivocation on sanctions against Iran, and pressing Obama on the failure to curb North Korea's weapons. The Post's Scott Wilson asked Obama if he would call on Israel, which skipped the summit, to declare its nuclear weapons.

"I'm not going to comment on their program," Obama said.

Not surprising. But it's still important that the questions are asked.

Obama brings Soviet-Era tactics to America .... this guy simply is an amazing arrogant a**

Obama's disregard for media reaches new heights at nuclear summit
By Dana Milbank
Wednesday, April 14, 2010; A02

World leaders arriving in Washington for President Obama's Nuclear Security Summit must have felt for a moment that they had instead been transported to Soviet-era Moscow.

They entered a capital that had become a military encampment, with camo-wearing military police in Humvees and enough Army vehicles to make it look like a May Day parade on New York Avenue, where a bicyclist was killed Monday by a National Guard truck.

In the middle of it all was Obama -- occupant of an office once informally known as "leader of the free world" -- putting on a clinic for some of the world's greatest dictators in how to circumvent a free press.

The only part of the summit, other than a post-meeting news conference, that was visible to the public was Obama's eight-minute opening statement, which ended with the words: "I'm going to ask that we take a few moments to allow the press to exit before our first session."

Reporters for foreign outlets, admitted for the first time to the White House press pool, got the impression that the vaunted American freedoms are not all they're cracked up to be.

Yasmeen Alamiri from the Saudi Press Agency got this lesson in press freedom when trying to cover Obama's opening remarks as part of a limited press "pool": "The foreign reporters/cameramen were escorted out in under two minutes, just as the leaders were about to begin, and Obama was going to make remarks. . . . Sorry, it is what it is."

Alamiri's counterparts from around the world had similar experiences. Arabic-language MBC TV's Nadia Bilbassy had this to say of Obama's meeting with the Jordanian king: "We were there for around 30 seconds, not enough even to notice the color of tie of both presidents. I think blue for the king."

The Press Trust of India, at Obama's meeting with the Pakistani prime minister, reported, "In less than a minute, the pool was asked to leave." The Yomiuri Shimbun correspondent found that she was "ushered out about 30 seconds" after arriving for Obama's meeting with the Malaysian prime minister. A reporter with Turkey's TRT-Turk went to Obama's meeting with the president of Armenia, but "we had to leave the room again after less than 40 seconds."

Even the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, was more talkative with the press than Obama. Michelle Jamrisko, with Japan's Kyodo News, noted that Hu, at his session with Obama, spoke to the Chinese media in Chinese, while Obama limited himself to "say hello to the cameras" and "thank you everybody."

Obama's official schedule for Tuesday would have pleased China's Central Committee. Excerpts: "The President will attend the Heads of Delegation working lunch. This lunch is closed press. . . . The President will meet with Prime Minster Erdogan of Turkey. This meeting is closed press. . . . The President will attend Plenary Session II of the Nuclear Security Summit. This session is closed press."

Reporters, even those on the White House beat for two decades, said it was the most restricted set of meetings they had ever seen in Washington. They complained to both the administration and White House Correspondents' Association, which will discuss the matter Thursday with White House press secretary Robert Gibbs.

... cont ...

Found these news Media-Stats .. Interesting.

WNYC is looking for a Manager, Corporate Underwriting. See the next featured job.
The Scoreboard: Thursday, Mar. 25
By Chris Ariens on Mar 26, 2010 04:19 PM
25-54 demographic: (L +SD)

5p:6p: 7p:8p: 9p:10p:11p:

FNC Beck: Baier: Shep: O'Reilly: Hannity: Greta: O'Reilly:
756 502 487 923 676 654 470

CNN Blitzer:Blitzer:KingUSA:Brown:King:Cooper:Cooper:
234 261 180 175 199 223 173

MSNB CMatthews:EdShow:Matthews:Olbermann:Maddow:Olbermann:Maddow:
178 174 158 311 339 192 156

HLN Prime:Prime:Issues:Grace:Behar:Grace:Showbiz:
72 78 123 185 235 141 197

Data by Nielsen Media Research. Live and same day (DVR) data.
Total Viewers: (L +SD)

5p:6p: 7p:8p: 9p:10p:11p:

FNC Beck: Baier: Shep: O'Reilly: Hannity: Greta: O'Reilly:
2680 2215 1784 3629 2379 2308 1610

CNN Blitzer :Blitzer: KingUSA: Brown: King: Cooper: Cooper:
716 749 665 672 756 723 464

MSNBCMatthews:EdShow:Matthews:Olbermann:Maddow:Olbermann:Maddow:
612 730 747 1329 1294 723 541

HLN Prime:Prime:Issues:Grace:Behar:Grace:Showbiz:
164 153 313 697 861 371 380

Now some IDOT Professor thinks the Democrats can say ".. the Republicans voted against Education" by voting against Government Controlled Healthcare.

How does someone get a degree, teach at a University and fail to understand basic common sense...? Actually that was rhetorical -- I've taught many of these morons. There some good ones, but I found many to be lazy, egotistical, and a horse's-A??

http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=1218934...

Well, it's time we all move to Texas and Secede from the US.