Hey nuclear energy supporters, feeling safe yet?

Again, people have been trying to convince me for two days that nuclear power is no danger to any of us, it's clean, it's safe, and hey, there's already radiation in the air from so many other sources... this is insignificant at best.

Yes, that's right. The amount of radiation coming from the Japanese nuclear reactors is harmless. Scoff, scoff.

Well, color me relieved, because according to the Japanese government's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, a meltdown may be under way. The Japanese ambassador is denying this on CNN to a skeptical Wolf Blitzer as we speak. He said:

"The explosion was of an outer building. We are working on it... It's not over yet. There are a lot of aftershocks and a tsunami is coming."

I'm not feeling reassured yet:

There's been a large explosion at the nuclear plant and the outer wall has been destroyed, according to Reuters.

But, just for the heck of it, let's imagine CNN and the Japanese agency are right:

UPDATE: One of our readers did some digging for me:

I received direct confirmation that the map is inauthentic from ARS. They bluntly stated "it's a hoax."

Here is the contact information for their representative:

Dr. Joseph G. Young

Managing Director/Principal Consultant Health Physicist Australian Radiation Services Pty. Ltd.

22 King Street

Blackburn VIC 3130, Australia

UPDATE, the above map was pulled with this explanation:

Beyond Nuclear had posted a map of projected fallout pathways with the caveats that we could not contact the supposed creators of the map (Australian Radiation Services) whose logo was in the bottom left hand corner. While the data of the weather patterns from Japan looked plausible, see the Japan Meterological Agency site, the listed radiation doses were not verifiable as of the time given on our original post and we clearly stated this. After continuing to be unable to verify this information, we have removed this fallout projection map and suggest that interested parties refer to the Japan Meteorological Agency web page for weather pattern information which was the intent of our original post and which was also supplied on our original post.

And I'm hearing that the company that posted it is a for-profit company. I am relieved to hear that it may not be credible and am more than happy to make this correction. (h/t: Raine1967)

This still applies, however, when it comes to any fallout from any source:

I live in California. I've been through some major quakes, but nothing like this. Nor have I ever had to worry about fallout wafting my way.

I would love nothing more than to see this horrific disaster end well. Well, as well as it can for the thousands upon thousands of people who are terrified, hurt, without homes, or otherwise negatively affected. My heart hurts for them. And I'm terrified right along with them.

H/t: lunaticfringer, cjohanns

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