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There was a whole HN thread that very clearly debunked his previous post on the Japan situation (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2316158 http://news.ycombin

There was a whole HN thread that very clearly debunked his previous post on the Japan situation (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2316158 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2316158). If you're finding his writing insightful now it might be a sign that you aren't thinking rationally about the situation. That said I'll list he problems with this paticular article... 1. Japan did ask for our help. The U.S.S. Ronald Reagan was dispatched the day after the Tsunami at Japan's request. Further they've been working with U.S. experts through the entire situation (not the ones you see on TV but those guys aren't real experts) 2. The idea that the TEPCO plant manager is causing trouble because he's "more concerned about his job than his reactor" is absurd. I GUARANTEE the Japanese government took control of this situation the second it became critical. The local plant management is AT BEST serving a support role. 3. Plutonium Contamination water is only a big deal if it seeps into the water supply which it hasn't yet. Otherwise its just more stuff to be buried in cement for thousands of years. So in the end he's still being an alarmist with this just like he is with everything else (this is a guy who predicted internet video was going to cause the internet to collapse in 2010)

ErrantX 16y ago
Hmm, take a careful re-read. I wouldn't (and didn't) call him insightful. Past experience of his writing screams "take care". What I did say was that in this case they are interesting, and he does have some insight into the Japanese. As I originally said, he does still over-react, but there are items to reflect on nevertheless. It's worth noting that the USS Ronald Reagan was dispatched in relation to the relief effort, whereas Cringely is talking about the nuclear issue - which are two distinct entities. From a cultural perspective the two incidents stack up differently. On the other hand some US tech was dispatched to help with the reactors, but in a low-key way that was never reported. You should never absorb without critique what people are saying, but in this case there is material of worth in his writing.
- TomOfTTB 16y ago
  First sorry for misunderstanding your point. Though I still say its a warning sign when someone you think is usually full of it starts making sense (even if its in another area) That said my understanding was the USS Ronald Reagan was dispatched to both help with relief efforts and provide assistance in getting power to the area (they were close enough to the plant that they were forced to flee when things got rough). The RR has two defining characteristics. One it can produce fresh water by itself and two its (ironically) got its own nuclear power source. So my understanding was it was also providing power to the surrounding area. Edit: According to news reports the USS Ronald Reagan was actually delivering fresh water to aide in the cooling efforts (http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=59318 http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=59318) not power. My bad.
  - ErrantX 16y ago
    It's fine; I probably didn't express it well. Regarding the RR, I did see about the power thing - but I wasn't sure the extent of that. Or how much that affected the reactors (iirc the issue was not that they had no power, but that the power connects to the plant were disrupted and they had to reconnect them). Any extra info much appreciated :-)
joe_the_user 16y ago
The idea that the TEPCO plant manager is causing trouble because he's "more concerned about his job than his reactor" is absurd. I GUARANTEE the Japanese government took control of this situation the second it became critical. Your guarantee is comforting and all but do you have a reference for this? Did you notice headline of the head of TEPCO disappearing?? What about Kan asking TEPCO "what the hell is going on"?? http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8619408-tepco-executive-disappears-japan-goes-to-maximum-alert-news-update http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8619408-tepco-exec... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/122850/20110315/japan-blast-nuclear-kan-naoto-tepco.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/122850/20110315/japan-blast-...
- TomOfTTB 16y ago
  The very article you quote says the PM was in the dark "for one hour". That, to me, says the Japanese Government has taken control. They wouldn't replace on the line workers because those are the people who know the most about the plant but those workers are clearly supposed to be reporting to the Government and when they don't they get yelled at. As for the TEPCO exec I don't know what that proves. We know they cut corners on the plant and if I were the president of TEPCO and I knew that I'd cut corners on the plant I'd find any way I could to get out of there too. But I don't know how that's relevant to the government taking control.

ErrantX 16y ago

Hmm, take a careful re-read. I wouldn't (and didn't) call him insightful. Past experience of his writing screams "take care". What I did say was that in this case they are interesting, and he does have some insight into the Japanese. As I originally said, he does still over-react, but there are items to reflect on nevertheless. It's worth noting that the USS Ronald Reagan was dispatched in relation to the relief effort, whereas Cringely is talking about the nuclear issue - which are two distinct entities. From a cultural perspective the two incidents stack up differently. On the other hand some US tech was dispatched to help with the reactors, but in a low-key way that was never reported. You should never absorb without critique what people are saying, but in this case there is material of worth in his writing.

TomOfTTB 16y ago
First sorry for misunderstanding your point. Though I still say its a warning sign when someone you think is usually full of it starts making sense (even if its in another area) That said my understanding was the USS Ronald Reagan was dispatched to both help with relief efforts and provide assistance in getting power to the area (they were close enough to the plant that they were forced to flee when things got rough). The RR has two defining characteristics. One it can produce fresh water by itself and two its (ironically) got its own nuclear power source. So my understanding was it was also providing power to the surrounding area. Edit: According to news reports the USS Ronald Reagan was actually delivering fresh water to aide in the cooling efforts (http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=59318 http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=59318) not power. My bad.
- ErrantX 16y ago
  It's fine; I probably didn't express it well. Regarding the RR, I did see about the power thing - but I wasn't sure the extent of that. Or how much that affected the reactors (iirc the issue was not that they had no power, but that the power connects to the plant were disrupted and they had to reconnect them). Any extra info much appreciated :-)

joe_the_user 16y ago

The idea that the TEPCO plant manager is causing trouble because he's "more concerned about his job than his reactor" is absurd. I GUARANTEE the Japanese government took control of this situation the second it became critical. Your guarantee is comforting and all but do you have a reference for this? Did you notice headline of the head of TEPCO disappearing?? What about Kan asking TEPCO "what the hell is going on"?? http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8619408-tepco-executive-disappears-japan-goes-to-maximum-alert-news-update http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8619408-tepco-exec... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/122850/20110315/japan-blast-nuclear-kan-naoto-tepco.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/122850/20110315/japan-blast-...

TomOfTTB 16y ago
The very article you quote says the PM was in the dark "for one hour". That, to me, says the Japanese Government has taken control. They wouldn't replace on the line workers because those are the people who know the most about the plant but those workers are clearly supposed to be reporting to the Government and when they don't they get yelled at. As for the TEPCO exec I don't know what that proves. We know they cut corners on the plant and if I were the president of TEPCO and I knew that I'd cut corners on the plant I'd find any way I could to get out of there too. But I don't know how that's relevant to the government taking control.