Since Japan had that terrible earthquake and the damage to the Fukushima/Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, radiation and radioactivity has become a hot topic in any location where it can be discussed. Well, almost any area.
Anyway, I subscribe to a news service and recently there were two articles that do a good job of discussing aspects of radiation. The first one is a group of high school students giving a graphic, but safe and fun actually, demonstration of what happens during fission of a Uranium-235 atom.
[youtube]0v8i4v1mieU[/youtube]
The other is a piece written by Chuck Norris discussing how to "Know Your Radiation" where he discusses the differences in radiation and why you need to be concerned about specific radiation rather than getting upset and panicking about radiation in general. The link:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=279133
There's another web page that shows radiation/radioactivity relationships in a very meaningful and simple fashion. If I can relocate it, I will post it somewhere appropriate.
Now, I know that radiation is something we all need to be concerned about considering that there are numerous functioning nuclear power plants in various locations around the USA but, I absolutely do not believe we need to go into SHTF mode and bug out with our tonnes of potassium iodide pills to supplement our single case of MREs and our Big Berkey water filter.
As I see it, the USA is not in any immediate danger of excessive radiation contamination from the releases occurring from the Fukushima plant in Japan. I know the Inverse Square Rule that deals with any form of radiation. IF any radiation from that plant actually reaches the USA, it will have decreased its level of radioactivity so low that it will be inconsequential, much less radiation than just stepping outside into the sunshine.
In fact, the same sort of panics occurred when the Chernobyl plant in Russia had their catastrophe. I even heard reports through news services that several facilities that dealt with nuclear material used the Chernobyl incident to "vent" some of their radioactive gases to the atmosphere using the "cover" of Chernobyl to disguise their illegal and immoral release of radioactive material.
NONE of that was ever proven. NONE.
What I am seeing too many places I visit, either in person or via WWW, is wholesale panic and fear-mongering.
GET A GRIP people, panic will kill you faster than what little radiation is happening in your home town.
Still, what I am seeing all too often in any survival type discussion forum and/or websites IS a lot of unnecessary panic and fear-mongering.
Let's get real about it. Knowledge is power and will possibly be the real currency in a PAW but, let's not keep it stored away only to be used after the fall of civilization, use your knowledge now.
Over in Japan, the people there have an immediate concern with radiation and they will require steps and solutions to prevent as many of the Japanese citizens from succumbing to radiation and its horrible effects. We are NOT in Japan, we are a few thousand miles away with a broad ocean between us. The gulf stream does cross over us but is not likely to push any radiation at the same levels at at the plant into every location of the USA, not gonna happen.
Now, how many people are going to tell me to get my head out of the sand, or out of my you know where? I have my head squarely on my shoulders and my mind is in excellent shape, my knowledge base is both solidly grounded and quite open for good information. I will not capitulate to panic thought or fear spreading misinformation, I have knowledge and I make use of it.
I will never criticize anyone for making the preparations they are making and, if you desire to purchase tonnes of potassium iodide, go right ahead and do so, I bid you good luck, the stuff is difficult to obtain right now I know.
Me, I will continue to make my preparations as I am since I know what is needed to keep me and mine in as good a state as I can depending on what may or may not happen. The only way I would worry about excess radiation will be when there is a problem with the nuclear power plant that is maybe 20 miles from my home. If something happens there, I'll initiate appropriate action but I will not get into a panic mode simply because there is a nuclear power plant near my home. I do not stock tonnes of potassium iodide and I may not ever stock any. I may get some in the future when it becomes available or I may look for other methods of obtaining iodine. But, that is only a very small piece of the entire survival puzzle, there is so much more to keep in mind and for which to prepare that to be ready for anything, as some survival aficionados claim they are and you should be, is nigh unto impossible.
I'm working toward what we could deal with; food production and acquisition, water acquisition and treatment, travel means and methods, safety, first aid and medical needs as well as somewhat limited defensive activities. Anymore than that will be on an "as can" basis, not a "gotta do it now" basis.
I'm sorry for the rant my friends, I am becoming increasingly angered about these so called "survivalists" that claim they are the be all and end all of survival that if you do not make preparations exactly as they determine you need to make them then you do not deserve to survive the forthcoming day. My thought about that is they themselves will not survive for long at all, they are incapable of surviving, only of making it difficult for anyone else to survive. Using their words, they do not deserve to survive the forthcoming day but, I do not wish that on them at any stretch. If they can make it then good for them. I've got my own and my families survival to work for and I do.