HUGE earthquake and tsunami hit Japan...

[jc.cyberdemon]

i was thinking more like this..http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/fast-company-calendar/fast-company-now-blog/how-build-your-own-spaceship

[IZ]

Military considering mandatory evacuations in Yokosuka Naval Base. So, you and the family coming home then Chris?

[AJ]

In case you haven't seen this already - the cartoon explaining the nuclear reactor crisis to Japanese kids is awesome...

Nuclear Boy Has to Poo

[Monster Dave]

In the end it all comes down to this:

The End of the World

[erkishhorde]

The nut job wasn't entirely wrong but he wasn't really right either.

7.0 quake near the border of Burma and Thailand. Shallow too, about the same as Haiti. Not along the ring of fire either.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/24/myanmar.quake/index.html

[Randimus Maximus]

Send a kind word:

http://www.toyotasupportforjapan.com/

[Randimus Maximus]

Also, while it will take quite a long time for Japan to return to anything close to normalcy, they are quite capable of moving very quickly to rebuild.

For instance, a roadway chronicled in this Autoblog.com post: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/24/japanese-repair-quake-ravaged-road-in-just-six-days/

A concrete pumping truck is headed to Fukushima to assist with the cooling of the nuclear reactors: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/25/meet-the-203-foot-truck-on-its-way-to-save-fukushimas-no-4-rea/

[ducatiz]

Also, while it will take quite a long time for Japan to return to anything close to normalcy, they are quite capable of moving very quickly to rebuild.

For instance, a roadway chronicled in this Autoblog.com post: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/24/japanese-repair-quake-ravaged-road-in-just-six-days/

While any amount of road destroyed like that and then repaired quickly is amazing, how much are we talking about?  100 m or 100 km? 

In any event, I am gobsmacked they were able to do that.  Just shows what you can do if you STFU and get to work.

[Randimus Maximus]

While any amount of road destroyed like that and then repaired quickly is amazing, how much are we talking about?  100 m or 100 km? 

In any event, I am gobsmacked they were able to do that.  Just shows what you can do if you STFU and get to work.

that particular stretch was 150m.

[ducatiz]

that particular stretch was 150m.

like i said, pretty amazing.

[DRKWNG]

like i said, pretty amazing.

+1

From the article:

Given the fact that road crews in the U.S. can spend three or more months repairing a single lane of concrete, only to leave the orange barrels on the road for another two weeks, we're blown away by this feat of engineering. Simply amazing.

The difference exhibited here is the work ethic. 

[Triple J]

The difference exhibited here is the work ethic.  

Wrong. The difference here is emergency work vs. low bid contract work. Comparing the two is ridiculous.

For instance, check to see how quickly the Bay Bridge was repaired after Loma Prieta in 1989(which was a tough repair), or how long it took to get I-880 was repaired in the Bay Area after a portion of it collapsed due to a massive truck fire a few years ago. The US is just as capable of cleaning up when it's needed, working around the clock to get something done.

While any amount of road destroyed like that and then repaired quickly is amazing, how much are we talking about?  100 m or 100 km?  

150 meters

[Triple J]

The statement below from the article ia about as stupid as they get, and shows the authors complete lack of understanding of the heavy construction industry.

Given the fact that road crews in the U.S. can spend three or more months repairing a single lane of concrete, only to leave the orange barrels on the road for another two weeks, we're blown away by this feat of engineering. Simply amazing.

Not to take away from work the guys did, and are doing, in Japan.    I just think it's a stupid statement.

[erkishhorde]

Anyone else noticed that there is almost no aspect of the whole earthquake damage/recovery process in Japan that is not getting blown totally out of proportion by English media?

[Monster Dave]

Bad news: 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes off coast of Miyagi, Japan, Japan's meteorological agency says.