rehash of this older New Yorker cartoon? there I go writing B.C. on my checks again

Yes, predictions about something, especially what intensity of natural disaster something can withstand, are more likely to be wrong than a current measurement of something verifiable (and under scrutiny) by others. That's the nature of predictions. That the weather service can't give the precise path of the hurricane (even if they've claimed to) doesn't mean I need doubt the current wind speed they report. Believe what you like about this situation. I find it more likely the IAEA has it right.

That's fine. They say the stuff they're releasing contains only tritium though, not the heavier stuff.

I have a feeling that in China they somehow are able to push through the permitting issues and environmental reviews (if they have any) that have made new nuclear plants in the US at least so economically difficult that no one wants to back them. Just something about that system of governance that makes projects like this happen...can't quite put my finger on it. Wait, you're saying that they probably don't have a million interested parties that can stop the project at any part of the development? Or maybe the dissent just...doesn't matter?

excess heat could also be used for seawater desalination if you need the drinking water

Have you read anything about the numbers? And what the material was? Hardly the "nuclear slop" mentioned above. It's a lower concentration than was discharged during the plant's decades long operation, lower than other places in the world, and much lower than the IAEA's limit. You can say the danger isn't fully known, but it's likely more dangerous in high concentration sitting in a tank waiting for an accident. Also, as silly as it sounds, dilution is the solution to (some) pollution.

I won't argue the technical aspects (because I don't know them offhand) but Fukushima was built and commissioned before Chernobyl. The way you talk about it above seems to imply Fukushima was designed in a way that corrects some design flaw of Chernobyl.

Nice atmosphere. This looks like it could be a scene from the Lucasarts adventure game Full Throttle. You character is about to be thrown out of the window for the dialog choice selected.

[mob takes the previously forced upon them vegetables to the guillotine]

They still can't come up with anything other than "it's not safe!" And "you're so irresponsible"?

Previous articles on this say the water is less contaminated than that which comes out of some of China's plants.

This article: IAEA says 10,000 becquerels per liter is the safe limit. Japan's output will be 63 per liter.

The amount of practical effects used to make this is always impressive, especially compared to today's green screens. I was amazed to see that they made a scale section of future NYC for scenes. And all the costumes? So varied, imaginative, and amazing. One of my favorites for sure