If that isn't slavery, what is? The situation is apperently so bad, and everything has become so privatized (i.e. private companies are charged with the task, not a government body), that the government will 'hire' just about anyone to do it.

It's just awful. They apparently have no idea what they're doing. These are not well trained professionals. They're anyone recruiters can nab. And I read somewhere else that the workers that are there are working long hours, around the clock, burning out. Trying to do damage control, no solution in sight. This should be bigger news.

Those out east are probably not as worried about this, due to geographical distance. I feel it here, just because we share the same body of water with Japan- and the radiation is still being leaked, continuously, into the ocean. We don't yet know how this will affect the ecosystem and food supply, worldwide, long term- but it's a big problem (under reported) and it's not looking good. It's a bigger immediate problem, IMO, than the fracking controversy, or long term carbon emissions. Because radioactive contaminants remain in the water and soil for many, many years, and they are still continually leaking in Fukishima everyday. The immediate area around Fukishima will be uninhabitable for many years. The other things do concern me. But this is an emergency that's being overlooked. Why are well trained 'armies' not going in to help there? Why is not every appropriately informed scientist not working on this? This is NOT a regional problem, or a geo-political, or economic one. It affects all life on the planet.

It pisses me off, pardon my language, that so much science and technology goes into destructive inventions, military ones. Then, when something like this happens...hellooo? Where are the geniuses? Making a new smart phone? Designing a greener car? That's all fine- but this is immediate. Where are the heroic 'soldiers' to save the future of the planet? They're fighting wars somewhere that no common citizen anywhere wants, based on back room politics noone really understands, that's where. And, it doubly pisses me off that they're using homeless people like canaries in a coal mine.