Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (March 11, 2011)

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by Random32

1. By definition, if you are a foreigner in Japan, you have something to do. The vast majority of the time, they won't let you in for an extended period of time if you don't have something to do.
2. I would think they appreciate people staying and actually helping out more than people who help out by running away so they have less mouths to feed with limited resources.

So you basically say, people with money (lets assume a lot of money), will get no visa if they do not actually work in Japan? (in Switzerland for example thats the norm) Sounds quite irrational to me.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Jinto

So you basically say, people with money (lets assume lots of money), will get no visa if they do not work in Japan? Sounds quite irrational to me.

We're being a bit shorthand so I can see how that idea appear. For the vast majority - if you are a tourist or visitor (without purpose) -> 90 day visa. If you have *business* to do there are various extended visas (student, corporate, etc) - you have to have a sponsor of some sort ("Toyota says they need me here"). They have to be rejustified periodically. And it steps up from there (resident, citizen, blah) I honestly don't think there's a "I'm just fabulously wealthy and want to loiter here" type of visa for more than 90 days.
http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/englis...a/visa/faq.htm

It isn't much different than China where my son spent last summer in Beijing. He got a specific visa to work in a research lab for specific time under a University exchange program.

Actually, for that matter it might be difficult for me to "retire in Canada" these days as simply saying "I want to live there and spend money" doesn't seem to be a pass anymore (since I'd be using community services).

[Mystique]

Strong 5 shindo (M6) in Fukushima, 3 mins ago. (Tri may correct me on that, since news is still comin in)
Epicentre is on the ground, so no fear of a tsunami.
I was cursing out the Earth in my room, but those guys must be losing it a little more than me

Also is it getting bad when we have the world shaking strongly so many times a day that I can't be arsed to panic and have began to ignore half of them?

Ah, good morning. It's another day, and I'm alive, albiet a little shaken. x.x;;

[Random32]

btw, what's with all the earthquakes? chain reaction or something? when is the best guess of when they will stop, and will this chain of earthquakes trigger a fault further away, such as the one that caused the 2004 tsunami or the one off the west coast of North America to cause an Earthquake?

Originally Posted by Jinto

So you basically say, people with money (lets assume a lot of money), will get no visa if they do not actually work in Japan? (in Switzerland for example thats the norm) Sounds quite irrational to me.

I don't have enough money to know whether paying them enough will get you in.

Normally, you get a visa that lets you in for an extended period of time when someone says they want you there for an extended period of time. This could range from some giant multinational transferred me to an office in Japan, to I have a wife/husband who lives in Japan I would love to be with them.

generally, you have a very good reason to be in Japan if you are a foreigner in Japan for an extended period of time.

[Mystique]

Originally Posted by Random32

btw, what's with all the earthquakes? chain reaction or something? when is the best guess of when they will stop, and will this chain of earthquakes trigger a fault further away, such as the one that caused the 2004 tsunami or the one off the west coast of North America to cause an Earthquake?

The aftershocks are said to continue for a month, but one would think they'd slowly lessen in strength.
Another massive one, oi oi.... enough already x.x

I think the same place, same level, 2 within 20mins.
This isn't stopping...

Pic for recent Kanto levels (You should be able to see 2 red dots with a '5' - ah there was one closer to Tokyo I guess)

Spoiler:

Next time, I'll shut up about saying 'I'm kinda getting used to these', only to get then thrown 2 fairly strong quakes just to remnd me who's in charge here (Mother Nature), since no one can get used to levels 4 and above, ever...
*laughs weakly*

PS: Can you actually see my pics? For some reason I cannot see my images or youtube videos when i post recently...

[NameGoesHere]

Earthquake round-up
http://all-geo.org/highlyallochthono...uake-round-up/

Links to many other sites, probably all you need to know and more.

[Ithekro]

Well. the bigger the original quake, the larger the aftershocks.

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by Random32

btw, what's with all the earthquakes? chain reaction or something? when is the best guess of when they will stop, and will this chain of earthquakes trigger a fault further away, such as the one that caused the 2004 tsunami or the one off the west coast of North America to cause an Earthquake?

Well, the earth's crust is quite thick. Over its depth it basically is like an elastic matter (the longer an earthquake prepares itself the more the crust becomes pre-stressed). For a strong earthquake to going off, enough pressure and energy has to build up before (pre-stressed). Once stronger stopping parts (friction) between two plates that move alongside/over each other break away, this energy will be released in a strong earthquake. But thats not fully un-stressing the crust. The crust is very deep and requires some time to move (even so it is to a certain degree elastic). When there are only weak stopping parts (friction) in the plates, then the un-stressing will go on for a while until either a stronger stopping parts (friction) stop the un-stressing or all the build up pressure is released (of course the pressure is slowly building up again over time).
This is why after strong earthquakes, there can be many smaller earthquakes, unless a similarily big one is in the making at the same fold.

[Zetsubo]

Originally Posted by Jinto

Well, the earth's crust is quite thick. Over its depth it basically is like an elastic matter (the longer an earthquake prepares itself the more the crust becomes pre-stressed). For a strong earthquake to going off, enough pressure and energy has to build up before (pre-stressed). Once stronger stopping parts (friction) between two plates that move alongside/over each other break away, this energy will be released in a strong earthquake. But thats not fully un-stressing the crust. The crust is very deep and requires some time to move (even so it is to a certain degree elastic). When there are only weak stopping parts (friction) in the plates, then the un-stressing will go on for a while until either a stronger stopping parts (friction) stop the un-stressing or all the build up pressure is released (of course the pressure is slowly building up again over time).
This is why after strong earthquakes, there can be many smaller earthquakes, unless a similarily big one is in the making at the same fold.

Basically a body once set in motion will try to keep going until a equal and opposing force stops it ?

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by Zetsubo

Basically a body once set in motion will try to keep going until a equal and opposing force stops it ?

Uhm, not really, I was talking about elasticty not inertia. Think of jelly, a high jelly pudding. Now move it slowly against a spoon. The outer wall of the jelly will withstand for a certain time and the jelly pudding wil bent elastically. But then suddenly the wall will break (no you have your earthquake on the top...) and then the spoon wil slowly glide into the jelly (thats supposed to be the smaller earthquakes)... well unfortunately the jelly comparison is not ideal ^^'

[Zetsubo]

Originally Posted by Jinto

Uhm, not really, I was talking about elasticty not inertia. Think of jelly, a high jelly pudding. Now move it slowly against a spoon. The outer wall of the jelly will withstand for a certain time and the jelly pudding wil bent elastically. But then suddenly the wall will break (no you have your earthquake on the top...) and then the spoon wil slowly glide into the jelly (thats supposed to be the smaller earthquakes)... well unfortunately the jelly comparison is not ideal ^^'

lol... I bet you like jelly.

Anyway... i get the picture.

[Vexx]

Just another small very sad profile moment in a large disaster:
Kindergarten bus of kids discovered that never made it home...
(ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi)

[Mystique]

Latest news, this time, epicentre hit in the sea, we're told to be very careful, though there should be no issues with any tsunamis.
The 5 areas are Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Kanagawa and Chiba.

Spoiler:

I'm stepping out, hopefully the trains will be okay, but I think I need outta my room for a bit x.x;;
PS: Sorry my inbox is full, feel free to drop a msg on my profile wall

[ChainLegacy]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Just another small very sad profile moment in a large disaster:
Kindergarten bus of kids discovered that never made it home...
(ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi)

Wow... what a sad story. I hate hearing about this stuff happening to kids.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by ChainLegacy

Wow... what a sad story. I hate hearing about this stuff happening to kids.

The real kick in the depression meter is when you get to the last sentence, and then you start remembering that they aren't even close to being done with searching through the rubble.

[Vexx]

From our conversation earlier in this thread about the irrationality of the gaijin "runaways" ...
from the Wall Street Journal:

TOKYO—Life in Japan is showing tentative signs of returning to normal, but a fresh challenge may be facing the expatriates and Japanese who left and are now trickling back to their offices: how to cope with ostracism and anger from their colleagues who have worked through the crisis.
One foreigner, a fluent Japanese speaker at a large Japanese company, said that his Japanese manager and colleagues were "furious" with him for moving to Osaka for three days last week and that he felt he was going to have to be very careful to avoid being ostracized upon returning to work ...

Frankly, if you had little kids and lived in the reactor zones - you do what you gotta do. However, down in, around, and south of Tokyo - it is going to rankle.

[Tri-ring]

Here are some people who stick to their guns, some were even evacuees.


Fukushima Nuclear Accident – Why I stay in Tokyo

I SEE NO SIGNS OF FEAR

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. I am now staying at a friend's home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water. If someone has water running in their home, they put out a sign so people can come to fill up their buckets.

There has been no looting.

People keep saying, ''Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another.''

Quakes come. Last night they struck every 15 minutes.

No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition.

There are strange parallel universes happening. People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack each day, now to send this email, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. Old men go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. I see no signs of fear.

Somehow, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don't. Rather, I feel part of something happening that is much larger than myself.

In evacuation centres there are puppet shows for children.
''It's to ease their minds,'' my friend explained to me. ''That is very important.''

We comfort one another as best as we can. We still say, ''Gambarimashou'' (We must keep up our fighting spirit).

ANNE THOMAS
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Hot curry dishes by Muslim group warm evacuees in Iwate

U.S., British teachers help evacuees in Iwate shelter

AW3 search and rescue swimmer Cody Reynolds from the U.S. Navy Sea Hawk helicopter is greeted by young evacuees in a tsunami-devastated area in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, after bringing relief goods from the USS Ronald Reagan on Tuesday.

Cyndi Lauper to go ahead with concerts to lift Japan's spirits

Thank you to all that are helping out in times of dire needs.

Last but not least, news to relieve the mind.(It did for me.)
Gov't panel says no sign of Mt Fuji erupting after killer quake

[Zetsubo]

Well we have to be happy that Fuji-san isn't upset.

[sa547]

I have a feeling that, in the next few months, my country would be (by men with questionable reasons) importing those water-logged wrecks as "surplus":
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110322003711.htm

For wrestling fans, this one's a piece of good news of philanthropy, as Tiger Mask does a Santa Claus:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110322002426.htm

Good news is much needed to bolster spirits...



However, in an act that's straight out of the movies, thieves make out with 40m yen from a bank:
http://www.japantoday.com/category/c...ault-in-miyagi

[TrueKnight]

I guess another good thing is that the Pentagon just announces the entire US military are there to stay for the disaster and relief effort and wont be leaving or evacuating like several news stations claimed because of the radiation fears. For now, the Reagan and rest of the 7th fleet are practically essential/irreplacabke for transporting and supplying logistics also heavy equipments, at least until the Japanese are back on their own feet. Oddly enough, from some news/forum and some Japanese friends I have, the US military presence helping also significantly boost the morale of the Japanese themselves moreso than their own government.......