When TV Does More Harm Than Good

We started watching Jericho the first night it came on, hoping it would be realistic and might help people understand the need to be prepared for a nuclear disaster. We were sorely disappointed. They treated the subject way too lightly, gave the impression that all you have to do is cover your windows with plastic and duct tape, and within a few hours you can go outside and have a party.

Um, no. Sorry. It doesn't work that way.

If you're within a few miles of the initial blast, depending on the size of the bomb, you're toast. If you're outside the blast zone but in the path of fallout, you have a few seconds or minutes, depending on the wind speed and direction, to get to a shelter. What it takes to be protected from radiation is distance and mass. Lots of distance, and lots of mass. At least 5" of steel, 16 inches of solid concrete, 2 feet of packed earth, or three feet of water. You need to be prepared to stay in the shelter for at least a few days, then inside a less protected shelter (regular rooms in your house) for a few weeks.

The people of Jericho took hours to get ready, walked outside after a few hours (into and through puddles of radioactive water), and had a party eating food that hadn't been protected.

North Korea told us that within a week (beginning last Friday), all would be "settled" if we applied sanctions against them. We're surrounded by egotistical maniacs with nuclear weapons. Supposedly there are suitcase nukes and dirty bombs planted all around our country by Al Quida, just waiting for the order to set them off. Will it ever happen? Who knows. But I do know being prepared is the best defense. Go to http://www.ki4u.com/guide.htm to learn how to prepare for the worst, get it done, and then you can put it behind you and relax, knowing if the worst happens, you're ready, and if it never happens, you're in luck.

But don't believe everything you see on TV.

posted by Tori Scott @ 10:37 AM