Radiation Found On Lester Holt, NBC News Crew In Japan

[Kennah]

Source: Huffington Post

NBC News' Lester Holt—who is in Japan covering the earthquake and nuclear crisis there—revealed on Wednesday's "Today" show that minor traces of radiation had been found on him and his news crew.

Holt and his team had been near the location of the Fukushima nuclear power plant. All major news teams were forced to retreat from the region after the threat of a meltdown increased, but NBC had its crew screened when they got to a safer location. The tests found radiation on Holt's shoes, even after they were scrubbed completely. Holt showed a video of a man with a Geiger counter screening him, and finding the radiation.


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/16/radiation-found-on-lester-holt-nbc-japan_n_836465.html

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More reasons to be very afraid.

[liberal N proud]

1. Could have told them to go to Madison

But no, they had to go to Japan. Always the ones for sensationalism, they had to go to Japan.

[totodeinhere]

7. Japan is a bigger story than Madison unless you are totally xenophobic.

This could turn out to be a nuclear nightmare of the first order. On the other hand, anything done in Wisconsin by the Republicans in charge there now can be undone after the next election. But you just can't vote out a nuclear catastrophe.

edited for typo

[liberal N proud]

9. I should have thrown sarcasm smiley on there

Thought it was clear enough

[jillan]

2. This is so unnecessary. I am so worried about everyone there.

[Politicalboi]

3. Watching now MSNBC

Some man on Tamera's show said that radiation sticks to rubber and it's hard to get it off.

[Ian David]

4. This is why journalists going to Japan need to wear a bunny suit, like Anderson Cooper does.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1BCWYEGFZjg/TOq6o3yDacI/AAAAAAAAAEM/XoTwhWNLo9A/s1600/anderson+cooper+bunny.JPG
Sorry, Anderson. Wrong kind of bunny suit.

[flamingdem]

5. Oh dear, what's the story behind that photo? nt

[Ian David]

6. Anderson Cooper Dons Bunny Suit To Amuse Apes (VIDEO)

Anderson Cooper Dons Bunny Suit To Amuse Apes (VIDEO)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/18/anderson-cooper-dons-bunn_n_785438.html

[htuttle]

16. Okay, that's a case where the caption is weirder than the photo

[Fearless]

8. They need to define "minor" radiation. You get exposed to minor radiation flying...

During X-Rays, CT Scans, etc. How "minor" is "minor"?

[sudopod]

10. They also need to clarify the difference between contamination and radiation.

Radiation (gamma, alpha, beta rays, etc) does not stick to things. Contamination is radioactive debris attached to people, and it is contamination that rad protection workers are sweeping for with Geiger counters.

Contamination is bad because it is delivering radiation dose at a constant rate in very close proximity to live tissue.

[Fearless]

12. +1

[cbdo2007]

11. Why be "very afraid"?? They were right there next to the Fukushima plant.

It wasn't like they were in Hawaii and got radiation. They thought it would be a good idea to get closer.

[jakeXT]

13. Everybody is radioactive

Potassium-40 is the largest source of natural radioactivity in animals and people. An adult human body contains about 160 grams of potassium, of which a small fraction is potassium-40. From the isotope abundance and half-life it can be calculated that this produces about 300,000 disintegrations per minute, continuously, throughout the life of the body.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium-40

[Bozita]

14. Diane Sawyer was back in NY tonight. During her newscast, they cut live to the weekend anchor in an

... airport in Japan. He was leaving in 30 minutes.

Most of the US media folks I've been seeing on my teevee have NOT looked pleased to be there. Especially today!

[CrawlingChaos]

15. and Geiger counters only detect gamma radiation, I believe

I was listening to an interview with Helen Caldicott (anti-nuke activist & pediatrician) and she was commenting on the inadequacy of those hand-held detectors because they only pick up less harmful gamma radiation, and not alpha and beta radiation from more sinister elements like plutonium, cesium and strontium 90.

Here's the interview, which is very alarming:

http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2011/03/dr-helen-caldicott-on-the-medical-ramifications-of-radiation-exposure.html?site=newcastle&program=newcastle_afternoons

[unkachuck]

17. "...tests found radiation on Holt's shoes,..."

....I wonder what else we could find on holts shoes?....hey less, you've got to walk faster and tip-toe more to get that story....

....and what story was that?

"Holt and his team had been near the location of the Fukushima nuclear power plant."

Were you there checking-out the bosses Mark 1s that are melting down? When you, brian and matt drew corporate assignment straws, did you get the short one?....take care less, we love ya....

[rug]

18. Bull Shit Found On Bill O'Reilly, FOX News Crew In New York

[Bozita]

19. Anybody know the half-life of FauxNews bullshit?

You'd think Billo would know.