!/2 hour to submit to me nuclear power plant questions

[Racer X]

I am drinking tonight, Thirstday as usual. One of my drinking buddies manages 2 power plants here in Washington. 1 turbine, and the other some massive diesels. Anyway, he is schooled in nuclear plants as well.

Another buddy has a Masters degree in thermal engineering, and is very well versed with nuclear theory.

I'm leaving at @ 6:30 PST.

[N-OS X-tasy!]

Why the heck didn't the Japanese provide better protection for the emergency power backup generators into their plants? From everything I've read so far, this really was the Achilles heel of these plant designs.

[Drew]

What is the realistic worst-case scenario?

[Speedy]

How about, "Are our nukes really safer than the Japanese models? If so, why? We have the same kind of GE reactors of this vintage."

[deckeda]

I just read that the seawall was 20ft, and considered high enough. But 3 ft. too short.

What I'm not yet clear on, is that while the earthquake triggered and automatic shutdown of the reactor, it seemed to go too far, and killed power to the primary cooling. Or maybe that was instead damaged.

[decocritter]

How bad of shape/age/design are US Plants, and what about the new one they are building in Georgia...

[Paul F.]

I've got one...

Assuming the pressure vessels of units 1, 2, and 3 are still intact..
How long will they require cooling before the decay heat and temperatures allow the fuel (in whatever shape it's in) to be removed and the plant decommissioned?
Months, or years?

[decocritter]

What emergency supplies should we really have and do I need to turn my basement into a bunker of sorts.

[Buzz]

will Tiger Woods win a major this year?

[mattkime]

how big will the cockroaches get?