26 April 2006

I'm sorry, I have to do this

For the funny stuff, scroll down to previous posts.

I'm sorry. I just feel I have to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the meltdown at Chernobyl some way. I am feeling so crushed by it. Part of it is personal - the time that Chernobyl happened was one of the suckiest Springs of my life - but then there's something about a nuclear meltdown that is a bit of a bummer, generally (to put it in So Cal terms).

The brave Elena's website about her motorcycle trips in the Chernobyl area is a good place to start. Her spare text and plentiful photos give a good look at the ghostly spectacle that the nuclear wasteland still is.

For basic info about the accident if you are young or if you have forgotten, Chernobyl Info has the facts.

Slate has a photo essay of beautiful and horrifying images of people affected by the disaster.

If you have some spare cash, consider a donation to one of the charities helping Chernobyl survivors. Unfortunately, they will need help for some time to come. At least 300 years.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting on this. It needs to be remembered, particularly for the children that were "victims" (I hate that word) and are in need of assistance...

noncommon said...

i was reading an article about this last night. and the children..... it's just so sickening. one question that someone posed to these little kids (ages 3 & 4) was if they still wanted to be alive knowing the rest of their lives were going to be no different. the answer was no. painful. off to do my small part. thanks for the extra push!

spotted elephant said...

Elena's site is overwhelming. I bookmarked it a while back, but haven't been able to return to it yet.

It's so overwhelming. When people start talking about using nuclear power in the US as a "green" alternative, they always say that Chernobyl couldn't happen here. What arroagance!

Incredibly sad. We can't forget.

Anonymous said...

I read the Slate thing already and it's heartbreaking.

Hope everyone is prepared because nuclear power, with all it's inherent dangers, is poised to become a much more common form of power all around the world, including in the USA.

Christina said...

I checked out all of those links, and I'm glad you posted them. This tragedy needs to be remembered, and we need to remember that people are still affected by it.

Diz Rivera said...

Amazing links, Sue. Thanks for posting these.

SUEB0B said...

Thanks, everyone, for remembering with me.

Anonymous said...

Elena's website was very frightening. Not being able to go back for up to 600 years to live? Goodness....scary stuff. I'm happy to know that the nuclear plants that are in our own country are much different than those in Russia.

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