I should have explained a couple of points I was trying to make.

* I don't believe that the authorities in Japan are deliberately trying to confuse people. I'm sure they are not. But I do think that they've got more info at their fingertips than what they are telling the public. You can be dead certain that the power plant operators MUST have some radiation level measurements already. They've got to. Likewise, I'd be very surprised if some Japanese Gov't scientists don't have some data too. So where is this data??? Nowhere to be found. They need to release the figures to their own public.

* I disagree with the idea that tons of info is out there. It's not that simple. What we've got is tons of scraps of information spread out over thousands of Web sites. That does absolutely no good. It needs to be coordinated to one Web site - where everyone can find it. No coordination means no useful information. No big picture.

* The Japanese Gov't doesn't owe me anything. I totally agree on that one. They don't owe me diddly squat. But they SHOULD be getting the data out to their own citizens.

* I'm not trying to do Monday Morning quarterbacking on the Japanese response. I'm trying to learn what i can - so we can apply it to where I live. My neighborhood is in So. California. We could have the same disaster happen to our coastline at any time in the future. It would be nice to learn some important lessons. Personally, I have learned a LOT by watching what happened in Japan.

* The name "Wikileaks" seems to conjure up conspiracy ideas for some people. So let me scrap that name. We need some sort of place on the Web where real-time disaster reports can be filed. Esp. reports from people inside the disaster zone. That would be truly helpful. I do see a tendency for governments to try to monopolize information so they can "decide" how best to respond. I suggest that the best way for any free society to respond is for governments to give the data directly to their citizens. Let people on the street also have a chance to evaluate the information and decide their own responses.

I did notice today that many local teams of Japanese responders are already hard at work - rescuing people and digging out survivors. So the Japanese people are doing an awesome job at the local level.

Finally ... let me be humble. I doubt that we are anywhere near as ready in So. California as the people of Japan are - for a major disaster like this. This would be a very tough experience for us. I hope that we are learning something positive ... there are only so many chances before the real test comes.

other Pete