My frustration with mainstream media is growing. That is also an important lesson to be learned - In a major (or even a minor) SHTF scenario, don't expect much useful info from the media. Expect a distorted and highly aggravated view.

The situation is grave - but exactly how grave? Hard to tell. The japanese statements indicate that those who know are too busy to tell anyone, and those who are in contact with the media haven't got a clue.

According to the Japanese government, this is a level 4 accident where Tsjernobyl was 7. According to media, Andre-Claude Lacoste from the French Atomic commision (ASN) says this clearly is a level 6 accident. I'm not very good at french, but that statement does not seem to be backed up by the official ANS web site. Lacoste says the last barrier of one reactor is breached, which the Japanese supposedly denies.

All sort of speculations flourish in the media, and all sort of facts are taken out of context and blown way out of proportion. One example: One airline will measure its long distance planes from Tokyo to Europe for radiation. Now measuring is a sensible thing to do, but it isn't in any way significant, and clearly does not justify a major headline in the news.

Who has the correct info? Who to believe?