2011 Japan Disaster

Horror, Romance, and Artistry at the Japan Cuts Fest

The pop and the profound

Pray for Japan

Galileo: Star Witness

F. Murray Abraham embodies Brecht's complex, compromising hero at CSC

FIGHTING SPIRIT

A Japanese village rebuilds with help from Chim↑Pom

Short and… Sweet, Sincere, Cloying, Beautiful: Oscar Nominees, in Brief

Doomsday Clock, Still a Total Buzz Kill, Predicts Disaster

​The Doomsday Clock, a very appropriately named metaphorical timepiece that predicts the possibility of nuclear apocalypse, says that the world is a figurative minute closer to radioactive catastrophe than it was in 2010, the Los Angeles Times reports. The clock, run by the Science and Secur ... More >>

Robots Take Over Japanese Farmland

Well, either the future or the robopocalypse is upon us: Japanese officials have just announced that they plan on opening a robot-run farm in the tsunami disaster zone, The Telegraph reports.

Here Are the 20 Most-Read Village Voice Stories of 2011

Somewhat unbelievably, here we find ourselves on the last Friday of 2011. We hope this year has been a good one for you. As for us, well, we can't complain too much. After all, this is the post in which we get to brag a little: The most-read stories in the Voice for the year. Whee. Previous top stor ... More >>

Radioactive Baby Formula Sold in Japan

​At least 400,000 cans of baby formula on sale in Japan contain radioactive cesium, but the island nation's government says that the contamination isn't dangerous, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Under Control

UC Davis Chancellor Announces Pepper Spray Review; Japan Earthquake; Violent Protests in Egypt

After footage of a police officer dousing students with pepper spray went viral, UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi announced she is forming a "task force" to look into the incident. She told CNN, "We really want to look into this very carefully and take action ... make sure that it will never happen ... More >>

Israeli Ambassador Airlifted Out of Egypt; Japanese Man Questioned About Air Force One Leak; State of Emergency Declared in Texas

Scenes from Springtime anti-Mubarak protests​Israel airlifted its ambassador out of their Cairo embassy after protesters swarmed the building, the Washington Post reports. Protests have been growing after the deaths of three Egyptian border guards who were killed by Israeli troops who say they ... More >>

French Restaurant Gives Back Michelin Star; Food Blogger Sent to Jail For Negative Review

​French eatery Le Lisita just couldn't take the pressure anymore and decided to voluntarily give back its Michelin star after the increased staff costs that came with the ranking hurt profits post-global financial meltdown. [The Telegraph] A food blogger in Taipei was sentenced to 30 days in ... More >>

Doomsday Just 15 Days Away This May 21, Subway Ad Warns

​Just a reminder: Doomsday is coming on May 21, a scant 15 days away. So start collecting bottled water and flare guns. We learned this from a woman passing out fliers near the shuttle stop in Grand Central Station. We also learned this from an advertisement in the East 96th Street subway sta ... More >>

Japanese Sushi Is Way Less Radioactive Than British Lobster

​As with anything involving marine life and nuclear reactors, there is bad news, and then there is cold-comfort news.The bad news is, of course, is that Japan's horribly damaged Fukushima Dai-Ichi power plant has been dumping radioactive material into the sea, which has made people worry that ... More >>

Surviving the Bomb in Children of Hiroshima

Mafia Disorganized; 17 Killed in Tornados; Radioactivity Rises Off Japan Coast

​The Mafia is out of commission. Rather, the Mafia Commission, the caucus of leaders of the five main crime families, apparently hasn't met in 25 years. Cue "disorganized crime" joke. [NYDN] A tornado warning has been issued for parts of Georgia as the death toll from recent twisters rises to 17. ... More >>

7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan, Tsunami Warning Issued [Updated: Warning Canceled]

Orange indicates 2 meter high waves, via JMA​Initially reported as a 7.4 magnitude, an earthquake struck Japan this morning, leading to another tsunami alert issued for the already ravaged northeastern coast. The Japanese Meteorological Agency has a map indicating seismic activity. Tsunami wav ... More >>

TO JAPAN, WITH LOVE

An all-Brooklyn benefit for disaster relief

Radioactive Water Gushing into Pacific From Nuclear Plant Is 'Millions of Times Over Limit'

​The situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant seems to get worse daily. According to CNN, the radiation level of water now flowing into the Pacific from the plant is "more than millions of times above the regulatory limit." Radiation from samples taken over the weekend outside one of t ... More >>

Top Chef Alums Rally to Raise Money for Japan

​Though Richard Blaise is busy parlaying his Top Chef victory into a stint shilling for the National Pork Board, some of his fellow reality show survivors are lending their names and food to a more philanthropic endeavor.

Tsunami Dog and Owner Are Reunited

via​Happy news! The dog that managed to survive for three weeks by clinging to the roof of a house after being swept up in Japan's tsunami has been reunited with its owner. The owner of the dog, whose name is Ban, found her at an animal care center in Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture, after seeing ... More >>

Bodies of Two Fukushima Workers Found; Teen Dies After Being Hit By Train

via NYDNAdrian Rodriguez​The bodies of two workers at Fukushima Daiichi missing since the earthquake and tsunami on March 11 have been found. Kazahiko Kokubo, 24, and Yoshiki Terashima, 21, were discovered in the basement of the No. 4 reactor; they appear to have suffered multiple traumatic injur ... More >>

Radioactive Water From Japan Plant Leaking Into Pacific; Arkansas Students Must Pull Up Pants

via Reuters​Officials say that highly radioactive water is leaking into the Pacific from a crippled reactor at Fukushima Daiichi. Water from a concrete pit has been seen escaping through a crack into the ocean; radiation levels in that pit have been measured at "1,000 millisieverts per hour, which ... More >>

'Tsunami Dog' Rescued at Sea After Three Weeks

via​Happy news for adorable animals in trouble! A dog caught in Japan's tsunami and believed to have been at sea for three weeks has been rescued by the Japanese coast guard. The dog managed to cling to the roof of a washed-away house, apparently, and had been adrift since March 11. He was "em ... More >>

SONIC RELIEF

Two benefits for Japan draw marquee names

American Red Cross Donations to Japan Hit $120.5 Million

​Previously, we've covered the Red Cross's efforts to help Japan, and answered the question of "What Is the Red Cross Doing With Your Donations to Japan?" Today the American Red Cross announced that the total amounted donated to Japan for relief following the earthquake and tsunami has reached ... More >>

What's Happening This Week: Eating and Drinking for Good Causes

As you may know, our weekly dining and drinking newsletter features all the coolest epicurean events in the city. Sign up for it here! Salmon Week Aquavit March 28-April 1, April 4-8 You wouldn't know it by checking the mercury, but it's spring. Celebrate the season the Swedish way... with salmon! ... More >>

A Musical Guide to Japan Benefits and Valiantly Intentioned Fundraising Efforts, Featuring Thrill Jockey and Rebecca Black

​"I've been inspired by Japan for many years and have a true love, appreciation and respect for the Japanese people and their culture," said early American-adopter and purveyor of Japan's Harajuku girl style, Gwen Stefani. "The disaster in Japan is beyond heartbreaking and I want to do anythin ... More >>

False Alarm at Fukushima; Bus That Killed Cyclist Located; Padded Bikini Tops for Kids

​There was a scare this morning when radiation levels in water coming from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant were reported to be 10 million times above normal. It turned out the Tokyo Electric Power Company made a mistake and the radiation spike was not nearly that extreme, although still high. ... More >>

Liz Taylor Late to Her Own Funeral; Earthquake Kills 74 in Myanmar; 100-Year Anniversary of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

​• Elizabeth Taylor was late to her own funeral, because she asked to be. She was laid to rest in L.A.'s Forest Lawn Memorial Park yesterday in a ceremony that began 15 minutes late at her stipulation. Westboro Baptist, who'd threatened to picket, did not appear. Taylor shares a "large, mult ... More >>

Maru the Cat Says Hi, Is Well

We were all very happy to learn that Maru was safe following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Here he is, in case you were worried, too. His owner thanks everyone for their messages and concern. We're hoping for the best for everyone in the aftermath of the disaster.

430 Times Normal Radiation Near Fukushima Nuclear Plant; Indian Point Operators Consider Changes; William Shatner Is 80

​• Soil tested 25 miles from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on Monday had radiation at "430 times normal levels" as reported by Japan's Science Ministry. Tokyo Electric's executive VP has visited evacuees in the area to apologize for the situation. In addition, it seems that multipl ... More >>

Klaus Jacob, Columbia Disaster Expert: Why Closing Indian Point Makes Sense

​In October 2008, the Voice profiled Klaus Jacob, Columbia University's expert on urban environmental disasters. In that story, we examined how the Ivy League school had ignored warnings by its own expert about expanding into areas subject to flooding because of climate change. Today we talke ... More >>

Oh No! Napkins Are Shrinking; Starbucks Hot Tea Claim Suspicious

​Apparently, napkins are shrinking. The average size has gone from 30 inches square some 25 years ago to 20. [Wall Street Journal] Alice Waters's daughter, Fanny Singer, admits that she sometimes buys imported, non-organic fruit out of season, surely to her mother's disapproval. [Wall Street ... More >>

Learn to Pickle and Help Out Japan

Brooklyn BrinePickle for a good cause​Many New York City restaurants are pitching in to assist with the crisis following Japan's tsunami and earthquake, and this week Brooklyn Brine will be holding a special pickling class, from which 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Doctors Without Bor ... More >>

80-Year-Old Grandma and Teenage Grandson Rescued After 9 Days in Tsunami Rubble

via​Here's another bit of good news from Japan: An 80-year-old grandma and her 16-year-old grandson were rescued after 9 days spent trapped under tsunami rubble in the kitchen of their collapsed home. The teen, Jin Abe, was finally able to climb out of the wreckage on Sunday and draw the atten ... More >>

Qaddafi Vows 'Long War'; Two Saved From Rubble in Japan; Wyclef Jean Shot in Haiti

A Libyan jet crashes in Benghazi. NYT via Patrick Baz/AFP​The U.N.-sanctioned allied attack on Libyan targets continues today as Muammar Qaddafi promises a "long war," telling state television that "We will not leave our land and we will liberate it." U.S., French, and British forces began air str ... More >>

Obama Takes Firmer Stance on Libya; Radiation Found in Food Near Fukushima Nuclear Plant

via AP​Following a shift by Hillary Clinton, President Obama spoke from the White House yesterday to take somewhat of a harder line on U.S. intervention in Libya: "If Colonel Qaddafi does not comply with the resolution, the international community will impose consequences. The resolution will be e ... More >>

Berkeley Residents Panicking Over Almost Non-Existent Radiation

​The Daily has an article (not that I can read the whole thing in my iPad-less state!) about irritating Berkeley, Calif. residents being irrationally afraid of radiation from the nuclear crisis in Japan. They are flocking to the area's health food vitamin apothecary-places to buy potassium iodide, ... More >>

Man Films His Drive Through the Tsunami [Video]

We've seen a lot of devastating tsunami videos. This one, from the Telegraph, ends well, although it's certainly harrowing: While a man drives on a coastal road, tsunami waves overtake his vehicle. He keeps filming the whole way -- without even a scream -- which is, to say the least, pretty fucking ... More >>

Japanese Nuclear Crisis Continues; It's St. Patrick's Day; Employees Fired for Shrink-Wrapping Coworker

​• The nuclear crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Tokyo continues. Americans within 50 miles of the plant have been told to evacuate. The Japanese government has issued an evacuation zone of 12 miles, and says that those within 20 miles should "take shelter." Meanwhile, officials are s ... More >>

Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Should Close, Says Gov. Andrew Cuomo

​If an earthquake were to hit the New York area, the reactor with the highest risk of damage is Reactor 3 at Indian Point in Westchester, New York, just 24 miles from the Bronx. "The suggestion is that of all the [104] power plants across the country, that the Indian Point power plant is most ... More >>

Eric LeVine 'In' at Montammy Golf Club; Shaun Hergatt Planning New Resto

​Eric LeVine, who was a winner on the Food Network's Chopped, is now cooking at the Montammy Golf Club in Alpine, N.J. [Kinetic News] Shaun Hergatt has announced that he is planning a new restaurant in the next two years that will be a little bit closer to Midtown. [Zagat Buzz] Mario Batali ... More >>

Man Finds Wife and Mother in Japan by Searching in Scuba Gear

​A bit of good news in the midst of the sad, the L.A. Times has the pretty great story of a one Japanese man who managed to find his wife and mother after days of waiting for outside help by donning scuba gear and going out and searching for them. Appropriately, Hideaki Akaiwa, 43, met his wif ... More >>

Radiation From Japan Is Headed for California...But Don't Worry

​Before you freak out over the words "radioactive plume" hitting Southern California, know that any radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan will be diluted and, via the New York Times, "at worst, would have extremely minor health consequences in the United States, even if hints of ... More >>

U.S. Airport Radiation Detectors Being Triggered by Japanese Passengers

​There are fewer words scarier than "nuclear meltdown" and, of course, "radiation." So it's not surprising that Americans are concerned, particularly on the West Coast, where low, reportedly "not dangerous" levels of radiation are now headed, about possible fallout from the nuclear crisis at J ... More >>

Mehtaphor Launches After School Program for (Precocious) Foodie Kids

Mehtaphor​Jehangir Mehta has been working with kids for a while, notably through his famed Candy Camp. So it shouldn't be surprising that he has a new venture for the young'uns aged 4 to 16 called Gastro-Kids After School Program, which begins this Friday at Mehtaphor. How perfect, too, sinc ... More >>

Sad Japanese Cat Is Reportedly Safe!

via​Yesterday we posted an image of a cat in Japan that seemed to be just hanging on with the most heart-wrenching of expressions above what we, given the timing, interpreted as tsunami water. We would like to correct ourselves. It turns out that the photo, which had been reblogged by WNYC's T ... More >>

Eat and Drink for Japan

​Tonight from 6 to 8 p.m., 100 percent of proceeds at Mehtaphor will go to the Japanese Red Cross to benefit disaster efforts in Japan. But even if you can't make it to the restaurant, there are other places where you can put your appetites to more philanthropic use.