People Buying Anti-Radiation Pills For The Nuclear Winter

I thought I'd never see the day that I'd be writing this headline, and although things like this have happened before and we've gotten through it. this one  is downright scary.  Note to the networks: there IS something else going on in the news besides Charlie Sheen!

Having been raised on Long Island, I remember a plant called the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant.  It was closed down in the late '80's due to protests.   People were paranoid--worried that, if something were to happen, where would Eastern Long Islanders escape to?  Where I lived, it was 102 miles to New York City, or 8 miles across the Long Island Sound to Connecticut.  (and we were good swimmers back then, but not THAT good!)

I now live in Niskayuna.  Very very close to another nuclear facility.  Boy, this situation in Japan really makes you wonder once again.  But enough selfishness here.  We should all be thinking of the catastrophe in Japan.  This is serious stuff here, and the more news that's release, the more serious it appears.  Like CHERNOBYL serious!!   And people are slowly becoming  hysterical.  The the AP reports:

An ocean away from the unfolding nuclear crisis in Japan, worried Americans are stocking up on Geiger counters and supplements that can block one effect of radiation exposure. Pharmacies around the country are rapidly running out of potassium iodide, which can protect the thyroid gland from radiation damage, the AP reports.

Suppliers say they are receiving calls from panicked customers, but experts say Americans shouldn't worry about being exposed to radiation from Japan, and shouldn't bother buying potassium iodide unless they live near a nuclear plant.

Don't mean to put a damper on your celebrations today, and there's not much we can do about it right now, so.....well.....ah, the hell with it.......drink up...I don't know how to end this.  I'm stumped.