In a nuclear catastrophe such as in Japan, how far does the radiation really spread and how dangerous is it?

Question:

I hear of other countries expressing concern, but the people in farther away places in Japan like Tokyo seem to be fine. I heard the radiation spreads so far and reaches over continents, but how far does the dangerous radiation spread really and how long is it around? Japan had nuclear disasters before, but the people seemed to be living just fine. I thought places become uninhabitable for a long time after that.

Answer:

There are several types of radioactive material being pumped into the air and into the sea. Radiation has reached the jet stream and is now being carried not just to the western U.S. but across the midwestern states as well.

There is no "safe" level, and exposure to radiation is cumulative. What the people trying to make you believe there is no problem base their percentages on (if anything) are excursion limits. The amount of radiation you can be exposed to for four hours in a lifetime without immediate health problems or death. So you are getting the same as six lifetime exposures every day, but they don't mention that. And it goes on and on.

The people trying to minimize the problem should be horse-whipped.