After the May 3, 1999 F5 tornado in OKC, driving to work every day required me to cross the mile-wide swath of destruction the tornado left between my home and my work location. The sight of rubble piles where houses had been, houses with missing roofs and walls, and automobiles scattered, crushed, and twisted like the Jolly Green Giant's beer cans assaulted by eyes for many, many days. It was quite depressing.
Now, I try to imagine what a whole region of a country (Japan) in this condition would be like. The devastation is simply unimaginable: first a very severe earthquake, then tsunami-driven floods, and now who-knows-what from damaged nuclear reactors. Health care, transportation, utilities, and communications are down completely or heavily impaired and will remain so for some time. It's so far from my personal experience (thank goodness) that it's really hard to comprehend.
If you haven't done something to help, pick up your cell phone and text redcross to 90999 to donate $10 to the relief effort. It only takes a minute, and if everyone would do it, a considerable donation would result. Your fellow humans need a hand.
Thanks in advance!
Chuck / Prof. Oates
Norman, OK, USA
15 March 2011
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