Monday Meanders 3-14

The Island of Honsu, Japan, moved 8 feet to the West*** and 3 feet or so to the South - and parts of the island sunk by a foot. The axis of rotation of the Earth has been displaced by 4 inches. And the rotation of the Earth has been slowed***** by 1.5 microseconds. That was one powerful earthquake. Thousands of Japanese have died. Likely, tens of thousands.

Imagine, if you will, that those were YOUR uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers and sisters, and even parents, in those towns that were swept away by the flood of tsunami water. Then say a prayer for those people. Then.

It is hard for us, at this distance, to understand - to truly feel what those people and those who care for and about them feel and have felt. It's hard for us to empathize. But if you can imagine, if you can see in your mind, the struggles of a young child caught in a churning swirl of debris filled sea water, then you can begin to understand some of the scale of this tragedy. That scene must have been repeated hundreds of times - to children, mothers, grandparents. People just like you and me. Dying alone and scared in a furious nature's unforgiving torrent. Pray for those people. They are, after all, us.

Both Cubs' split squad teams won yesterday. Pitching looks good. Very good. Defense is looking much better. Hitting looks just a little anemic - but getting better. Once again, Hope springs eternal.

Ndinombethe.

***Correction!! EAST. I thought about this and West made no sense, so I went back and looked further into it. It did, in fact, move East - just as parts of South America (really, really BIG parts of South America) moved to the West due to the Chilean earthquake of recent vintage. Buenos Aires, on the OTHER SIDE of the continent from the quake, moved Westward by an inch. The Earth is in the process of re-assembling the SuperContinent.

*****Correction!! Speeded up. The day is shortened.