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Well, since Friday, I have heard the news about this huge earthquake in Japan. Looking at the TV news reports, It surely is SCARY! As you know, there was a big earthquake in New Jealand lately, also a big earthquake in China. But we didn't get much news about them so far. And since I live in the country where earthquakes hardly take place, this is really something for me - besides, it's not that far from where I live.

There are number of big Collector friends I know in Japan, all lives in the territory where this earthquake struck. I hope they are well (and their collections, too.)

And I hope this World would not come to the end in 2012... I know the source of that idea is a bunch of rubbish, but things are going haywire lately.

Mark.

Yes it is scary to think what can happen. Living in San Francisco, these past 25 years, and having survived one major earthquake--the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Loma_ ... earthquake -- I know, first hand, how terrifying and totally destructive it can be.

In San Francisco, because of it's substantial Japanese population, a number of resources have been called into play to help people locate relatives and friends living in Japan.

Along this line, Google, and other search sites have set up "People Finder" pages, which allows the user to type in individual names to see if there have been any reports. I'm not sure how comprehensive this is, but if you're interested, here's the jump to Google's page:

http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/?lang=en

(This article explains what it's all about: http://mercerisland.patch.com/articles/ ... in-japan-5 )

These are indeed terrible things that have been happening lately, and that are happening right now in Japan as a result. The people of Japan must be extremely worried about what's happening at the nuclear power plant and the potential meltdown. On top of the natural disasters, such a man made disaster would be devistating for Japan & effect all of us to varying degrees. I guess it just goes to show that no matter how smart we like to think we have become with all out technology, it's all pretty meaningless when you look at the big picture & the power of mother nature.
My heart certainly goes out Japan & I wish them well, as I do all the people & countries effected by recent events.
I must say I'd be more than a little worried if I lived in places like San Francisco & California with all these quakes of late.
But perhaps something good might come come from this, by encouraging the governments of the world to look for safer fuel & power alternatives.
I wouldn't put too much faith in the end of the world theorists though. Life has survived the breaking up of Pangaea, and early man has survived ice ages etc, so I'm pretty confident we will survive almost anything as a species. And as they say, the only 2 things you can be sure of in life is death & taxes, so even if I'm taken out early due to nuclear fall-out or something, at least I can honestly say I've enjoyed my life on this planet, but it wouldn't have been anywhere near as enjoyable if I didn't have my little wind-up noise makers