Hi Canie. My neighbors think I’m a little weird, but they got use to me. It’s that or they have come to tolerate me. One thing for sure though. They don’t ignore me. I don’t give them the chance.

Pictures are worth a thousands words. They show what words can’t describe, or what the mind can’t comprehend from the verbal description.

I have three documentaries about the Kobe earthquake. Almost all of it is Japanese. One thing about the tapes though. You don’t have to understand the language to understand the destruction and the toll it takes on human lives.

Unfortunately I do understand the language and it was kind of like a double shot to see the destruction and listen to a small child pleading with the rescuers to find her parents and sister. It’s even harder when you hear the words “there were no survivors found.” I have often wondered what happened to that small child.

I lived in Japan for 10 years and I still find it rather hard to except that Kobe was not ready for that quake. I know the reason they weren’t ready. No one expected it to happen there.

One thing that came out of that quake that I had never seen on such a large scale before in Japan. People were helping one another. They had taken the situation into their hands and started rebuilding long before the government ever became involved. I guess there is some good even in the bad. I got a good laugh when I learned that a local Yakuza gang (Japan’s version of the mafia) were giving out blankets and water a good 24 hours before the government started.

Fear, when controlled is and can be a good motivator.

I will admit though that there are times when I’m tempted to tell the whole human race to go to know where. If they can’t prepare for them selves why should I bother with them? I have been asking my self that question for a long time. Haven’t found the answer yet. Take Care…Don in creepy town.