MADRID (MarketWatch) -- The 8.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Japan on Friday is the strongest ever to hit the country, according to historical data on the U.S. Geological Survey website. Data stretch back to 1891 and included in those records are ones that have hit near coastal areas of Japan. In 1896, an 8.5 quake hit Sanriku, Japan, killing 27,000 and causing a tsunami of 25 meters. The quake that resulted in the most fatalities occurred in 1923, when a 7.9 quake struck Kanto, killing 143,000. It is one of the world's most destructive earthquakes in history. In recent history, the Kobe quake of 1995 was the most deadly, measuring 6.9 and killing 5,502. Japan is located on a fault line called the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone to earthquakes over history.
Worst ever.
Sometimes you look a the news, watch the turbulence in the Middle East, the political upheaval and class warfare here, and the natural disasters and other forces of nature that are negatively impacting humanity all over the globe and think - we are at some kind of breaking point.
Dunno how far I want to go with this, but there is this school of spiritual thought that says all the energy we throw out into the world with our thoughts, words and actions has repercussions.
When we are acting, talking or thinking negatively, that is the energy we send out into the world.
When we are acting, talking or thinking positively, that is the energy we send out into the world.
It is so hard these days - with the unrivaled assaults of middle and working class people, on union members, on teachers, to NOT want to fight negativity with negativity.
But this earthquake in Japan reminds me that while it is VERY important to fight all the horrors we have seen in recent years against working people, union members and teachers, it is also important to remember to keep to our positive core of progressive, community-based values.
My thoughts are with all the people affected by this earthquake and tsunami today.
I woke up at 4am today to my radio and heard first thing about the tsunami and the earthquake. Later, I found a website with a tsunami warning for the San Francisco Bay Area. There were 8 or 9 comments, most of which were excoriating the writer for poor grammar and spelling. One comment even mocked the writer for saying (I paraphrase) "what's the big deal with waves of only 1 to 3 feet?" (clearly that person had no understanding that the danger with tsunamis is not wave "height" but wavelength and wave frequency) There were no words of prayer for the victims in Japan, there were no sensible comments regarding preparedness, just a load of sarcasm and snideness.
ReplyDeleteAs you said, RBE, negativity. I pray for the people of Japan, and, being an animal lover, I also can't help but wonder about the companion animals and other creatures who might have suffered or been swept out to sea or killed in the earthquake.
I also say little prayers every day for those in power in our country and in our world, that one day they will understand that implementing policies that hurt the majority of the people they represent is not the Way. Whether they act with hatred is immaterial - they act without consideration for their neighbors. Sins of omission are sins nonetheless.