I can't move away from my TV.

I have a kidhood friend on his way to Japan.  He's a nuclear physicist at MIT.  I am compelled to watch the evolving tragedy on CNN.  I am compelled to learn everything I can about rod containment systems.  And I am compelled to watch, to look, to stare to see if I see Alan's plane flying across the TV screen.


Ridiculous.  This is my shock showing.  My personal nuclear 'meltdown.'  I wish it were me doing the heroics of flying into the irradiated, formerly beautiful seaport of our allies.  In my powerlessness, I instead sit and stare.  I am amazed at the stalwartness of the Japanese people.  Where is the emotional chaos?  The looting of what's left?  The neighbor-turning-against-neighbor of the Darwinian America?

Many have nothing, and have lost home, friends, and family.  Stunned living legacies of lives that were formerly great-- but have become even greater in my eye.

I turn a selfish eye inward and wonder how I would behave in these circumstances if I were one who survived.  I would never, could never, have such grace and dignity.  Such resilience.

And I am ashamed at the riots that would take place after the U-M/MSU football games.

Gas crisis for non-profits

This is the most regressive situation for people who are poor and for organizations marginally on the fringe.  Senior meals-on-wheels is rigidly grant-funded.  They can't sustain services at these high gas price levels.  Neither can the volunteers who commit themselves to driving cancer patients to chemotherapy every day.  Food deliveries to food banks will slow and become less frequent-- reducing choice and availability for low income people.  For those who do have cars, they will become more isolated as social traveling becomes restricted and more optional.  All of us will feel the effects of the increased price of consumables at the supermarket.

The "knee-jerk" reaction to raise prices because of Libya (despite the absence of evidence to indicate that the U.S. supply is realistically affected...) is causing knee-jerk organizational management strategis for thousand of non-profit administrators as they limit staff travel, limit services they provide... and ultimatly control and limit the lives of people who don't have many choices to begin with.