writeaboutwarming

March 14, 2011 – It’s impossible not to write about Japan, though the subject is so vast, it’s difficult to know how to grab hold of it. The miserable luck of a country that happens to straddle three tectonic plates? The insatiable appetite of tidal waves? The wreckage? The quiet courage of the Japanese people? The lack of looting? One of the inevitable consequences of this tragedy will be a shortage of food. In the near term, food aid is being provided to the Japanese people by a number of donor nations. We’ve all experienced anxiety on behalf of Japan as we look at telecasts of the mountains of refuse which aid workers will encounter. How will food get to where it’s needed? Once helicopters are no longer needed for search and rescue, they can be pressed into service. The shortage of gas that currently exists will play a role, as well. The fact that very large numbers of people have congregated in shelters ought to help. It will be up to the Japanese people to persist in...