journal features

quake!

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Kokubunji, 2021.10.07

We had a great earthquake today, a 6.1 in Tokyo, or a "5-" in Japan's system. Everyone who was here for the quake in 2011 seems to feel that this is a prelude to something larger. I get that anxiety but obviously hope that's misplaced. Because it was a big deal tonight, coming at 22:40 or so. Several of our neighbors ran into the street here in the suburbs. I had to check in at work immediately, and found that a number of my senior managers and senior technical staff had already signed in to check the health of various systems.

Sadly, people who were still in the office (yes) couldn't leave because the elevators were locked down.

Everyone was fine, including our young nephew who lives downtown.

Mari and I agreed that it's just as well that we didn't get an aquarium in this aging house.

rand()m quote

On the endless saga of Rob Ford, mayor of Toronto; "It shouldn't have had to come to this. I'm so tired of getting up every morning and wondering, 'What will it be today?' I'm so tired of giving the benefit of the doubt again and again, only to be let down again and again.... Somewhere a responsible adult has to appear, draw a bright moral line, tell the truth and say unequivocally what won't be tolerated. Somebody has to do the right thing."

—Denzil Minnan-Wong