Could have posted any of a number of articles out there, but will relate what is going on with my relatives and friends over in Japan. Although, much of the Japan news is now relegated to lower level stiries as it is old news. I was happy to learn that relief effort finally wereallowed, on my birthday, after misleading comments made by a US nuclear regulatory commission official delayed the efforts. Gotta smile when those Marine boys spread a little joy.

Both my numerous relatives, and friends, in Japan are about 200 miles from the epicenter and about 100 miles from the Fukushima nuke problem.

I called many of my relatives last Thursday, just before lunchtime in Japan. My Japanese language skills are poor, at best. However, when listening to them they sound good. Although, not upbeat. I was happy to hear their voices and they sounded like they were happy that I called to check on them. My Uncle, who is a government official, is still working hard. My cousins and Aunts are all good. There was mention of aftershocks and rolling blackouts in their English (about the same level as my Japanese).

My friends over there run an English pre-school, and they have translated on many occasions for me. Attendance has dropped off dramatically because of fuel concerns. The earthquake really got to them as the few kids that were still at school at the time started crying. Not that they are not used to quakes. But, this one lasted longer than usual. Instead of the usual several seconds to less than a minute, this one went on for about three minutes. It was not the quake, it was the duration that freaked the kids. More than 200 miles from the epicenter.

Lines for fuel/gas are still two to three hours long, and when you get to the front you are rationed. No filling up. I can only imagine how much is charged for gas. Last Oct (I'll go again in Sept) when I was there for a ceremony, the price of a liter (about a quart) was about what we pay here in the states for a gallon. There have been runs on ready to eat food and bottled water and other consumables to where the store shelves are bare - still. Bicycles are sold out as many are using them to get to work or school or to the rail system because of the lack of gasoline. Remember, this is happening inland and quite a distance from where all of the real disaster struck.

The back-of-the-mind concern is not so much about the radiation problem at Fukushima, but more that there is a "Big One" coming. There are continuing aftershocks as well as other independent earthquakes.