Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Earthquake

Where were you when it happened?
In my office.
But it was a public holiday.
There was a lot of miscellaneous stuff to catch up on.
Ha, zatsuyo?
Some of those houses just wobbled and fell down. Apparently old ones with big windows and few supporting walls inside were most at risk.
Fair enough.
That was an architect’s appraisal.
Good analysis, but you know from what I heard, there wasn’t enough preparation to even supply even drinking water.
And it’s raining.
I know. Sometimes I think preparations for emergencies are not a Japanese strong point. You know, nuclear power stations in Japan, and there are 55 of them, were built without adequate planning of how to protect them from major earthquakes. I saw one “expert” on TV saying they couldn’t predict how strong an earthquake was going to be so how could they build in protective measures? I wonder if it’s something to do with language.
Language?
You know I just saw on TV, after the quake, firemen in Tokyo reacting to the Niigata quake by preparing for an earthquake. Saying things like, “Gambatte, genki de, yoroshiku,” and rushing outside to practise hoisting ladders and squirting hoses. What does “gambatte, genki de, yoroshiku” mean?
Those are expressions to create a feeling, like encouragement. Akin to saying something like “Put your best foot forward altogether now, let’s do it.”
Hmm. But no specific ten point plan?

There usually is a plan. Step one: Deny. Step two Cover up. Step three: find a scapegoat.
A scapegoat? For an earthquake?
...

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