Rather bizarre photo movie

After all, who still shoots large format film?

Japan and US

From Mike Johnston at "The Online Photographer" blog...

"I worry about my own country; it seems natural at this time to think "what if." We are far less well prepared than Japan for such an event... Our government has been weakened by systematic antagonism from within, our economy made fragile by the irresponsible behavior of the greedy. Our response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was far less adequate than our response to Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and things aren't getting better: just days before the disaster in Japan, the newly elected majority in the House of Representatives passed a bill gutting the funding of, among many other things, California's tsunami early warning system—yet another irony in a dispiriting parade of ironies in America. Japan, with a far more homogenous population and greater political unity, arguably as much wealth, and far better preparation, is reeling terribly. How would we do?"

Could not be said any better.

Good Habits

With far too much attention given in popular media to teenagers making bad decisions, it was delightful to see our students beginning what I hope will be a lifelong habit of donating blood to the Red Cross. I first gave blood in college, around 1976 or so, and have been doing so ever since. It costs me nothing, as it's pretty nice to have an hour of uninterrupted reading time, and I imagine that someone, somewhere, is being helped by this act. Our kids were fantastic, as were the several teachers who set such a great example. I hope that they're all still giving in 35 years. I hope that I am as well!