Discussion on 8Asians on this nonsensical (to me, anyway) debate on whether Japan “deserves” its situation (8Asians says this is a silly debate too).

NYTimes.com opinion section recently did a link to this William Safire column that he did during the time of the Indonesian tsunami, which I think is profoundly applicable for current events:

In the aftermath of a cataclysm, with pictures of parents sobbing over dead infants driven into human consciousness around the globe, faith-shaking questions arise: Where was God? Why does a good and all-powerful deity permit such evil and grief to fall on so many thousands of innocents? What did these people do to deserve such suffering? [....]

Job’s lessons for today:

(1) Victims of this cataclysm in no way “deserved” a fate inflicted by the Leviathanic force of nature.

(2) Questioning God’s inscrutable ways has its exemplar in the Bible and need not undermine faith.

(3) Humanity’s obligation to ameliorate injustice on earth is being expressed in a surge of generosity that refutes Voltaire’s cynicism.

How Japan’s religions have a role in dealing with the tragedy.

Perhaps it’s important to remember, more than ever, what Conan O’Brien said about not succumbing to cynicism. Praying for the best to come out of Japan and the rest of the world, now more than ever.

Granted, I have nothing personal at stake (thank God), but my thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected. And, honestly, where are the good news?

So, I had to turn my attentions elsewhere. Currently reading: the satirical textbook, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Book) Teacher’s Edition: A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction.” Sick and funny. Humor makes things a little better. Sort of.

Via Angry Asian Man, I found out about “fuck yeah asian/pacific islander history,” a photo blog of APA (API) history. Really fascinating stuff. A review of the APA photo album, so to speak.

Relating to us as APA lawyers/people into APA legal history: a photo of Chinatown leaders taking a break while at court under subpoena, from the San Francisco Library. According to the blog post, in 1956, after a 1955 report from the US Consul in Hong Kong making an unsubstantiated claim that Chinese immigrants were all illegal sleeper agents/criminals:

the US Attorney Lloyd Burke subpoenas 40 major Chinese American associations demanding a full accounting of income, membership and photographs within 24 hours. Chinatowns on both coasts are raided frequently and business are disrupted at a loss of $100,000 a week. A federal judge eventually rules in favor of the Chinese, calling the subpoena attack a “mass inquisition.”

Poignant stuff: at least there was some justice. At least history says there has been some hope.

NY Times’ Nicholas Kristof observes his sympathy and admiration of Japan, under these circumstances. He had been the Tokyo bureau chief for the Times and so he has some experience about his perceptions of the Japanese:

Uncomplaining, collective resilience is steeped into the Japanese soul. We sent our eldest son to Japanese school briefly, and I’ll never forget seeing all the little kids having to go to school in shorts even in the dead of winter. The idea was that it built character. I thought it just gave kids colds. But it was one more effort to instill “gaman.” And it’s “gaman” that helped Japan recovered from World War II and tolerated the “lost decade” after the bubble economy burst in about 1990. Indeed, it might be better if Japanese complained a bit more – perhaps then their politicians would be more responsive.

One factor may also have to do with our relationship with nature. Americans see themselves as in confrontation with nature, taming it. In contrast, the Japanese conception is that humans are simply one part of nature, riding its tides — including many, many earthquakes throughout history. The Kanto earthquake of 1923 killed more than 100,000 people. The Japanese word for nature, shizen, is a modern one, dating back only a bit more than 100 years, because traditionally there was no need to express the concept. In an essay in the Times after the [1995] Kobe quake, I made some of these same points and ended with a 17th century haiku from one of Japan’s greatest poets, Basho:

The vicissitudes of life.
Sad, to become finally
A bamboo shoot.

I find something noble and courageous in Japan’s resilience and perseverance, and it will be on display in the coming days. This will also be a time when the tight knit of Japan’s social fabric, its toughness and resilience, shine through. And my hunch is that the Japanese will, by and large, work together — something of a contrast to the polarization and bickering and dog-eat-dog model of politics now on display from Wisconsin to Washington. So maybe we can learn just a little bit from Japan. In short, our hearts go out to Japan, and we extend our deepest sympathy for the tragic quake. But also, our deepest admiration.

I’m not sure about how to react to the tv coverage of the news so far, as I haven’t gotten to watch much of it. James Poniewozik at Time posts on the concern about how coverage is successful (or not) with the networks having cut back on their foreign bureaus and so coverage is due to the social network/Internet/cell phone systems.

I kind of expected more from “Nightline” than seeing Bill Weir at Santa Monica, CA, about a tsunami wave that didn’t devastate mainland USA; then, he spent a few minutes talking to the ABC Tokyo bureau correspondent; glad that they at least still have a bureau.

Nice that PBS Newshour does some context about the tsunami’s effect on the Pacific Rim; it’s good to hear that Hawaii has gotten better experience with these situations (after last year’s threat from the Chilean earthquake).

The images of the tsunami in Japan, though, are horrifyingly devastating. “Devastate” becomes a word used so often, it nearly becomes a cliche. But, I’m not sure what else one can say.

ABC did turn to Dr. Michio Kaku for scientific context about the earthquake and tsunami. I like how he explains things.

The troubling 21st Century continues.

Catching up on reading: Time Magazine on one man’s attempt to stop the tide of suicides in Japan, not a great trend in the middle of a recession.

Hat tip to Angry Asian Man for some great links, namely:

John Cho, in style, Angry Asian Man notes. Not looking like Harold or (New)Sulu at all. Thumbs up!

California gets some more Asian judges and Angry Asian Man profiles one of his readers, a law student at Howard Law, who is a founding member of their APALSA and he’s currently taking a class with Prof. Frank Wu (cool).

US Open and Ramadan – a Pakistani tennis player who tries to be cosmopolitan, religious, and professional all at once.

Jason Bateman profile. He’s come a long way from the 1980′s child acting gigs. Plus, I loved how the article mentions his Valerie/Valerie’s Family/The Hogan Family days (the one tv series with three different titles (and two networks) – an average comedy that somehow managed to stay on the air for a decent run).

Space has a smell. That’s more than I would have figured, since smell involves someone’s brain, via the senses, to detect.

People in NYC read while underground. No kidding.

More on the High Line.

NY Times’ Alessandra Stanley on the anchorwoman trend.

I can’t seem to find a link to an on-line version of the article, but Richard Huff of Daily News reported that Friday’s edition of Channel 11′s 10pm newscast was likely the first time in NYC metro area new that both anchors were Asians, with Arthur Chi’en filling in for Jim Watkins and sitting with Kaity Tong. They even acknowledged it during the news, just before the sports segment (and had otherwise made it just the usual Channel 11 news thing).

I’m confused with Barney and Robin, but that’s ok. Another season of “How I Met Your Mother” to enjoy!

Last but not least; go vote in the US Dept. of Health and Human Services‘ contest on how to prevent flu. The rapping doctor is the New Yorker, as the Daily News reported.

More fish market tomorrow.

This trip has been overshadowed by the path towards the boundaries of life and death. My father, Terry Shrivo, and now the Pope, may they rest in peace. It has been a time of reflection that everyone needs to consider in their own lives as it goes from beginning to end.

Trains in Tokyo, once you figure out what you’re supposed to be doing, are not so much worse than the NYC subway. And they are usually within 30 seconds of being on time.

American Airlines service to Tokyo is probably the best the airline has to offer. Great entertainment system, the food is decent, and good legroom, even in the middle of the aisles. If you’ve been what I been through, things like Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events or Emimem’s Mockingbird are probably not good choices if one wants to maintain composure in the main cabin.

Onward to Nagoya tomorrow (or today).