What a week! The devastation in Japan really overshadowed the unrest in Libya, and that overshadowed the problems in Egypt and other parts of the Middle East. The still unfolding crisis in Japan is changing history, rocking the world economic markets, adversely affecting existing unemployment problems, and has the ability to severely devalue the U.S. dollar. More important is the developing humanitarian catastrophe and the growing inability to help due to a strong risk of radiation exposure.

This is a devastating multi-faceted event to rival historical events like the great plague and the tsunami in Indonesia several years ago. As the world rushes to render assistance, the challenge is that we know what the Japanese people need, but we need to first set up an infrastructure to get the needed items there. There are few passable roads and bridges, no electricity, no sanitation, minimal housing, and hospitals are taxed to the limit. On top of that, there is the uncertain outcome of multiple nuclear reactor meltdowns, which have no historical precedent. Chernobyl was bad, but here we have the potential for multiple Chernobyls.

What I find absolutely astounding is the effect that this 8.9 magnitude earthquake had on the Earth itself. Its incomprehensible amount of energy redistributed the Earth's mass, causing the entire planet to shift on its axis by 6.5 inches. Is that even possible? The outcome of this blows my mind. It caused a change in time! Every day from now until eternity will be 1.8 microseconds shorter. WOW!

It's uncertain yet exactly what effect the earthquake had on the island of Japan itself. Now keep in mind Japan is no small island and is home to 127,560,000 people. At this point, the main coastline of Japan has been moved by 13 feet. This, my friends, is a cataclysmic event.

Japan is a developed country that now has enumerable people who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, grieving... We have a responsibility to help out. I have found solace in donating money to two organizations that are stalwarts in disaster assistance. It's so easy to do. Grab your cell phone and make a $10 text donation. For the Salvation Army, text the words "JAPAN" or "QUAKE" to 80888. For the Red Cross, text the word "REDCROSS" to 90999. The $10 donation will be billed to your cell phone account.

In times of crisis, people come together. There are so many stories of heroic efforts to save people's lives in the last week or so. Heroism takes many forms. Making a small donation to a necessary cause is heroic in and of itself. Thank you.