From the Telegraph….

Tens of thousands of people living near Japan’s volatile Mount Asama have been told to brace themselves for a major volcanic eruption within 48 hours.

From later in the article…..

According to scientists at an observation station operated by Tokyo University, there was a sharp increase in volcanic earthquakes in the region in January, with their epicentres directly below the peak of the mountain. That volcanic activity accelerated on Sunday morning and was accompanied by crustal change, apparently caused by increased magma movement beneath the peak.

Experts are predicting an eruption is possible in a matter of hours and an initial blast could hurl volcanic rocks up to 2.5 miles.

If this thing blows, next winter will probably be even colder thzn this one already is.

One of the most dangerous things about human nature is its tendency towards complacency. We tend to take what happened yesterday as a guide to what is going to happen tomorrow. As we are one of the most powerful nations in the world, we tend to take that as being the natural order of things. Even those who gleefully predict the ending of American power fail to really understand what that would mean.

But every time I read up on the Battle of Midway, I am always struck by the fact that less than 70 years ago America was fighting for its life. If Japan had hit America carriers at the American carriers at Pearl Harbor, there would have been no battle of Midway. If the American’s had failed to break Japan’s naval code, the Japanese might have succeeded in luring American carriers into a trap at the the battle of Midway. And with both of those facts being true, the Americans still could have easily lost the Battle of Midway.

In some circles is it is common to argue that this would not matter because American industrial power was so great that its victory was bound to happen regardless. But this is an iffy proposition. The war in Europe and the war in the Pacific were closely connected in terms of supplies and materials. If America had faced a series of defeats in the Pacific, they would have been unwilling to send troops and resources over to Europe to the degree that they did. And without American help through opening up a second front and with lead lease who knows if Russia could have held out. And if Russia had fallen who knows what could have happened?

So watch this documentary on Midway and be amazed at the miracles that brought about the peace and security that we know today. And do not be so confident that the western way of life is predestined to always be sustained by those miracles.

I have provided links to the first three parts of the documentary below. But they not really necessary to understanding what a close run thing Midway was. Watching the last three embedded clips is sufficient.

The First Part

The Second Part

The Third Part

From Tyler Cowen’s op-ed in the New York Times…

Recessions and depressions, of course, are not good for mental health. But it is less widely known that in the United States and other affluent countries, physical health seems to improve, on average, during a downturn. Sure, it’s stressful to miss a paycheck, but eliminating the stresses of a job may have some beneficial effects. Perhaps more important, people may take fewer car trips, thus lowering the risk of accidents, and spend less on alcohol and tobacco. They also have more time for exercise and sleep, and tend to choose home cooking over fast food.

In a 2003 paper, “Healthy Living in Hard Times,” Christopher J. Ruhm, an economist at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, found that the death rate falls as unemployment rises. In the United States, he found, a 1 percent increase in the unemployment rate, on average, decreases the death rate by 0.5 percent.

From the Common Room…..

The Equuschick herself, a staunch believer in the differences between men and women and their God-given roles in family life, is often both amused and annoyed by the way these roles are defined or sometimes even manipulated by people who claim to be following God-given roles.

Far too often a couple who claims to be following the Scriptural model for gender roles are actually following a cultural tradition without any foundation.

And what fascinates her the most, is that it is just as often women who manipulate the roles to serve their own purposes as it is men.

Would have been rant of the week, but we had too many other good choices. And if we waited another week, we would have forgotten it. But its tone and content reminded us of our very own Troll. She can do the work of two strong men and she only eats as much as your average tabby cat. That is what you call a deal.

Edit: In the interest of being fair and balanced it should be pointed out that she does not make brownies as often as the Bible says a good female should. Indeed, she seems to be shirking that particular duty lately.

Edit Again: Some may doubt that the Bible has anything to say on the subject of brownies. But we are indebted to the early church father Origen for pointing out that the deeper meaning of Proverbs 31:14 -15 is “Woman, make brownies.” If you doubt me, it is clear you know nothing about Origen. Our conclusions follow directly from his methodology.

From the BBC….

A UK researcher said he found evidence that the Persian Empire used poisonous gases on the Roman city of Dura, Eastern Syria, in the 3rd Century AD.

The theory is based on the discovery of remains of about 20 Roman soldiers found at the base of the city wall.

The theory is plausible enough, though it is a little over sold. In any case, the historical evidence is clear that it sucked to be Roman soldier trying to stop the Persian invasion.