cdfrey: I'll openly stereotype and state that I consider the Japanese some of the nicest, kindest, hardest working, least selfish people on the planet. Of course, every group has its bad apples, but I get a bit envious when I compare certain aspects of their culture with that of my own country. Do you know of any other place where schools, both public and private, are cleaned by students and teachers ^[1]? (Maybe that's why they never litter.) Stereotype it may be, but one that is supported by their admirable behavior throughout this catastrophe (no looting, people helping each other).

I don't want to have anything to do with a spiteful god that punishes such people.

I'm sorry for my earlier offensive (and quite crackpotish) diary entry, but a comment I read somewhere really pushed my buttons. I understand that one can be a Christian and not think that way ^[2]. I was going to delete that diary entry, but I suppose that now it's a bit late and I'll just have to own it up.

And yes, I donated to the Haiti relief efforts, too.

[1] when I commented on this to my Japanese friend, she was quite surprised. "What do you mean? It isn't like that in your country? Who does the cleaning, then?"

[2] I still love you, Don Knuth.