Never having consciously experienced an earthquake, it's tough for me to comprehend what one feels like--let alone an earthquake that hits 9.0 on the Richter scale. Scientists measured one of the aftershocks of Sunday's quake at 7.3, considerably larger than the 6.6 earthquake that killed 30,000 people in Iran last year and the 6.9 earthquake that hit San Francisco during the 1989 World Series.

To put this in perspective, a 620-mile section of the Earth moved. The earthquake pushed the entire island of Sumatra 100 feet. It even affected the rotation of the planet.

Just as the earthquake itself caused only a fraction of this tragedy's deaths, the ensuing tsunami--some reports told of 40-foot waves travelling 500 miles per hour--will account for just part of the final death toll. Millions are homeless. Decomposing bodies, sewage, and debris now mix with the drinking water. Starvation and disease loom. Currently, the death toll stands at about 22,000. Expect that number to rise.

here is a post just so you know someone is paying attention during this fine holiday season