An earthquake is a living thing, a shout from the heart of the world. A "ring of fire" is a televised science spectacle designed to dazzle our collective heuristic curiosity. But in Pakistan, Indonesia, Iran and now Haiti, the heart has been heard and somehow - whether or not we understand the mechanics or the mystery of it - the heart of the world intends to pump thunder through every living thing. Rupert Sheldrake reminds us of "sensitive dependence on initial conditions", Very small gestures are magnified by entropy, not dispersed. Nations respond to these natural disasters by coming out with banal statements and bundles of aid, cast-off money and emotion. If anything of value makes it down to the streets where despair walks, then good. But here's the rub, these shouts from the heart of the world are amplified along their arcane trajectories and someday, in some form they'll be back to break our windows and rattle our gates.
- KBOO