Our hearts go out to the people of Japan.    The magnitude 8.9 earthquake that struck near Japan’s east coast spawned a ferocious tsunami that swept away buildings and vehicles, sparked numerous fires, and inundated vast swaths of cropland. The human tragedy is profound: hundreds of people have already perished and that number could quickly rise as rescue efforts continue. Scores of homes were destroyed and much of the impact area will likely be without power for some time. Of course, … [Read more...]