I returned home just yesterday (the 11th of April- I had two April 11s thanks to the International Dateline). I'm pretty much jet lagged (jet, helicopter, C-2 and C-130 lagged, I should say). I want to thank you guys for your thoughts and prayers, but the Japanese are the ones that need them most. I did OK while I was there but am sure glad to be back. I am not in a position (I am not really supposed to say anything, really) to make any real assessment of the Japanese situation, but I will make a personal comment about the area around Fukushima; it will be a very long time before anyone will live near the power plants again. A very long time. The rest of the country will be just fine and after a good rainy season, it will be as good as it ever was.
The only pictures that I got of Mikasa were taken on my cell phone and are not really worth reproducing. For the first two days that I was in Yokosuka, they were preparing the ship for painting. Then scaffolding was erected around both masts and pretty much spoiled her for picture taking. None of the guys that were with me had any idea of her history or significance. I kinda set them straight but I don't think they really got it, ya know what I mean? Swine...