What on earth is going on?!

Science fiction has always captured our imagination through Hollywood in screening the wildest phenomenons from Star Wars to 2012. Thanks to the animation technology, it seems more real than "virtual reality".

What has been going on around the world lately is incredible, incomprehensible and, at times, seems like a science fiction movie. The series of social waves that have swept through Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Bahrain seems to continue without much hope for future. Just when the world witnessed the social waves with awe and reeled back into the normal life, earth quake of magnitude 9.0 strikes Japan, followed by tsunami and nuclear radiation. The Japanese Prime Minister Kan Naoto acknowledged that Japan is facing the worst crisis since World War II.

Only a few months back North Korea and Iran were hot topics across the world press. And, all of a sudden, there are no where in the vicinity of the Hot-Spots radar.

The world recession created the mad Gold rush and within a couple of days, the Gold prices nosedived to a three week low. Markets tumble as nuke crisis in Japan sparks risk aversion. Crude prices decline sharply. Companies like BMW are making statements like, "No one knows how the situation will further develop. It is extraordinarily difficult to shift to everday business after the shocking events in Japan." Japan is pumping billions of dollars into market to stabilize their economoy.

But the world chugs along. Indian fans are worried about India's World Cup aspirations. Manchester United is struggling with its losing spree. Irish fans are overjoyed by defeating the English in cricket.

The NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) have their own tactical plans already laid out to face the uncertainity. NRIs are busy discussing the stability of their foreign land and the possibilities of hedging against the potential of currency-depreciation, by converting the loaned amount from foreign currency to Indian Rupees. Hold on, wow!!, Indian Rupees is something that we do count on!! For now, at least.

During these uncertain times, blessed are those people who live in countries - both underdeveloped and developed - that were nurtured to be totally ignorant of the outside world. While most of the world is worried about their future, some of these people don't even know where Japan or Middle East is located on the map. Isolation does happen to be a virtue, sometimes!! But, disconnect with the outside world has cost the world - in terms of war and invasions - beyond human comprehension.

As the world witnesses incredible scenes of disasters and uncertainity, there are intriguing facts that come to light. How did all these disasters occur on the 26th?!

1 Gujarat India earthquake 26 Jan 2001
2 The Rhodes earthquake 26 June 1926
3 Taiwan earthquake 26 April 2010
4 Japan earthquake 26 Feb 2010
5 NE Japan earthquake 26 May 2003
6 NE Japan earthquake 26 July 2003
7 North America earthquake 26 Jan 1700
8 Yugoslav earthquake 26 July 1963
9 Aceh Tsunami 26 Dec 2004
10 Jogjakarta earthquake 26 May 2006
11 Tasik earthquake 26 June 2010
12 Mentawai Tsunami 26 Oct 2010
13 Merapi volcanic eruption 26 Oct 2010
14 Krakatau volcanic eruption 26 Aug 1883 ( 36,000 dead )
15 China earthquake 26 July 1976 ( 255,000 dead )
16 Portugal earthquake 26 Jan 1951 ( 30,000 dead )
17 Kansu, China earthquake 26 Dec 1932 ( 70,000 dead )
18 Turkey earthquake 26 Dec 1939 ( 41,000 dead )
19 Sabah Tidal waves 26 Dec 1996 ( 1,000 dead )
20 Bam, Iran earthquake 26 Dec 2003 ( 60,000 dead )

What on earth is going on?! Only God knows!

But, as long as you are alive, be thankful and stay the course.