Japan earthquake

Baking amateurs and enthusiasts alike will be baking up a storm for this weekend's Toronto Bakes for Japan event, a Toronto-wide bake sale to raise awareness and funds for the Japanese Red Cross Society.

In today’s news: the world arbitrarily deems model Candice Swanepoel too thin; Prince Willy will not wear a ring; study says nurses and midwives can safely perform abortions; concern about Japanese seafood; and India’s population is really, really large.

That’s probably the last word I wanted to hear while stranded on one of Fiji’s miniscule northern islands

We’ve all been deeply touched by the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Japan last Friday. According to the Red Cross, Canadians have already raised over one million dollars as of Sunday, in support of one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded. Social media has played a huge role in the success of these relief efforts, with celebrities and organizations urging others to donate via Twitter.

You know, I had a fun post all lined up to write about for today. But then came the sobering and devastating news about Japan’s earthquake — one of the world’s largest ever and the worst in Japanese history — and resulting tsunami.