[cosmok]

Not according to the guidelines:

    "Off-Topic: Most stories about politics, or crime, or        sports, unless they're evidence of some interesting new phenomenon. Videos of pratfalls or disasters, or cute animal pictures. If they'd cover it on TV news, it's probably off-topic."

But, I don't mind it all as I get to read views and firsthand accounts from fellow hackers that is much different from what I see on TV.

[rdl]

I was particularly interested in "is patio11 ok?" (and, are there any transpac fiber cuts?)

I think it's fair to post stories which are headlines in ~all news simultaneously, even if not "hacker news" -- nuclear explosions, assassinations of G7 leaders, major wars, etc.

[patio11]

I'm touched, but there are several dozen HNers in Japan who I've met personally (just an FYI) most were closer to it than I was.