The world can change a lot in two days.

On Wednesday, a Japanese tsunami crossed the Pacific and swallowed Detroit.  Ford, GM and Chrysler reported on that day that their July domestic auto sales were weaker than expected.  Which means that, for the first time in history, sales of imports have surpassed sales of domestic cars in the American market.  True, the distinction between foreign and domestic has become blurred, with multinational companies designing look-alike models that are sourced and built in many different countries around the world.  But we’ve officially reached the end of 100 years of American industrial dominance.  “I think there’s a psychological impact to being beaten on your own home turf,” said Jesse Toprak, an industry analyst from Edmund.com.

Then, Thursday morning at 1:30AM EST, a significant earthquake occurred in Scotland and was felt clear across the Atlantic.  That’s when Danielle McVeigh stepped up to the ladies’ tee at St. Andrews, and, for the first time in history, kicked off a women’s professional event at the home of golf.  To accommodate the LPGA, the course has been shortened by 600 yards and the famed Road Hole is playing as a par 5 instead of a very long 4.  But the really big news is that ladies will be allowed to enter the Royal and Ancient clubhouse for the very first time.  This is a building that until recently was clearly marked with a sign that read NO DOGS OR WOMEN ALLOWED.  “I think it’s a big, big, big deal,” said Annika Sorenstam, the pre-eminent player in the game.

Then the bridge collapse in Minnesota.  A terrible tragedy and a scary indictment of the state of our infrastructure.  But the most noteworthy thing was that all of the reports failed to even mention the “T” word.  For the past six years, every story of man-made disaster has included a “terrorism or not?” disclaimer. Said Ted Galambos, a University of Minnesota engineering professor, “I am totally puzzled as to why both ends of the bridge would come down all at once. When my colleague tested it, it was very low stress.  I don’t think it was overload, so it could have been either some fatigue, failure or some sudden buckling that would cause the failure.”  But not terrorism.  We may have truly passed into a new, post-9/11 world.

The world has changed.  What’s next, free booze on Amtrak trains?  Oops, they just announced that yesterday.