Natala la la la ... ... ...

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Wednesday, December 29, 2004

Tsunami 

I've been in a slight state of shock w/r/t the Tsunami in SE Asia -- - We have family in Madras (that we think are OK, but haven't heard from) and I've been there on multiple occasions... so this is hitting closer to home for me than i expected. I feel both disengaged -- as if i am an observer -- but connected through past experience and family ties. Below are a few things i've been thinking about:

Images: Everything i've seen has just been crazy. Nature is one hell of a beast.

Communication: I remember the MONTHS of discussions Palo Alto had regarding the alert system for flooding after the small floods we expereinced in 1998. In comparison, many of the people in SE Asia had NO idea that a tsunami was coming. The lack of communication, of any type of warning, is truly alarming.

Blogging: I find that bloggers are my best source of images and on-the-ground analysis of what's happening.

Aid: The US is *stingy* -- the fact that president Bush has taken 3 days to respond is ridiculous. An initial $15 MM in Aid is so small -- given what we can provide as a country -- is just amazing to me. This is the time when we as a -- perhaps the -- world leader need to do the right thing. We should be giving hundreds of millions of dollars and flying our best people to these devasted areas immediately. We should help structure not only immediate relief but plans to rebuild these communities.

Amazon. They created a splash page to donate money to relief efforts. I just checked and they are almost at $1 MM. amazing.

¤ posted by Natala : 12/29/2004 01:09:00 AM


Comments:
Interestingly, your blog is critical of the president while he was organizing military-based relief behind the scenes, but you make no mention later that our government provided more relief than any other - putting our own troops on the ground with food, medicine, et al.

I think an update would be appropriate, leaving your own politics aside for the sake of those who died.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 10:27 AM, January 27, 2005
 
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