God bless the tsunami vicitms and families

[zack]

As of today, the death toll from the tsunami disaster exceeds 80,000. I have never heard of so many deaths from a disaster. This is incredibly tragic. Some believe that the numbers will pass 100,000 when the resultant infectious diseases are taken into consideration.

There were more people killed in this short disaster than were  killed in the Vietnam war over an 8 year time period  (Between 70 to 80 thousand American soldiers if I remember correctly). Imagine the number of people killed on 9/11 and multiply that by 26. That is the death toll thus far from the tsunami disaster. Truly hard to comprehend. God bless the victims and their families.

Zack

[lswote]

... in response to God bless the tsunami vicitms and famili..., posted by zack on Dec 29, 2004

I know you mean well but I don't understand this saying "God bless" in these circumstances, because it is pretty clear that in most cases God certainly didn't bless anyone affected by this tragedy.  I guess "Gob have mercy" or something would be more appropriate but you don't hear that as much.

[kented]

... in response to God bless the tsunami vicitms and famili..., posted by zack on Dec 29, 2004

I could be wrong but 70 to 80 thousand American soldiers killed does not make the number smaller that 100,000 unless you don't include the number of North and South Vietnamese killed in the Vietnam war.  

That's like saying that 1,200 people have been killed in Iraq but that's only if you ignore Iraqi casualties.  

The Tsunami is certainly a tragedy of epic proportions.  

[doombug]

... in response to Re: God bless the tsunami vicitms and fa..., posted by kented on Dec 29, 2004

I don't think his numerical comparison of casualties was politically motivated.

It was only intended to help the reader visualize the magnitude of the catastrophe.  

[zack]

... in response to Re: Re: God bless the tsunami vicitms an..., posted by doombug on Dec 29, 2004

Exactly.

I think a better analogy is to imagine a professional football stadium packed to capacity, some of which seat 80 thousand people, suddenly being wiped out within an hour. The sorrow those people must feel is hard to imagine.

[doombug]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: God bless the tsunami vicitm..., posted by zack on Dec 29, 2004

One of the downsides of the relief effort will be all of the phony charities that spring up.

[zack]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: God bless the tsunami vi..., posted by doombug on Dec 29, 2004

The level that some people will sink to for the almighty dollar doesn't cease to amaze me.

[thunderbolt]

... in response to God bless the tsunami vicitms and famili..., posted by zack on Dec 29, 2004

Actually it seems it will go a lot higher, because scores of people are still officially missing, many victims were in remote areas, and there are no resources and infrastructure to cope with helping the victims and buring the dead.  And the fact that this happened so suddenly and out of the blue certainly contributed.

However, I think that when China had a really really big earthquake sometime in late 60's, their death toll could still be higher.  And the total number of people killed in Vietnam war was actually in the millions, but that's beside the point.  

I am actually afraid that Zarqawi & Co will attempt to do something truely horrific to bring public attention back to their deal - the absence of it will suffocate them.  If not for Al-Jazeera creeps who gladly show them every chance they get, they would have been completely marginalized by now.

[zack]

... in response to Re: God bless the tsunami vicitms and fa..., posted by thunderbolt on Dec 29, 2004

I am not a historian and I know this is beside the point, but are you sure the death toll from the Vietnam war is in the millions? I remember reading that 70 to 80 thousand Americans were killed and several hundred thousand Vietnamese were killed.

I am not very familiar (as of yet) with the Zarqawi & Co and Al-Jazeera issues, but I'm sure I will be soon.

Zack

[thunderbolt]

... in response to Re: Re: God bless the tsunami vicitms an..., posted by zack on Dec 29, 2004

Zarqawi/Osama is to Al-Jazeera what Li'l Kim (North Korean) is to North Korean TV, in case you haven't noticed

Regarding Vietnamese numbers...  In truth, you can't really get precise numbers, because nobody kept precise records.  From what I know, it was 3-4 million.

[doombug]

... in response to Re: Re: God bless the tsunami vicitms an..., posted by zack on Dec 29, 2004

58,000 U.S. casualties.

[doombug]

... in response to Re: God bless the tsunami vicitms and fa..., posted by thunderbolt on Dec 29, 2004

Rent "Control Room."  It's an inside look at the "impartial" Al-Jazeera at work.

I think John Walker Lindh is one of their field correspondents.

[Brassa]

... in response to God bless the tsunami vicitms and famili..., posted by zack on Dec 29, 2004

http://www.networkforgood.org/topics/international/earthquake/tsunami122604.aspx

[Gary Bala]

... in response to Re: God bless the tsunami vicitms and fa..., posted by Brassa on Dec 29, 2004

[This message has been edited by Gary Bala]

Another site for those considering donations to help the
victims of the tsunamis is that of the US AID Development
Agency, which lists groups of long-established reputation
assisting people on the ground. My mother's family comes
from the coastal state of India badly hit by the storms,
so I have been personally touched by this tragedy, which
probably ranks as one of the worst natural disasters
in world history.

http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/tsunami/

[zack]

... in response to Re: Re: God bless the tsunami vicitms an..., posted by Gary Bala on Dec 29, 2004

Gary,

I hope all is well with your family and friends. The good news is the that world respense to this tragedy is "unprecedented" according to the news. Over 500 million dollars has been raised worldwide thus far.

Zack