You can drown plowing the fields or you can drown seeing the sights

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AuthorTopic: You can drown plowing the fields or you can drown seeing the sights
Bob's Big Date
Member # 3151
Profile Homepage #0
Wave toll 'could exceed 100,000'

I'm pretty much speechless.

[ Wednesday, December 29, 2004 18:11: Message edited by: Fear Uncertainty and Custer ]

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The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest.
Posts: 2367 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
Master
Member # 4614
Profile Homepage #1
Ouch. Ouch.

Did you see those before/after pictures. It turned everything into a huge mudbog.

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-ben4808

For those who love to spam:
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RIFQ
Posts: 3360 | Registered: Friday, June 25 2004 07:00
Warrior
Member # 3804
Profile #2
It's hard to find the words to say anything about this disaster. It's a complete horror. Worse, they expect that just as many people may die of the resulting diseases.

I can only hope that they can get as much help as is humanly possible.

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"This......is a TREE! What's it for?" -Exile III
Posts: 75 | Registered: Saturday, December 20 2003 08:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 3310
Profile #3
I wondered how long it would take before someone here would notice it. Four days! Are you losing your edge or what?

Rest assured Bush will punish the sea for this crime against humanity. ****ing fishes will get to know the meaning of democracy and freedom.

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ahhahaha i rule u droool
Posts: 756 | Registered: Monday, August 4 2003 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 2984
Profile Homepage #4
Unbelievable. We have things like this going on on our planet, and people have nothing better to do than bash each other's heads in and argue whose God is better.

If the estimates are correct (and I see no reason to doubt that), then this earthquake has killed thirty times the number of people who died in the World Trade Center. Will people call this "a turning point in world history" or "the disaster of the century"? I wouldn't hold my breath.

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The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki!
"Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft.
"I single Aran out due to his nasty temperament, and his superior intellect." --- SupaNik
Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Triad Mage
Member # 7
Profile Homepage #5
Well, it still isn't anywhere near the level of the spanish influenza. It's more like the Krakatoa disaster in the late 1800s.

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"At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander
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You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse!
Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00
Cartographer
Member # 1851
Profile Homepage #6
Everything will just go downhill from here, sirs.

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"Son--err," her father said, "I mean... Daughter, I give you your first and only sword. Use it for with skill for great villainy." Nanoisms

Ooh! Homepage - Blog - Geneforge, +2, +3 - My Elfwood Gallery - WannabeCool Forums
So many strange ones around. Don't you think?
Posts: 1308 | Registered: Sunday, September 8 2002 07:00
Bob's Big Date
Member # 3151
Profile Homepage #7
Plagues don't count as natural disasters. At 100,000, it's readily the worst natural disaster in living memory, becoming one of the worst human tragedies in living memory (as the survivors of Hitler are by and large dead of old age and the survivors of Mao are aging), and certainly the worst quake or tsunami in history to my immediate knowledge.

100,000 is a lot of people to kill in one sitting, it should be remembered, and 'was it the worst?' just seems petty compared to the damage it has done.

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The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest.
Posts: 2367 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 3310
Profile #8
120,000 and counting.

They say it's the fourth worst natural disaster since 1970. Anyone care to tell me what the other three are? I remember one, the earthquake in Turkey. Wasn't there a flood in China, too?

The only reason people are upset is because western tourists are among the victims. Skip the hypocrisy, please.

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ahhahaha i rule u droool
Posts: 756 | Registered: Monday, August 4 2003 07:00
Bob's Big Date
Member # 3151
Profile Homepage #9
Well, I'm pretty upset because 100,000 people are dead and more are dying on a daily basis, and there's not a whole lot we can do about it.

Compared to the other 99,000, I really could care less about 1,000 tourists.

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The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest.
Posts: 2367 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
Warrior
Member # 4238
Profile #10
quote:
Originally written by Fear Uncertainty and Custer:

Plagues don't count as natural disasters.
How so? Just because it's a bit slower doesn't make it any less "natural" or "disaster".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_disaster
Posts: 70 | Registered: Monday, April 12 2004 07:00
Bob's Big Date
Member # 3151
Profile Homepage #11
You cannot kill a natural disaster.

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The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest.
Posts: 2367 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
Warrior
Member # 4238
Profile #12
quote:
Originally written by Kreshweed:

The only reason people are upset is because western tourists are among the victims. Skip the hypocrisy, please.
I think that's a bit harsh, but it's always interesting to note things like (paraphrasing from a TV news report a couple days ago): "40,000 dead, including 3 Americans...".

Example:
http://kutv.com/topstories/topstories_story_365065701.html

Make of it what you will. Personally, I think it's utterly irrelevant and subtly selfish.
Posts: 70 | Registered: Monday, April 12 2004 07:00
Shaper
Member # 22
Profile #13
I'd wouldn't be at all surprised if the number of dead reaches 200 000, from the various reports I've been listening to. Could reach far more than that if we counter in secondary effects, like disease.

Plus the areas involved are going to be engulfed in an even worse poverty then they are already in (I hear five million people are now living without the three basic essentials of life as a result of the tsunami).

It's going to get an awful lot worse before it gets any better.
Posts: 2862 | Registered: Tuesday, October 2 2001 07:00
Warrior
Member # 4238
Profile #14
quote:
Originally written by Fear Uncertainty and Custer:

You cannot kill a natural disaster.
Obviously, you have your own definition of natural disaster based on some arbitrary criteria.

I'll also note that most people would consider the destruction of large amounts of crops by pests or disease a "natural disaster" as well.
Posts: 70 | Registered: Monday, April 12 2004 07:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 3310
Profile #15
Actually, you are drastically underestimating the number of tourists in southeast Asia. Over 2000 Swedes alone are still missing. Most will never be found. Fewer will be found alive.

What would Jesus do? Probably dress in rags, give all his money and all his property to charity and fly down to help rebuilding the place. So you can do something, if you really care enough. Most of us don't. Call me cynical, but that's just the way it is. Lots of tears and talking, and little else.

[ Thursday, December 30, 2004 10:54: Message edited by: Kreshweed ]

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ahhahaha i rule u droool
Posts: 756 | Registered: Monday, August 4 2003 07:00
Warrior
Member # 5091
Profile #16
quote:
Originally written by Kreshweed:

I wondered how long it would take before someone here would notice it. Four days! Are you losing your edge or what?

Rest assured Bush will punish the sea for this crime against humanity. ****ing fishes will get to know the meaning of democracy and freedom.

I imagine many people refrained from mentioning it here because they weren't too keen on people like you parlaying the destruction of countless human beings into a stupid sociopolitical criticism.

There's hardly any purpose in discussing anything of the slightest import here.

quote:
Originally written by Kreshweed:
The only reason people are upset is because western tourists are among the victims. Skip the hypocrisy, please.

Shut up. Nothing gives you the right to dismiss the feelings of others or question their grief. You're the one being petty and argumentative, here -- don't you have anything better to do?

quote:
Originally written by Kreshweed:
What would Jesus do? Probably dress in rags, give all his money and all his property to charity and fly down to help rebuilding the place. So you can do something, if you really care enough. Most of us don't. Call me cynical, but that's just the way it is. Lots of tears and talking, and little else.

How would he buy the ticket if he gave all his money away?

That may sound flippant, but it's reality. The nature of our society prevents many from assisting, even when needed.

In any case, you're not helping by provoking people, either. You may think you're a gadfly or a hornet, but you're really a cockroach.

[ Thursday, December 30, 2004 11:15: Message edited by: The Dog And Pony Show ]
Posts: 180 | Registered: Friday, October 15 2004 07:00
Warrior
Member # 4238
Profile #17
quote:
Originally written by The Dog And Pony Show:

The nature of our society prevents many from assisting, even when needed.
Oh? Please tell that to Oxfam, the Red Cross, etc, who gladly accept volunteers.

It's not "society" at fault. It's self-interest. Most people, including myself, don't want to give up the relatively comfortable life they have.

Without proper supplies, though, there's only so much that people can do. Individual donation is nice, but coordinated international aid is necessary.
Posts: 70 | Registered: Monday, April 12 2004 07:00
Warrior
Member # 5091
Profile #18
You don't think self-interest is a fundamental tenet of our society?
Posts: 180 | Registered: Friday, October 15 2004 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 2984
Profile Homepage #19
Does being a fundamental tenet of our society justify the trait?

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The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki!
"Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft.
"I single Aran out due to his nasty temperament, and his superior intellect." --- SupaNik
Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Guardian
Member # 3521
Profile #20
My dad's been spending all afternoon sending off donations to various organizations coordinating relief for the disaster. Although there's no guarantee the money will be spent where it's most needed, there's a good chance it'll help alleviate the suffering a bit. It's certainly not feasible for all of us that care to make the journey in order to offer our services in person. Those that don't have the time or resources to make such a trip can often help in other ways.

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Stughalf

"Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita.
Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 3310
Profile #21
Oh spare me. I wasn't questioning anyone's grief or feelings. I was saying that this catasthrope, too, would be forgotten in a couple of years, were it not for the killed tourists. It's not my fault. It has always been like that.

Second, I was talking about the curse of wealth. The curse of never being able to help enough. The curse of never being able to be a good person. You are obviously a truly empathic person, and have given great sums to charity. That's why I am somewhat confused that you are still here with us. Do you prize your computer above the lives of the starving? Perhaps you value your internet connection more than those dying in various diseases? The money you would get from selling it would quite literally save lives. Literally. Literally. Literally.

See, the curse of wealth? I should probably despise you, but then I'd have to despise myself too. And just about everyone else. It just isn't possible to live that way.

So, I donate my 50 euros and live on. Knowing that I could have donated up to 10,000 ? without even having to lower my quality of life. Maybe I calculate how many lives could have been saved by that sum. It's hard not to, you know? And every time I buy something costing more than 50 ?, I feel bad. But I don't hate myself. It just wouldn't work.

And eventually, I'll forget it.

EDIT: As far as it matters, I think people should write more provoking texts. When written by a skilled writer, they are awfully effective. I think they do a great deal of good, by making people feel bad.

[ Friday, December 31, 2004 00:03: Message edited by: Kreshweed ]

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ahhahaha i rule u droool
Posts: 756 | Registered: Monday, August 4 2003 07:00
Warrior
Member # 4973
Profile #22
Making people "feel bad" is not going to change anything but how they view you. There is nothing in this world that can change people's innate selfishness and self-centeredness.

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There are three kinds of people in the world: those who think, those who think they think, and those who would rather die than think.
Posts: 104 | Registered: Thursday, September 16 2004 07:00
BANNED
Member # 4
Profile Homepage #23
So this guy is tending a bar, you see, when Rumsfeld and Bush come strolling in.

So this barkeep walks up to the two and says, "Hey! What do you plan to do with your second term?"

And so Rumsfeld says, "We're going to start World War III by killing a million muslims and a big-breasted blonde chick."

The barkeep, bamboozled, says, "Why the big-breasted blonde chick?"

And so Rumsfeld says, "See, George? I told you nobody would care about the million muslims."

"A single death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic." (Stalin)

In all seriousness, there's nothing any of us can really do to make ourselves truly realize the suffering taking hold of this region. The best any one of us who has access to a computer and interest in computer games (one of the pinnacles of opulence) can do is generally admonish suffering and wish the best. Do any of us believe in the suffering of the southeast Asians? Of course; but the truth is, none of us believe in their sufferings enough.

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人 た ち を 燃 え る た め に 俺 は か れ ら に 火 を 上 げ る か ら 死 ん だ
Posts: 6936 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 3310
Profile #24
Agreed. We can, however, do more than just wish the best. Even if never enough.

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ahhahaha i rule u droool
Posts: 756 | Registered: Monday, August 4 2003 07:00

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