Following Apple's example, I setup a redirect on IlohaMail.org to a temporary page with links to relief organizations supporting those affected by the tsunami. Here's to hoping that people are more generous towards fellow humans in dire need than they are towards open source projects...
In related news, it disgusts me to hear our government say that they are "not stingy" because they've donated $35 million towards relief efforts. I mean, there are individual citizens in this country who can spare $35 million and not bat an eye, and that's the best the government can do? In comparison, $35 million is a little bit more than the cost of an M1 tank, less than a tenth the cost of a B2 bomber, and roughly equivalent to 70 Block IV Tomahawk missiles (which we've used by the hundreds in single strikes before). And don't get me started about the billions we've spent fighting unnecessary wars...
I just found out that the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Forces sent 3 ships (2 destroyers and a supply ship), which began SAR operations off the coast of Phuket today. Now why can't our military do something productive for a change? Why is it that we can't send a carrier group there, with its massive airlift, SAR, medical capabilities and supplies? Why can't we send a Marine Expeditionary Unit, with its months worth of supplies?
[Update 12/31] According to this article, we're now donating $350 million, sending two Navy battle groups (including a carrier and amphibious assault ship) and a Marine Expeditionary Unit. Seems like a step in the right direction...
Posted Wed, December 29, 2004 12:02 by dirvish
From what I have seen on the news there has been little immediate relief. It seems like the week after the disaster is the most crucial. This is the time when people are drinking contaminated water, and medical supplies are the most needed. One problem is the lack of coordination in getting existing supplies to where they need to be. This is something the US could be doing right now. We could have transport helicopters in place quickly transporting fresh water and supplies to critical locations. This is a golden opportunity for the Bush administration to use this as a PR event and restore some of it's approval. Instead they take a couple days to declare that they will send over a relatively small amount of money while people who survived the earthquake/tsunami die of injuries and disease.
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