Tsunami

The only generalization that I've found that's true is that generalizations tend to be untrue.

Everything is NOT political. Taking a shit is not political. Falling asleep is not political. Picking your nose is not political. A natural disaster caused by the movement of the earth's tectonic plates followed by a tsunami caused by the movement of the ocean floor during the earthquake is NOT. POLITICAL.

It wouldn't be called a "natural disaster", then, would it?

I don't think most people are blaming Bush for causing the tsunami, but for not responding very fast...at least that's the criticism I've heard...but I haven't paid much attention to what Bush is doing the past few weeks.

[QUOTE=Jeebus]The tribe's name that were shooting at the helicopter was the Sentinelese and they are very tribal. They want to be left alone and isolated from the rest of the world. Some environmentalists say that they have a sixth sense from danger by several methods of: smelling the wind, gauge the depth of the sea with the sound of their oars, movement of wind, and birds behavior. I'm not sure if I buy that but it is interesting.[/QUOTE]

It wouldn't necessarily be a sixth sense though - they're just paying attention to what most of the people in a more American/European/etc type world pay attention to. I've taken nature for granted many times. Someone on the news explained that with a tsunami the water goes out really far - and a lot of people run up to the water to see what's going on, just like when everyone runs to the window to look at the tornado. This tribe probably saw that and knew what it meant. Even if those people who went closer to the water when they noticed how far it had gone out knew that meant a tsunami was coming - how many would actually realize how bad it was?

When I'm at work we have huge windows all across the front of the store. If there's bad wind, pouring rain and a tornado warning, everyone goes to the windows. Stupid.

[QUOTE=PsychoKeety]It wouldn't necessarily be a sixth sense though - they're just paying attention to what most of the people in a more American/European/etc type world pay attention to. I've taken nature for granted many times. Someone on the news explained that with a tsunami the water goes out really far - and a lot of people run up to the water to see what's going on, just like when everyone runs to the window to look at the tornado. This tribe probably saw that and knew what it meant. Even if those people who went closer to the water when they noticed how far it had gone out knew that meant a tsunami was coming - how many would actually realize how bad it was?
[/QUOTE]

That's spot on. A group of Thai "Sea Gypsies" read the warning signs exactly the same way and evacuated their entire community onto higher ground. They had generations of fishing experience and passed down knowledge to their sons and daughters. Their understanding of it is: however far the water recedes, that much and more will take it's place very quickly.

[QUOTE=insomnomaniac]

It wouldn't be called a "natural disaster", then, would it?[/QUOTE]

Try "natural event" with disastrous human consequences, consequences that are different depending on the preparation afforded a community depending on political factors.

It's not about BLAME, its just how things are.

[QUOTE=ireLocus]Earth to dipshit: This was a Tsunami. Bush did not cause, nor did Bush vote for said Tsunami. So, how can we trash Bush because of a Tsunami? Personally, I have no idea.

And honestly, I wasn't saying [I]you [/I] were making a political move, genius. (I am aslo glad to hear you're not running for office.) If you want to debate Bush, that's fine... but that's actually not the reason I posted what I did. The issue of this thread is a natural disaster.

Fuck Bush, if you don't like him, cool. I'm not telling you to like him. I'm calling you out based on your poorly formed arguments based on your even weaker logic. Do you want to trash Bush? Fine. Go trash him somewhere else, because it really has nothing to do with this.

And I must add that my response is probably the most open minded post about Bush this thread has seen. I pointed out that although he had nothing to do with the cause of this natural disaster, that he has pledged money to help the relief efforts, and that pledge has since been exponentially increased. I'm not supporting Bush by saying this, I'm merely pointing out the obvious and giving him credit for what he's doing. I'm not telling you to vote for him.

I'm defending him the same way I'd defend [I]you [/I] if someone decided to trash you for things that were hardly in your control. You had nothing to do with the tsunami, so it makes no sense to shit on you because of it any more than it does to shit on Bush. But you made some very biased remarks that had little or no basis whatsoever. So I called your bluff, and now you seem pissed that I stated my opinion. You trashed someone in a way that they cant possibly defend themselves. That's pretty spineless. I trashed you because of this, and mainly pointed out the flaws in your logic. All of the sudden I'm the bad guy? I did the same thing you did (ie trashing someone), and you didn't even have the decency respond to my reasoning. You misunderstood most of what I wrote, responded to even less of it, and cocked off in reply mainly about my probable political affiliaitons. What makes us different is that I wasn't rattling politcal biases and witty quips in an effort to hide my ignorance, I was stating facts.

I really think that since the aid money has gone up to 350 million, you no longer have anything to say about my "beloved president." (your words, not mine.) But in case you come up with something, how about you stick it in your own thread and leave this one to the issue at hand: the tsunami.[/QUOTE]

It's strange that someone who knows so little about the issue at hand could talk so much shit. My problem was with Bush's plan in aiding the victims of the tsunami. I think you got mad at my crack at the president so you just started writing a lot of shit to make yourself feel better.
My problem with Bush's handling of the situation stemmed from only giving $35 million dollars to save children that need help. Thats less then we spend on one jet used to kill people in Iraq. You threw out words like liberal to describe my views when my views on the president come from seeing the carnage that he has brought down on Americas fighting force, and for what, weapons of mass destructon that were not there. Your problem is that your so far to one side of the political scale that you can't admit when the president fucks up, and yes $35 million dollars was obviously a fuck up or else they wouldn't have sent ten times that after the uproar that it caused to see the world bank gave over seven time what the world's greatest counrty did. My issues with the president don't belong on this thread, but my issues with how the president handled the tsunami do. Just because your all pussy hurt about me throwing out some political veiws about the tsunami doesn't mean that they don't belong here.
To call me spineless is a fucking joke too. Your trashing me. I've seen the war the president caused firsthand. I've fought for my country. I've seen what the presidents actions have done in the past so I have every Right to trash the president on his actions, because I have fought for the Constitution that gives me that Right (the same constitution the president has tried to change). You trashing me from behind your computer is spineless. What great contribution have you made for this counrty besides sticking up for a president thats fucking it up and killing its children(look at the countries deficit, look at the over 1300 killed). You watch the news and maybe even read a little, but you still have not seen firsthand what our military is going through. You havent felt the pain of being in the desert and watching your friends die. So you sit on the right side of the scale. I would have said nothing if the president gave the $350 Million in aid in the begining, but he didn't. $35 million made me sick when I thought about how much money Bush's friends have made outsourcing jobs in Iraq. You fail to realize that six months ago the president would have never had the balls to only give $35 million. He is in his last term in office and he thinks he can do whatever he wants( look at all the attacks that Bush held off till after the election to fight). Well I called his bluff. So don't start getting all high and mighty about how smart you think you are. You really have no clue what this president has done and is doing to this country, and I was not going to sit back while bush was making our country look even greedier then ever. You fail to realize that things like this are whats fueling the terrorists hate for us. Terrorist see America as a greedy enough country already, by making America look greedier bush is just sending more radical muslims to turn terrorist. If you want to talk more then you can personal message me and I will delve farther into how much of a fuckstick bush is, but if not leave your uneducated comments out of any replys you have about one of my posts.

[QUOTE=Brad Foster]It's strange that someone who knows so little about the issue at hand could talk so much shit. My problem was with Bush's plan in aiding the victims of the tsunami. I think you got mad at my crack at the president so you just started writing a lot of shit to make yourself feel better.
My problem with Bush's handling of the situation stemmed from only giving $35 million dollars to save children that need help. Thats less then we spend on one jet used to kill people in Iraq. You threw out words like liberal to describe my views when my views on the president come from seeing the carnage that he has brought down on Americas fighting force, and for what, weapons of mass destructon that were not there. Your problem is that your so far to one side of the political scale that you can't admit when the president fucks up, and yes $35 million dollars was obviously a fuck up or else they wouldn't have sent ten times that after the uproar that it caused to see the world bank gave over seven time what the world's greatest counrty did. My issues with the president don't belong on this thread, but my issues with how the president handled the tsunami do. Just because your all pussy hurt about me throwing out some political veiws about the tsunami doesn't mean that they don't belong here.
To call me spineless is a fucking joke too. Your trashing me. I've seen the war the president caused firsthand. I've fought for my country. I've seen what the presidents actions have done in the past so I have every Right to trash the president on his actions, because I have fought for the Constitution that gives me that Right (the same constitution the president has tried to change). You trashing me from behind your computer is spineless. What great contribution have you made for this counrty besides sticking up for a president thats fucking it up and killing its children(look at the countries deficit, look at the over 1300 killed). You watch the news and maybe even read a little, but you still have not seen firsthand what our military is going through. You havent felt the pain of being in the desert and watching your friends die. So you sit on the right side of the scale. I would have said nothing if the president gave the $350 Million in aid in the begining, but he didn't. $35 million made me sick when I thought about how much money Bush's friends have made outsourcing jobs in Iraq. You fail to realize that six months ago the president would have never had the balls to only give $35 million. He is in his last term in office and he thinks he can do whatever he wants( look at all the attacks that Bush held off till after the election to fight). Well I called his bluff. So don't start getting all high and mighty about how smart you think you are. You really have no clue what this president has done and is doing to this country, and I was not going to sit back while bush was making our country look even greedier then ever. You fail to realize that things like this are whats fueling the terrorists hate for us. Terrorist see America as a greedy enough country already, by making America look greedier bush is just sending more radical muslims to turn terrorist. If you want to talk more then you can personal message me and I will delve farther into how much of a fuckstick bush is, but if not leave your uneducated comments out of any replys you have about one of my posts.[/QUOTE]

I was reading an article on BBC's website about the contributions of other countries [URL=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4145259.stm]here[/URL]. Considering the financial reputation of the U.S. compared to other countries donating, $35 million was pathetic on our end. I mean, Norway donating $182 million from government? If we couldn't at least match that then we'd be really fucked.

well Undertow I really thought so too. I think $350 is a much better figure.

Two things:

1) I haven't been able to find this anywhere, or maybe I'm just not looking hard enough, either way; does anyone know who or what organization is in charge of making sure all the money for the survivors is used appropriately?

2) I found this on another site and thought of posting it as just another fine example of humanity at its worst.... [URL=http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/07/tsunami.rape.ap/index.html]Raped[/URL]

[QUOTE=Brad Foster] Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah [/QUOTE]

Are you done? Seriously... are you done?

Okay, Brad, just so you know, I'm now wearing a "don't bully me braclet." You win.

see also: [url]http://www.chuckpalahniuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=18728[/url]

My best friends dad died in it and now I know why.
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