Welcome to my cosy little attic. I hope you feel at home. Feel free to navigate. I hope my insanity is catching. Comments are more than welcome.
What's Up (so don't ask)
30/10/04 The Dude left us - RIP
15/03/05 I turn 18... start counting my grey hairs
16/05/05 Last Exam. Forever, I hope.
21/05/05 Jack Johnson Concert - KickAss
25/05/05 I graduate... maybe
07/06/05 Kaz turns 18. About time bro.
As I'm sure you all know, south east and southern Asia was the victim of a brutal tragedy, leaving thousands, hundreds of thousands, dead, and a further 5 million at risk of dying from disease (ICRC estimate). This brutal attack was unprovoked, and carried out by a secret terrorist organisation called Al Hael Breiks Looz. These terrorists must be stopped. This is not the first time they have attacked innocents... their activities are traced far back, one example of which is another similar attack on Lisbon, on November 1, 1755.
They are the biggest threat to human life in the history of man (and, ok, woman). Their weapons: Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Landslides, Famine, Disease, Drought and more. In a matter of seconds, they had killed more people than the events of September 11, 2001 did in hours. Many more.
Despite this, what help do these victims get? What consolance for their loss? The survivors in Asia are forced to live neck and neck with the dead, often their friends and family. The tsunami struck without warning, killing children who had been under their parents watch, seperating lovers who had been embracing. It's so painful to think about, I even considered not making the terrorism link/joke. But that's one of the things that pisses me off...
I've been to Ground Zero. I walked 2 hours to get there. Yes, I know I could've taken the subway, but I had time to kill (no pun intended) and I felt a pilgramige was in order. The names of every single victim has been immortalised on placards hanging from the gates. There was an immediate worldwide reaction, and countries have spent billions of euros (now more valuable than dollars) in it's aftermath. In Tanzania, Somalia, Kenya, India, The Maldives, Sri Lanka, The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra and Indonesia entire villages have been swept away, names never known, names never remembered. These people died in, quite literally, a drop of a dime. They were the last generation of their family. 100,000 dead today means billions of potential lives in the future have been erased from the realm of possibility. The survivors, whom I reluctantly call 'the lucky ones', need immediate medical and economical help. Are they getting any? Yes. Is it even nearly enough? No. The money spent searching empty caves for Bin Laden (remember him?) could have, and should have, easily provided the assistance so desperately needed by those affected.
I know it may seem that I'm saying that terrorism doesn't matter... it sure does. Terrorists are, at the core of it, wrong. They have reasons, but the punished are almost never the guilty. But when a terrorist strikes, the ones in danger are already dead. In Asia, an estimated 100,000 are dead, but many times that number are heading that way if they don't receive the international support they need.
100,000. It's just a number. What does that mean to us? Right now, it's just me and my dad in the house. That's 2. It's so small. How can I ever imagine 100,000? 50,000 dads and 50,000 me's? Jesus. Take Portugal's population. We're about 10.5 million people. For every 100 people in the country, take one and put him or her through the washing machine. 100,000 people is just under 1% of the population of Portugal. Every concert you go to, take 1% off the back. In your school of 200, knock off two. Sydney and Me. Dead. Sorry Syd. I'm kinda driving the point home, but this is less getting the point across and more me just trying to fathom what 100,000 people really is. I can't do it.
It's a shitload of people.
It's a shitload of shit.
It's gonne be a shitload more if we don't help.
And they need a shitload of help.
This post accomplishes nothing. My posts never do. As far as I know, this post isn't even funny. at all. and that's what people like to read. But there's not much funny about what's going on. It sure is a ramble, though.
There's nobody to blame for this, so how will the world react?
We always want someone to blame. Bin Laden. Saddam Hussein. George W Bush. Whoever. The shit has hit the fan, and nobody threw it.
Kinda wierd, huh?
*****UPDATE*****
for those who want to know more about what they can do, check out The Tsunami Help Blog
Geert, Very well written. I'm sure that everyone is aware of the horrific earthqauke and tsunami's in Asia - and I'm pretty sure most people want to help. If you do want to help - were (about 10 people) doing a buig campaign to try and raise as much money as possible... So talk to me. Geert will give you my details. Jessica
What annoys me when it comes to the money going over is that hundreds of people give money to organizations like AMI which is a small portuguese thing which recieved 94,500 Euros to send 4 people to Thailand to inspect the area and then come back and send something like 2 doctors with minimal equipment over. Sure, if it saves on life then that's great... but when you think that money could actually go somewhere like UNICEF or whatever, and save a lot more lives.... grr...
Anyway, great post. Pointless, stupid, unbelievable tragedy... seriously messed up.
Random point: I believe The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are actually part of India... (and Nicobar means land of the naked).
Anyhow, Happy New Year and all that. Hope you're studying hard... (like you need it)
