" 26,000 "

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it's hard to even imagine 26,000 lives gone. surely it happens everyday and geographically spread out wide; the information invalid for a proper shock due to the variety of reasons and distances between.

when i think about all of the families that are affected, it just breaks my heart. of course there has to be casualties, and of course there are people who are safe, but there is the entire gray area emerging also.

there are reports of thai officials not warning people in time, in an attempt to keep tourist compacity at 100%. there were stories emerging from america where scientists had time to warn, but had no numbers to call or a specific person to alert. and i'm like "what!??"

it's the biggest natural disaster ever to hit thailand. the largest waterborne loss of lives. the largest recordable earthquake to have its epicenter so close to the kingdom. and these greedy fuckers want to save cash?

i understand the economic collapse in 1997 and how it devastated southeast asia. i understand the need to rely on foreign industry and companies to help raise the capital and funds necessary to bring thailand further from debt. i understand the sort of pride thai people hold so dear; the sense of saving "face," and how losing it can mean career suicide. i do understand. but it's not like it would've been too bad, considering the truth in the aftermath of it all now.

what i don't understand is how when you weigh the success of a growing infrastructure against the possible high-count deaths of human beings, you would go for the possibility of a wider profit margin over the family of man. it baffles the mind beyond comprehension.

okay i just happened across yahoo, and they're stating the body count has risen to 40,000. it's starting to get so beyond a comprehensible number. i have to stop here. just stop for everything.

relief websites:

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=red+cross+relief%2C+aid&fr=FP-tab-web-t&toggle=1&ei=UTF-8

http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=web-storylinks&p=UNICEF

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DEATH TOLLS

SRI LANKA

Sri Lankan military authorities report more than 12,000 people killed. Tamil Tiger rebels report 2,000 dead in the territory they hold in the northeast of the country.

INDIA

At least 8,000 killed by waves that flooded the southern coast, official media report.

INDONESIA

News agencies report more than 4,730 killed, many of them in Aceh in northern Sumatra.

THAILAND

Thai authorities report at least 1,000 people dead.

MALDIVES

46 people are dead and more than 70 missing, according to Hassan Sobir, the Maldives high commissioner.

HOTLINE NUMBERS

India: +91 11 2309 3054

Thailand: +66 2643 5262 and 2643 5000

Sri Lanka (residents): +94 11 536 1938

Sri Lanka (tourists): +94 11 243 7061

Maldives: +44 20 7224 2149

Seychelles: +248 321 676

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