" 68,464 "

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excerpt:

Amid the devastation, however, there were miraculous stories of survival.

In Malaysia, a 20-day-old baby was found alive on a floating mattress and was reunited with her family.

In Thailand, 2-year-old Hannes Bergstroem, who was found dazed and alone after the waves hit, was claimed by an uncle after his photograph was posted on the Internet.

The Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported that the boy's mother and grandmother were missing, but later media reports said he was reunited with his grandmother. His father and grandfather were believed to be in another hospital in Thailand, but their exact location and conditions were not immediately known.

A U.N. agency has said that one-third of the disaster's victims were children.

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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP169075.htm

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it's hard not to do the "dinner-plate-eyed" staring thing into the teevee, or find yourself entranced by the horrifying hourly updates, but there are things you can do. if you can spare not to purchase that negligible something that you treat yourself with, please send it to my people over here.

the entire world can prove that as a global community, we can come together at a time of need. it doesn't have to be much, or even money, or even these particular groups. just something. there has to be a response; one other than the clicking of buttons to find out the most updated tolls.

http://www.ifrc.org/

http://www.unicef.org/index.html

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/index.shtml

https://secure.ga3.org/02/asia_earthquake04

http://www.worldvision.org.uk/

http://www.careinternational.org.uk/

http://www.cafod.org.uk/

https://www.americares.org/donate/?id=South%20Asia%20Earthquake%20Relief%20Fund

For information about the welfare and whereabouts of American citizens, please call 1-888-407-4747. For information about how you can provide assistance to those in need, please call the Center for Disaster Information (CIDI) at 703-276-1914 (http://www.cidi.org/) or visit http://www.usaid.gov/.

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on the converse, lookit the US and how they prove themselves to the world:

"Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites), rejecting comments from a top U.N. official that rich countries were being "stingy," said the international community may have to give billions of dollars in aid.

The United States more than doubled its pledge to $35 million. "

give me a fucking break american richest-gov- in-the-free-world! it's almost like..."ooooooooh 35 mil. i am so fucking impressed that this is the amount you can scrounge up for the decimated asian countries. i sarcastically thank you, you asshole bastards. you spend XXXX billion on kiling people on your 'missions of freedom,' and then say that you're doubling the "effort" up to 35 mil.? send that shit over, you after-the-fact so-called leaders of civilization, and do me a small favor and fuck the fuck off. if you're going to make a difference, do it. private citizanes have more cash than that in their piggy banks.

bill gates alone could be the greatest savior ever and just donate his funds. these are human beings man! not commodoties to be shifted and tendered to. hey bush, wipe the smirk off; just because you think you won again, doesn't excuse the fact that you are an evil evil little man. you can't redeem yourself in my eyes ever, but you can give your useless salary to all of the affected countries.

while you're eating steak tonight, think about the thousands that have absolutely nothing at all. don't half-ass it by throwing us your couch change. thank you, you beasts.

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excerpt:

In Thailand, where thousands of tourists were enjoying a Christmas break to escape the northern winter, many of the country's paradise resorts were turned into graveyards.

In a French-run hotel at Khao Lak, up to half the 415 guests were believed killed. A reporter from France's Europe 1 radio said many bodies had been found in their rooms.

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excerpt:

The stench of decomposing corpses spread over the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, where fresh water, food and fuel were in short supply. Bodies lay scattered in the streets.

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