Indian Ocean Tsunami

What a way to come back to my blog. I joke about being discontented, but I've really got nothing to complain about compared to the hundreds of thousands of people in the Indian Ocean region. These are the two things that have struck me most about this disaster, other than the sheer number of dead;

First, no one knows for sure, but there might have been some primitive cultures that were wiped off the planet. Can you believe that, languages and cultures that will never be seen or heard from again. It blows my mind.

Second, it appears as if some islands in the Maldives were completely washed away. Sure, in a tornado or a hurricane your house might be destroyed, but in this case there is absolutely nothing left. No house, no land, nothing. If you can't rely on the ground beneath your feet, what can you rely upon?

I'm planning on making a donation, but I'm still not sure to which organization I should send my money. Speaking of donating money, there is a great editorial in the NY Times about the stinginess of the US Government. How come I am still amazed each and every time that Bush shows that he doesn't have a clue?