The holidays and disaster in south Asia

The time I took off over the holidays was much needed and even though I was home most of the time, I tried to stay away from email. Our daughter was home...this first year of her away at school has been a bit of a tough adjustment. It was the typical Christmas and New Year's holiday. Some stress before, getting the right gifts, trying not to go overboard, end up going overboard anyway. Spent time with all sides of the family and generally had an enjoyable time.

But it all pales in significance to the disastrous tsunami in Indonesia, India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and other countries. The scope of the loss of life (~150,000) and destruction is overwhelming and hard to actually fathom. The bits of video and photos shown on TV and the web are horrifying. A 40 foot wave moving close to 400 miles/hour!

As the true scope of this disaster has unfolded, I'm left with bits and pieces of memories that stand out. The hourly increases in the estimated death toll. The outpouring of aid in the form of money, supplies, and help from all over the world, from governments and individuals. The partisan politics and bickering about the initial US government estimated outlay. Wondering why the President's brother Jeb Bush was going to survey the damage (experience in natural disasters through this past year's hurricanes in Florida or early politicking for the Presidency in 2008?). The role of the internet and on-line transactions in just how much and how fast monetary donations have been raised in this country alone. Our President remaining silent for two days before publicly acknowledging the disaster. A photo of what looked like piles of lumber from destroyed homes only to see that the piles contained hundreds of bodies on a beach in Sri Lanka. Outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell being almost dumbfounded when he observed destroyed villages from a helicopter.

The US and other western countries have really stepped up here to help. Hopefully, Muslims will see that the US is not the Satan, that we just don't invade other countries. But do we really have to point that out as Sec. Powell felt compelled to do?