Manny Laureano

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142566,00.html

What a terrible thing!

Do we have any TMers in this part of the world presently? So far, 7000 are counted dead, the size of a small city. Many more injured, displaced... very sad.

ML

JackD

This sounds really terrible. I guess we still can't accurately predict these things.

MUSICandCHARACTER

Prediction of earthquakes is almost impossible. Tsunami warning systems are in place. But my goodness, this was a HUGE earthquake and a MASSIVE tsunami. It is a terrible disaster. Plus the tsunami hit in populated areas - it was very destructive.

Jim

Liad Bar-EL

I have a cousin out there and have not heard from him; so, we are all concerned to say the least.

The death toll has reached 23,500+ and rising sharply.

Another 6 Richter tremor and tidal waves hit the same areas.

Liad Bar-EL

Liad Bar-EL

Just now received notice that my cousin has been found and he is well. Thank G-d!!

Liad Bar-EL

Manny Laureano

Liad,

It was very disturbing to think that one of our own could have suffered loss as well along with the tens of thousands of others in Indonesia. I thank G-d that you heard that your cousin is okay.

I wonder if there are any ramifications for this year's ITG convention. I would hate to see it cancelled.

With hopes for a good New Year,

ML

Liad Bar-EL

Here what the wave looked like.

http://dr.dk/pubs/nyheder/template/l...ublicationID=1


Liad Bar-EL

Manny Laureano

Very stirring footage...

At this point, the deaths total the exact number of people that live in my suburb of Plymouth... every man, woman, and child.

In anticipation of the inevitable politicization of this tragedy by those who would like to somehow blame America for not giving enough money within seconds of its occurrence, I include the following website for your consideration:

http://www.usaid.gov/

ML

Tootsall

What I thought was (and continues to be) most ironic were the "talking heads" on CNN asking if something like that could happen in the USA! Natural disasters can, have, and will continue to happen everywhere on the globe. The question is, how prepared are our societies to withstand the initial disaster and then to respond adequately (define "adequately") to the effects after the primary event?

I feel most sympathy for those who directly effected who have little education and virtually no communication and, as a result, no concept of scope of the total devastation that has occurred. I can understand their questions "where is the assistance". I cannot understand those self-serving "navel gazers" who are, as Manny said, using the ongoing crisis for cheap, political "gain". Let us not forget that it is not only "America" (USA) being blamed for not giving enough, fast enough. "They" are whining about the support from the entire industrialized world! I recommend that "they" pack up their furs and "bling" in their luxury SUVs and go auction the whole lot off, sending the money to the Red Cross. THEN they can complain.

Manny Laureano

dear Toots,

Hey, 'splain me somethin'...

I'm 49 and for the better part of my life I've always heard Canadians refer to those of us south of the border as "Americans". In some recent posts about going through customs and the parenthetic reference you made it seems that that has become somewhat impolitic.

Just as one instance of what I'm talking about, I remember a radio editorial that actually became a hit record, here in the states, by a Canadian journalist extolling the virtues of "America". In fact, I don't think he ever refers to us as anything but America in that broadcast. This was back in the early seventies during the war.

So, anyway, I was wondering if this a relatively recent movement to refer to every country in North America as America or has it always been so?. If that's so, do you refer to Mexico as America as well?

I'm not putting you on, I truly plead ignorance. It certainly wouldn't be the first thing to fly under my radar!

Cheers,
ML