Condolences in earthquake

[Rose Immortal]

Hello,

I'm hoping nobody was affected by it, but I wanted to give my condolences to anybody affected by the earthquake in Southeast Asia.

 

[Medusa's eyes]

Yeah I have heard the news, it's horrible...

 

[bball_1523]

its sad to think about it, they didn't have much protection or warning. Hopefully things will calm down and get better over there.

 

[weenur]

It's mind boggling that the toll is up to 44,000 and expected to climb, possibly double due to disease from contaminated water.

That is one hell of a humbling event.

 

[Jax]

Imagine knowing that thing was coming at you & there was nothing you could do..I just can't even conceive of how that must've been for them. It's horrifying to contemplate.

 

[HeJePi]

Latest reports (Channel News Asia) say 85,000 victims and expect to rise above 100,000 soon and can reach 150,000

 

[PRauhala]

yeah. one of my schools english teachers were there. but he survived

 

[soundgarden]

I find it interesting how peaceful and religious countries like India suffer so much yet countries like the US and England grieve at the loss of relatively few soldiers in stupid wars.

Then again, crap like this have happening for ages.

 

[weenur]

India peaceful? I think you need to read up on them a little more. Sri Lanka has been embroiled in a civil war for 20 years. Also, I don't think you can generalize two nations and how individuals grieve. I don't shed a tear for anyone I don't know.

Anyhow, if anyone is curious about how they can help, even in a small way, a site I frequent is linking to various organizations. http://www.neowin.net/

 

[soundgarden]

India peaceful? I think you need to read up on them a little more. Sri Lanka has been embroiled in a civil war for 20 years.

Anyhow, if anyone is curious about how they can help, even in a small way, a site I frequent is linking to various organizations. http://www.neowin.net/

I meant the individual personalities of the citizens. Not those fanatics. Due to the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism the minds of majority of people are generally peacefull. They don't care for territorial gain or material possesion. The live life to please thier diety. Now look at the people of the more developed countries (US and England). Religion is slowly dying while money becomes the driving force of the country. And this western way of living is slowly taking over those countries as well. Is it just that Southeast Asia should suffer so much while I am here on my cable connection chatting online?

Also, I don't think you can generalize two nations and how individuals grieve. I don't shed a tear for anyone I don't know.

I can't believe you said that. I am sure the good people of England shed tears for soldiers they never met so Hitler won't invade thier country as well. I am sure that the good African Americans of today shed tears for thier ancestors, who they never met, who fought and suffered for thier independence. My generalization is based on the hope that good people appreciate and understand what complete strangers go through just so they can sleep peacefully at night.

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

I find it interesting how peaceful and religious countries like India suffer so much yet countries like the US and England grieve at the loss of relatively few soldiers in stupid wars.

Then again, crap like this have happening for ages.

The numbers are different, but losing a loved one is still the same. It's not like we can tell the mothers of dead soldiers, "Well, this is a stupid war, and not as many soldiers have died in this conflict as in this disaster.... so you really shouldn't be that sad."

And I REALLY don't want to start a flame war, but it almost sounds like you're implying that countries like the US are more deserving of a big natural disaster, because they're not "peaceful" like India. Things like this are equally terrible no matter where they happen, no matter what religion or broadly-generalized mindset the people there have.

 

[Beelzebub]

And I REALLY don't want to start a flame war, but it almost sounds like you're implying that countries like the US are more deserving of a big natural disaster, because they're not "peaceful" like India.

The point isn't "who is deserving of a natural disaster" but more "they didn't deserve it in the first place." Just like California doesn't deserve the earthquakes they get, and Florida didn't deserve getting hit with (more or less) 83472398472 hurricanes in one season.

We're lucky we have government agencies to help us in times of need. Natural disasters are a part of life for them. Monsoon rains wipe out their homes every year but they just have to rebuild.

 

[Emanuele]

Let's pray for them...

 

[soundgarden]

The point isn't "who is deserving of a natural disaster" but more "they didn't deserve it in the first place." Just like California doesn't deserve the earthquakes they get, and Florida didn't deserve getting hit with (more or less) 83472398472 hurricanes in one season.

Thank you.

 

[Rose Immortal]

I find it interesting how peaceful and religious countries like India suffer so much yet countries like the US and England grieve at the loss of relatively few soldiers in stupid wars.

Then again, crap like this have happening for ages.

I really don't think this is an appropriate place for politics or other snotty remarks and it certainly was not my intent in starting this thread.

I am an American and I grieve both for the losses of our nation and those of others...I think that's simply human nature and that's all I'm concerned with. All I wanted was to remember the victims. Let's please let all of the politics go...I didn't want this to be a flame thread, only a condolences one.

At this point, I am still waiting for word from two friends, one online and one in real life, as to whether their friends and families are OK. I'm very concerned about it because it's been awhile and they don't seem to know yet.

 

[soundgarden]

I really don't think this is an appropriate place for politics or other snotty remarks and it certainly was not my intent in starting this thread.

I am an American and I grieve both for the losses of our nation and those of others...I think that's simply human nature and that's all I'm concerned with. All I wanted was to remember the victims. Let's please let all of the politics go...I didn't want this to be a flame thread, only a condolences one.

At this point, I am still waiting for word from two friends, one online and one in real life, as to whether their friends and families are OK. I'm very concerned about it because it's been awhile and they don't seem to know yet.

Snotty? Politics?

All I am saying is that for the majority of the world, life is unfair. A truth that has been proven time and time again.

 

[Rose Immortal]

What's bothering me is how this thread started turning into some America vs. the rest of the world thing, with people debating which country's way of life is better, who deserves natural disasters or does not, and other stuff that is completely and totally irrelevant to the single matter I attempted to mention--the disaster in Southeast Asia. Why all of this other stuff had to get started here is beyond me. I could have cited many other comments but quite frankly, yours was first and seems (whether you intended it or not) to have touched off all the rest of the out-of-place comments and debates, some of which seem to be pretty cutting.

 

[Beelzebub]

I don't intend to trivialize the lives of the thousands of others who were lost in Asia, but the singer of Nasum is missing. See: http://www.nasum.com

 

[Jax]

I think we can agree that it is a tragedy that hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives in this disaster. The point of this thread was to express sympathy to those whose lives were lost or forever changed by this event..let's stick with the original tone of the thread & lay off the petty crap. This is a 'if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all' type of situation..show some respect in this thread for those personally affected by this. Thanks.

That said, RoseImmortal, I sincerely hope that your friends' loved ones will be found alive and safe.

 

[Rose Immortal]

Thank you, I will make sure to let you guys know as soon as I get word.

Sometimes at a time like this, communications are bad, and it may be taking them awhile to get everybody accounted for. One of them told me already that it looks like everybody he cares about made it, but given how bad the situation is, I don't think he's absolutely sure. The other has not had time to answer the e-mail yet, and I'm hoping the news will be good.

To Beelzebub, I'm sorry to read about that. Personally I don't think it's trivializing to bring up somebody you know of who's missing...all lives are important, including his. I wish I knew more about that band, but I definitely hope Mieszko will be found soon.