The season of giving
After a U.N. relief organizer called western nations "stingy" on Monday, Secretary of State Colin Powell announced that the U.S. would be raising its contribution to the tsunami recovery efforts from $15 million to almost $40 million. The death toll of the earthquake-induced tidal wave in southeast Asia has left an estimated million people homeless and the death toll has passed 51,000.In unrelated news, the New York Times reports this morning that Wall Street year-end bonuses will exceed $15.9 billion in 2004. In a press release, the New York state comptroller's office reported that the sum will be divided among the approximately 158,000 securities industry employees. That works out to roughly $100,400 per person. Investors rejoice! Our nation's record economic growth has been fairly rewarded.
One senior investment banker told the Times, "I have a sailboat, a motor boat, an apartment, an S.U.V. What could I possibly need? Maybe a little Porsche for the Hamptons house, but probably not."
posted by CM @ 8:09 PM
11 Comments:
Fear not, Chris, it'll trickle down.
Survivors say they heard about the tsunami doom from reading various Blogs. Thanks for not typing a word until after the fact. You have a responsibility to your readers!
Sunday was David Eckstein day.
Doh!
I can guarantee you there will not be 55,000 dead. Poor countries always inflate their feared "dead" count by about 60% to gain more American tax payer money. The Thai government should give the 41 million dollars to the tourists who were sitting ducks in a death trap. No Thai government warning system for tsunami's in the Indian ocean? Good fu%$ing grief.
As I recall, the US inflated the death toll of 9/11 by at least double in the days following the attack.
I don't doubt that the numbers may come down, that's probably a common practice. I would never, however, fault their government for its lack of a tsunami warning system. These are third world countries we're talking about and can't always be expected to have the money to pay for the same technological advances that the United States possess.
If there are American tourists staying in these resorts, it's because foreign investors have come in and created these tourist destinations, not because the natives are inviting outsiders to their doom. We all have a pretty good idea how these resort/tourist areas work. The local governments no doubt make money off them, but it's the foreign investors that are getting rich.
Tsunami's are too rare in the Indian ocean to warrant a warning system? The Thai government has no vested interested in a warning system? Have you guys lost yo damb mindz?
Why am I arguing with a bunch of slack-jaws from Benton County. Where is Mike Boddicker when I need him.
Yours truly,
Cal Eldred
I know you guys do not want to place blame where it should be, but if we put together our own relief effort, we can get that 3rd world area up to speed! bid high! bid often!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14023&item=6125578185&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V
Your pal,
Cal
I'm happy to put the blame the only place it belongs: God
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