I'm pretty sure that the Tsunami(s) that struck in eastern Asia were the worst natural disasters in human history. There is talk that 100,000 deaths is on the low end of the fatalities. Currently, it is being reported that the Tsunami Death Toll Soars Past 77,000.

Usually, I don't feel much about the various disasters and acts of murder and terror that occur in the world. As I've mentioned before, I am much more easily upset about the killing of puppies and kittens than human deaths. However, this Tsunami situation is way out of control. When I think about the vast amount of destruction and death, I find it difficult to comprehend. I think, "Those poor brown people". No, I mean, I feel terrible about it.

Compared to 9/11, I feel much worse. I watched 9/11 in disbelief. I found the event to be surreal, as if I'd seen such things in movies so many times that I couldn't believe that what I was seeing on tv was real. In short order, our trusted major media outlets transformed the terrorist attacks into a Bruckheimer film. And our favorite politicians used it to grandstand and defame their opponents. Consequently, 9/11 seems abstract, trivial, and insignificant.

But this is just unbearably horrible. I used to wonder what America would do if there was another attack. For instance, after 9/11 there were concerts and tributes and endless post mortems, and it still goes on. Who else could be counted on for a better rock concert? I figured they'd have to get John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Keith Moon all together onstage in order to top the post-9/11 mania.

The tsunami is far worse than 9/11 in my estimation. I guess there could be another Live Aid, but other countries will have organize it. Uh, just like the first Live Aid. Really, for as bad as this natural disaster was and is, it seems like life goes on as usual in America. Girls are still going wild. "The Rebel Billionaire" continues to air. America is perfectly fine.

A further depressing point is that not only is America seemingly unconcerned, but the news coverage I have seen so far is myopically focused largely on such topics as "Could It Happen Here?" and "How Many Americans Are Missing?" Even worse, the "silver lining" stories are already starting to pop up. I have seen stuff like "The human spirit shines in times of crisis" and "The amazing miracle rescue of an eight week old baby gives us hope amidst despair". Y'know, thats bullshit, straight up and down, and I'll tell you why...

Over 100,000 people will die from this. Its fucking terrible. Does it really take mass disaster for the "human spirit" to "shine"?! Apparently, it does. Fortunately, we have no shortage of killing, terrorism, and natural disasters to give humanity an opportunity to show off its good side. Wonderful. And these little vignettes where stray individuals in wheelchairs survive are random lucky breaks. There is no hope to be found. I think that our media friends have to sugar up all of these bleak stories with this kind of shit in order to sheild us from the true random horror of these events. We just can't deal with it.

In a week or so (I'm assuming, at least one week), this won't even be news. I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt I will be. While even more people begin to die of disease, this "story" will be relegated to a spot in the nightly news' "The World In A Minute" features, in other words, an inconvenience.

Well, at least it isn't us, because we know how well WE do when it is.