defrog: (planet terror)
defrog ([personal profile] defrog) wrote2008-05-12 10:12 pm

GOD HATES ASIA THIS WEEK

While we all watch the absolute Big Bucket Of What The Fuck that is the Burmese military junta dealing with the cyclone aftermath in a way that actually makes FEMA look like it knows what it’s doing (or at least has some level of altruism in its operation), you should know there was a 7.8 earthquake in Sichuan today – at least 3,000 dead, possibly 5,000.

Which I mention mainly because my goddaughter’s father was supposed to be in Chengdu closing a deal with a client, but the negotiations fell through two days ago, so he’s here in HK today instead of in Chengdu where he would have been when the quake struck.

How's THAT for karma?

We didn’t feel a thing here, if yr wondering. I’ve been packing and moving stuff all day. I’m on break. I’d do a longer post on Burma (and I assume even the Americans out there know what I'm talking about – that IS getting news coverage there, right?), but I don’t have time, and what can I really add? Except why was Laura Bush the first person the White House rolled out to say something about it? What, Junior was too busy hiring the band to play his daughter’s wedding?

Back to work,

This is dF

EDITED TO ADD [a few hours later]: The death toll in Sichuan went up another 3,500 since the original post. And on the news they said the quake even rattled the seismic sensors here in HK. They felt it in Yuen Long, anyway. I think I was helping someone transport the exercise bike we sold them to their place down the hill at the time, so that might be why I missed it.

[identity profile] bluesgirly.livejournal.com 2008-05-12 02:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Mayanmar is all over the news - I did a post ripping my poor USA over it and pretty much all the shows play "Hey Burma is screwed and runned by maniacs who don't care."

Tell me that's wrong!

[identity profile] def-fr0g-42.livejournal.com 2008-05-12 02:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I saw yr post after I posted this post. It's getting lots of coverage here too, and my first thought when I saw some Bush people criticize the junta's slow response was, "No, fuck you, you don't get to say that after what you did to New Orleans."

Since then, of course, the junta has taken FUBAR disaster relief to all new WTF levels. Even Robert Mugabe is probably saying, "Dude, that's a really f***ed up way to run a country."

[identity profile] bluesgirly.livejournal.com 2008-05-12 03:19 pm (UTC)(link)
New Orleans is another example of where the amazing talents of the US military could have been used for good.

Oprah, the NAVY AND SEARS should have been in there within 24 hours. New Orleans is still fucked GAH!

I dunno. I'm just a writer - how all of this goes on just stumps me daily so I tap my foot on the floor waiting for November's election with hope for a better 4 years following.

[identity profile] captainpixel.livejournal.com 2008-05-13 11:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Suzie here. Just glad you are okay...worried about you two. How far away is this from you guys, out of interest?
We care about you and are happy you are safe.