BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead

Subject: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 02:15 AM

You know, sometimes I just don't want to be on this earth.

South Asia Earthquake 7.6


"...it devastated a mountainous swath touching Pakistan, India and Afghanistan."

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 02:27 AM

"sometimes I just don't want to be on this earth"

You got a better location?

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: nutty
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 02:43 AM

Sorry Clinton ... we haven't yet fully cracked getting things into space even if you do have enough money. click here

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: open mike
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 02:44 AM

more quake news here.
http://www.cnn.com/

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: GUEST,Ooh-Aah2
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 02:52 AM

And some people still believe in God/Allah/whatever. Poor fools.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 03:58 AM

I believe that the apparent increase in natural disasters like these, along with Tsunamis and hurricanes, is a sign that this earth is working its way towards some cataclysmic event. Melting polar ice caps, shifting ocean currents, and global warming are all symptoms.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: nutty
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 06:46 AM

I believe that such events are cyclic. That they happen every so many hundred years.

For example, a few hundred years ago our winters (here in the UK) were so severe that all our rivers froze. There is much documentation of the famous FROST FAIRS held on the river Thames when it was possible to walk from one bank to the other over the ice.

A few hundred years before that. the Romans were growing grapes in vinyards in the South of England as the climate was so temperate.

The difference today is that populations have increased to such an extent that people now live in large numbers in areas where such things happen.

We know that many problems are caused by building on flood plains, by making hillsides unstable through de-forestation and similar activities yet do nothing to prevent such follies.

It is heartbreaking to see these pictures of disasters across the world but they show us that we are insignificant beings when compared to the brute strength of nature.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Susan A-R
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 09:45 AM

Had a conversation with A freind from Pakistan who runs the grocery next to my Kitchen. His family's ok, but he's pretty convinced that it's God. I suggested that if God was after vengeance, he could probably be a bit more targeted. I hate to think that God is such a mean spirited, random SOB. Looks like another ethnic dinner benefit is in my future, then one for the local food bank, as they will be struggling this year, what with fuel prices going through the roof. The pressure is on this year. It's been a bad one.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Donuel
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 10:21 AM

The land mass of India drifted toward Asia in the misty past. As contact with Asia became inexorably innevitable a string of Islands formed in the straits between the goliath land masses. These islands of paradise were geologicly short lived but still exist today in some Hindu lore.
This slow motion collision continues to this day pushing the Himlayas ever higher and folding great masses of earth ever deeper into the Earth's mantle depths.

If we had eyes to see the palaces on the paradise islands of Honalee savaged by the titantic crash of two land masses; to see the mountains rise and valleys deepen, to watch families thrive or die in the lands they call home, we would see the tenacity of love and life on floating worlds of continental plates of a world floating in space, in orbit about a galatic center and floating yet farther and faster toward the great attractor that is as of yet unknown.

Between the calamities we would see it is worth it all.
Worth all the floods, eruptions, earthquakes, hurricaines, tornados, asteroidal impacts, solar eruptions, searing gamma ray bursts and shredding black holes.

But here and now holding a lost loved amid the diaster, it is never worth it.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: *daylia*
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 10:22 AM

Calling natural disasters "acts of God" is a great way to pass the buck, though. Just ask your insurance broker. And if they are "acts of God" how would escaping to Mars (for example) help?   

Disasters bring out the best, and the worst, in human nature. (see Susan's post) Maybe that's the best use we can make of 'em.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 10:44 AM

30,000 or more as of Sunday morning. The bad weather has made things a lot worse. Meanwhile, on the North American continent, the results of Stan are devasating in Guatemala. 1500 as of this morning.

People will do what they can to help. Something that would be useful for all people of the world is a concerted effort to design and support the construction of homes and structures to withstand the common conditions in any given area. Earthquake, hurricane, tornado, flood, fire, extreme heat and cold. There are things that can be done to make these things more survivable. It's apparent that people WILL build where they want to, whether it makes sense or not. Of all risks, not building where mudslides and floods occur are likely seem most obvious. Time to listen to regional geologists and meteorologists.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Donuel
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 11:02 AM

earlier post edited:


The land mass of India drifted toward Asia in the misty past. As contact with Asia became inexorably inevitable a string of Islands formed in the straits between the goliath land masses. These islands of paradise were geologically short lived but still exist today in some Hindu lore.
This slow motion collision continues to this day pushing the Himalayas ever higher and folding great masses of earth ever deeper into the Earth's mantle depths.

If we had eyes to see: the palaces on the paradise islands of Honalee savaged by the titanic crash of two land masses, to see the mountains rise and valleys deepen, to watch families thrive in the lands they call home, we would see the tenacity of love and life on floating worlds of continental plates of a world floating in space, in orbit about a galactic center and floating yet farther and faster toward the great attractor that is as of yet unknown.

Between the calamities we would see it is worth it all.
Worth all the floods, eruptions, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, asteroid impacts, solar eruptions, searing gamma ray bursts and shredding black holes.

But here and now holding a lost loved one amid the disaster,
it is never worth it.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 11:03 AM

Frankly, I wasn't thinking of Mars. It just strikes me that just plain living is too sad.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: nutty
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 11:15 AM

I'm sure that if there was a God, he/she would be shaking his head at the selfishness of the race he/she created.

The only way to prevent these horrific disaster is to think globally rather than get bogged down in the petty problems of our everyday lives.

Terrible as these events appear even more people than this die of starvation every year in African Countries.

It is becoming evermore apparent that the earth can only sustain a certain population and that it is rapidly reaching saturation point.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: *daylia*
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 12:00 PM

hear hear, nutty.

It's an absolutely GORGEOUS day here in Ontario, on this holiday weekend - clear blue skies, crisp fresh autumn air, the fall foliage just a-blazin, people gathering with their families for the Thanksgiving feast. Before I went to bed last night, I spent an hour or so outside just mesmerized by the night sky panorama: shimmering shooting stars, the Big Dipper sparkling against the hazy glow of the Milky Way, fiery Mars rising just alongside the Seven Sisters ....

Strange how rare it is to hear anyone call a perfect day like this an "act of God". So at the risk of sounding cold-hearted, I think I'll take up the slack here, stick my neck out REAL REAL far and say Mother Nature/Mighty "God" -- thank you for this beautiful, wonderful, blessed day!!

(*whew* ... I did it! .... and now I'll get me coat ...)

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 12:20 PM

"Terrible as these events appear even more people than this die of starvation every year in African Countries.'

yes, indeed... slow motion disasters never get the publicity or attention that big, sudden events do. The human mind just doesn't work that way, I guess.

...and yeah, population IS near saturation...it passed the theoretical comfort zone about 1935. Sure will be interesting in a hundred years.

It is so very sad to read these stories of people who live in the danger zones with so little resources.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: LilyFestre
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 01:23 PM

"Mother Nature/Mighty "God" -- thank you for this beautiful, wonderful, blessed day!!"


*standing up and clapping for Daylia!!!!!!*


Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 02:31 PM

Wonder to what fundamentalist/radical Muslims ascribe this kind of thing?

(FWIW, I do not believe in any kind of messge being given by means of natural disasters- other than perhaps: Hey, Stoopid- Don't build there!)

Ooops!

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 03:22 PM

I dunno, Ebbie...massages are delivered in strange ways sometimes...☺

from todays Wash Post:
"The opening day of DC Festival, a Christian evangelical gathering on the Mall two years in the planning, was undercut by bad weather yesterday as heavy rain forced organizers to cancel many events and truncate their spiritual outreach............"


"I'm not discouraged. I'm perplexed that the Lord would allow this rain to come and despite all our prayers -- it's still coming," Palau, 70, said in a midafternoon phone interview from the Mall. "I do not doubt the goodness of God. When we get to heaven . . . we'll find out why this happened."

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 04:22 PM

God has a lot to answer for.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 04:23 PM

Good God! (No pun intended) I just realized that Max operates on the same principle!

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Peace
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 06:48 PM

Good thread, Ebbie.

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: Mr Fox
Date: 10 Oct 05 - 05:56 AM

"I hate to think that God is such a mean spirited, random SOB."

Don't read the Bible much, do you?

Subject: RE: BS: New Quake- 18,000 plus Dead
From: saulgoldie
Date: 10 Oct 05 - 03:42 PM

I do not think that ascribing the various random occurances to G-d's doing are worth our energy. I think the best we can do is to enjoy the gifts we receive (from whatever or wherever), and do our best to minimize the suffering. At any rate, things like weather and geological events are things we cannot affect much.

However, there are many tragedies that are made by humans that we CAN do much about. And about those things, I think we SHOULD do much. Some of the human suffering around the world may be in some ways due to natural forces. But some of those natural forces were caused or exacerbated by human activity, like the desertification of many tracts of land, some caused by over-population that could have been avoided by human activity. And much human suffering is a direct result of inequitable distribution of resources. And that, too can be avoided by changes in human behavior.

The bigger tragedies, to me, are that so much human suffering can be alleviated, but that the (human) powers-that-be actively choose against such changes.

Ebbie, I, too am overwhelmed from watching the various large scale tragedies that we have seen over the last several weeks. I have done my share of crying, and I have sent some money.

Daylia, I, too have taken note of some wonderous and wonderful goings on around me. I played the other day for a College benefit, and no one in the audience noticed any of my many mistakes. Instead, they were effusive in their praise and appreciation. And just this morning, it was nice and cool after the rain, and I had a sensational smoke of a new tobacco blend in a new pipe.