Dealing with Tsunamis

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The Mayor

Well-Known Member
I was watching the very sad news from Asia and Indonesia about the devastating tsunamis. The catastrophic death toll and the outpouring of grief are unparalleled in modern life. We simply don't have the ability to understand the enormous scope of this disaster, so we look at the experience one small story at a time, and through human eyes we try to piece together meaning.

A close friend of mine has been traveling throughout Asia, Indonesia, and India the last few months. Recently he was scuba diving off of Phuket Island. One sunny morning he went out to breakfast at a little café, and then returned to his hotel room to prepare for the day. Thirty minutes later the café had been inundated. He wrote:

"I'm ok, although the Andaman coast is pretty wrecked. Lots of people dead/hurt/missing. Saw a body yesterday (16ish girl) and lots of hurt people. Missed being in the wrong place by 1/2 hr. Panic in Thai is very strange. Running like hell, and not sure why. Weird."

You can read more about his account at www.davetracker.com

Two days later the region is in shock, still coming to grips with what will be needed to restore even the basics, like food, water and shelter. Please contribute to those agencies that are helping the people of the devastated region recover.

You don't really know how much you can handle until you have experienced the worst that life has to offer.

--Mayor
 
zengrifter

zengrifter

Banned
Does anyone know the difference between...

... Tsunamis and Tidal Waves? I thought that they were synonymous but a CNN scientist was saying no? zg
 
E

emeprod

New Member
tsunamis

I believe the difference is simply in how they were formed. A "tidal wave", as the name implies, is specifically related to the actual tide of the body of water where it originates, i.e. most people are familiar with the "tide" coming in and out and being affected by the moon, etc. A tsunami is basically a displacement of water that originated due to some specific physical event, i.e. when a glacier separates and a large chunk of it falls in the water, then this large "splash" can cause tsunamis, just like dropping a rock in a pond causes little ripples to disperse from it...a tsunami is simply a very, very large ripple.
 
S

stainless steel rat

Well-Known Member
maybe, but

I was watching something on TV months back about "tidal waves". And here they were talking about a large wave caused by a land-mass (or ice-mass) breaking off and falling into the ocean, displacing a large volume of water. They had some modeling going on (I think at the Vicksburg MS waterways experiment station) studying this as it happens more often than you'd think. But note it was the same sort of thing we just saw, just caused by a huge chunk of land falling into the ocean rather than the ocean floor suddenly rising 60 feet or whatever just happened...
 
T

The Mayor

Well-Known Member
Yes, but...

This is my site so I don't have to follow my own rules :cool: If you start a site, you can break your own rules too!

I want the message about helping the victims of the tsunamis to reach as large an audience as possible. I intend to give $$$ tomorrow to "direct relief international". I hope you will find a charity and donate as well.

--Mayor
 
Automatic Monkey

Automatic Monkey

Banned
Giving to charity is a tough call

I'd like to help in any way I can, but I also know the reality of what happens to donations in such circumstances, especially when the fundraising is associated with a prominent disaster. Some fundraisers make casino executives look ethical by comparison.
 
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Sohrab

Active Member
There are internet resources you can use

to check out charities. Some states have attorney general websites. Consumer websites. etc.

You are right some charities put 20% of money to their cause, others 80-90%. Donate to efficient ones.
 
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stainless steel rat

Well-Known Member
I agree...

A couple of years ago, United Way proved that to be beyond true. The "boss" was living a life-style that would make a "whale" (in Vegas) look like a pauper... I don't deal with UW period, any longer. Red Cross seems far better for a starting point. Salvation Army also seems good.
 
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gehrig

Well-Known Member
since the political correctness pestilence...

has infected the united way, they lost me, leastwise for the remainder of this turn on the wheel.

as to domestic charities i'm partial to the salvation army. that because i enjoyed most of 6 months using the red shield house in bombay as a home base.

as to international charities it is medecins sans frontieres. that because i've encountered these folks in truly god forsaken environments at duties most health care professionals wouldn't do on a bet.
 
T

The Mayor

Well-Known Member
My $$$ went locally

To "Direct Relief International" which happens to be headquartered in Santa Barbara. Thanks for posting on nonBJ ... I should learn from you!
 
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eyesfor21

Well-Known Member
looking for videos

perhaps underground not the normal
news coverage..any links would be appreciated..
trying to get one of the guy that apparenlty surfed it too.
 
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dbase

Member
Tsunami waves

A Tsunami is an under-water wave. It can travel as fast as
350MPH. Incredible! This wave is caused by an underwater
landslide caused, in this case, by an earthquake.
It is not visible out in the ocean. Ships hardly notice anything.
When it hits shore it usually is no more than 10 to 12 Ft. But it
is deep and powerful.
regards
dbase
 
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