Ace, I think you're going too far here. A UN delegate made the "raise taxes" statement. And, as a liberal of sorts, I'm offended that this tragedy is taking on political dimensions. I think the country's most affected do need more than $35 million and I do expect that amount to climb. I'm not blasting Bush or Congress on the amount suggested so far. As for global warming, I haven't heard any discussions on this so far, save one woman who's brother is missing who said we should take this time to reflect on the immensity of the loss and whether there is any connection between the environment and undersea nuclear tests. I think it's purely a natural disaster. Ace folks: please stop grouping all liberals together. I come here cause I'm interested your perspective, but not for the abuse.

Jesus, that is scary! Hard to think that most of the people in the photo died.

Yes, and several of them are smiling, like this is some surreal experience. I saw this in a lot of the video tapes, people laughing and joking about how wild the waves looked. They had no idea.

Yo Liberal Troll: If you look real carefully, you'll see a giant George Bush blowing greenhouse gases from behind the wave.

Why am I a troll. You're an idiot. I've read your crap before, which is usually based in liberal hate. Piss off or Ace will have to slap your hand for the second time today for rating a non-troll a troll. Once again, your an idiot.

OOOOh I struck a nerve! I must be recovering better than I'd thought from my Trolloholism. You make me proud!

Bloggers, be the judge. I refuse to duke it out with this guy. I prefer hearing views like Garfield and LauraW., who had some good points in a previous post re. funding.

I love it when someone who doesn't know the difference between "your" and "you're" calls someone else an idiot. It really amuses me.

You're right. Heated moment. I wondered how long it would take for someone to launch an attack based on that argument. You win Zetetic. But I know the difference between you're and your and 72 just hates me because I said the evil liberal word. This is a tough crowd.

Agreed, bloggers be the judge and I refuse to duke it out with this guy too. There, I've taken the oath. There is no known cure for Trollaholism, we seek only progress and not perfection. Now that's progress.

Those photos are just beyond horrifying. As for the whole taxes issue - the UN guy was a pinhole. Who is the world to tell how how much we should tax so we can help everyone out? I swear, if something really catastrophic were to happen to us, we'd be up the creek because there would be no "US" to help us out. Japan and Australia have really come through ... but much of the heavy lifting is expected of us. I would like to know what the amount is that Americans are giving willingly out of their own pocket. How much is being filled in the French coffers? Or Canadian? Not taxes, but just raised by Charities- by people emptying their own pockets. We shouldn't be forcibly taxed for charities, and I think that the lower taxes here (compared to Canada, Europe) result in our being able to GIVE more (as well as make more, so our taxed dollars add up to more anyhoo.)

I remember that photo from a yaer or two ago, Ace. I forget what it is - something in China? - but it ain't the recent thing.

IIRC, the apparent size of the wave is a trick of the telephoto lens used, and no one's in any danger.

Ummmm, earthquakes have nothing to do with the so-called global warming. So nice try, but your scare tactics don't work.

Ace, you might want to pull or qualify that picture. It appears that the MSM was snookered (surprise surprise). That photo is allegedly taken of a tsunami that hit China two years ago. Info HERE