Disasters and Heroes

The devastation in Japan is mind-boggling. I am sure you have seen lots of news reports on the carnage. I want to mention something positive about these events. What always impresses me is the heroic action of self-less individuals. For instance, 343 Firefighters died during rescue efforts after the 9/11 attacks. This time around, it is particularly the staff at the Fukishima plant that continually puts the safety of the public ahead of themselves. From the article:

"The longer they stay the more dangerous it becomes for them," said expert Margaret Harding. "I think it is a testament to their guts for them to say, 'We'll stay and if that means we go, we go.'"

Another thing I want to point out is that Japan provided awesome help after Hurricane Katrina.

Ronald Bailey writes a sober overview of the issues with nuclear power, from Fukishima to California.

I contributed to Americares.org. I picked them for two reasons: 98% of their funding goes towards programs, and just as importantly, 73% of their contributions come from individuals. I believe it is important for an organization not to be beholden to one or a few main contributors, whether corporate or governmental.