Japan pledges $500 million to Aid Tsunami Victims
 

they had to beat out old G.W

Wow thats huge

good for japan, but they probably had more invested in the area than the us also. because we know that we wont put money into an area unless we have major influence there

Wow...that's a lot of coin. Good for them.

US needs to pledge a lot more. they need to get the support of those countries in the war on terror and whatever other crap they are doing. indonesia is a big muslim country.

Yeah, Japanese are super rich........

Very cool. Makes my $100.00 look like nothing.

But every bit counts. : )

Well they can be glad they haven't been hit by some big tsunami. Now they can expect something in return if something big happens to them.. I still like jap :D

hmmmm... i live in thailand... *thinking like a greedy capitalist*... how can i get my hands on some of that bread?




...

japan rock that is a great gesture lots of money

Go Japan Go!

Damn that's one big sum. Bravo to them.

I like how everything is compared to the US.

Here is a fact the US gives more to everybody than anybody else yet we are the most hated gotta love it...

But ya know, Japan is in a unique position in that their ass will get nailed by a tsnumai at some point too. The U.S. could too, but we're not a tiny little island that could get wiped out. I think Japan is protecting their own ass by paying out now so they can expect support when the shoe is on the other foot in the future.

But I'm just a cynic. :Oh crap

$10 billion is at least what is needed to really help them out. The economies in some of the areas hit are destroyed. People's transportation gone, belongings gone, houses gone, family gone.

I heard the US initially pledged $35 million or something? Did they put it up?...

Matt

Hm.. US has a lot of high-density populated areas along the coasts... a tsunami could definitely destroy their economies, and lives.

Earthquakes are natural, only thing everyone can do is prepare and have warning systems and evacuation plans.

This type of thing shouldn't happen again, not the same amount of devastation because systems will now be put in place. It probably would have only cost $5, $10, maybe $20 million to setup a system for those areas of the world.. though now we're needing billions in relief.

Matt

sure, I'm not saying the U.S. wouldn't be hurt. I'm just saying that we wouldn't be wiped out. I mean look at California. Lets say a massive scale tsunami hits in the L.A. area. Tons of physical damage, countless lives lost, etc. But we still 49 other states and the U.S. can move on. But I don't think Japan is even the size of Cali. So whereas we're down 1 state, they would be out of their entire country. Little bit of a difference.

In any case, I'm just tossing shit out here. I think its good that they're helping people that have been hurt.

Gotcha. I'm guessing Japan has been putting countless millions into research and development for tsusami detection and 'prevention', more reduction in damage that would be caused. I'd imagine the best kind of system would be huge channels that run through the island that all excessive water can pass right through... of course would cost billions but would save lives and the economy.

Blah. I wish the world worked together and cared about everyone elses' well-being pro-actively.

Matt

Making the U.S., look like the cheap bastards we are

I don't think the US ( or to that effect most "developped" countries ) are cheap.

They were slow to react, and this is not a surprise . It took a while for GW's brain to comprehend the situation ... and to pronoucce " titsutsamini " ....

I saw this thing on Extreme Engineering about a indoor "city" that Japanese engineers had designed. It sits at the edge of the city, half on land/half over water and was shaped like an ENORMOUS pyramid. It had tubes that supported the structure and each tube contained electric "elevators" that could travel at ridiculous speeds through the building. The shape was large enough and strong enough to A. Withstand a tsunami and B. protect the land by blocking/breaking up the wave. There were countless other inovations - totally self contained community. I don't think it will ever happen, but it was an awesome idea.

we don't call them Tsunamis here, we call them Tidal Waves

kinda link we say Hurricane, and they are Typhoons in the South Pacific and Cyclones in the Indian Ocean

wow, that's nice. i guess they figure it coulda happened to them.

Wow that is some major cash. The tsunami victims need all they can get.