UNFATHOMABLE

The magnitude of death and destruction left in the wake of the Indonesia earthquake and tsunamis is at such a level that is almost beyond comprehension, especially here in America where most major disasters seem to cap off in the triple digits, tops. The news stories rolling in are beyond horrific - entire towns disappearing in minutes, bodies stacked like driftwood along beaches, health workers having to photograph the dead for later identification and then processing the bodies into mass graves, etc.

I find it typical - and annoying - that some U.S. media outlets are doing what you might call National Death Rolls - last night, read in several places notes like, "3 Americans confirmed dead." That'd be 3 out of (at the time) 20,000 dead. Is national origin really that important at that point? Sports Illustrated relayed a ridiculous story about "swimsuit model surives tsunami." Seriously, they need to get out of here with that b.s.

I'm not here to soap box however. NPR put together a list of relief agencies where donations can be made.