News

The tragedy of Katrina's aftermath

The Hurricane Katrina disaster seems so far away, yet it remains close in my mind.  Information about the aftermath and disaster recovery effort has sketchy here in Seoul, except for what I can glean from the Internet and cable television.  Today the disaster touched me in a small way.  I put together a list of disaster recovery organizations and contact information Americans in Korea can use to locate loved ones possibly affected by the disaster.  Some Americans have inquired about the relief effort, and the resource list I put together will hopefully be helpful to those who are in Korea but are concerned about the hurricane’s aftermath.
 
This tragedy is such a shame.  The sheer numbers in terms of potential victims and costs to rebuild New Orleans and Gulf Coast is staggering.  The ultimate impact of this natural disaster may exceed the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Andrew, and the 1906 San Francisco Fire.  It conjures memories of the 1900 Galveston, Texas hurricane that leveled the city and is still considered by many to be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.  Those who perished in the hurricane or its aftermath could number in the thousands.  Yesterday, the mayor of New Orleans estimated that 80% of the city is flooded with water.  Risk Management Solutions, a catastrophic risk-modeling firm, estimated today that the economic cost of the disaster could be as high as $100 billion.  Swiss Re, a reinsurer, estimated that the insurance claims associated with the disaster could be as much as $20 billion, a figure similar to the estimated loss caused by 9/11.    The Superdome, host to a handful of Superbowls in years past, is now virtually uninhabitable and could be demolished.  In fact, each day it looks more and more like large sections of the city will have to be completely rebuilt.  Some experts have estimated that it may take as long as six months to completely drain the city and years to rebuild it.  I often think that the media exaggerates news to hype news stories, but the disaster footage I’ve seen leaves little doubt that the situation on the ground is far more serious than what the news is portraying.  I had the same feeling when I read about the Tsunami that devastated Asia and Africa in December 2004.  It’s hard to exaggerate reporting on the aftermath of natural disasters with a magnitude as immense at Hurricane Katrina.
 
I don’t know anyone who lives on the Gulf Coast or in New Orleans, but my sympathies go out to everyone who lost a loved one there, or lost their home, or are dodging bullets and looting, or sitting on roofs waiting to be rescued without food or water, or struggling to cram into large arenas converted into makeshift shelters.  I cannot even imagine what it must be like living through the hell that my fellow Americans are going through in this disaster.  I imagine that many survivors of Hurricane Katrina felt the same way as they watched in horror as imagines of disaster relief in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and other areas hard hit by the Tsunami flashed across their screens.  Less than one year later, disaster unexpectedly strikes again with fury.  I cannot even imagine what it must be like for the survivors who have to endure high daylight temperatures, surrounded by devastation.  It makes me wonder whether an unforeseen disaster will someday cross my own path.  It reminds me to remain viligent.  Sometimes we can’t control our circumstances, but it doesn’t hurt to try.  In the meantime, I hope my family and I never have to go through what the people of the Gulf Coast must face.
 
Blog note:  My family and I will head to Seoraksan National Park tomorrow for a couple of days.  Although we will stay at a hotel (no, no camping unfortunately), I don’t know if I will have Internet access.  I’ll post another blog entry as soon as I can.  I should hopefully have some great pictures for you too.

One fire at a time

Work has kept me extremely busy over the past few days.  Ever since I sponsored a newly-arrived family last week, I have hardly stopped working.  The presentation in Cheongwon shortened my weekend by half a day, and on Monday I spent the entire day playing catch up.  Today was a quieter one, but it grew hectic again toward the end of the day.  At times work feels like a never-ending multitude of firefights.  Once I put out one fire, another one (or two or three) flares up.  One moment today was particularly humorous.  I was busy finishing up some paperwork when a colleague came into my office asking for assistance.  Just as she opened her mouth, the phone rang.  I politely told her, "Just a moment," and tried to answer my phone.  Just then my cell phone also rang.  Then my boss came in with something I wrote, giving me his approval to forward it to the "Powers that Be."  So I grabbed the document from my boss, picked up the phone and asked the person if I could call them back, answered my cell phone (wrong number), went back to help my colleague, and then called back the person who had just called me on my work phone.  I then e-mailed the document my boss approved to the "Powers that Be."  All this occurred within a span of about two minutes.  Ever had a day like that?  It’s not always busy at work, but lately the previous example occurs much too frequently.  Perhaps it’s because the lazy days of summer are over and the buzz of fall has arrived.  I have a Pocket PC personal digital assistant I use to help me manage my long, rolling to-do list, but right now updating it feels like yet another thing to do.  My e-list is so far out of date that it’s no help at all right now.  I just have to keep a mental tab of everything I need to do and hope that I don’t overlook something really important.
 
Sometimes work takes a lot of negotiating and persuasion.  Yesterday, someone came in with what seemed like an unachievable request.  They have helped a close relative stuck in Korea for many years and simply wanted our help in putting them in touch with someone about their situation.  I lent a sympathetic ear, and although they were pessimistic that I could do something, I made a phone call and referred the person to someone who could help them.  They were extremely grateful.  I could have blown them off, or told them, "Sorry, I can’t help you."  But I did my best and helped them achieve a happier result.  Today I had to make a very difficult call to someone who wants to run our cafeteria.  The cafeteria has been on hold pending the processing of his application.  The vendor is very frustrated because there is nothing they or I can do at this point.  I followed up with vendor’s application and told them that I would have an answer for them within two weeks.  The vendor was angry at first, but after I reasoned with them, they settled down and were resigned to let fate run its course.  Sometimes negotiated endings are happy, sometimes unfortunate, and sometimes unresolved.
 
Note to Wade3016:  Well, of course you don’t think Apple is a pioneer.  Why would you?  🙂  Sure, Apple did not invent the computer, or the mouse, or the monitor.  But think of all the cutting-edge technologies and designs Apple has developed over the years.  Apple was the first to eliminate the need for short, cryptic file names (nowhtimean.doc?).  Apple was the first to introduce a translucent, self-contained computer called the "iMac."  Apple pioneered the PDA with the Newton, and it was the first to cut a deal with major recording companies to legally sell MP3 downloads.  Apple pioneered many of the desktop icons and interfaces common in Windows-based today.  Apple has been a big technology pioneer since the 1980s.  Its problem has traditionally been twofold–Apple has failed to successfully market many of its innovations, and it too often insists on having strict control over its products.  That’s Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ fault.  It’s part of his persona.  Sometimes Jobs  is just what Apple needs; sometimes he dominates Apple’s culture too much and makes crazy decisions.  Case in point–Apple began licensing iPod technology to Hewlett Packard to make HP-branded iPods, then it suddenly pulled out of the deal.  Even though iPod now dominates the MP3 player market and is a tech darling, MP3 player competition is coming on strong.  iPod will eventually lose its dominance so long as Apple insists on selling MP3 downloads on iPod.com that only play on Apple-made iPods.  Don’t be too hard on Apple, though.  Its stock is up 200% since September 2004!  You can’t say that about Microsoft’s stock in recent years. 
 
As far as Google, I again have to emphasize that what is innovative about Google is its approach to content delivery, not its software.  Google is pushing content from the Web to the desktop through search and aggregation, while Microsoft is pushing applications and content from the desktop to the Web.  I know the Sidebar concept is not new, but there is no other technology company today that I know of extending the Web to the desktop and basing it on the concept of search and customizable content like Google is doing on a scale so grand as Google.  I don’t know what Windows Vista will look like, but I’m positive that it will not be a content-delivery program.  It’s an upcoming operating system.  Microsoft may bundle in a content-deliver feature, but based on Microsoft’s past ventures into content and media, I’m not convinced that Microsoft can out-Google Google.  Content delivery will be nothing more than a bundled feature in Windows.

Six months and change

Yesterday marked our sixth month living here in Korea.  It’s hard to believe it’s been only six months since we disembarked from an airplane and set foot in Seoul.  It seems like an eternity ago.  Life has certainly changed for us in a remarkably short period of time. 
 
Today I picked a newly arrived colleague at Incheon International Airport and helped them settle into their new home, just like someone helped us settle in months ago.  We have a "pay it forward" policy here; that is, you sponsor and assist another newbie in the future, just as you were helped when you first arrived.  Last night I bought groceries and stocked their refrigerator with food.  Today I met them at the airport and escorted them to their new home.  It seemed straightforward enough on paper.  Arrive at airport, pick up, and drop off.  Unfortunately, I was unaware that they were arriving three hours later than expected.  I arrived three hours early (yes, Wade3016, three hours EARLY).  The itinerary I used was apparently an old one.  Nothing was the same–even the flight number had changed.  When I arrived and could not find their flight, I searched the baggage area for what I thought could have been their flight.  No, they weren’t there.  The airport is a very large facility, and I am now thoroughly acquainted with it in my quest to find them.  I hiked across the entire airport to the airline office, where I learned that their flight was not scheduled to arrive until 8:40 tonight.  I arrived at 5:40.  I ate a quick dinner at the airport and stewed for awhile over my misfortune. 
 
I must have missed the itinerary change.  When you get hundreds of E-mails at work daily, it’s easy to overlook a message, even if it contains important information.  The official notice I received said 6 p.m., and that’s the schedule I used.  I’m not going to check to see if I can find the E-mail.  What is done is done.  Water under the bridge.  Unfortunately, I will be out late tomorrow night in the Daejeon area giving a presentation to American English teachers, and I won’t be home until after 11 p.m.  Frankly, I’m tired and not really looking forward to speaking a a group late in the evening on a Friday night.  Sometimes duty calls.  I’m sure I’ll do well and will enjoy it, but I will be very exhausted tomorrow night when I’m finished.  I will have to take a hiatus from this blog tomorrow night, and I don’t plan to get out of bed until I’ve had a good night’s sleep.  Have a good night and a great weekend, and I’ll write again as soon as I can.