IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE BAD, IS ABUNDANT BEAUTY FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE...

In the midst of bad policies, rotten politics, disaster, disease, and human suffering, there is yet great beauty shining for all to see...

Some refuse to see, some ignore, some are so tainted by the ugliness and pain that they do not believe in what they are seeing, some are cold, some are wood, some are beyond comprehension, but, the beauty is yet there, for all to see...

My life has been a book in itself, I have endured many experiences which could have left their ugly scars if I had allowed them to, but no, instead, I decided that to do so would be to rob myself of the life past the pain...

That is not to say that I do not have scars, I have both physical and mental scars, but, instead of them hindering me, they have helped me to arise above that which scarred me in the first place; they have taught me, they have built my character, they have given me strength, they have become a symbol of my rising above that which caused damage and pain. I learned this, what is, is, what you do with what is, is what makes it negative or positive. I decided to let go of the negative, though surely its scars are there to remind me, and live in the positive. What is the positive?

The positive is the mentality that I can arise above anything, anything at all. Even if I am scarred, I can rise above the cause and the effect of the scars. I can go forth, scars and all, and use these lessons to better myself and the world around me, which truly is yet filled with beauty for all to see...

Everything happens for a reason, and while I did not know when I was being scarred, what the reason might be, and still am not clear of the reasons, I survived. I was able to come from the depths of pain and suffering and arise to a life full of vision, love, compassion, and beauty for all the world to see...

Life is a 50/50 event. It is good, it is bad. It is happy, it is sad. It is easy, it is tough. It is right, it is wrong. It is strength, it is weakness. It is, indeed, 50/50. The balance lies in your perception, reaction, and self motivation to make the best of every situation, no matter what, for all the world to see...

Yes, in the midst of all human suffering and wrongdoing, there is abundant beauty for all to see; for all to embrace, for all to share, and for all to appreciate more, for in the light of the bad, the good outshines the bad a thousand fold...

CHINA AND MYANMAR, UPDATED...

PICTURE OF MYANMAR REFUGEES...

I just can't get over the enormity of the suffering in China... It is one thing after another, and, the fear of aftershocks is high, as the aftershocks are expected to be damaging as well. Here is the latest from China:

MIANYANG, CHINA — The Chinese government said Monday that 158 relief workers had been killed in landslides over the last three days, buried in mud as they tried to repair roads in some of the worst-hit areas. The announcement came on a day when the country paused for three minutes of silence to mourn the deaths of tens of thousands of people from last week’s earthquake...

It is also interesting to me that Myanmar, and this part of China which suffered the earthquake, are in close alignment, and proximity. I am no expert, but, I say that there will be much more to come in this region over the Summer months, and, I believe that even the Western part of the United States, or Canada, might suffer as well. I still believe that the missiles shot into the water by North Korea, and all of the devastatingly powerful bombs throughout the Mid East over the past years have a role in the earthquakes and tsunamis which are occurring. One cannot expect not to have repercussions from earth impacting devises plowing through the earth and into the sea...

China is an extremely overpopulated country, which has to accomodate for this massive society, and probably does not consider the damage which could be caused by natural disaster to their rushed projects. Perhaps they, and everyone will learn some lessons amidst this tragic event...

Myanmar is suffering greatly as well. And, it is likely to get much worse, since the junta is stealing aid supplies, and hundreds of thousands are without basic neccessities. The death toll rises daily, but, we would expect that, as there has not been a whole lot of cooperation with the government to rush to the aid of its people. The UN is sending an envoy to investigate matters, but, the UN is with the U. S. on their interference list, so, I wonder what good they might do. It is a shame that more cannot be done for this country, all because of policy...

If it seems that I am more than discussing the situation of these two countries, it is because I am saddened by many factors of the overall situation, and amazed by the extent to which hatred, prejudice, and lack of commpassion reaches. There are lives at stake, and still, a delusioned governmental rule prevails...

MYANMAR AND CHINA, STILL COUNTING...

The stubborn government of Myanmar has yet refused help from the UN or the U. S., though the death toll is now at 78,000 people. If they had allowed aid, would this number be lower? I am sure it would be. Prejudice, pride, politics, and policy, each play a role in how disaster is handled, and, none should ever come into play when human lives are at stake...

The death toll from China's quake is rising daily. There are conflicting estimates, starting at 12,000 all the way to over 50,000. There are 100,000 Chinese troops working around the clock to rescue, bury the demised, and assess the dam, which yet poses problems. There are hundreds of thousands of homeless people wandering around, which means health hazards are inevitable...

Natural disaster and government do not mix well. There are few governments which are efficient and effective in the face of disaster, and often, the leaders create more chaos than necessary with their limited vision of reality...

I am sure that soon, in coming months there will be even greater natural disasters coming to the world, tsunami's and more. I pray that I am wrong, and if I am right, that the world comes together to save as many lives as possible, and that leaders of the world are humans first, and leaders secondarily...

HOW DOES DISASTER RELIEF FUNDING WORK FROM GOVERNMENT TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR???

I am trying to determine how disaster relief works, and, have found too many evasive answers to make a clear synopsis...

We know that countries make deals, like trade pledges for disaster relief, and that some make cash deals, and that within each country (developed) there is a disaster relief system in place, but, where does this money come from, and how much of it is from the private sector? Of course, I imagine that a huge amount comes from the private sector, but, is that direct, or indirect? Does some of our tax money go into this? Do large companies donate to it annually? And, is there enough in place for the countless disasters which occur yearly?

It is a very interesting facet of governmental responsibility. One which we assume is being handled, but no little about. I would like to know more about disaster relief without having to read volumes of useless information...

The United States, Japan, France, and a few other countries are big contributors to global disaster relief. The U. S. is the leader by far. Now, with a recessive state of economy, how does this work? Where does the money come from?

Private donations to certain charities is another confusing area in which to find information. All information is geared for selling you on the idea of donating, but, finding out certain criteria for the charity is like sifting black dirt into a sifter designed for fine grained sand...

Yes, I am going to delve into this interesting topic as much as I can stand researching it. There has to be some definitive answers, and, if any of you who happen to read this know anything about this subject, please, direct and inform me, I would be appreciative for sure...