Berkeley and the Tsunami
With a disaster as large as the recent tsunami, it is inevitable that there will be some local Berkeley connections. Recently, Chancellor Birgeneau sent out a campus e-mail voicing concern over the tragedy and offering some thoughts on the role Berkeley could play:

As I write this, campus leaders are actively engaged in finding an appropriate role for UC Berkeley in the international relief effort. We will report on this at a later date. The enormity of the present disaster illustrates the real-world importance of the work we do here at Berkeley.

I would like to encourage all readers to offer any suggestions they may have on what steps we should take. The e-mail from the Birge mentioned "our world famous Berkeley Seismological Laboratory developed a new early warning system to notify emergency responders within minutes of an earthquake, of the location, the magnitude and the likelihood of a tsunami".

I think Berkeley could play a meaningful role in helping to prevent tragedies like this in the future by setting up some form of partnership which would help get this technology installed in the hard-hit areas of South Asian as well as other areas that might not have the capital to finance a large scale project, such as that which currently protects the United States. For a previous example of what this effort could look like, this CalStuff post has information on a partnership being formed between a Berkeley researcher and a non-profit working to create a low cost cure for malaria.

In further celebration of journalistic provincialism, here are some links to stories about the tsunami which feature Berkeley:
1) Survivors share tsunami horror story: Vacationers sure 'we were watching people die' as wave hit nearby atoll (SFChronicle) Excellent account of the personal angle behind much of the destruction including touching imagery on the destruction that surrounded a Berkeley couple vacationing in Thailand.

2) Bay Area donors digging deep -- but chaos still plagues distribution (SFChronicle) Local fundraising, including Amoeba's efforts, "At Berkeley's Amoeba Records, there is a twist to the donations. Clerks are offering patrons a dollar off on their purchase -- if they kick it in the relief donation container on the counter."

3) Berkeley Couple Takes Dramatic Tsunami Pictures (CBS5) A video shot by the couple featured in the first article above.

4) Stanford student nearly drowned in tsunami (The Desert Sun) Information about Patrick Hsu, a Berkeley undergrad/Stanford MBA student who disappeared in the tsunami.

5) 15 Americans reported dead in Asian tsunami (SJ Mercury) Information on Lea Kreidie who was scuba diving when the tsunami struck.Email This Post!