The Math of the Aftermath

Comedian Chevy Chase, when he anchored the firstmiles of tunneling.It's been reported that the federal
Saturday Night Live faux-news desk, had a runningcommitment to this task has already exceeded $62
joke that satirized, post-mortem, the endless medicalbillion. One third of that amount has already been
updates provided by the public relations machine of adeployed and it can fairly be said that its effects are
dying dictator ..."Here's a bulletin from Spain: Doctorshardly noticed. This total will be added to the federal
are reporting that Generalissimo Francisco Franco isdeficit, of course, right along with the billions being spent
holding fast in his valiant fight to remain dead!"The point,to do whatever it is they currently say they're doing in
of course, was that neither the Spanish public nor theIraq. If the current administration holds fast to its pledge
global public at the time was ever fooled by theagainst raising taxes, the implication is that a host of
propaganda of Franco's terminal condition during hiscuts in other programs are inevitable.Thus, Americans
last days. The tweak also carried undertones that nowon't have to be located along the Gulf Coast to
government could overcome the forces of nature, nosomehow share in its devastation. Among other things,
matter what it announced.That brings us to the wakesome interest groups are now taking a close look at
of Hurricane Katrina.Anyone who has been to the Gulfhow funds are being utilized and allocated. Allegations
Coast says that the media images of the devastationof misappropriations and the like are sure to
there --- no matter how hard they try --- just cannotfollow.Contrast this state of affairs with the recent
convey the scope of the disaster. Vast segments ofearthquake in Pakistan. The magnitude of that disaster
the region have literally been blown back a couple ofwas similarly breathtaking. If you missed it, the Richter
centuries, to a time when electricity, telephones, runningscale measured the quake at 7.8 and an estimated
water and the like were either a luxury or a futuristic87,000 people were killed. Their government already
concept. Usual conveniences such as food shoppingdepends upon the USA for much of its additional aid. It
are still a major challenge to many. Some jobs maymay be a while before they see anything significant to
have left with Katrina; like her, they may neverassist in this natural tragedy.One city there will have
return.This doesn't look like it's going to get much betteradditional help. It's coming in the form of lottery
anytime soon, either.I thought of this while taking awinnings. A gentleman named Ishan Khan hit it big while
second look at the pages on the Longer Life site, all ofworking in the USA as a taxi driver. He nailed a $55
which include the American Red Cross public servicemillion jackpot and took his winnings up front, netting
ad which appeals for donations to their hurricane reliefover $32 million. Mr Khan moved back to his homeland,
fund. The appeals are just as urgent and relevantwhere that amount of money can spend like $1 billion
today as they were when they were first posted. Iand where he instantly became one of Pakistan's
sometimes wonder, though, if those who view themmost wealthy private individuals.It's obvious to Mr Khan
don't get so accustomed to their presence that theythat private assistance is necessary for relief efforts
ultimately look past them. I know the plan at the Longerthere to have any immediacy. His village, Batagram,
Life site is to keep them in place until all needs are met,lost 4500 citizens in the 8 Oct quake and surely, a
which in my opinion, means the Red Cross will be agood number of those were known to him. Here's the
fixture on their pages for a long time to come.TheAssociated Press account of his response to
American government recently released over 100,000date:"Just days before the earthquake, Khan was
pages of documents which dealt with their handling ofelected district nazim, or mayor, of Batagram. After
the crisis. It's notable in the impression that they didn'tthe quake hit, he helped pull survivors from the rubble,
give the matter much more attention than they wouldand paid to get the most seriously injured to regional
have if the affected area was a third-world country.hospitals. He told pharmacists he would pay them later
Having said that, the sheer volume of funds required tofor dispensing all the medicine on their shelves. The bill
repair and rebuild is staggering.For example, it's beencame to 10 million rupees, almost $200,000."Khan has
cited in the Los Angeles Times that the costliest publicbankrolled a program to supply roofing materials to
works project to date was the shift of freeways inrebuild shattered homes. He bought 150 tents, some of
Boston to an underground route. The price tag waswhich occupy land just outside his mansion with
$14.6 billion, the time factor was 14 years and thepanoramic views of snowcapped peaks."Most
object of the exercise was to move just under eightimportant, Khan has emerged as a colorful and
miles of roadway into a tunnel.The Gulf Coastoutspoken critic of local government corruption.
reclamation is going to involve much more than eight